{"id":141,"date":"2015-09-02T14:53:32","date_gmt":"2015-09-02T14:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=141"},"modified":"2015-09-18T21:20:14","modified_gmt":"2015-09-19T02:20:14","slug":"141","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=141","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma State Cowboys Football Preview 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph (10) passes under pressure from Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker (19) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki)\u00a0 (Above)<\/h6>\n

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Preview of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Big 12 contender out of Stillwater, OK<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

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Oklahoma State Cowboys<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

Head Coach:\u00a0 Mike Gundy-11th year (85-44)<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

Last Year:\u00a0 7-6,\u00a04-5 in conference<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

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Oklahoma State quarterback Mike Gundy jokes with teammates while waiting for his picture to be taken in Stillwater, Okla on Aug 13th, 1989. AP FILE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It wasn\u2019t a good middle of the season<\/em> for the Oklahoma State<\/span> Cowboys<\/span> last year as the win\/loss record of 7-6 was not what\u00a0Head \u00a0Coach Mike Gundy wanted. Quarterback\u00a0and offensive line injuries, coupled with\u00a0playing\u00a0many underclassmen\u00a0and a record number of freshmen had the Cowboys suffering\u00a0in October and early November.\u00a0 Getting off to a 5-1 start (with the only loss to the defending National Champs Florida State in a close battle), the Pokes found misery with a five game losing streak that followed.\u00a0Yet, the last of those five loses the Pokes went up\u00a0 against nationally ranked Baylor (in Waco)\u00a0with a new freshman quarterback (Mason Rudolph).\u00a0 That new blood \u00a0boosted the injury\u00a0depleted team to play a very\u00a0competitive game with the Bears.\u00a0What\u00a0followed was\u00a0a last minute upset of the\u00a0Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.\u00a0 Getting that sixth win, the Pokes finished off the season in good form with a win\u00a0in the bowl game against Washington, a middle of the road PAC team that had some very good defensive players.\u00a0 The O-State offense, with it\u2019s o-line back in good form, dominated the Huskies with a overwhelming win.<\/h4>\n

Coach Mike Gundy\u2019s team will be good in 2015, yet they are at least one year away from being a Top Ten team, many say.\u00a0 Expectations are very high in the program.<\/h4>\n

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Offense:\u00a0 It starts with the quarterback and with Mason Rudolph (6\u20194 ), a pro drop back style signal caller that had two touchdown passes against each of his three opponents\u00a0last year,\u00a0(Baylor. OU, Washington) you have a big time talent.\u00a0 He is the future of the program and many think he will be better than former Poke\u00a0quarterback Brandon Weeden.\u00a0\u00a0With his strong arm and nice touch,\u00a0Rudolph\u00a0will have the best set of wide receivers in the league.\u00a0 Quarterback figures to be an area of strength for Oklahoma State.<\/h4>\n

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Mason Rudolph created significant buzz with his work to cap the 2014 season and has earned the right to be tabbed as the starter. Should something happen there, however, the Pokes are in the capable hands of a proven playmaker in senior J.W. Walsh.\u00a0(OSU Media Guide)<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

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Back for the Cowboys are nine of the team\u2019s top 10 receivers from a year ago, highlighted by seniors David Glidden and Brandon Sheperd and sophomore James Washington. Of those three, think of Wes Welker in Gidden. With Sheperd and Washington, big play\u2019s should be numerous as these two are more on the strong and overpowering side rather than the thin out-run you kind. But don\u2019t stop there as the Pokes have at least six more pass catchers that could and would start on other major college teams.\u00a0\u00a0With juniors Marcell Ateman, Jhajuan Seales and Austin Hays, yes they will be called backups, but in actuality,\u00a0all will be significant participants in the most important game play situations.\u00a0\u00a0With plenty of good options at wide receiver the Cowboys have playmakers on the outside and in the slot.<\/h4>\n

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As the offensive line and quarterback play improved late last year, the talent of the receivers \u2013 most<\/em> notably Brandon Sheperd \u2013 came to the fore. It\u2019s reasonable to expect increased production from this group in 2015 (OSU Media Guide)<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

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Oklahoma State\u2019s running backs will be productive. Rennie Childs is the closest thing to a known commodity. Junior college transfers Chris Carson and Todd Mays will have a say in what happens here, but keep an eye on true freshman Jeff Carr, as well. Carson has been chosen as the pre-season Big 12 newcomer of the year. He is strong and fast with excellent moves.\u00a0 He was heavily recruited by the Georgia Bulldogs but chose OSU.\u00a0 He was the 4th rated JC runner in the country.<\/h4>\n

At tight end, OSU will\u00a0go with proven playmakers Blake Jarwin and Jeremy Seaton and\u00a0joined by Zac Veatch and Jordan Frazier, there are some options to choose from.\u00a0 The position has been renamed \u201cthe Cowboy Back\u201d by Coach Gundy.<\/h4>\n

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There is reason for optimism in the\u00a0offensive line, a group that turned things around\u00a0last year in the final three games against excellent\u00a0competition in\u00a0Baylor, OU and Wash.\u00a0 It\u00a0essentially remains intact and has been bolstered by some notable additions. With this group, don\u2019t expect the better teams in the league to dominate them like last year.\u00a0 OSU could have the best 0ffensive line in the Big 12 with Zachary Crabtree, Michael Wilson, UAB transfer Victor Salako, Paul Lewis, Brad Lundbrade and Jesse Robinson getting starts and significant playing time.\u00a0 The bench has three others that have experience and will supplement the starters. All of the above mentioned average 6\u20195 and 320. OSU will be excellent on the run and pass protection and fresh bodies will give the Pokes a significant advantage, one they didn\u2019t have for most of last year.<\/h4>\n

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Defense: The defensive line should be excellent in stopping the rush and putting pressure on the opponents through one of the best players in the country.\u00a0Emmanuel Ogbah (6\u20194 275)\u00a0the Big 12\u2019s defensive lineman of the year in 2014, is\u00a0a destructive force.\u00a0 Jimmy Bean, the other d-end, has started every\u00a0game\u00a0for the\u00a0past two years and is an above average college\u00a0player.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oklahoma State has proven playmakers and promising up-and-comers on its defensive line,\u00a0but the middle of the line will still have new starters. \u00a0Should OSU get production from the interior of its defensive front, the sky may be the limit for this collective unit<\/h4>\n

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\"454401798_1409453588166_7631935_ver1.0_640_480\"<\/a>
Image copyright 2014 Getty Images. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. RONALD MARTINEZ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At linebacker, Ryan Simmons and Seth Jacobs are the leaders. Simmons is a two-year starter and has played significant time in his freshman year.\u00a0 Now a senior, his leadership\u00a0will again be\u00a0consistently valuable. \u00a0It\u2019s unclear what to expect beyond those two, but this much is certain: whoever gets the third starting spot will have earned it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There are several good, fairly evenly-matched candidates fighting for that starting assignment. Regardless of who takes that\u00a03rd spot\u00a0and who doesn\u2019t, linebacker appears to be a position group that is deep enough to where Defensive\u00a0Coordinator\u00a0Glenn Spencer can roll different\u00a0groups of players\u00a0on and off the\u00a0turf and feel that the defensive will be effective.<\/h4>\n

The defensive secondary needs to be much improved if the Cowboys want to meet expectations.\u00a0 The speed and experience are now set in place, yet those attributes don\u2019t make a good group.\u00a0 Mistakes such as missed assignment can get you beat if they are consistent from game to game.<\/h4>\n

Oklahoma State has four perfectly good options to start at cornerback in Kevin Peterson, Ashton Lampkin, Ramon Richards and Michael Hunter. All have already logged a significant amount of starts and bring a wealth of experience at a position group that is deep with candidates for meaningful playing time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

At safety<\/span>, Jordan Sterns provided reason for excitement with his performance as a sophomore. He led the team in tackles and was a consistent difference-maker in the secondary. Tre Flowers saw significant action as well filling in as a starter when Larry Stephens was lost to injury. Flowers and Jerel Morrow enter fall with the upper hand to start alongside Sterns, though Deric Robertson is not to be dismissed when considering candidates for a starting role.\u00a0 (OSU Media Guide) <\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

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Junior Ben Grogan headlines Oklahoma State\u2019s group of specialists, but he is not the only returning starter in this area. Sophomore Kaleb Smith, who handled snaps on placements, is back, as is senior Josh Elias, who snaps on punts. The only specialist not returning from a year ago is punter\/kickoff man Kip Smith. The decision on the kick\/punt return specialists have not been made.\u00a0 <\/span><\/h4>\n

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The OSU passing game will be potent.\u00a0 With a much experienced o-line coming back, and some nice running backs to compliment the passing game\u00a0, the points will come fast and furious.\u00a0 The defensive will as fast and good. This will be Gundy\u2019s speediest defense and Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer\u00a0wants the Pokes to get back in the business of\u00a0\u00a0turning the opponent over.\u00a0 Last year they were one of the worst defensive teams in getting them.<\/h4>\n

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OSU can do much damage and any team that overlooks them, especially the TCU\u2019s and KSU\u2019s and Texas\u2019s might re-consider this group of Pokes.\u00a0 Still one of the youngest teams in the country, they have the quarterback and compliments to consistanly get 40 to 50 points a game.\u00a0 The defense should be stout and if the defensive secondary get some turnovers, OSU will be in every game.\u00a0 The schedule tells me West Virginia in week 6 will be the big game which tell if OSU is going to compete for the Big 12 this year. Week 4 at Texas should showcase the Cowboys and I expect a big win in Austin for the visitor. Texas does not have their game together and I for one think this one won\u2019t be close. But at West Virginia, that is another story. Win that one and OSU can be 8-0 hosting TCU in game nine.\u00a0 Two weeks later in Stilllwater, Baylor comes to town and again, another chance to prove that OSU is the real deal in 2015.\u00a0 The final challenging game will again be at Boone-Pickens\u2019s Stadium against Oklahoma.\u00a0(9-3 is a strong possibility with but this Cowboy team has a schedule that is set up for success.\u00a0 Don\u2019t bet the world that OSU is an easy win for either TCU or Baylor.\u00a0 Stillwater is a difficult place to play when the Pokes have the playmakers to crank it up.\u00a0 The difference between the top five in the conference (OU, TCU, Baylor, OSU, and West Virginia) is not that much. Home field plays a part in this conference and the prediction by Sports Illustrated that had Okla. State in the Final Four this year is a stretch, but not that much of one.\u00a0 It will be exciting for OSU the next three years.<\/h4>\n
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Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph (10) passes under pressure from Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker (19)…<\/p>\n

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