{"id":4612,"date":"2017-08-26T16:03:11","date_gmt":"2017-08-26T21:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=4612"},"modified":"2018-08-20T14:58:54","modified_gmt":"2018-08-20T19:58:54","slug":"pokes-have-two-heisman-hopefuls-in-washington-and-rudolph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=4612","title":{"rendered":"Pokes Have Two Heisman Hopefuls in Washington and Rudolph"},"content":{"rendered":"

James Washington and Mason Rudolph-<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

best\u00a0passing\u00a0combo\u00a0in college football<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n
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OSU\u2019s James Washington catches another pass over Colorado\u2019s Chidobe Awuzie on Thursday in the Alamo Bowl. (PHOTO: Bruce Waterfield\/OSU media relations)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Head Coach Mike Gundy of the Oklahoma State Cowboys is facing the 2017 college football season with not just one, but two Heisman Trophy hopefuls. Quarterback Mason Rudolph, a senior out of Rock Hill, South Carolina, is the primary name you hear associated with Heisman.\u00a0\u00a0But sports fans, do not forget about James\u00a0Washington, also a senior, from Stamford, Texas.\u00a0\u00a0Washington happens to be the top wide receiver in the land on a team that has the best and deepest pass catching\u00a0group in college football.\u00a0\u00a0Coach Gundy,\u00a0still the man,\u00a0now at fifty years old,\u00a0has the ammunition\u00a0in the passing game that has some college football prognosticators picking the Pokes to make the Final Four\u00a0at the end of the season. Sports Illustrated<\/em> thinks so. Can OSU run the table, win the Big Twelve that now includes a championship game, and make that top ranking?\u00a0With some defense sure can if the offense clicks as many think it will.\u00a0 The first\u00a0test for Gundy\u2019s team will be this Thursday night against Tulsa in\u00a0a home\u00a0opener in Stillwater.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Mason Rudolph has been a prolific passing quarterback in this career for the Pokes. His record as a starter is 22-6.\u00a0 He comes into this season leading all FBS quarterbacks in both interception avoidance and touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2016.\u00a0 His over 4000 yards passing and less than five interceptions was the best in the country last year.\u00a0 At 6\u20195 and 230 lbs., Rudolph, with a strong arm and NFL body, will have the professional scouts taking a hard look at him with a 1st round pick in the 2018 draft all but certain.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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The tiny high school that James Washington attended in Texas was a benefit for him to gain attention as a big time college football player.\u00a0 Accomplished in jumping and catching the football, Washington led his 1A Texas State football championship team as a senior.\u00a0 He is a state quarter-finalist tennis player and all-district basketball player that was recruited by Texas and TCU among others. His choice of Oklahoma State has led him to become a consensus pre-season All-American wide receiver and the next coming of Dez Bryant for the Pokes.\u00a0 Washington enters his senior season with 26 career touchdown catches, 2,923 career yards and 19.6 yards per catch, all bests for Power Five Conference returning players.\u00a0 Washington, plays much bigger than his 6\u20190 205 lbs. frame.\u00a0 Opposing coaches\u00a0have\u00a0made Washington their number one issue to be concerned with when OSU has the ball. He can take it to the house on any play.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Mason Rudolph calls an audible at the line before taking the snap. Devin L. Wilber\/O\u2019Colly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
When a team has more than one Heisman candidate, it is not to the benefit for that school.\u00a0 Rudolph and Washington are just two players that defensive coordinators have to deal with on this OSU team.\u00a0 OSU\u00a0opens the season Thursday with\u00a0the best offense in the nation.\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Will either win the Heisman Trophy?\u00a0 You might say that for that to happen, Oklahoma State needs to run the table. Sports fans, that is a lot easier than you might think if you average fifty points a game.\u00a0 And you know, the Heisman and National Championships do associate with each other more than you think.<\/span><\/h5>\n

Feature photo:\u00a0 Devin L. Wilber\/O\u2019Colly<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally published at :http:\/\/theinscribermag.com\/2017-heisman-trophy-watch-oklahoma-states-qb-mason-rudolph-and-wr-james-washington\/ (by Fred Pahlke<\/span>)<\/p>\n

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James Washington and Mason Rudolph- best\u00a0passing\u00a0combo\u00a0in college football \u00a0 Head Coach Mike Gundy of the…<\/p>\n

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