The Oklahoma State Cowboys

[arfer0384]

As you can probably tell from my avatar/signature, I'm a big fan of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. I just wanted to get some of your opinions on how they'll do this coming season.

Last season, Mike Gundy's Cowboys went 7-6, finishing with an Independence Bowl victory over Alabama. Four of the six losses were determined on the final play (@ Kansas State, vs. Texas A&M, @ Texas Tech, vs. OU). The offense was certainly the best unit on the team, averaging 35.6 points per game (7th nationally) and over 400 yards per game (I don't remember the exact average, but it was good for 16th nationally). The Cowboys' offense was one of only two offenses to average at least 200 yards per game both through the air and on the ground; Boise State's was the other.

The playmakers on offense are plentiful. Junior quarterback Bobby Reid is a returning semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, and threw for close to 2,500 yards in addition to running for over 500. His favorite target is senior wideout Adarius Bowman, who racked up around 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. You may recognize Bowman's name from his game against Kansas, in which he caught 13 passes for 300 yards and 4 TDs, earning him National Player of the Week honors. Another target of Reid's is junior tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew became involved later on in '06, and ended up with about 300 yards and 4 TDs. He's been catching a lot of passes this spring, and should be utilized more in '07. He'll be a matchup problem for any linebacker, standing 6'6" and weighing about 260 with 4.6 speed.

Senior running back Dantrell Savage is the main threat out of the backfield. He rushed for 786 yards last season, I believe, and was one of four Cowboys to pass the 500-yard mark. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry and was the Player of the Game for the team's last 4 or so games. The reason he didn't rush for more yardage is that he was injured for the first several games of the year, and didn't start until a few games into Big 12 play. Joining him in the backfield is sophomore Keith Toston, who was one of the team's leading scorers last season. He is a threat both running and receiving, and will get a lot of playing time despite Savage's emergence.

Defensively, the team returns nine starters. The two new starters will be defensive tackles. DT is the team's biggest question mark, although JUCO transfer Tonga "Junior" Tea is looking like a solid nose guard (6'0", 315). The ends will be occupied by seniors Nathan Peterson and Marque Fountain. The linebacking corps is one of the team's strengths, featuring two 2006 Freshman All-Americans: Chris Collins and Patrick Lavine. Also at linebacker are Independence Bowl Defensive MVP Jeremy Nethon and former safety Donovan Woods, both seniors. The team's top cornerback is Martel Van Zant (6'2"), whom you may recognize as being hearing-impaired. Opposite him will be either junior Jacob Lacey or sophomore Perrish Cox. At safety, sophomore Andre Sexton returns; Sexton was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year last season. Starting next to him will be Quinton Moore, a converted cornerback; technically, I suppose Moore will be a new starter, as well (the four previously mentioned linebackers were all starters last year...Woods was a safety).

The defense will be run by new coordinator Tim Beckman, who has spent the past two seasons as Ohio State's cornerbacks coach. Prior to that job, he was Bowling Green's defensive coordinator for six years. He is very intense, and his playcalling reflects that; no more lining up the CBs 10 yards off the WRs on 3rd-and-6. He also emphasizes putting speed on the field, reflected by moving Woods to LB and Moore to SS.

While the schedule for a Big 12 South team is never easy, I look for the Cowboys to improve on last season's win total of 7. Here's the schedule:

@ Georgia, 9-1
vs. Florida Atlantic, 9-8
@ Troy, 9-14
vs. Texas Tech, 9-22
vs. Sam Houston State, 9-29
@ Texas A&M, 10-6
@ Nebraska, 10-13
vs. Kansas State, 10-20
BYE
vs. Texas, 11-3
vs. Kansas, 11-10
@ Baylor, 11-17
@ Oklahoma, 11-24

What do you guys think?

[studcrackers]

not sure but my best friend goes to OK St. in fact he recently signed up at RealGM, i only watched when you beat Alabama last year I wasnt impressed with your QB but my friend said he had a bad game.

if you're returning alot of players you can always compete, it helps that you have texas and texas tech at home but @A&M and @Nebraska will be tough.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

That's a 9-win schedule if everyone lives up to their billing, arfer. Good luck to your boys.

[arfer0384]

Thanks for the input, guys. The road schedule is tough, but if last season's results indicate anything, OSU should be OK; the loss to A&M was by one point in OT on a blocked extra point, the loss to OU was on the last play of the game (incomplete would-be TD), and the win over Nebraska was pretty convincing. We'll see what happens. One game I'm really looking forward to is the Texas game; as I heard someone say yesterday, OSU scares Texas too much for them to always lose. Should be a fun ride! If any of you are interested, Fox Sports Southwest is showing the OSU edition of the Big 12 Spring Tour today at 2:00 PM, I believe.

[sideshowking24]

An Article from the Dallas Morning News...

If things fall just right this football season, Dallas billionaire Boone
Pickens' next donation to his alma mater, Oklahoma State, could be free
rounds for everyone at Eskimo Joe's in Stillwater

[Icness]

I think the Cowboys have an outside shot at winning the Big 12. They match up well with both Texas and OU, their strengths directly attack those teams' weaknesses. The Nebarska trip is going to be tough--I believe the loser of that game is going to miss out on the Big 12 Title game because of that loss.

What stands out to me about OK State is their speed all over the field. Everyone at the skill positions on both sides can flat-out fly, and they've got decent skills too.

[sideshowking24]

yea that speed is gonna have to be what gets us through on defense. They will have to use it to the best of their ability to neutralize offenses or else we will be forced into several shoot-outs against the higher powered offenses they will face.