Key stretch for Cowgirls
By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
OSU hosts Kansas State Sunday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Wildcats are the surprise of the Big 12 after a 5-0 start. The Wildcats are a fundamentally sound team but are more like a Princeton, where they execute plays well but aren’t nearly as athletic as the Cowgirls.
Did you enjoy Budke’s response following the loss to Texas, the Cowgirls first league loss? Budke basically dodged questions that there was a 23-10 foul difference which led to a 15-point edge at the free throw line for the Longhorns.
Budke has said repeatedly his team isn’t talented enough to play average and win in a conference like the Big 12. The next two home games are huge since the Cowgirls host the two teams tied for first. Kansas State is first up on Sunday followed by Baylor, which invades Gallagher-Iba on Feb. 5. Sandwiched in between is a road game at Colorado.
If OSU can win at least two of the next three the Cowgirls would reach the halfway point at 6-2. It’s a tell-tale three-game stretch that should reveal a lot about OSU.
Cowboy Clicks for Thursday, Jan. 23
Good evening Oklahoma State fans. Here’s what the world has to say about your Cowboys today.
* After a couple of bad practices at the Senior Bowl, Adarius Bowman looked good Wednesday.
* Looks like the Cowboys missed out on juco linebacker Patrick Trahan.
* According to this guy, OSU has one of the Top 10 “sweetest” jerseys in college basketball.
* Nebraska released Bo Pelini’s salary this week. He fell just above Mike Gundy on the pay scale.
Got a link your fellow Cowboys fans need to see? Send it along to rsharp@oklahoman.com
-Asst. Sports Editor, Ryan Sharp
Track: Cowboys travel to Arkansas
Cowboy Track This Week
The Oklahoma State Cowboy track and field team competes at the Razorback Invitational beginning at 10 a.m. this Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark. (more…)
Tennis: OSU hosts Mississippi this weekend
Cowgirls Prepare to Take On Lady Rebels
Oklahoma State’s women’s tennis team (1-0) will host Mississippi (1-0) at Tulsa’s Michael D. Case Tennis Center on Saturday. The Cowgirls opened the 2008 season with a 4-0 victory over Loyola Marymount on Sunday.
the injury ward …
in Gallagher-Iba Arena is up to three, all with shoulder injuries. As we learned yesterday, Anthony Brown is out indefinately with a shoulder injury. He clarified just a minute ago that he sustained the injury in Ames last week, apparently in practice. So now between Brown, Brad Garrett and Andy Shaw, OSU is down three key practice players.
Last year OSU had serious depth problems, down to eight guys much of the season. Right now the rotation isn’t affected much — Garrett would likely be playing at least 10 minutes a game, but he was injured before anyone got too used to having him, and Brown wasn’t playing much the last couple weeks. Andy Shaw, a redshirt freshman, hasn’t played in a game.
But Saturday against A&M, OSU could have used Brown to try and combat the Aggies serious inside game. As it stands, OSU fans will likely see Marshall Moses for the first time in a while. Provided, of course, he can keep his shoulder out of a sling.
-Andrea Cohen
We have answers
One new feature in The Oklahoman is we will try to answer questions concerning OSU’s football program. Submit questions you have on any OSU football related topic and we’ll pick out a few each week and answer them in the Sunday Oklahoman. — Mike Baldwin
In the title box put OSU question and send it to mbaldwin@oklahoman.com
Recruiting trip (puppies, pizza & coming attractions)
During a recruiting trip to Dallas to film video of five football players who have committed to OSU, the final stop featured a unique event. When we arrived at DeJuan Davis’ house last week their pit bull, Angel, was giving birth to puppies. When we arrived she had already given birth to seven puppies. She ended up giving birth to nine healthy puppies.
Oddly enough, DeJuan was the first to notice Angel was in labor early that afternoon. He said Angel had already given birth to four puppies. The huge offensive lineman, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, didn’t tear up or anything but you could tell he was moved by the experience. It’s not every day you get to watch a dog give birth to puppies.
My partner, Darnell Mayberry, and I were told the puppies, not much bigger than a remote control at birth, quickly add weight, weighing more than 10 pounds within a few weeks. It was a unique experience, something I will never forget.
Other highlights on the trip, included driving to a pizza parlor where Lane Taylor, another offensive lineman, works. Lane Taylor, 6-3, 310 pounds, could barely fit into the front seat of the company’s PT Cruiser. Darnell filmed Lane Taylor making a pizza, a video that will be coming to our website soon.
In another coming attraction, Quinn Sharp, the nation’s No. 1 kicker, is into cars as is Lane Taylor. Sharp has a unique license plate. We won’t spoil the surprise for Darnell’s video story.
The other two players we visited their high schools. Dallas Skyline linebacker Alfred Dupree’s school isn’t far from the Cotton Bowl. Oddly enough, the only time he’s seen a game at the Cotton Bowl was last year’s OU-Texas game.
Wide receiver Adrian Richards plays at Mesquite High School, east of Dallas. Their nickname is the Skeeters. Mesquite’s nickname essentially is misquitoes. At some point we’ll be post some Q&As with several players from OSU’s 2008 class. Be sure to check out Adrian Richards’ answer when asked what high school rivals bring to Mesquite games.
— By Mike Baldwin
Big Monday Wednesday viewing
I spent Wednesday morning catching up on laundry and housekeeping from spending last week on the road and re-watching Oklahoma State-Texas.
A couple thoughts, some of them that just didn’t make it into the paper in the mad-dash to make deadline Monday night, some of them observed thanks to the beauty that is the DVR.
1. Terrel Harris. The Oklahoma State junior has been frustrating to fans because he hasn’t been shooting well, and he’s been committing too many turnovers. In the first three Big 12 games of the season, Harris had 15 turnovers and 0 assists. Not great. On Monday night, 1-of-7 from the floor, two turnovers, 9 points, 5 rebounds. Decent, not great. But then you look at A.J. Abrams’ line, and see that he was 0-for-7 from 3 with 6 points. Now that is great for Harris. The guy has learned to play defense. He hustles. He’s in the right place at the right time. Three of those rebounds were offensive rebounds. To sum up: Harris’ numbers aren’t great, but there’s a very good reason he played 36 minutes on Monday.
2. James Anderson. When he’s hot, OSU needs to do a better job of getting him the ball. These guys have a phrase for this: “Feed the horse.” On Monday night Anderson was the horse, and he didn’t get fed enough. In the first half, when he made those two 3s in a row, Anderson was feeling it (I even got a text from my brother, watching the game in Sacramento, that said “Anderson’s feeling it”). If he can see it from 1,700 miles away, Byron Eaton should see it from 15 feet away and get the ball to his shooter.
3. D.J. Augustin. Wow.
OSU Football adds coach
Jason Jones Joins Oklahoma State Football Staff
Former Tulsa assistant to coach Cowboy secondary.
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy announced the hiring of Jason Jones as secondary coach today. Jones was the cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator at the University of Tulsa last year, helping the Golden Hurricane to a 10-4 record, an appearance in the Conference USA Championship Game, along with a 63-7 win over Bowling Green in the 2008 GMAC Bowl.
“We’re excited to have Jason as a part of our program,” Gundy said. “He comes from a great pedigree and he is very enthusiastic about what he does. He has a great relationship with his players and is an excellent technician. He’s a great recruiter in the state of Texas.”
Success has followed the 30-year-old Jones at each of his coaching stops, most recently highlighted by the Golden Hurricane during his second stint at Tulsa in 2007. In 2006, Jones served as the cornerbacks coach at Rice University, helping the Owls to their first bowl trip in 45 years as the Owls competed in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. In his first stint at Tulsa, Jones coached cornerbacks and helped the Golden Hurricane to a Conference USA Championship and an appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. His first coaching job came as a graduate assistant at Alabama, where he helped his alma mater to an appearance in the Music City Bowl.
“I’m very excited about being on the staff here,” Jones said. “Living in Oklahoma, I know that OSU is a great program and university with a great tradition. A lot of outstanding players have come through here and it’s an honor to be part of this program.”
With Jones leading the Tulsa secondary in 2005, the Hurricane defense ranked third nationally in takeaways (36) and interceptions (22) and was the 11th nationally in pass efficiency defense and 17th in pass defense. Jones’ cornerbacks totaled 13 of those interceptions and 29 had passes defended.
A 2001 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in financial planning, Jones was a two-year starter at defensive back for the Crimson Tide and was part of three Alabama bowl teams, competing in the 1996 Outback Bowl, the 1998 Music City Bowl and the 1999 FedEx Orange Bowl. Jones was a member of Crimson Tide teams that played in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in 1996 and 1999.
He earned a master’s degree from Alabama in sports management in 2005. He and his wife Kysha have a 14-year-old son, Andrew.
Jason Jones Coaching Timeline
2008-present: Oklahoma State secondary
2007: Tulsa cornerbacks/special teams coordinator
2006: Rice cornerbacks
2005: Tulsa cornerbacks
2004: Alabama graduate assistant
Alma Mater: Alabama, 2001; Master’s from Alabama, 2005
Birthdate: November 13, 1977
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Playing Experience: Played four years and was a two-year starter as a safety at Alabama (1996-00).
Bowl Games as a Player
1999: FedEx Orange Bowl (Alabama)
1998: Music City Bowl (Alabama)
1996: Outback Bowl (Alabama)
Bowl Games as a Coach
2008: GMAC Bowl (Tulsa)
2006: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Rice)
2005: AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Tulsa)
2004: Music City Bowl (Alabama)
Updating OSU’s Wrestling Redshirts
This from the OSU media relations department……
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State sent several of its wrestlers to compete at the Roger Denker Open this past weekend, with Tulsa Union product Jamal Parks winning the 141-pound weight class and Kyle Griffin winning the 165-pound bracket. Each of Parks’ four wins at the event came by major decision.
Other solid performers for the Cowboys included 184-pounder and Stillwater HS graduate Walker Clarke, who took second at 184 pounds, Kevin Wainscott, who was the runner-up at 165 pounds, Luke Ashmore, who placed third at 149 pounds and Lawton MacArthur product Chris McNeil, who placed third at 184 pounds. 184-pounder Adam Rosholt took fourth place after a medical forfeit to McNeil in the third-place bout.
“There’s been a few of the redshirts who have wrestled well to this point,” Coach John Smith said. “Jamal Parks moved up a weight for the tournament this past weekend and went through it in a dominating way. Luke Ashmore moved up to 149 and finished third, which was his first time moving up a weight class. Kyle Griffin won at 165. Kevin Wainscott is our direct backup to Jake Dieffenbach and he finished behind Griffin at the tournament this past weekend with a second place finish. I was pleased at 184 to see Walker Clarke finish third. It’s good to see them in there and have some success. It’s real important for us for our future.”
Among the wrestlers redshirting for Oklahoma State this year, Parks owns a 16-1 overall record that includes championships at the Kaufman-Brand Open, the OU Open and the Roger Denker Open to go with a third-place finish at the Central Missouri State Open. He leads the team with seven major decisions on the year including a 16-5 major over Missouri’s Nick Velliquette early in the season and also has an 11-5 win over Iowa’s Montell Marion to his credit.
Griffin is 16-5 on the year with a championship at Roger Denker Open to go with a second-place finish at the Central Missouri Open. Of his 16 wins on the year, eight have included bonus points, as Griffin has a team-high six pins and two major decisions to his credit. In fact, he registered the quickest pin of any Cowboy this year when he recorded a fall just 50 seconds into one of his bouts at the OU Open. He also has a 53-second pin to his credit this year.
“Both Parks and Griffin I’m sure will be in our lineup in the future, or will at least have a great opportunity. Of course, you’ve got to make it,” Smith said. “With Kyle, I’m not sure which weight at this point. 165 seems to be a bit tough for him. I think that it gives us some solid depth at those middle weights with Wainscott and Griffin being successful. Overall it’s been a pretty good year for most of them having success at the open tournaments.”
Luke Ashmore and Luke Silver have also tasted success as redshirts this season, with Ashmore stringing together a 15-5 overall record and Silver compiling a 15-7 mark. Ashmore has pinned three of his opponents in 1:05 or less, including two pins that took less than a minute. Of Silver’s 15 wins, nine have included bonus points.
McNeil ties Parks and Griffin with 16 wins on the year and won the 184-pound weight class at the Kaufman-Brand Open early in the year to go with his third-place finish at the Roger Denker Open.
A closer look at the Cowboy redshirts:
Jamal Parks (16-1 record; three open championships, seven major decisions, one technical fall)
Kyle Griffin (16-5 record; one open championship; six pins, two major decisions)
Chris McNeil (16-7 record; one open championship; one pin, one major decision)
Luke Ashmore (15-5 record; four pins, three major decision, one technical fall)
Luke Silver (15-7 record; four pins, five major decisions)
Walker Clarke (10-4 record; two runner-up finishes at open tournaments; one pin, two major decisions, one technical fall)
Adam Rosholt (6-8 record; one pin, two major decisions)
