My thoughts on Tyrik Rollison
By Scott Wright
First of all, let me apologize to the Oklahoma State fans for not finding out sooner that Sulphur Springs (Texas) High School, quarterbacked by OSU recruit Tyrik Rollison, was going to be on television Thursday night. Had I known, it would have been in the paper, I promise.
The Wildcats played Rider High out of Wichita Falls on ESPN2. I didn’t get to watch the entire game, but what I saw from Rollison — a four-star prospect by most recruiting services — was impressive. he moves extremely well and has a rifle for an arm. He (with the help of his team’s defense and some Rider turnovers) brought the Wildcats back from a 10-0 deficit to win 22-16.
From the stats, I could tell Rollison hadn’t been throwing the ball much before I started watching in the second quarter. After completing four of five passes on the Wildcats’ first TD drive just before halftime, Rollison was 6-of-10 for the game.
Once he started throwing, the offense started moving. He has an awkward delivery (very Vince Young-like). Throws off-balance and across his body a lot, but maintains impressive accuracy. He also runs the zone-read play well, which is a staple of OSU’s run game.
There’s been some concern about his intelligence level, though I think it centers more on his classroom work than his football IQ. He runs a no-huddle, spread offense much like OSU’s and that’s not easy. His decision-making was good, but not great. However, I don’t think it was a lack of intelligence, but a competitive spirit that needs to be reeled in. His poor decisions always ended by going for the big play with deep ball instead of taking what he could get.
OSU hasn’t offered Rollison a scholarship yet, but he seems to still be very interested in coming to Stillwater. The only problem might be his grades. He has yet to qualify. He’s definitely the best QB OSU is in on right now, so we’ll see how things transpire.
want to walk on?
I asked Travis Ford the other day if he’s going to be looking for any walk-ons and he said he’s hoping to pick up a couple.
Here are the details …
Cowboy Basketball to Hold Walk-on Tryouts
STILLWATER, Okla. (OSU Athletics <http://www.okstate.com>) — Head coach Travis Ford and the Oklahoma State Cowboy Basketball coaching staff will hold walk-on tryouts for the 2008-09 season on Wednesday, September 17, 2008, from 6-8 a.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Each potential Cowboy player will need to sign a waiver before the tryouts begin. If selected to join the team, each individual will have to complete and pass a medical physical. In addition, they will need to provide proof of insurance that covers athletic injuries and is valid in the State of Oklahoma and Stillwater area before they are allowed to participate in team activities.
Oklahoma State will begin practicing on Friday, October 17. The Cowboys’ first game under Ford will be an exhibition contest against Rogers State on Wednesday, November 5, at 7 p.m.
Mid-week links
After losing to an NCAA Division II school, I-AA Missouri State has to go up in division to play the Cowboys this week. Interestingly, the Bears won’t play another I-A team this season.
Please forgive ESPN.com’s Tim Griffin for accidentally referring to Oklahoma State as the Sooners in one of his previous blogs this week. To make up for it, he wrote some nice things about OSU’s Triplets. after the Cowboys became the first team in Big 12 history and the fifth ever in NCAA D-I to have a player with 300 passing yards, a player with 200 rushing yards and a player with 200 receiving yards. Griffin’s love for Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant also shows through in his weekly Big 12 rankings.
If you’re playing college fantasy football, hopefully you didn’t take the advice of CBS Sportsline’s Michael Hurcomb last week and bench Hunter. Hurcomb makes it up to Spud this week, calling him a “fantasy contender.”
And finally, I know this guy is a big Texas fan, but he offers plenty of praise for the Cowboys in his weekly breakdown of last Saturday’s games.
Crowd falls short
By Scott Wright
Tonight’s attendance was just announced at 45,001, well short of the single-game record of 51,458 and 14,999 shy of capacity.
200×2
By Scott Wright
For the first time in school history, Oklahoma State has a player with 200 rushing yards and another with 200 receiving yards.
Kendall Hunter reached 200 yards with his 10-yard TD run in the final minute of the third quarter that put the Cowboys up 42-23. Dez Bryant passed 200 yards earlier in the drive and has 236 right now. Bryant has three TDs and Hunter has two.
Yikes!
By Scott Wright
Houston had a 77-yard touchdown pass called back in the final two minutes of the half, then drove into field goal range, but had their second mishandled snap in a row.
OSU coaches appeared to be unhappy because the clock didn’t stop after the botched snap on a 51-yard field goal try with three seconds left. But the field goal try was on third down, so the play was the same as a run play. Houston simply would have snapped the ball and run out the final three seconds on fourth down, so it wouldn’t have mattered.
But it’s been a scary first half for the Cowboys. After a fast start, OSU cooled off considerably, then ended the half with a bang on the 39-yard TD pass to Dez Bryant.
Kendall Hunter’s 58-yard touchdown run on the first series was the longest of his career and Bryant’s 41-yard catch on the next series was his personal best.
OSU’s most success has come on the ground, so expect that to be the focus of the offense in the second half. Their only success through the air has been to Brandon Pettigrew over the middle, or any time they get Bryant in single coverage.
Just when you thought …
Just as OSU had pulled within two at 16-14, Houston broke off a long touchdown.
But it’s coming back! An illegal formation brings back the TD by the Cougs. Now on the Houston 18.
Houston, we have a problem
The Cougars missed the PAT, but now lead 16-7.
OSU trying to use one-two punch of Tosten and Hunter to get back in it.
Artrell Woods out.
Artrell Woods, who came back from a nearly paralyzing injury last summer to start again for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, has left Saturday’s game against Houston with an injury.
Woods injured his leg early in the game. The OSU radio broadcast reported he would not return.
just saying
Last week Houston held Southern to 35 yards rushing. On OSU’s first carry of the game Kendall Hunter took it 58 yards for the TD.
-andrea cohen
