Afterthoughts: OSU-Colorado
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Good win for Oklahoma State Wednesday night.
Of course, they’re all good in the Big 12.
Mostly, it was a necessary win over Colorado, with the Cowboys involved in a crowded Big 12 scramble for NCAA Tournament berths. The league, which will prove to be the nation’s best according to RPI, figures to put at least six teams in The Dance, maybe seven.
While so many nods would confirm due respect for the league, the problem within the conference is that the depth of quality runs at least that deep. For now, three teams look like NCAA locks: Texas, Kansas and Kansas State.
Beyond that top 10 trio, five teams find themselves in the mix for the remaining three or four slots. Count the Cowboys among them, along with Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
So beating Colorado, which is improved, yet still carries the Big 12′s worst winning percentage, was necessary. A must.
And done.
Not necessarily a thing of beauty, yet added to the win column, which is the most important thing.
And within the win, there were some positives to pull for the games ahead.
* The Pokes’ 18 assists were, by far, their most in four Big 12 games and their second-most this season. And everyone got involved, with five players contributing at least two assists, led by point guard Ray Penn’s six.
* The Cowboys shot the ball better. While shooting will come and go with this squad, the important thing is they worked harder to get better shots, seen in the 18 assists.
* And Keiton Page, days after being called out a bit by coach Travis Ford, showed more versatility to his game than just being a shooter. Page knocked down some big shots, including two big 3s, but he also took the ball to the hole, twice faking passes on his way to nifty layups. I’ll have more on Page and his plight as a 5-9 player in Saturday’s paper.
Good win for the Cowboys.
Necessary, but good.
A closer look at Dana Holgorsen
Kendall Hunter in the open field... expect more of this in 2010
With the addition of Dana Holgorsen to the Oklahoma State staff, I decided it would be great to have a Q&A with someone who has watched Holgorsen in action for the past two seasons. University of Houston beat writer Steve Campbell of the Houston Chronicle was kind enough to answer some questions about Holgorsen and what Cowboys fans can expect in 2010.
Brandon Chatmon: What type of personality is Holgorsen? Energetic, laid back, etc?
Steve Campbell: Can one be laid-back AND energetic? Holgorsen has a casual, laid-back air, preferring to show up for work each day in shorts and sandals. He tries to keep things on an even keel, often saying, “Things are never as good as they seem and things are never as bad as them seem.” But he will jump on his players if they screw up, often in creatively colorful language.
BC: What can OSU fans expect from a Dana Holgorsen offense?
SC: At its best, a Holgorsen offense is a like the one OSU fans saw at Stillwater for UH’s 45-35 upset. Holgorsen hit OSU with a mix of screens, short passes, shovel passes and runs. They spread the field and create one-on-one matchups, depending on the quarterback to make quick decisions and quick, accurate, safe throws.
BC: How did Houston’s offense under Holgorsen compare with Texas Tech?
SC: Holgorsen puts it this way: “We actually run the ball.” UH was at its best when it had pass-run ratio of about 60-40. That went out of whack the final two games, when the offensive line got a little depleted and struggled a lot. Holgorsen doesn’t use as wide of splits with the offensive linemen as Mike Leach did at Tech, believing it made it too difficult to protect the passer. UH also had more of a screen game than Tech.
BC: Did Houston use the tight end at all?
SC: UH used a tight end, Mark Hafner, quite effectively in his first season at UH. Hafner wasn’t a classic tight end, though, more of WR/tight end hybrid. Injuries decimated the tight end corps early in 2009, so the tight ends pretty much disappeared from the offense.
BC: OSU has a deep group of running backs. Should they be concerned or will Holgorsen find a way to use them?
SC: Bryce Beall was the C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2008, rushing for more than 1,200 yards. Charles Sims was the C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2009, rushing for 698 yards and racking up 759 receiving. Though Beall’s production fell last season because of injuries and late-season fumbling issues, he and Sims combined for 1,368 yards rushing and 1,070 receiving. An individual back won’t get 20 carries a lot, but he’ll be quite involved in the passing game. Psst, OSU backs: You’d better work on catching the ball and running routes.
BC: When his offense is clicking, what tends to be the driving force behind the success?
SC: The offense is at its best going at a quick tempo: boom, boom, boom, no huddle, play after play. A couple of teams – most conspicuously, SMU and Tulsa — would systematically fake injuries to stop play, take UH out of rhythm and give the defense a breather. The offense is built around quick passes and moving the chains – they didn’t take an unusual number of shots down the field. Holgorsen preaches the importance of making first downs as opposed to trying to make big plays. UH spread the ball around, with three receivers topping 1,000 yards.
BC: How much is the quarterback counted on to make pre-snap decisions?
SC: Because they ran the no-huddle as a staple, they expected the quarterback to be able make a lot of decisions and to be able to get them out of bad play calls throughout the game. Of course, UH has the advantage of having an especially smart, seasoned quarterback in Case Keenum.
BC: What percentage of passing to running should fans expect?
SC: As mentioned earlier, UH has hovered around 60-40 the past two years. Whether that ratio changes might have to do with what Mike Gundy wants to do. My impression is that Holgorsen might have thrown it a little more if totally left to his own devices, but they reined him in a bit – emphasize, a bit — because Kevin Sumlin wants a certain balance in the offense. If you want to see Holgorsen at his best: (A) Re-watch the UH-OSU game; (b) Watch the game-winning final drive against Texas Tech, in which UH used up nearly five minutes and stayed patient with the run when it would have been easy to get away from it.
Marshall Moses: Seeking Acceptance
Marshall Moses Moving On
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Marshall Moses has been back some 10 days now, after sitting out a game — and getting to know the steepness of Gallagher-Iba’s stairsteps, over and over — following an arrest for marijuana possession.
The hardest part for Moses, however, was wondering what kind of welcome he’d get from the Cowboys faithful upon his return.
“You just never know how fans are going to react after a situation,” Moses said. “I didn’t know what they were going to say, what they were going to do, what they were going to think about me, whether they were going to judge me or not.
“A lot of questions went through my mind. So I guess was more anxious to see how they would respond.”
The response was positive, with Moses greeted with cheers when introduced as a starter for Texas Tech.
“I was very happy with how they responded,” Moses said. “I just wanted them to know that I had made a mistake and I was still proud to be a Cowboy and things like that and I wanted them to accept my apology.”
Now, Moses says his quest is to prove that the incident was just that, an isolated incident, and not an indication of who he is or any kind of setback toward helping the Cowboys win.
To that, Moses said he’ll “just play hard and help my team win games. If I am helping my team win games, then it’s evident that didn’t set me back at all. That’s not who I am. A big-time basketball player is who I am. If I wasn’t, then I never would have been able to come out of the things I’ve been through before.”
All signs point to Holgorsen calling plays
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to talk with quarterback recruit Nate Sorenson about the changes in Oklahoma State’s offense.
One of the biggest things he told me was the breakdown of plays. He said Mike Gundy told him they would run the ball 25 to 30 times and pass it 50 times… to me that’s a pretty clear indication about the system they will run and who will call the plays.
In 2009 under Dana Holgorsen, Houston passed the ball 53 times per game and ran it 29 times per game. In 2009 under Mike Gundy, OSU averaged 26 pass attempts per game and 43 rush attempts per game. Even in 2008, when OSU had one of the top offenses in the country, the Cowboys averaged 25 pass attempts and 45 rush attempts per game.
All you have to do is connect the dots…. all signs point to Holgorsen bringing in his system and running it as he sees fit.
While Sorenson had no idea who would call the plays, or even care for that matter, he still told me, “I think he was brought in to lessen the pressure on Coach Gundy, that’s my gut feeling at least.”
And one of the most overlooked aspects of this situation is something I wrote about in Monday’s Oklahoman. Holgorsen, once he got from underneath the shadow of Mike Leach, has shown a desire to run the ball and have balance in his offensive system.
I see no reason why Kendall Hunter, Jeremy Smith or any of the Pokes’ talented running backs should be worried. Holgorsen uses his running backs, not only to run the ball, but he gets them in space, via the short pass, with the opportunity to make big plays. They should be excited, not concerned.
While no official announcement has been made, I think we all know who will call the plays and the type of system OSU will run. One thing that is not in question: The Pokes will definitely pass the ball more in 2010 than they did in 2009.
No Kingsbury for OSU?
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
In addition to hiring new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, it appeared Houston quality control assistant Kliff Kingsbury would join Holgorsen as new members of the Oklahoma State coaching staff in 2010.
Kliff Kingsbury
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Steve Campbell, Kingsbury has been hired full-time on the Houston staff. Houston coach Kevin Sumlin has been busy filling holes on his staff since the season ended and Kingbury has been elevated from his quality control position.
The Cowboys don’t have a open spot on their coaching staff and if Kingsbury would have been added to the staff, without any staff changes, he would have likely had to accept a graduate assistant spot. With a full time gig at Houston, it now appears unlikely Kingsbury will be coming along with Holgorsen.
Kingsbury has been a key contributor to the development of Houston’s standout quarterback Case Keenum. He also played quarterback under Mike Leach at Texas Tech.
Ford Considering Lineup Changes
Matt Pilgrim Due More Minutes
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Travis Ford may be tinkering with his lineup. If not Wednesday night, soon.
Coming off consecutive road losses at Oklahoma and Baylor that saw OSU’s shooting slump again doom the day, the Cowboys coach said he’s been pondering some changes.
Ford may take one more look at his standard lineup against Colorado, since the Buffs send out a starting five featuring four guards. Still, expect some changes in playing time, with Matt Pilgrim’s on the upswing, possibly taking away from the scuffling Keiton Page, who has made just 3-of-16 shots in conference play.
I asked Ford about the possibility he’d make some lineup changes, or if he was committed to sticking with status quo.
Ford’s response:
I don’t like what I’ve got going. You’re question has been thought about a lot in the last 48 hours, believe me. A lot of scenarios have gone through my head on which direction to go and change and trying to mix things up a bit, for a lot of reasons — whether to get a guy’s attention or this might just be better, the different lineups I’ve looked at.
There’s no question, Matt Pilgrim needs to be playing starter-type minutes. And you hear all the time, it doesn’t matter who starts. And as a coach, you really know that and you understand that and that is an absolute 100 percent truth. But you know starting lineups can motivate people and can do different things.
With that said, I don’t know yet, for the fact that I don’t know who I would take out right now. I know who I would like to take out and motivate and do some things, but I don’t know if it’s the right time, right place to do it.
You could start Matt Pilgrim and Marshall Moses and move Obi to the 3, but I don’t know if that’s the answer for Obi at the 3. I don’t think that helps our team particularly just to try to get bigger. I don’t know if that’s the answer right now. But it’s no question, things have been going through our head after losing two in a row. We don’t want to make too many changes right now, but it’s been a thought. (Pilgrim) will play starter minutes.
Some decent insight from Ford on what he’s thinking, as well as what goes into making moves and how guys fit — or don’t fit — into certain slots.
Chat with Brandon Chatmon at 11 a.m.
Can OSU Retrieve the Rowdy?
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Go to the site www.coachtravisford.com and you’ll see James Anderson throwing down, amid the words: “Bring The Rowdy Back.”
As in, bring back the once-renowned, “Rowdiest Arena In The Country.”
Gallagher-Iba Arena hasn’t been the same in recent years.
Smaller crowds.
Quieter crowds.
Less rowdy crowds.
Ford wants to bring it all back.
But we’re interested in why it changed to begin with.
Changes in ticket prices/policy? The coaching changes? The change in playing style? The economy? The impact of the Thunder?
We’ve posted a poll at newsok.com, so go there and weigh in.
But I’d also like to hear from you on your reasons, as well as your thoughts if GIA can get the rowdy back.
So e-mail me at jhelsley@opubco.com and let’s talk.
– John Helsley
OSU-Baylor: Afterthoughts
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Going into Saturday’s game at Baylor, I wasn’t as alarmist as some in the media about OSU’s chances for the NCAA Tournament.
After Saturday, I may be changing my take.
Now, I’m not at all ready to bury the Cowboys. Things change. Things changed last year, drastically, as OSU rallied late to The Dance. And this is still a team somewhat in transition, with a freshmen point guard and several other inexperienced parts.
But this leopard must change its spots — and fast.
OSU is a bad shooting team, the Big 12′s worst. Worst in overall percentage. Worst in 3-point percentage.
Just worst.
If there’s a bright side, the Cowboys should be better, which means they can get better.
With James Anderson, Obi Muonelo, Marshall Moses and Keiton Page in play, it’s hard to imagine these Cowboys being this bad: 43.4 percent; 36.8 percent in conference games.
That won’t get it. Not in the Big 12.
There are too many good squads in this conference this year. For the Cowboys to be one of them, NCAA Tournament good, they have to find their shooting stroke.
Gundy Shuffling Staff?
New Tutors for Brandon Weeden?
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Looks like Cowboys football coach Mike Gundy is shuffling his staff, with rumors flying about the hiring of Dana Holgorsen away from Houston, with Kliff Kingsbury possibly to follow.
Holgorsen, a former Mike Leach disciple at Texas Tech, served as Houston’s offensive coordinator. We should remember it well, for the efficiency in which the Cougars marched all over the field in Stillwater, totaling 512 yards in a 45-35 win over the Cowboys in Week 2.
As we now know, this was a pretty good OSU defense in Year 1 under Bill Young.
Kingsbury, a former star Tech quarterback, just finished his second year at Houston as quality control coach of the offense.
With confirmation yet to come, here’s some thoughts to questions I — and probably you — have had.
* Gundy must be ready to hand over play-calling duties, as Holgorsen is unlikely to make this move without full control of the attack, essentially downgrading his status. Gundy has maintained his stance, as recently as today in the Tulsa World, that he’d continue calling plays. A smokescreen perhaps?
* Why Holgorsen? One, he’s been successful, helping elevate QB Case Keenum to Heisman contender this season. He allows a subtle shift away from the Larry Fedora-influenced offense that works best with a running quarterback. Brandon Weeden doesn’t fit the running mold and he’s the likely starter in 2010. Holgorsen’s offense should be a good fit for Weeden.
* Why Kingsbury? Who better to tutor QBs in the “Tech” offense than a guy who mastered it? Kingsbury was great at Tech, spent four years as a backup in the NFL and also spent a year with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. He’s young and sharp and should relate well to young QBs, which the Cowboys will have lining up for the future, with incoming recruits Johnny Deaton and Nathan Sorenson. Talk is that Gundy would like to bring him aboard, but there’s only one staff opening… at this time.
* Doing the math, who’s the odd man out? Gunter Brewer said he’s going nowhere when contacted Friday, although a switch in duties is likely in order, maybe a move back to receivers coach. That leaves current QBS coach Robert Matthews as the likely man out. It’s no secret that Brewer has been looking to get out at OSU, essentially holding a hollow title as co-offensive coordinator. For whatever reason, Gundy didn’t trust Brewer to grant him complete control of the offense. Brewer was the wide receivers coach before Fedora left for Southern Miss. He could have just been a convenient move into the co-OC spot if Gundy knew he was going to assume play-calling duties. If Brewer finds a job elsewhere — Fedora has an OC opening — Kingsbury could be added.
* Matthews’ time at OSU has been intriguing. He arrived not as a football coach, but as the husband of the women’s golf coach. Eventually, Gundy added him to the staff, first in a recruiting capacity, before elevating him to QBs coach. But again, Gundy handled much of the QB coaching responsibilities. And it wasn’t like Matthews had great credentials for coaching QBs, as a former deep snapper.
* What’s next for Matthews? Expect a reassignment, for cost-saving purposes. How? One of OSU’s appealing aspects is its guaranteed three-year contracts for assistants. It’s great for retention, not so great if you want to fire somebody. But by re-assigning a coach, it would force him to accept a significantly lesser role on campus, or take a job elsewhere. The latter would release OSU from further financial obligation.
Stay tuned, as more details surface and an official announcement comes from OSU.
