Weeden “average” but “progressing”
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @BChatmon
Oklahoma State held a 115-play scrimmage on Wednesday afternoon and Cowboys coach Mike Gundy was pleased with what he saw.
“Overall, I thought we had a good day,” Gundy said. “I thought there was good on both sides.”
OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden seems to be making progress in Dana Holgorsen’s offense but Gundy is expecting the redshirt junior to continue to improve.
“I thought Brandon Weeden was average,” Gundy said. “I thought he made some good plays, I thought at times he made some bad throws.”
Holgorsen said Weeden’s up-and-down results are to be expected for a guy with just over two weeks’ worth of spring practices under his belt.
“(It’s coming along) slowly,” Holgorsen said. “That’s obviously to be expected. Brandon got better today. Brandon I thought was a little cooler than in the past. I thought he handled some things that were thrown at him that he had problems with here the first six practices, so he is progressing. He’s just a guy that needs a bunch of reps because he hasn’t played football for five years, so he needs just to continue to take snaps and get better.”
OSU will hold its final practice of the week on Friday and the Spring Game will be played on April 17 at Boone Pickens Stadium.
NFL Network: Dez’s workout, good but not great
Here’s a link to NFL Network’s analysis of former Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant’s workout.
And Dez talks about the workout and his future plans.
Poke-Ing Around
Dez: Again A Cowboy?
By John Helsley
Doing some web reading this morning and found a tasty bit at espn.com’s NFL insider spot, with Adam Schefter sending up a flare in a tweet.
Former Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant is rumored to be dining with Jerry Jones Wednesday night somewhere in Big D.
The Cowboys have apparently been long intrigued by Bryant, who would add a much-needed weapon to Dallas’ receiving corps. Bryant’s draft stock may be in decline, pending his pro day workout in his hometown of Lufkin, Texas, where a fast 40 time is needed in what is considered a critical workout.
Some draftniks have Bryant slipping all the way to No. 27, where Dallas sits and would have to make a decision on the enigmatic talent from right there in the Lone Star State. If Jones is serioustly interested, maybe he’d like to check out Bryant for himself, breaking bread and going eye-to-eye with him.
If Bryant wows in Lufkin, he could halt any downward draft momentum. So maybe Jones needs to get his own take on Bryant, in case landing him requires a trade up in the first round.
Put nothing past Jones.
No matter what, it’s all intriguing, for one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire draft…
Ford Targeting Big 12 Titles — Indirectly
In a chat with Cowboys basketball coach Travis Ford Monday, the question was raised about the timetable for OSU becoming a legitimate player in
Ford said a conference championship would be nice, but as part of the spoils to reaching greater goals.
“I don’t look at it as putting a team together to win (league championships). We’re trying to build this thing to win as many games as possible. That does mean, yes, a Big 12 championship, a national championship. That all falls under the same category. It’s not something you become obsessed with. You become obsessed with trying to become the best team you can be and that all correlates to other stuff.
“People will ask every year, they will ask in October, ‘What’s your goals for this season. It’s the same goal as everybody else. Everybody wants to win the Big 12. That’s what everybody is trying to do. But I don’t look at it and bring my staff in and say, ‘We need to do this to win the Big 12 championship.’
“We need to figure out how to win as many games as we possibly can and that’s what it’s all about. ”
Talking points: Good to be offensive
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @BChatmon
Spring football is in full swing in Stillwater. Dana Holgorsen has begun installing his offense and it seems like the players are buying into the new system. Here are three names on the offensive side of the football who OSU fans should be excited about heading into 2010.
Running back Kendall Hunter: Simply put, Kendall Hunter is special. He can do things with the football that other people cannot do, it’s that simple. In Dana Holgorsen’s offense, there will be a SportsCenter moment from Hunter in every game. Expect the senior to have a huge year, he’ll get the ball in space and have one-on-one opportunities galore. And he will win the majority of those battles.
Receiver Justin Blackmon: I wouldn’t be surprised if Blackmon emerges as OSU’s top receiver in 2010. He’s a potential playmaker and he showed signs of it in 2009. He has the talent and physical ability, now the redshirt sophomore just needs to show the type of consistency that would force the Cowboys coaching staff to make getting him the football a priority every Saturday.
Quarterback Brandon Weeden: The light seems to have turned on for Weeden. All signs point to him taking the reins and carrying himself as the No. 1 quarterback the Cowboys are searching for with Zac Robinson pursuing his NFL dreams. This offense is a better fit for Weeden, who many believed had the best arm on the squad in 2009, and, at 26 years old, he has the maturity and poise to handle the starting spot and the attention and pressure that comes with it.
I expect big years from all three players and I expect them to be key contributors to OSU’s offensive success this season.
Other returning players who I think could emerge as core members of OSU’s offense include receiver Hubert Anyiam, guard Lane Taylor, guard Jonathan Rush, inside receiver Justin Horton, inside receiver Josh Cooper.
Talking points: Getting defensive
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @BChatmon
Spring practice is in full swing and there are plenty of opportunities to earn a spot on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma State is looking to replace nine starters on defense but the Pokes have some talented youngsters on that side of the ball. Here are three names on the defensive side of the ball to keep an eye on:
LB Joe Mitchell: After NCAA clearinghouse issues forced him to return to Katy, Texas last fall, Mitchell returned this spring and has impressed early with his size (6-3, 215) and athletic ability. He is battling James Thomas to replace Andre Sexton at the “Star” linebacker position. If Mitchell can emerge as a contributor at the position this spring, it could help solidify a linebacker corps that must replace three senior starters.
CB Andrae May: The sophomore had his redshirt removed late last season due in part to the injuries at the corner position. May needs to put on some pounds but played well in his limited action in 2009. He entered the spring as a starter and he needs use the opportunity to secure a starting spot and leave no doubt that he is going to turn his potential into production during his second year on campus.
S Daytawion Lowe: Lowe contributed on special teams as a true freshman, playing his way out of a redshirt season. And by all accounts, Lowe is a future leader on the defensive side of the ball. He plays one of OSU’s deepest positions but will likely find his way on the field under Bill Young, who makes it a priority to get his top 11 players on the field. With fellow safety Victor Johnson overcoming his knee injury, this spring will be a key time for Lowe to improve and try to earn a spot on OSU’s defense.
Talking points: Their time to shine?
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Several players will have increased opportunities to be a big part of Oklahoma State’s new offense. You already know about established playmakers like Kendall Hunter, but here are three names to keep an eye on this spring.
Receiver Isaiah Anderson. The redshirt sophomore has blazing speed and great quickness. He’s undersized at 5-10, 170-pounds but he’s ideal for Dana Holgorsen’s offense as a quick receiver who can provide matchup problems. Anderson looks like the ideal receiver to catch the swing passes and quick reverses that are commonplace in Holgorsen’s offense. Anderson had just one reception for 23 yards in 2009. Expect his role to increase significantly in 2010.
Running back Travis Miller. The sophomore from Marlin, Texas is a lot like Anderson. A small, quick scat back who is another fairly unknown Cowboy who could be ideal in Holgorsen’s offense. Miller had 13 carries for 59 yards (4.5 rushing yards per carry) in 2009. He’s a guy who OSU could put on the field in certain situations and completely catch defenses off guard.
Offensive guard Brandon Webb. The redshirt freshman from Owasso was a highly regarded recruit in 2009. While redshirting last season, Webb proved he has talent and he will be given every opportunity to play in 2010. Webb is very athletic and has good size at 6-foot-3, 326 pounds. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t see significant playing time this fall.
NFL Draft Sleeper: Zac Robinson
Zac Robinson has impressed NFL scouts.
By John Helsley
While Mel Kiper and Todd McShay fire out their ever-evolving dueling mock drafts, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen dominate the quarterback buzz.
The mocking doesn’t extend far enough to reveal OSU’s Zac Robinson.
But that doesn’t mean there’s not a place for Robinson in the NFL.
After a subpar senior season with the Cowboys, a season influenced heavily by injuries, a healthy Robinson earned a closer look with his practices and play at the Senior Bowl, then again at the NFL Combine.
He’s got the measurables: size, buy-some-time speed, solid fundamentals and the one thing that had been in question: arm strength.
Robinson is also tough and smart and coachable, factors that should put him on the map with more than one organization.
In an ESPN examination of draft sleepers Friday, Aaron Schatz of the Football Outsiders included Robinson as one of his 10 to watch. And Robinson is the lone quarterback on the list.
What Schatz wrote:
“Of all the quarterbacks who actually threw at the combine, Robinson might have been the most surprising. He played in a spread offense with the Cowboys but has a pro-style overhand delivery, solid seven-step drops and the arm strength to make the 35-yard post-corner throw. The spread stigma will limit his draft prospects, but Robinson has the mechanics to transcend the issues common to most who fail in that transition.”
My guess, somebody’s going to take Robinson in the mid to later rounds and someday be thankful. He may never become an NFL starter, but he could develop into a solid backup. And he could be a Seneca Wallace-type situational QB right away.
Again, Robinson is smart. And a classy kid. And he’s better, much better, than he showed as a senior, when hamstring and shoulder woes and a lack of reliable wideouts wrecked his sendoff.
There are a lot worse options walking around in backward ball caps as No. 3 NFL quarterbacks.
The sense here is the football story of Zac Robinson hasn’t neared its final chapter.
Talkin points: Keys to spring
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
It’s the middle of March Madness but spring football is starting to pick up. After a spring break hiatus, Oklahoma State is back at work this week.
Here’s a quick look at three things I think the Cowboys need to accomplish this spring.
Make significant progress towards becoming comfortable in Dana Holgorsen’s offense. Junior Brandon Weeden must gain a understanding of OSU’s new offense which allows him to simply react to what he sees without thinking. But that’s easier said than done. It’s too much to ask him to be able to do that this spring but there’s no reason he can’t take steps towards being that comfortable with the system before the end of spring football. Since the offense counts so much on the chemistry between quarterback and receiver, it will also be key for OSU’s receiving corps to get comfortable with the offense because if they make a poor read it’s just as bad as if the quarterback does. An interception is a interception.
Someone needs to emerge at defensive tackle. Finding a solid defensive tackle rotation will be critical to OSU’s success. Derek Burton and Swanson Miller were solid for the Cowboys in 2009 but both players were seniors. Shane Jarka and Chris Donaldson entered the spring as starters and both players were in the rotation in 2009. The key for OSU is finding an interior presence, whoever it may be. Nigel Nicholas is a good interior pass rush threat but a bit undersized. Redshirt freshman Anthony Rogers has an opportunity to be a core member of OSU’s defense for the next few years, it’s up to him to take advantage of it. And incoming freshmen Diamonte Wheeler (Arlington Bowie) and Chris Littlehead (Seqouyah Tahlequah) will be given the chance to make a impact immediately.
Have a better feel for the five players who will make up the offensive line. OSU needs to find five guys on the offensive line who want to compete. Lane Taylor will be one of those guys, he was a pleasant surprise in 2009. I don’t think talent along the offensive line is a huge concern for the OSU coaching staff it’s just a matter of fitting the talent into the right spots and getting them experience heading into Big 12 play. Fortunately for the Pokes, in Dana Holgorsen’s offense, the ball will be coming out quicker than ever. Just think about it… did Houston have more talented offensive linemen than OSU??? Highly unlikely.
OSU Hoops: Next Year’s Starting Five
Ray Penn could impact the offense in 2010-11.
By John Helsley
James Anderson… gone.
Obi Muonelo… gone.
Along with invaluable leadership and toughness and clutchness, the Cowboys are also losing their top two scorers, a duo responsible for 1,174 points this season, or 48 percent of the team’s scoring.
Read that again — almost half of the team’s scoring.
Where will all that lost production be made up in 2010-11? From everywhere, would be the best guess.
Matt Pilgrim should step up his offensive role and responsibility. Ray Penn’s return provides a jolt of scoring upgrade to the point. Marshall Moses is a proven, if sometimes erratic, scorer. And Keiton Page is the leading returning scorer, after averaging 10.7 points this season.
Sound good? Maybe not so much.
Well, don’t be alarmed. There are other answers, as well as some intriguing questions, like: How will Page’s role be defined?
In addition to the guys listed above, the Cowboys are counting on a boost from several newcomers, most notably freshman shooting guard Markel Brown and Juco transfer JP Olukemi. Brown averaged 32 points a game as the star on a 41-0 state title team in Louisiana.
Brian Williams, another talented guard, and forward Michael Cobbins are worth watching as well.
And OSU holdovers like Fred Gulley, Nick Sidorakis, Roger Franklin, Jarred Shaw, Torin Walker and Reger Dowell offer optimism of improved play.
Some will stride forward, while others will step back.
The coming months — and how hard guys work in the offseason — will determine the risers and fallers.
And these months will go a long way to answering the Page question.
With the return of Penn and the additions of Brown and Williams, the guard spots are drawing a crowd.
The Cowboys need Brown to be as good as advertised; good enough to start. And Olukemi, already on campus, has shown enough to project as a starter.
OSU coach Travis Ford has hinted that Page needs to make himself more versatile. And more valuable. Handling a share of the point guard responsibilities this season, when Penn was hurt, was a start. But right now, Page looks like a super sub at both guard spots, able to run the offense or fire daggers at enemy zones.
One guy’s early starting five:
PG Ray Penn
SG Markel Brown
SF JP Olukemi
F Matt Pilgrim
F Marshall Moses
Farewell James, We Hardly Knew Ya
By John Helsley
As James Anderson announced he was leaving OSU for the NBA on Monday, I couldn’t help but wonder: “Did Cowboys fans truly appreciate what they had in this guy?”
Late in the Big 12 schedule, I wrote a story trying to peg Anderson’s place in history at OSU. It’s never easy crossing generations or positions for comparisons. So slotting Anderson — not even a full three years into his career — among the likes of Bob Kurland, Byron Houston, Big Country and others was a chore.
And yet, I couldn’t help but feel Anderson belonged in the discussion of being among OSU’s all-time top five.
Anderson’s magic came while working with less talented supporting cast than most of the Cowboys’ legends. Often, he was asked to carry the Cowboys, and did, leading the Big 12 in scoring on his way to unanimous conference Player of the Year honors. And if you somehow missed the hype, it was a stout conference in 2009-10.
Anderson did more than just score. He rebounded. Defended. Assisted.
Gladly.
Anderson’s kind, the unselfish and unassuming superstar, is seldom seen these days. And that goes on the floor and off, which makes him even more special to all those in Stillwater who stood amazed at his good-guy act.
Too good to be true?
Here’s what Travis Ford had to say:
“Just a joy to be around, just a tremendous person. He’s been a perfect example of what we want this basketball program to be about, not just as a player, but a person.”
Teammate Nick Sidorakis:
“You learn a good about of lessons, on and off the court. He’s a good human being, good person. All-around good qualities. Him being my roommate for three years, even in high school camps, I’m really going to miss him.
“He stands for whatever’s good.”
And Obi Muonelo:
“He’s one of those guys, you can give him your car keys and your house keys and leave for two weeks, and everything would be just the same. He’s very dependable. That’s his greatest quality as a person, his dependability.”
As the season played out, often to small crowds in the beginning and rarely to the throngs that used to make Gallagher-Iba great, there was a sense that OSU fans were missing out on something special. Eventually, the media caught up, with Anderson finally gaining national notice and All-American status.
Hopefully, Cowboys fans caught up, too.
