Shaun Lewis Could Have Been An Aggie
Shaun Lewis will be a major player for the Cowboys today.
By John Helsley
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Shaun Lewis grew up in Missouri City, Texas.
“It’s about an hour drive from my home to Kyle Field,” Lewis said this week.
Lewis, for sure, knows the way. And the familiarity will extend to the other sideline and into the stands Saturday, when his Cowboys collide with Texas A&M in one of the nation’s spotlight games.
“I played against a lot of people in high school who go to A&M,” he said, “so it’s going to be a fun game.”
That could have been Lewis in maroon, too, if he’d paid more attention to the Aggies as a youngster.
“As a kid, I didn’t really follow A&M,” Lewis said. “I didn’t really get into college football until high school.”
Good thing, since Lewis, as a sophomore, is already one of the Cowboys’ top defenders. OSU’s only returning starter at linebacker, he’s become a stabilizing force for guys like Caleb Lavey and Alex Elkins, who are learning on the job at the other linebacker spots.
Good thing, too, since the Aggies were hot and heavy after Lewis as a prep star.
“Texas A&M was my first offer,” Lewis said.
Somehow, Lewis remained patient and resisted any local pulls and pressures and found his fit at OSU.
Good thing.
OSU Run Defense: Reason for Concern?
Richetti Jones will be key to containing A&M's explosive run game.
By John Helsley
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Much is being made about all the rushing yards the Cowboys surrendered to Tulsa Sunday morning – early Sunday morning.
Indeed, the Golden Hurricane’s 365 rushing yards are alarming on the surface and should at least throw up a warning flag. Yet, too, they might deserve an asterisk.
Much of TU’s damage came after the Cowboys owned a commanding 45-6 lead in the third quarter. At that hour, somewhere after 2 a.m., you have to wonder about the focus of OSU’s defenders. Even Cowboys defensive coordinator Bill Young, who wasn’t at all pleased with the performance, allowed that some of his players admitted to zoning out to some extent mentally.
While still present physically in the press box, I had long zoned out, with my interest at a minimum concerning anything taking place on the field.
For now, I’ll go with OSU’s track record under Young, who has always been about stopping the run first. The Pokes stuffed the run against Arizona. They ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 37 nationally in rushing defense in 2010, allowing 133.7 yards a game, with Nebraska’s 217 the high.
And against A&M, in Stillwater, they gave up 126 on the ground on 44 carries, hardly a worrisome total (the passing total was another matter).
The Aggies, with Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael, will present the biggest run-game challenge the Cowboys will face this season. So we’ll know pretty quick if those TU stats were a warning flare of struggles to come.
Help is on the way for OSU, with linebacker Alex Elkins – held out against Tulsa – expected back, which should be a boost. Tyler Johnson, who has yet to play because of injury, could be ready as well.
Quinn Sharp: Kicker and More
OSU punter Quinn Sharp runs for a first down on a fake punt. AP PHOTO
By John Helsley
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Like most punters and kickers, Quinn Sharp considers himself an athlete.
And in truth, in Sharp’s case, it’s probably true.
Sharp showed some speed and sure looked like he knew what he was doing Saturday night, while romping 23 yards with a fake punt that flipped the field and goosed the offense and the Boone Pickens Stadium crowd.
Knew what he was doing, for the most part.
It looked good until the end of the run that is, when Sharp awkwardly lowered his shoulder on defender Richard Morrison.
After the game, Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said he’d rather Sharp avoid the hit and get out of bounds.
Then Sharp revealed a thought that suggests he does indeed know what he’s doing.
“I felt like the guy was going for my knees at the time, so I didn’t really want to take a helmet to the kneecaps,” Sharp said. “So at that moment, that’s why I lowered my shoulder and tried to nudge him off.”
No harm to Sharp, who took the blow and bounced up with no damage done.
Plenty of harm to the Wildcats, who had just scored to cut the lead to 21-7 and was preparing to get the ball back and get back to work on offense.
The play had been designed during the week to take advantage of Arizona’s aggressive approach, sending rushers hard at the shield blockers. One of OSU’s blockers, Cooper Bassett, blew up t he edge rusher off the right side, allowing Sharp to scoot free.
“Cooper got a nice block on the edge and it was wide open from there,” Sharp said.
Teams are always working on fakes. But seldom do they actually get called.
“I was actually surprised, because we haven’t run a fake in a while here,” Sharp said. “It was one of those things we had practiced for a while and I was anxious to do it, but at the same time, you’re nervous, just because you want to get it done and you want to get to the sticks and get the first down and get the offense back on the field.
“It’s always fun to do something like that, because we don’t get many opportunities. It gets the crowd excited and gets everybody into the game. And it gets our offense out there and gives them another opportunity to make a play.”
After Moore’s Big Night, Who’s Next?
Tracy Moore enjoyed a breakout against ULL. Now it may be somebody else's turn.
By John Helsley
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Tracy Moore’s big breakout against Louisiana-Lafayette (seven catches, 112 yards, one touchdown) offered no surprise to those who have witnessed the junior receiver’s recent maturation.
“Nothing we didn’t know he could do,” said fellow wideout Justin Blackmon. “He’s done it in practice. He made plays his freshman year. It’s not a surprise to me. That’s just Tracy showing that he can play ball.”
And don’t be surprised if next time, it’s Josh Cooper or Mike Harrison or Hubert Anyiam or somebody else cashing in on the opportunities opposite Blackmon, who demands extra attention from defenses.
“(Moore) just had the opportunities,” said OSU offensive coordinator Todd Monken. “It’s a stat position, to where unless you get a bunch of stats, everybody thinks you didn’t play well.
“Coop played really well. Hubert Anyiam played well. All our guys on the perimeter played well, they just didn’t get the same opportunities.”
And that, Monken said, is fluid.
“So last week, it happened to be Tracy. This week it could be Coop, Hubert, somebody else,” Monken said. “You never know. The defense dictates where the ball goes, to a certain extent.
“He made the most of his opportunities. We didn’t have a drop all night, so everybody made the most of his opportunities. They just didn’t get as many. That’s the main thing.”
With so many capable options, it’s up to Monken and Brandon Weeden to keep everybody involved.
And happy.
“It’s a good problem to have, but it takes some managing,” Monken said. “A lot of guys would like to have the ball, would like to be involved in the offense. The defense dictates where you go with the ball.
“We want them to be selfish. They should be selfish. They should want the ball. But if they base their whole self worth and well being on how many balls they catch, we’re going to lot of son-of-a-guns disappointed, because we don’t have enough to go around.”
Not that Monken is hinting at any dissension issues, far from it.
OSU’s football food chain, at least in the passing game, requires Blackmon – the reigning Biletnikoff winner and Big 12 Offensive Player of the year – to be fed and fed often.
Still, Monken acknowledges the depth of talent he enjoys at the position.
“When I first got to LSU, we had two first round picks, two guys who were in the Olympics, a third, a third and a fourth-round pick. So we had some pretty good players there,” Monken said.
“But this group is as good as that group, when it comes to actual play on the field. Maybe not in terms of what their potential was, but in terms of playing on the field, wanting to get better, being coached, those things, it’s a great group.”
Marek Soucek: Ford’s Find Comes To Fruition
By John Helsley
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Travis Ford found himself in need of some size.
His 2011-12 Cowboys’ roster offered appeal, with athletes galore ready to run and gun – he promises! – and finally fulfill the need for speed suggested when he arrived from UMass.
Still, something was missing: big bodies.
That sent Ford searching – clear to the Czech Republic.
When Marek Soucek landed in Oklahoma late Thursday evening and made the drive into Stillwater, Ford had not only a legit 7-footer, but one styled for the up-tempo plans of the season ahead.
“We were late in the game looking for a big man and came across Marek and heard a lot about him, did some background work and got some film on him,” Ford said. “We watched a lot of film, then made contact to his high school coach and kind of went from there.
“Marek does fit our style of play, for somebody who can shoot the ball the way he does with his size. His coach knew our style and had watched our teams play and his first comment was that this would be the perfect fit for Marek.”
Ford’s pursuit of Soucek began months ago, but was kept hush-hush as the Cowboys coach worked to get the young Czech’s class work verified here through the NCAA. Once complete, OSU had to provide a visa for Soucek to take to the embassy there, clearing the way for a passport and his ticket to, eventually, Stillwater, hopefully before any of the other interested schools – Maryland, Washington, Seton Hall, Gonzaga, to name a few – pounced, too.
Now he’s a Cowboy. And the Cowboys are anxious to see just what they’ve got.
Ford nor his coaches had seen Soucek in person until Thursday night, going only on what they saw on film. Ford joked that he told assistant Steve Middleton, who picked Soucek up at the airport, to “send him back home if he turns up 6-foot-4.”
A look at Soucek’s game on YouTube, however, proved plenty tempting.
The big man is skilled, with a smooth outside shot, the ability to score inside with his left or right hand, a deft passing touch and no fear of mixing it up either, like some big men trained in the European game.
“A lot of times, these foreign players do bring great fundamentals,” Ford said. “He’s played against good competition. We’re excited to get him in here to adapt to our team and adapt to the state and to school.
“There’s always an adjustment period. But all the players are excited, which is fun. They’ve all been asking about him. And that’s the type of team we have – anybody that can help us be successful, they’re all for it.
“This team has embraced it and is excited about it and has almost been giddy about it.”
Soucek acknowledges the transition. And he embraces it, too.
“I’m missing so many I love,” Soucek said. “I know in a few days it will be OK. I think it will help my basketball and my life. That’s why I wanted to go to Oklahoma State, because I can play basketball at the highest level and study.”
Accounting for Thomas and Harrison
The Cowboys will miss Thomas' ball-hawking on defense.
By John Helsley
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The realization of Texas A&M’s long-running Big 12 exit strategy dominated the news Wednesday.
Overshadowed: the Tuesday news that OSU would be without starting safety Johnny Thomas and seemingly emerging wideout Mike Harrison for the opener, and likely beyond.
Quickly, my thoughts on the A&M fallout:
* There is no saving the Big 12. Without a doubt, others among the remaining nine are looking for a more secure place to live.
* OSU should move quickly and aggressively in securing a conference for the future. Don’t risk being left standing without a chair when the music stops.
* Never, EVER, schedule A&M in anything again. The Aggies took their ball and left. Let them go.
Now, on to the fallout of Thomas and Harrison.
The Cowboys weren’t trying to hide anything on the news front with these two, everyone in the program was shocked by this development. Purely speculation, but the problem may not be with failing, but rather progress toward a degree. Players, like all students, change majors. Athletes are required to make degrees of progress toward their major and changing course can mess things up. It’s one of the hardest things for academic services to monitor.
Thomas is the big loss here, obviously as a starter, but also because he’s a ball-hawking defender on the side of the ball that carries the question marks of the season. And he’ll have to be replaced on special teams, as one of the Cowboys’ two scheduled kickoff return men.
Glass Half-Full: Daytawion Lowe, who steps in for Thomas, returns healthy this season and gives the Cowboys a solid option at the position. Deion Imade came through with a strong preseason, maintaining depth at the position. On kick returns, Josh Stewart likely gets a chance to show what he can do. Stewart was already due a piece of the punt return pie and he’s an exciting option.
Glass Half-Empty: Thomas was an underrated piece of this team, overshadowed by the guys on offense and Markelle Martin on defense. There is no substitute for experience. If he isn’t cleared for a return, it’s a blow.
Long-Range Hope: Thomas has yet to redshirt at OSU, so if the worst-case scenario plays out for this season, he can always get himself squared away for a return in 2012. Think Orie Lemon, who suffered what appeared to be a devastating knee injury on the eve of the 2009 season, only to come back and make a major impact last season.
Michael Harrison seemed to be on the verge of a breakout.
Harrison offered the Cowboys a big and physical wide receiver. His preseason was up and down at times, but when motivated, he can be a hoss. There are some in the program who believe he can have the same kind of career breakout Justin Blackmon produced. Now that will have to wait.
Glass Half-Full: The Cowboys are loaded at wide receiver. Hubert Anyiam is healthy and is set up to be that guy opposite Blackmon to keep defenses honest. Isaiah Anderson used his best camp yet at OSU to put himself into play for a larger role. Brandon Weeden has options.
Glass Half-Empty: If Harrison’s breakout was going to occur this year, now what, if his season’s over? Will he commit to working hard, even though he knows he won’t be playing?
Long-Range Hope: Harrison has already redshirted, so a year of eligibility is at stake here. He’s still just a sophomore, so he should get committed to regaining his status with the team and remaining a key part of the future.
Dynamic Duos: Where Do Weeden/Blackmon Rank?
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
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We published our annual football preview on Sunday — if you didn’t get one, rush out and find one, it’s worth it — and the theme was Dynamic Duos.
At OSU, of course, we focused on the duo of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon, arguably the best pass-and-catch tandem of 2010, back for more in 2011. The guys posed for some great photos and had fun with the topic, with each saying the other was the hero, while he was the sidekick.
For some fun on that, check out this story on the topic.
Oklahoma State's Dynamic Duo of receiver Justin Blackmon, left, and quarterback Brandon Weeden. PHOTO BY SARAH PHIPPS, The Oklahoman
“There was Zac (Robinson) and Dez (Bryant), Hart Lee (Dykes) and coach (Mike) Gundy, Josh (Fields) and Rashaun (Woods), and the list goes on, but just to be mentioned in those same group of guys is pretty special,” Weeden said.
One correction: The list doesn’t go on and on.
And already, Blackmon and Weeden have surpassed those other duos, at least statistically, in several categories.
And with another number-numbing season like 2010, Weeden and Blackmon may have to be considered OSU’s best passer/receiver duo of all time.
Not bad, considering each emerged amid major questions, even doubts a year ago.
“Who would have thought a year ago that it would have gone down the way it did. In kind of a surreal way, it ended up pretty good.”
Pretty good?
How about dang good.
“You’ve still got to pinch me every once in a while,” Weeden said. “It’s kind of unreal. It’s hard to look back and reflect on it, but when we’re done here, we can look back and look in the record books and see our names. That will be really cool then. When you have kids, that sort of stuff.
“But right now, everything’s still overwhelming that you don’t want to look back, and you don’t have time to.”
Power Lunch chat with Gina Mizell
OSU vs. La.-Lafayette Game Notes
Oklahoma State has posted the game notes for next Saturday’s season opener vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. Each week, we’ll post the game notes for that week’s games here in the OSU blog.
Enjoy.
– Posted by: Ryan Sharp, Asst. Sports Editor
Weeden Doesn’t Act His Age
Quarterback Brandon Weeden (3) walks onto the field before OSU's first practice of the season on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. on Friday, August 5, 2011. Photo by Zach Gray
By John Helsley
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Brandon Weeden is a sportswriter’s dream.
Interviews with the Cowboys quarterback are engaging and enjoyable, with Weeden always good for thoughtful and insightful answers, with honest emotion at a premium and clichés at a minimum.
If only OSU would have Weeden hold a Media 101 class for all its athletes.
And, yes, part of Weeden’s media skills are a product of his age.
Just don’t bring up Weeden’s age.
That’s the one topic that shuts him down.
He’s been there (hesitantly), done that. And he’s done with it.
Inside the locker room, taking jabs from teammates, Weeden is cool with that kind of fun. But when reporters probe about his upcoming 28th birthday, or how difficult it must be fitting in with “the kids,” it’s the one thing that noticeably irritates.
Weeden is overly patient and tolerable of all sorts of silly questions ranging from strategy to his relationship with new coordinator Todd Monken.
But poke around about his age, which someone inevitably does, even with that part of the story over-tapped old news…
It happened again a few weeks ago, with an out-of-market reporter going the old-man route.
“I fit in pretty well. I joke that before I was a starter, 95 percent of the guys on the team had no idea how old I was,” Weeden said, trying to snuff the line of questioning. “I fit in fairly well in the locker room, like to joke. Even to this day, I don’t think I stand out because of my age.”
Ah, but the reporter was persistent: “Are you self-conscious about your age?”
Weeden: “Nah, not at all. Even my first year, I was 23, there were other guys who were 23. I get that question a lot from you guys. I mean, no one even thinks about it until it’s brought up.”
Still going…
Reporter: “Change your hair style to look younger?”
Weeden: “I’ve had the same hair style since I was in high school. I’m just ready for all the age questions… it all gets pretty monotonous.”
Reporter, still not getting it: “I bet you haven’t got this question, thought about retiring?”
Weeden: “Retire? When they kick me out the door.”
