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OSU 34, Iowa State 8: Thoughts and Observations
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
The Cowboys rebounded like a good team with senior leadership should after a tough loss. Zac Robinson was very efficient and the running game and offensive line dominated throughout the game.
Finally a Kendall Hunter sighting. It was good to see the All-American junior get back out there but it’s clear he doesn’t quite trust his body yet. He can’t cut like he normally can but he still had a successful return.
The Cowboys lost offensive tackle Brady Bond but you could barely even notice. The Pokes rushed for over 300 yards including Keith Toston’s 206 rushing yards.
The reason OSU’s defense was so strong against Iowa State’s running game was their aggressiveness. The Pokes clearly decided that Austin Arnaud could not beat them and went about proving it and that’s exactly what they did. They forced the Iowa State QB into several mistakes including three interceptions.
I’m still a big beleiver in getting Tracy Moore involved in the offense a bit more. The freshman from Tulsa Union just seems to make key plays when the Cowboys need it. He has a knack for getting open and catches the ball when he does.
What can you say about Keith Toston. 206 rushing yards, three touchdowns. And it is nothing new, the senior running back has done that all season, he’s been extremely consistent for the Cowboys. OSU is going to miss him next year, I think people take him for granted and some people won’t realize what OSU had in Toston until he’s gone.
One aspect the Cowboys can improve on is their kick returns. They just could seem to get in sync against the Cyclones and haven’t seemed as explosive in recent weeks.
Stat games:
Iowa State ran just 54 plays and OSU had the ball for 39:38 of the game.
OSU had 29 first downs and ran 78 plays.
Ugo Chinasa was solid with 2 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, one sack and one pass break up.
Once again, Pat Lavine was making plays. The senior had eight tackles, one interception, one sack. BY FAR the most overlooked playmaker on the entire team.
Every Cowboy who carried the football on Saturday had a run of at least 12 yards or more. That speaks to the dominance of the OSU offensive line.
Bottom Line: Now that the Cowboys have moved past the loss to Texas, it’s clear OSU is only focusing on what it can control. And if they play well in their final three games, a Cotton Bowl or maybe even Fiesta Bowl berth is within reason. So while they didn’t accomplish their goal of a Big 12 south title, there’s plenty to play for, plenty to look forward to.
Behind Enemy Lines: Iowa State
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
This is another edition of Behind Enemy Lines with Iowa State beat writer Robert La Gesse of the Ames Tribune.
Brandon Chatmon: How will having Arnaud back help the ISU offense, what does he bring to the table that Tiller doesn’t?
Robert La Gesse: He brings experience, which can never be understated. The Cyclones have been a tick off in the passing game the last two weeks with Tiller at quarterback. The last time ISU had Arnaud for a whole game the offense put up 36 on Kansas.
BC: What makes the ISU rushing offense so good?
RLG: The offensive line and the vision of running back Alexander Robinson. The line has been together for a while and started to come around last year. This season it’s opened huge holes on a weekly basis.
Robinson sees holes develop before they do and is very good at setting up his blocks. If he can get a block he has enough speed to turn any play into a big gain.
BC: What is ISU’s biggest strength?
RLG: It’s the rushing game. Anytime Robinson touches the ball he could find the end zone. The rushing attack also allows ISU to run off large chunks of time when it has a lead in the second half.
BC: What is ISU’s biggest weakness?
RLG: It’s lack of athleticism, especially on defense. Spread offenses expose the Cyclones’ lack of speed by forcing ISU to make plays in space.
BC: Who are some freshmen to keep an eye on?
RLG: The coaches love freshmen linebackers A.J. Klein and Jake Knott because of their football instincts. Both will see action on special teams and may see time at linebacker.
BC: What was more surprising the win over Nebraska or the blowout loss to A&M?
RLG: The win over Nebraska. ISU hadn’t won in Lincoln, Neb. since 1977 and was playing without its starting quarterback and running back. Very few teams will win a road game, let alone one in such a hostile environment, without its quarterback and running back.
BC: The Cyclones are good at forcing turnovers, what has been the key for them in that aspect?
RLG: Every chance they get the Cyclones look to force a turnover. On Saturday you’ll see the first defender secure the tackle and then the next few guys will try to strip the ball. ISU has gotten pretty good at that.
BC: Lastly, prediction? Why?
RLG: I would say Oklahoma State wins. I’ll say 38-24. ISU struggles against spread offenses and the Cowboys have one of the best offenses in the country.
Dez’s Draft Stock Remains High
No freedom for Dez
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
So Dez is done.
Pretty sad, really, as the Cowboys have been robbed of one of the most dynamic players in program history. Seriously, Bryant was a rare talent, ranking in an elite club of former Cowboys who could dazzle us on the football field.
I think that we’ll be dazzled at the next level, too.
And now it’s on to the NFL for Bryant, according to his high school coach, John Outlaw, who reported to The Oklahoman that Dez was headed to Tampa to get himself ready for the combine.
As bad as this is for Dez — he really loved playing at OSU — the good news is his draft stock won’t take a hit because of his mis-step with the truth to the NCAA.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper ranks Bryant No. 10 on his big board; the No. 1 wide receiver overall. Kiper recently addressed Bryant’s situation, saying his college problem “won’t hurt his stock one bit.”
While Bryant lied and got caught in the act, that’s far from the kinds of things that create character concerns for prospects who dive down draft boards.
No drugs. No violance. No criminal record.
Bryant’s sin isn’t so much damning, as it is just plain stupid.
Kiper points out that it’s now up to Bryant to do the right things from here on (something former Cowboys wideout Adarius Bowman failed to do two years ago), to ensure that his transition to the pro game goes smoothly.
For Bryant’s sake, let’s hope he surrounds himself with people genuinely concerned about his future. As a kid who can be very immature at times, Dez needs guidance.
Here’s hoping he gets it, for his own future.
OSU Scouting report: Iowa State
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
In this story on gocyclones.com, Bobby La Gesse writes about ISU’s offense finally getting healthy.
In this video, Cyclones Mike O’Connell and Darius Darks talk about facing the Cowboys:
And here are highlights of the Cyclones’ loss to Texas A&M last Saturday:
OSU Scouting report: Iowa State
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
In this story by Randy Peterson in the Des Moines Register, Iowa State is excited about the payday that comes with playing on ABC.
And here’s a link to a chat with Peterson, which will give you a bit more insight into the Cyclones heading into Saturday’s game.
Last but not least, some highlights of Iowa State’s 9-7 win over Nebraska:
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Talking Dez, Defense and Dunks
By John Helsley
Did the NCAA really suspend Dez Bryant for the rest of the season? Really?
Because he lied to cover up, what exactly? No violation (that we know of). No wrongdoing. Just lied, basically because he was scared he might have done something wrong.
Seems severe.
Curious, why did Alabama’s Jerrell Harris only get a six-game suspension this season for lying during an NCAA investigation, when there were also “impermissible benefits” involved? Wouldn’t that qualify as a precedent?
Don’t get it. But then, I often don’t when it comes to the NCAA.
Lots of talk about the Texas defense this week, and rightfully so.
The Horns are good, No. 1 against the rush good. And we all know how much the running game means to getting OSU’s offense untracked.
But what about the Cowboys’ D? Coming off the best stretch of defense in recent program memory, spanning six quarters, OSU’s defense is clearly improved under first-year defensive coordinator Bill Young.
Improved enough to handle Colt McCoy and the Horns? TBD.
From Baylor and Mizzou to this is a leap in competition. And OSU’s one game against a strong offense, Houston, didn’t end so well, although the defense’s part in that was overplayed with the offense coughing up four turnovers.
Still, there are reasons to believe that a shootout isn’t the only winning scenario for the Cowboys this weekend. Defense could play a part, with a group of solid veterans putting together career-best seasons in the right spots: Andre Sexton, Donald Booker and Pat Lavine at linebacker, Perrish Cox at corner.
Zac Robinson and the offense still must produce, but don’t discount the defense’s impact.
Booker and Sexton get rough
Travis Ford found himself getting all fired up about dunks driven home by James Anderson in early practices.
“He has had some of the most ridiculous dunks,” Ford said. “You won’t believe the energy level and the peppiness he is playing with.”
Eventually, once the seven newcomers adjust to the pace — and it’s a frenetic pace — the Cowboys will play faster this season.
That’s right, faster.
And they should play higher, too, as in above the rim. With little height a year ago, the Pokes weren’t exactly a pound-the-paint team, preferring to pump in long-range shots instead.
This team will still fire away from the arc, but they’ll look inward, too, to Anderson and Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim, one newcomer creating much optimism around Gallagher-Iba Arena. And expect more dunks on the fly as well.
