Oklahoma State is through their first four games of the year, and came out smelling like a rose at 4-0.
A gorgeous work of art that included two beat downs in Stillwater, a midnight road premiere in Tulsa (My sleep schedule still isn't recovered) and a brilliant final chapter in the book of second half comebacks against A&M, something that is sure to send the Ags to the SEC with their tails between their legs.
But the first phase of the season is over, and the second is about to begin this weekend against Kansas.
To see the prior installment of this series, check out my blog post from the first four games here.
Game 5: Kansas. OSU 47 KU 14 Uniform Predition: Black Helmet, Orange Jersey, Black Pants
Coming off of their bye week, the Cowboys should be well prepared for this game. Although they have yet to show the recovery process from losing CB Devin Hedgepeth (achilles) and OG Jonathan Rush (knee) for the season, I think they will be okay. For Hedgepeth's spot, Brodrick Brown just shut down Biletnikoff hopeful Jeff Fuller in College Station, and Justin Gilbert on the opposite side is probably the best athlete in the Big 12, if not the country (Yeah, I said it.) For Rush, his buddy Nick Martinez will most likely step into his guard spot. Overall, this game will be another blowout. Kansas had a good first half against Texas Tech last week, but OSU is completely different and a whole different level of "Explosiveness." The Pokes ride on, 5-0.
Game 6: @ Texas. OSU 38 UT 24 Uniform Prediction: White helmet, jersey and pants.
OSU hasn't lost to a team in Texas in two years now, and I don't see them losing in the Lone Star State this year either. The longhorns have incredible home field advantage and incredible athletes, but lack what makes every good football team great -- a quarterback. With no quarterback comes no leadership, and with no leadership comes a wandering ship. The Cowboy defense showed their true colors against A&M in the second half. Now we know what they're capable of, let's just hope that becomes the minimum they give. The score will be a lot closer than the game is, I think Texas will score some garbage points at the end.
Game 7: @ Mizzou. OSU 48 MU 38 Uniform Prediction: White Helmet, White Jersey, Orange Pants
This is the second "Game of the Year" in my mind (With A&M being the first.) Missouri has a way of making things complicated, especially when the game is played in Columbia. OU was beaten there last year, and the Tigers defend their home turf extremely well. This will be another thriller, but I think OSU once again escapes by the skin of their teeth simply because they have better, veteran athletes that have been in a game like that before.
Game 8: HOMECOMING vs. Baylor. OSU 52 BU 14 Uniform Prediction: White Helmet, Orange Jersey, White Pants
Everything about this game is exciting. Last year, the Bears rolled in with all the confidence in the world, only to be down 35 points about 5 plays into the game. This year, the stage will be set similarly. Kansas State just knocked off Baylor in Manhattan this past weekend (October 1), but Baylor knows how to win a ballgame. However, at this point the Pokes will have been away from home for a long time with one game in Stillwater since September 8th against Arizona. They'll come charging out of the tunnel and not look back, especially with last year's homecoming loss to Nebraska in the back of their minds. They aren't letting that happen again, you can take that to the bank.
Season Phase 1 MVP's:
Safety Daytawion Lowe- The Cowboys lost Johnny Thomas, their starting safety alongside Markelle Martin, at the beginning of the season because of eligibility issues. Fans were questioning if Lowe was capable of filling his shoes. If he didn't answer those questions in the first three games of the season, his big hit and forced fumble early in the second half of the A&M game should have.
Defensive End Cooper Bassett- Not to promo my own stories, but the O'Collegian is running my feature on Bassett friday, so be on the lookout for that. Bassett has been playing out of his mind. Long story short, he was recruited as a tight end and changed to defensive end last year. This year, he's been in on several key and game-changing plays. Bassett will be a force down the stretch, and the rest of his days at State.
WR Johnny Cooper- Brandon Weeden always says "I don't know why Cooper doesn't get any publicity." Well here you go, Brandon. He's getting a special shoutout on the most-read blog on the internet... Ha. But seriously, Cooper has been an incredible compliment to Justin Blackmon so far this season, serving as both an outlet for Weeden, as well as sneaking under the radar against defenses. Coop is dynamite in a bottle.
O-Lineman Nick Martinez- Give the big man some love! Once again, did a feature on him a week or so ago... But not the point. Martinez came into the year not having a position, and played two or three every game up through A&M to keep everyone fresh. He's the main reason why Joseph Randle has been able to run the ball so well, he comes in fresh while another guy recovers on the sideline, then does it for the next guy, and so on. With Rush going down with his knee injury, Martinez will most likely get cemented into taking his spot, and with that the rotation will most likely die. Unless Coach Wickline hasn't something else under his sleeve. I wouldn't be surprised if he does.
That's all I've got, "Phase 3" breakdown will come after the Baylor game.
Go Pokes, Go Rangers!
Showing posts with label Brandon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brandon. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Oklahoma State Football Season Preview
Oklahoma State football is just right around the corner, but the media is chomping at the bit after today's Big 12 Media Day festivities. Next week, I'll be in Stillwater covering Oklahoma State Media Day, but wanted to go ahead and post my thoughts on the season beforehand, as I'll most likely be writing a ton for the O'Colly after that.
Key Players In 2011
The Obvious: Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon
The duo is back for another year, and on just about every College Football promo on ESPN. I'm hoping to see Blackmon with another big year, but he won't be under the radar as he was at the beginning of last year. Weeden in my opinion is incredibly underrated. Who wouldn't want a guy who's the age of an NFL Quarterback in his prime playing in college? Although secondaries will be after Blackmon like bounty hunters, I still firmly believe OC Todd Monken is capable of using Weeden to get Blackmon the ball... Somehow.
Markelle Martin and Shaun Lewis
With Orie Lemon graduated, these two have become the new anchors of the Cowboy defense. Shaun Lewis broke onto the scene last year as a freshman, and might be one of the most physically gifted players I've ever seen. I saw him at the end of the Spring semester when I was at a friend's apartment and he had gotten even bigger. Add that in with Markelle Martin coming in even better than he was last year and you've got a defensive core that even I'm comfortable with... And that's saying something. We'll just see if the guys around them fall into place.
The Undercover: Joseph Randle and Hubert Anyiam
Jo Randle now carries all of the running back duties. In 2010, he excelled as a wild-card running back that countered Kendall Hunter. Now, Monken is hoping that Randle and his backup Jeremy Smith will be the 1-2 punch that Randle and Hunter were last year. The other key to the offense is Hubert Anyiam. Weeden already has two proven tools in Blackmon and Josh Cooper, if Anyiam returns to his 2009 form and proves himself as another legitimate threat... Well, let's just hope the ROTC guys who do pushups for points are in shape. We could see some consistent 60+ scores. I'll go ahead and give Anyiam the benefit of the doubt though, he had a bum ankle in 2010, and I'd love nothing more than to see him come off that year and have an incredible 2011.
THE GAME:
Bedlam is big... Obviously. But this year, there might be a game even bigger, and it will be played in College Station. To those of you who haven't looked at schedules yet, THIS IS THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP.
But why? It's simple; Whoever wins this game has a pretty easy route to the crown. After A&M, OSU has two potential opportunities to slip up: Texas and Missouri, both of which are away games. Texas is a big game because it's Texas. They may have been a losing team last year, but any program that consistently brings in a Top 10 recruiting class has the talent to beat anyone else in the country, especially when Mack Brown is on the sideline. Missouri has the same explosive offense that the Cowboys posses, and that game easily turns into a shootout. We saw how shootouts can end in 2010's edition of Bedlam. Oh, and speaking of Bedlam, it's in Stillwater again. Maybe this time we can fill up those seats in the corners and bring even more noise? Talk to your trusty Cowboy athletic director.
After Oklahoma State, A&M has to go to Norman. What that means is: A&M is guaranteed a loss. The Green Bay Packers would have a tough time winning in Norman because of the simple fact that OU doesn't lose at home. Ever. Obviously the Packers is a bit exaggerated, but I hope you get what I mean by that. Besides OU, A&M has to travel to Lubbock to play Tech, a team that always gives them fits for some reason, and they also have Texas in College Station.
That being said, matchup on September 24th is THE GAME. I'm not one to dub a game that early in the season as the most important game of the year, but this is an exception. This game is huge, and my Tivo is already set to record it. Judge me.
Storyline Of The Year: Justin Blackmon's Final Act?
Let's start this with a question. Does anyone here think Blackmon will be back his senior year?
*Crickets*
Okay, so we're all on the same page. Strictly from an athlete and future standpoint, it'd be foolish for Blackmon to be back in 2012. He'll have another stellar year in 2011 with one of the best quarterback's in football throwing to him, and he'll be the best receiver going into the 2012 draft. I can't see him coming back to have a first-year quarterback throwing to him in what would be the most important year in his football career. He would have to do more with less in 2012, and with an unproven arm, it's just too much of a risk.
That being said, I can also easily see Blackmon coming back. Confusing? Absolutely. Anyone who has been to anything that is Oklahoma State related knows the same thing. Blackmon goes to every Basketball game, most baseball games, and a ton of social functions. My first memory as an official Poke was at Camp Cowboy last summer, when Blackmon, Jarrod Fields, Brodrick Brown, and Andrew McGee came to talk to us one night. I had to go back home and get on my NCAA game to even see what position Blackmon played. 6 months later, he's hoisting the Biletnikoff. But it gets even better, the other day I saw via twitter that Blackmon was going BACK to speak at Camp Cowboy. He's not too big for anything, and that's why he is the perfect player for Oklahoma State. Not only is he one of the best players to ever grace Boone Picken's Stadium, but he gives back to OSU more than ever.
So will he be back? No. But maybe. But probably not. Oh, who knows. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's enjoy 2011!
Go Pokes, Go Rangers, Go Cowboys (Finally Unlocked!), and Go 2011 World Champion Mavs
Key Players In 2011
The Obvious: Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon
The duo is back for another year, and on just about every College Football promo on ESPN. I'm hoping to see Blackmon with another big year, but he won't be under the radar as he was at the beginning of last year. Weeden in my opinion is incredibly underrated. Who wouldn't want a guy who's the age of an NFL Quarterback in his prime playing in college? Although secondaries will be after Blackmon like bounty hunters, I still firmly believe OC Todd Monken is capable of using Weeden to get Blackmon the ball... Somehow.
Markelle Martin and Shaun Lewis
With Orie Lemon graduated, these two have become the new anchors of the Cowboy defense. Shaun Lewis broke onto the scene last year as a freshman, and might be one of the most physically gifted players I've ever seen. I saw him at the end of the Spring semester when I was at a friend's apartment and he had gotten even bigger. Add that in with Markelle Martin coming in even better than he was last year and you've got a defensive core that even I'm comfortable with... And that's saying something. We'll just see if the guys around them fall into place.
The Undercover: Joseph Randle and Hubert Anyiam
Jo Randle now carries all of the running back duties. In 2010, he excelled as a wild-card running back that countered Kendall Hunter. Now, Monken is hoping that Randle and his backup Jeremy Smith will be the 1-2 punch that Randle and Hunter were last year. The other key to the offense is Hubert Anyiam. Weeden already has two proven tools in Blackmon and Josh Cooper, if Anyiam returns to his 2009 form and proves himself as another legitimate threat... Well, let's just hope the ROTC guys who do pushups for points are in shape. We could see some consistent 60+ scores. I'll go ahead and give Anyiam the benefit of the doubt though, he had a bum ankle in 2010, and I'd love nothing more than to see him come off that year and have an incredible 2011.
THE GAME:
Bedlam is big... Obviously. But this year, there might be a game even bigger, and it will be played in College Station. To those of you who haven't looked at schedules yet, THIS IS THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP.
But why? It's simple; Whoever wins this game has a pretty easy route to the crown. After A&M, OSU has two potential opportunities to slip up: Texas and Missouri, both of which are away games. Texas is a big game because it's Texas. They may have been a losing team last year, but any program that consistently brings in a Top 10 recruiting class has the talent to beat anyone else in the country, especially when Mack Brown is on the sideline. Missouri has the same explosive offense that the Cowboys posses, and that game easily turns into a shootout. We saw how shootouts can end in 2010's edition of Bedlam. Oh, and speaking of Bedlam, it's in Stillwater again. Maybe this time we can fill up those seats in the corners and bring even more noise? Talk to your trusty Cowboy athletic director.
After Oklahoma State, A&M has to go to Norman. What that means is: A&M is guaranteed a loss. The Green Bay Packers would have a tough time winning in Norman because of the simple fact that OU doesn't lose at home. Ever. Obviously the Packers is a bit exaggerated, but I hope you get what I mean by that. Besides OU, A&M has to travel to Lubbock to play Tech, a team that always gives them fits for some reason, and they also have Texas in College Station.
That being said, matchup on September 24th is THE GAME. I'm not one to dub a game that early in the season as the most important game of the year, but this is an exception. This game is huge, and my Tivo is already set to record it. Judge me.
Storyline Of The Year: Justin Blackmon's Final Act?
Let's start this with a question. Does anyone here think Blackmon will be back his senior year?
*Crickets*
Okay, so we're all on the same page. Strictly from an athlete and future standpoint, it'd be foolish for Blackmon to be back in 2012. He'll have another stellar year in 2011 with one of the best quarterback's in football throwing to him, and he'll be the best receiver going into the 2012 draft. I can't see him coming back to have a first-year quarterback throwing to him in what would be the most important year in his football career. He would have to do more with less in 2012, and with an unproven arm, it's just too much of a risk.
That being said, I can also easily see Blackmon coming back. Confusing? Absolutely. Anyone who has been to anything that is Oklahoma State related knows the same thing. Blackmon goes to every Basketball game, most baseball games, and a ton of social functions. My first memory as an official Poke was at Camp Cowboy last summer, when Blackmon, Jarrod Fields, Brodrick Brown, and Andrew McGee came to talk to us one night. I had to go back home and get on my NCAA game to even see what position Blackmon played. 6 months later, he's hoisting the Biletnikoff. But it gets even better, the other day I saw via twitter that Blackmon was going BACK to speak at Camp Cowboy. He's not too big for anything, and that's why he is the perfect player for Oklahoma State. Not only is he one of the best players to ever grace Boone Picken's Stadium, but he gives back to OSU more than ever.
So will he be back? No. But maybe. But probably not. Oh, who knows. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's enjoy 2011!
Go Pokes, Go Rangers, Go Cowboys (Finally Unlocked!), and Go 2011 World Champion Mavs
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