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New State Bird: Scissortail Pass-Catcher
Published: 9/28/2008 5:06 PM
Last Modified: 9/28/2008 5:06 PM

Well, it's official.
Oklahoma, a state that was birthed with a land run, is now a passing state.
According to NCAA stats updated following Saturday games, Tulsa leads the nation in passing efficiency, Oklahoma is third and Oklahoma State is fourth.
Has this ever happened in the history of mankind? Nope.
Longtime neighbor/thorn Texas is the only school preventing the three Oklahoma teams from ranking 1-2-3 in pass efficiency. The Longhorns are second nationally in that category and Colt McCoy is having a heck of a bounce-back year following an alleged sophomore slump.
Once upon a time, OU ran the wishbone, Tulsa tore up chunks of rushing yardage with the Palomino Express and OSU was Tailback U.
Times have changed.


Reader Comments 7 Total
JC (4 years ago)
Is D Johnson better than P Smith? Should he have been starting sooner?
Mike (4 years ago)
Keep in mind, OSU still has a strong run game... the third best in the nation, in fact. Also, the only 2 Big 12 players in the top 40 of total rushing yards this season are Cowboys.
SoonerGuy (4 years ago)
Actually, OSU is the top rushing team in the nation if you look at Yards per Game, which is the only fair way to do it. Also there is only one Big 12 rusher in the top 40 (Hunter at #6). Toston is at #48, and there is only 33 yards between him and Murray at OU (#58).

Regardless, your point is made.
Jimmie Tramel (4 years ago)
Thanks for pointing out that OSU is leading the nation in rushing. The Cowboys led the nation in yards per rush even before last week (and they also lead the nation in punt returns). I can't remember a year when the state teams led the nation in so many stat categories -- OU leads in turnover margin and TU leads in a couple of offensive categories.
Arthur (4 years ago)
This could be the most entertaining football season in recent memory for this state. TU looks capable of running the table, especially if they can get any defensive improvement. I don't even like OU and I have to admit that I am impressed. TCU looked pretty good coming into this game and they only slowed OU down while OU pretty well killed the TCU offense. Then, to top it off my alma mater looks to be the best it has been under Gundy and maybe as good as the best year under Miles. I have to put a heavy emphasis on maybe. If we can upset Texas, Tech, Mizzou or OU and win the other games that we should this would be a great year for us. The best part is: it actually looks possible for TU to run the table, OU to get to that championship game and, OSU to go 9-3. It's not extremely likely but, it definitely looks within the realm of possibility.
MIKE (4 years ago)
Dang it! People already beat me to the punch on OSU running backs! That's ok, I have one more great stat. OSU has the top 2 RBs in the Big 12. Maybe you can help on this Jimmie. When was the last time a 2nd string beat out any of the other team's top string in rushing in the Big 12? It's great to lead the Big 12 in rushing with one RB--but to have both RBs leading the pack seems amazing! That, in itself, makes me feel good about the fact that OSU is taking the spread offense and going a whole different direction with it than the majority of teams out there. Go Pokes!!!
Hoolame (4 years ago)
No David Johnson should not have been starting before Paul Smith...I think David has benefited from watching the offense and its complexities for a year. Paul Smith and his cerebral QB game was perfect to implement Malzahn's mad scientist scheme. Insiders say the defensive coaches for the opposition come into the press box with a full head of hair and are bald by the end of the game!
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Tulsa World sports writer Jimmie Tramel is a former class president at Locust Grove High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern State University with a journalism degree and, while attending college, was sports editor of the Pryor Daily Times. He joined the Tulsa World on Oct. 17, 1989, the same day an earthquake struck the World Series. He is the OSU basketball beat writer and a columnist and feature writer during football season. In 2007, he wrote a book about Oklahoma State football with former Cowboy coach Pat Jones.

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