Praise for Pettigrew
Published: 11/27/2007 12:44 PM
Last Modified: 11/27/2007 12:44 PM
The All-Big 12 Conference football team, as voted by the league's coaches, was revealed today. After glancing through the first-team list, one choice surprised me. But, truthfully, it was a pleasant but well deserved surprise.
The league coaches selected OSU's Brandon Pettigrew as the first-team tight end. The position is loaded with quality performers. Honestly, I thought the pick would have been Missouri's Martin Rucker, who is one of the favorites for the John Mackey Award given to the nation's top tight end.
But Pettigrew does not deserve to take a backseat to any tight end in the league or the nation. OSU coach Mike Gundy has stated repeatedly for the past two years that Pettigrew is the best combination of receiving and blocking skills at the tight end position in the conference. My colleague Bill Haisten and I have had discussions over and over again the past two years that OSU does not utilize Pettigrew nearly enough in the passing game. In the Bedlam game last week, OU made sure where Pettigrew was at all times. Pettigrew did not catch a pass for the first time all season and only had two passes thrown in his direction.
Pettigrew's talents are getting noticed by folks on the next level. ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper lists Pettigrew as the third-best junior tight end in college football. Pettigrew has refused to acknowledge any talk about him leaving OSU after this season. Unlike today's all-conference choice, it would not be surprising from this perspective if Pettigrew were playing on Sundays instead of Saturdays next fall.
--- Matt Doyle
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
