The day after Colorado
Published: 11/16/2008 9:01 PM
Last Modified: 11/16/2008 9:01 PM
It's time to take a break, and this break comes at a good time for Oklahoma State.
Victory number nine of 2008 certainly was far from an artistic masterpiece. But after playing 11 games in 12 weeks with four weeks of preseason training camp on top that, the wear and tear and eventual grind takes its toll. The open date this coming week leading into the Nov. 29 Bedlam game is exactly what this OSU team needs.
Knock on wood, but the Cowboys have been very fortunate this season to avoid the injury bug. In Saturday's 30-17 win at Colorado, OSU suffered a few significant bumps and bruises to a couple of key offensive players.
Sophomore running back Kendall Hunter left midway through the third quarter with what coach Mike Gundy initially called a quad contusion. But Gundy reversed his call Sunday by saying Hunter does not have a quad contusion. But the OSU coach would not elaborate on his running back's health situation.
Hunter was just as evasive after the game Saturday night by stating he was fine and that has a sprain or bruise, but would not specify what body part was hurting. There were thoughts Saturday night that Hunter hurt his left knee while trying to cover an errant Zac Robinson option pitch.
The week off comes at a good time then for Spud, who has been a workhorse all season. The week off also comes at a good time for tight end Brandon Pettigrew.
The senior is still not 100 percent healthy after suffering a high ankle sprain in mid-September, according to his position coach Doug Meacham. Pettigrew has been labeled as a warrior by both Gundy and Meacham, and he more than enhanced that status on two different occasions Saturday.
Pettigrew returned from a vicious blow delivered by Colorado linebacker B.J. Beatty in the third quarter after catching a 19-yard pass. He also returned after jamming a finger on his left hand in the fourth quarter.
That is tough stuff from Pettigrew. The week off will help him get closer to 100 percent with the ankle and finger.
It's imperative that Hunter and Pettigrew are ready to go for Bedlam because the battle with the Sooners will be a tough one. Yes, it will be played in the three-quarters full Boone Pickens Stadium (more on that in the print version of the Tulsa World in the days leading up to the game). But OSU needs all of its ammunition for that game.
Having a healthy squad has been a main reason for the 9-2 season thus far. Having a healthy squad will be a key factor in trying to knock off the Sooners.
Thus, it's a good reason why having a break in the action this week is so nice.
Game balls
***Pettigrew: It's a shame the ankle injury robbed Pettigrew of three games this season. The seven-catch, 75-yard performance and his usual stellar blocking efforts at Colorado demonstrated once again why he is the best combination of receiving and blocking skills at the position in the Big 12.
***Zac Robinson: The OSU quarterback handled his homecoming game very well. As much as he wanted to perform well at "home" in Colorado on Saturday, the OSU QB really wants to perform well at home in Stillwater in two weeks.
***Derek Burton: The junior defensive lineman from Muskogee may have played the best game of his OSU career. Burton was active all night in pressuring and chasing Cody Hawkins to finish with six tackles and a sack.
Cowboy checklist
***Red zone offense: OSU had to settle for short field goals on their opening two possessions of the game. Robinson was a bit high on a pass to an open Pettigrew in the back of the end zone on the first series, and did not audible to pass a play where Dez Bryant had 1-on-1 coverage with a small cornerback on the next series.
Maybe this is a little nitpicking, but short field goals aren't going to cut it against the Sooners. The Cowboys are going to need to score touchdowns – probably at least five - to beat OU. Remember the momentum-changing goal-line stands the Sooners have come up with in the last two Bedlam games?
***Shoring up the front line: Again, maybe a little nitpicking. But Colorado did have periods of success running the ball right at the Cowboys primarily with a third-string running back. Now, here comes DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown in two weeks.
---Matt Doyle
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
