O-State has new walk-on at kicker

BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
3/22/11 at 5:28 AM

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Oklahoma State has a positive history with walk-on kickers.

In 1999, Luke Phillips arrived from Tulsa's Metro Christian Academy. Two years later, he booted a pair of 52-yard field goals as the Cowboys won 16-13 at Oklahoma.

In 2007, Dan Bailey arrived from Mustang's Southwest Covenant School. By the end of the 2010 season, he had been a starter for three full seasons and ranked as OSU's career scoring leader. As a senior, he was 27-of-31 on field goals, nailed a 40-yard game-winner against Texas A&M and captured the Lou Groza Award.

Next in the Phillips-Bailey lineage may be Bobby Stonebreaker, a redshirt freshman walk-on from Tuttle. During the spring-practice period, which resumes on Tuesday, Stonebreaker is competing with junior Quinn Sharp for the place-kicking role. This summer, Matt Green of Lexington, Ky., joins the program as a scholarship kicker.

"Obviously, the job is wide open," Cowboy special-teams coordinator Joe DeForest said.

Statistically, Sharp is among the elite punters in college football. On kickoffs, he belted 53 touchbacks last season - by far the best such total in the nation.

In 2008, Sharp signed with OSU out of Summit High School in Mansfield, Texas. He was rated by recruiting analysts as the nation's No. 1 placekicking prospect.

DeForest says he would prefer that Sharp not have all three duties - punting, place-kicking and kickoffs.

"By the end of the year, you'd be worn out," DeForest said. "But if Quinn is the guy (on placement kicks), then he's the guy. ... Don't forget, when Quinn Sharp came here, he was the No. 1 high school kicker in the country. He was sort of converted into a punter and kickoff specialist. Now, it's time for him to step up and show why he was the No. 1 kicker in the country."

The 6-foot, 165-pound Stonebreaker's motivation for walking on at Oklahoma State was simple: He was an Oklahoma State fan.

"He wanted to be a Cowboy," DeForest said. "I think he's going to be a great addition for us. He's got to get stronger. Right now, that's his only limitation."

Spring schedule

Dates subject to change; all practices are closed.

March: 7, 9, 10, 22, 23, 25, 28, 30.

April: 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13.

Orange-White game: April 16 (open)

Bill Haisten 918-581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com