OSU football notebook: Texas roots
BY KELLY HINES World Sports Writer
Friday, October 26, 2012
10/26/12 at 3:04 AM
While Oklahoma State has 66 players from Texas on its roster, TCU has 90. Eleven Texas high schools, primarily in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, will have alumni playing for both teams Saturday.
"We go head-to-head in recruiting with them a lot," coach Mike Gundy said. "They recruit a number of the same players we do."
Top of the charts: Gundy became OSU's all-time winningest coach last week with a win against Iowa State, and coach Gary Patterson accomplished the same feat in TCU's opener against Grambling State. Patterson has a 114-32 record in 12 seasons.
TCU on the road: The Horned Frogs head to Stillwater having won 14 straight conference games, although 12 were while the team was in the Mountain West.
"Oklahoma State is a tough place to play," Patterson said. "The crowd there is definitely a home-field advantage. You have a team that played in a BCS game a year ago, so they know how to win. They have a lot of pride. Coach Gundy and his staff have done a great job, even with all the turnover. They just keep on going."
Part of the reason TCU is 2-0 on the road this year has been the result of forced turnovers. The team had a combined 12 takeaways against Baylor and SMU.
Del Rio soft on OSU: Denver-area Valor Christian quarterback Luke Del Rio has downgraded his commitment to OSU to a soft verbal, according to Scout.com. Del Rio, son of Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, told Scout.com he is still committed to the Cowboys but visited Oregon State last weekend and is keeping his options open.
Defensive commit: Ben Hughes, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive lineman from University High in Waco, Texas, has committed to OSU, according to GoPokes.com.
Hughes, rated as a four-star prospect by Scout.com and a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, sustained a season-ending knee injury last week.
