OSU football notebook: Weathering the conditions
BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
11/07/12 at 3:11 AM
Oklahoma is, of course, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain. That's not just a lyric. It could be a factor when Oklahoma State plays a Saturday home game against West Virginia.
Game day forecasts suggest a breezy day in Stillwater with winds between 20-25 mph.
Why is that important? West Virginia was unbeaten and quarterback Geno Smith was putting up video game numbers before he threw 26 incompletions in an Oct. 13 loss to Texas Tech in Lubbock.
"Geno let the wind affect him," Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said. "I (coached) here for eight years and it wasn't any windier today. I mean, it's a nuisance, but, you know, if you let that be an excuse then it's going to mess with you and, I think it did."
One more year: This was supposed to be fullback Kye Staley's senior season, but he was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and can return for "another" senior year in 2013.
"I think it's a good thing for him to have a chance to come back and play," running backs coach Jemal Singleton said. "Obviously he has got to keep working and keep doing what he needs to do academically and all those things required to be in the program."
Staley missed the 2009 and 2010 seasons with a significant knee injury. He came back to make the most of his football career, and now Singleton wants him to make the most out of his extended time on campus.
"He's got another opportunity to stay a year longer in school, and hopefully that means he should be halfway done with his master's degree by then," the coach said. "That's what I hope that he does is he actually uses it not just for football, but (for education)."
Trading places: Until West Virginia's most recent game, co-defensive coordinator Joe DeForest (a former OSU assistant) was on the sidelines during games and co-defensive coordinator Keith Patterson (a former Tulsa assistant) was in the press box.
They switched spots and the Mountaineers performed better defensively in a loss to TCU.
"I just felt like we needed a change," Holgorsen said. "I thought it would help Joe to be in a sterile environment. There are a lot of bullets flying on the sidelines, and there is a lot of stuff going on. It is not uncommon for an offensive or defensive coordinator to call it from the box. It's because it is quiet and he can see better. With Joe (who coached safeties at OSU) being more of a back-end guy than a front-end guy, he can see that back end a little bit better."
Holgorsen also said Patterson brought energy to the sidelines and did a great job of "rallying the troops."
DeForest told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he "loved" being stationed in the press box.
"It was so surreal up there," he said, perhaps meaning to say "serene" instead.
"When you're on the field, there is so much noise and so much going on. In my 23 years of coaching, I don't think I was in the press box before. I don't think I'll ever leave."
