OSU football talking points
BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
11/14/12 at 3:21 AM
For more OSU stories.
Who's on first?
Oklahoma State coaches face a multiple-choice problem: Who starts at quarterback? (A) Wes Lunt, (B) Clint Chelf or (C) J.W. Walsh?
It's not a problem because the Cowboys have won games with all three. It is a problem because all of them have shown they can play, and somebody is going to be disappointed when the depth chart is reshuffled.
"It's a hard thing," offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. "It was hard when (there was a quarterback competition) in the spring, when you have to have a pecking order."
The spring derby ended this way: 1, Lunt. 2, Walsh. 3, Chelf. But the gap between them has been blurred by the way they have performed, according to coach Mike Gundy.
One thing that makes picking a starter (again) hard is there is no consolation role for a No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback.
Said Monken, "Usually your quarterbacks don't play special teams. You usually don't rotate quarterbacks. So there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There is no partial playing, most of the time. It's either I'm playing or I'm not playing. So I think that's difficult for them to kind of put their arms around."
All three QBs are expected to be available for a Saturday home game against Texas Tech.
"Available (in regard to) medically cleared is different than able to function and practice and be accurate with your throws and give us a chance to win," Monken said.
Durability question
Twice-injured Wes Lunt has played only 11 quarters and two series this season.
Gundy came to the defense of Lunt when a reporter asked a question about the freshman quarterback's toughness.
"First off, I think it's difficult for anybody outside of college football to really question (toughness) in a very combative and physical sport," the coach said. "College football is not easy."
Gundy reminded that Lunt should have been a high school senior when he reported to campus in January. Then he got thrown into the fire and took some hits, sustaining knee and ankle injuries in the first series of his third start.
"You can call it like it is, but if your kneecap is on the side of your leg, it is probably going to hurt and it is going to take a little while to come back from that," Gundy said.
"I can certainly understand people who want to be critical, but I would be real hesitant in challenging his mental toughness. He is not a flamboyant, loud and boisterous young man, so some people may have that (perception), but we certainly don't see anything that concerns us with his mental toughness."
Mismatch rematch
OSU is playing Texas Tech for the first time since a 66-6 rout in Lubbock last season. It was the most lopsided defeat in Red Raider history.
"We just got whipped, outcoached, outplayed," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said. "I think we fumbled the ball in the end zone for a touchdown on the kickoff. It was one of those games you'd love to have back."
Red Raider safety D.J. Johnson said OSU was probably the better football team last year. Probably?
"But there was no reason that it should have been that lopsided," he said.
Johnson said he has tried to wash the game out of his mind. He said he never imagined getting beat like that in his wildest dreams (or nightmares).
"We remember what happened last year, and we definitely want to make sure that that doesn't occur again," Johnson said. "If possible, we want to reverse it, and make it occur the other way."
OSU defensive end Cooper Bassett said the Red Raiders are going to be "ticked off" because of what transpired in Lubbock.
"We know we are going to get their best game from them," he said. "We are hoping we can give them our best game."
Cowboys by the numbers
24-3: OSU's record in the Mike Gundy era when opponents rush for fewer than 100 yards. West Virginia ran for 78 yards.
21.1: Average yards per reception by Blake Jackson. It's the second-best average in the country, according to OSU's sports information office.
5: Number of consecutive games with a touchdown catch by Charlie Moore. It's the longest streak of games with a TD catch by an OSU player since Justin Blackmon did it in 10 consecutive games in 2011.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) at OSU (6-3, 4-2 Big 12)
2:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: FSOK-27.
Radio: KFAQ am1170
SCHEDULE
Tickets: tulsaworld.com/osusports
Sept. 1: vs. Savannah State W, 84-0
Sept. 8: at Arizona L, 59-38
Sept. 15: vs. La.-Lafayette W, 65-24
Sept. 29: vs. Texas L, 41-36
Oct. 13: at Kansas W, 20-14
Oct. 20: vs. Iowa State W, 31-10
Oct. 27: vs. TCU W, 36-14
Nov. 3: at Kansas State L, 44-30
Nov. 10: vs. West Virginia W, 55-34
Nov. 17: vs. Texas Tech (FSOK) 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 24: at Oklahoma (TBA) 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 1: at Baylor TBD
STATISTICS
|
OSU |
OPP |
| Scoring |
395 |
240 |
| Per game |
43.9 |
26.7 |
| First downs |
240 |
191 |
| by rushing |
103 |
69 |
| by passing |
124 |
104 |
| by penalty |
13 |
18 |
| Rushing yards |
1911 |
1163 |
| Avg. per game |
212.3 |
129.2 |
| Passing yards |
3139 |
2336 |
| Avg. per game |
348.8 |
259.6 |
| Offensive plays |
706 |
689 |
| Total yards |
5050 |
3499 |
| Avg. per play |
7.2 |
5.1 |
| Avg. per game |
561.1 |
388.8 |
| Kick returns-Yds |
31-883 |
16-455 |
| Punt returns-Yds |
30-264 |
10-83 |
| Interceptions-Yds |
6-68 |
13-183 |
| Fumbles-Lost |
12-6 |
10-5 |
| Penalties-Yds |
60-590 |
56-404 |
| Punts-Avg. |
30-45.6 |
59-42.9 |
| 3rd downs |
61-130 |
49-149 |
| 4th downs |
4-9 |
10-21 |
| Sacks by-Yds |
18-128 |
6-31 |
Individual leaders
Y/A=Yards/attempt; Y/G=Yards/game
| RUSHING |
No. |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
TD |
| J. Randle |
196 |
1008 |
5.1 |
112.0 |
9 |
| J. Walsh |
36 |
254 |
7.1 |
42.3 |
3 |
| J. Smith |
48 |
229 |
4.8 |
25.4 |
6 |
| D. Roland |
30 |
198 |
6.6 |
24.8 |
4 |
| C. Bennett |
12 |
91 |
7.6 |
45.5 |
1 |
| J. Stewart |
6 |
74 |
12.3 |
8.2 |
1 |
| C. Chelf |
9 |
43 |
4.8 |
10.8 |
0 |
| C. Muncrief |
11 |
43 |
3.9 |
8.6 |
0 |
| W. Lunt |
1 |
-6 |
-6.0 |
-1.2 |
0 |
| PASSING |
C-A-Int |
Yds |
Y/G |
TD |
| J. Walsh |
102-154-3 |
1467 |
244.5 |
10 |
| W. Lunt |
80-128-7 |
1096 |
219.2 |
6 |
| C. Chelf |
42-66-3 |
576 |
144.0 |
6 |
| RECEIVING |
No. |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
TD |
| J. Stewart |
69 |
838 |
12.1 |
93.1 |
5 |
| C. Moore |
29 |
481 |
16.6 |
53.4 |
5 |
| B. Jackson |
25 |
528 |
21.1 |
58.7 |
2 |
| J. Randle |
22 |
172 |
7.8 |
19.1 |
0 |
| T. Moore |
20 |
259 |
12.9 |
64.8 |
4 |
| A. Hays |
18 |
266 |
14.8 |
44.3 |
2 |
| I. Anderson |
10 |
123 |
12.3 |
15.4 |
0 |
| K. Staley |
9 |
134 |
14.9 |
14.9 |
1 |
| PUNT RETURNS |
No. |
Yds |
Avg. |
TD |
| C. Moore |
18 |
130 |
7.2 |
0 |
| Kick returns |
No. |
Yds |
Avg. |
TD |
| J. Gilbert |
21 |
629 |
30.0 |
1 |
| Kicking |
FG-A |
Long |
PAT |
| Q. Sharp |
20-25 |
51 |
47-47 |
| Defense |
Tackles |
TFL |
Sacks |
INT |
FR |
| A. Elkins |
54 |
4.0 |
1.5 |
0 |
0 |
| D. Lowe |
49 |
2.5 |
1.0 |
2 |
0 |
| S. Gary |
47 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| S. Lewis |
40 |
5.5 |
2.5 |
0 |
0 |
| B. Brown |
39 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
| C. Lavey |
38 |
5.0 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
| J. Gilbert |
35 |
1.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| J. Castleman |
26 |
4.5 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
| C. Barnett |
22 |
6.0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| N. Nicholas |
21 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
0 |
1 |
| R. Robinson |
20 |
5.0 |
2.5 |
0 |
0 |
| C. Bassett |
17 |
1.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| J. Mitchell |
15 |
3.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
1 |
| T. Johnson |
14 |
2.5 |
1.5 |
1 |
0 |
| L. Johnson |
13 |
4.5 |
2.0 |
1 |
0 |
| R. Simmons |
12 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
| N. Ornelas |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| A. Lampkin |
9 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| K. Peterson |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Associated Images:
OSU quarterback Clint Chelf gains a first down on a keeper play in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' game against West Virginia on Saturday in Stillwater. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
OSU quarterback Wes Lunt looks to throw during the Cowboys' game at Kansas State on Nov. 3. Gundy defended Lunt's toughness when questioned by a reporter. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World
|
