OSU Football Notebook: Back in a groove

BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Monday, November 19, 2012
11/19/12 at 5:16 AM

Jeremy Smith has been less than healthy during the course of this season, but Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said the junior running back looks like he is back to full speed. Smith averaged 9.8 yards on five carries in a Saturday victory over Texas Tech.

What does Smith's upgraded status mean for the Cowboys?

"It really helps us a lot," Gundy said. "You play these good teams and it's difficult for one back to stay in there. You like to have a couple of guys that are experienced and have a chance to break it and make a play. We feel like we have got both guys healthy."

Joseph Randle, Smith and third-teamer Desmond Roland combined for 29 carries and 192 rushing yards against the Red Raiders.

Channel surfing: Bedlam is next for OSU, which makes a Saturday trek to Norman. Gundy was asked if he watched the OU-West Virginia game on television. He said he watched the last few minutes of the third quarter and parts of the fourth quarter because his kids were "skipping around" to the Oregon-Stanford game and the Kansas State-Baylor game.

"Wild finish," Gundy said, referring to OU's 50-49 victory. "It's kind of another week in the Big 12 with the offensive football."

Bedlam memory: Junior quarterback Clint Chelf is expected to make his third career start - and first road start - at Oklahoma. Asked for a favorite Bedlam memory, he said it's probably a 16-13 OSU ambush of a fourth-ranked OU team in 2001.

"I was pretty young, but it was a fun game to watch," said Chelf, who turned 11 a few days after Josh Fields came off the bench to engineer the upset.

Speed racer: Senior receiver Isaiah Anderson, playing for the first time in just over a month, caught four passes for a career-best 174 yards and three touchdowns at Texas Tech's expense.

Asked what Anderson adds to the OSU offense, Gundy said, "He is fast. And when you are fast, whether you can catch it or not, you scare a defense. And if you can catch it, it makes it that much worse."

Gundy said Anderson came back from a "pretty severe" hand injury and had to get over it from a mental standpoint. The coach said Anderson "had to step back in there" because receiver Charlie Moore was not at full speed.

Happy senior day: Anderson was among players mentioned by Gundy when the coach asked who he was happy for in the aftermath of a senior day rout of Texas Tech.

Gundy name-dropped Zack Craig (who blocked two punts) and credited linebacker Ryan Simmons and lineman Nigel Nicholas for their performances on defense.

"And then the seniors got to finish out strong their last time playing in this stadium and Clint continues to have success," Gundy said. "There were a number of guys that played well and we were happy for them."

New commitment: Offensive lineman Brandon Garrett of Trinity Valley Community College in Texas committed to the Cowboys. Garrett (6-foot-6, 295 pounds) told GoPokes.com he will enroll at OSU in January.

Associated Images:

Oklahoma State's Clint Chelf is tackled by Texas Tech's D.J. Johnson during Saturday's game in Stillwater. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World