OSU needs to keep its balance against Purdue

BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
1/01/13 at 7:32 AM

DALLAS — It’s easy to gloss over Oklahoma State’s punchless running game in the last two bowls.

Why? Because the Cowboys won both games. Who cares how victory is accomplished as long as it is accomplished?

But can OSU be one-dimensional (again) and win a Heart of Dallas Bowl game today against Purdue?

Cowboy coach Mike Gundy apparently doesn’t think so, and he said as much during a Heart of Dallas Bowl press function Monday.

He said the Cowboys are not good enough to rely solely on throwing the ball.

“We were good enough to do that with (Brandon) Weeden,” he said. “We could just call the plays and he could make it happen.

“But we’re not good enough to do that. For two years we had an NFL quarterback and it made a bunch of difference.”

In the 2010 Alamo Bowl triumph over Arizona, OSU totaled 72 rushing yards. Cowboy running backs carried 17 times for 50 yards.

Gundy blamed an offensive plan that wasn’t very good and then-Arizona coach Mike Stoops’ priority on shutting down the running game.

In a Fiesta Bowl victory over Stanford last season, OSU had more rushing attempts (14) than rushing yards (13).

“They stacked the box up, so we went to work (throwing),” running back Joseph Randle said.

Justin Blackmon caught nine balls for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

“They picked their poison and that’s how it went,” Randle said.

Guard Lane Taylor said it was obvious Stanford’s defensive approach was this: If you’re going to beat us, you have to throw the ball. “Luckily, we had two firstrounders,” Taylor said, referring to Blackmon and Weeden.

Without Weeden, OSU now throws the ball often enough to rank sixth nationally in passing yards, but Gundy values balance. OSU had 17 more rushing attempts than passing attempts during the regular season.

The Cowboys are 22nd nationally in rushing, and Randle is the Big 12’s leading ground-gainer.

The success of the run game created a comfy work environment for quarterbacks Wes Lunt, J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf.

Is Purdue equipped to force OSU into a bad day at the office, or at least make the Cowboy offense one-dimensional?

The Boilermakers are 78th nationally in run defense.

That doesn’t sound scary.

Then you catch a glimpse of the 618 pounds worth of tackles who anchor Purdue’s defensive line.

Kawann Short is a secondteam All-American who ranks second nationally among current FBS players in career tackles for losses.

Bruce Gaston is like Short’s twin, according to Gundy, who credited the hulks for clogging the middle and forcing opponents like Notre Dame and Ohio State out of their comfort zone.

Notre Dame was held to 52 rushing yards on 36 attempts.

Ohio State was limited to 261 total yards until the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Purdue interim coach Patrick Higgins said Short and Gaston did a nice job against the run when healthy.

“We went through a stretch in the middle of the season where we were very banged up and we had to play a lot of young people,” Higgins said. “But when they are healthy, they are very formidable.”

Higgins said the Cowboys are hard to prepare for because if you take away the run or pass, they are efficient enough to hurt you with the other facet.

That proved true the last two bowls. The Cowboys prevailed despite managing only four runs covering six or more yards.

“Our offense is so balanced that it’s hard to say that if you don’t run the ball good, you are going to lose,” Randle said before adding this about Purdue: “They know if they don’t put enough people in the box, we are going to run the ball all day long. If you take (the run or pass) away, we will try to use the other one. That’s how it will be.”

Heart of Dallas Bowl

OSU (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6)

11 a.m. Tuesday

At Cotton Bowl

TV: ESPNU-253

Radio: KFAQ am1170

Jimmie Tramel 918-581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

OSU’s head coach Mike Gundy addresses the media during a press conference in Dallas on Monday. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World