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Practice Report: Oklahoma State

Josh Cooper
 
By BILL HAISTEN & MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
Published: 8/2/2008  2:13 AM
Last Modified: 8/2/2008  2:43 AM

Position update



Kicker

Sophomore walk-on Dan Bailey was OSU's No. 1 kicker during the final four games of the 2007 season. He is competing now against first-year freshman Quinn Sharp, who was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's top high school kicking prospect.

"Dan is the returning starter. Quinn has to beat him out," OSU special-teams coach Joe DeForest said. "We signed Quinn because of his leg and his ability. He has one of the strongest legs I've ever seen, but he's got to prove it now. It's different, kicking off the ground (as opposed to kicking field goals off of a one-inch tee in high school). The speed of the college game is different for the kickers just like it is for everybody else."

Senior Zach Allen returns for his fourth season as OSU's snapper on punts and placement kicks. Punter Matt Fodge is the holder, and Cascia Hall product Taylor Sokolosky is his backup.



News and notes



Defensive progress: Following Friday's practice, during which the Cowboys worked in shorts and helmets, coach Mike Gundy seemed encouraged by the defense. The understanding of second-year defensive coordinator Tim Beckman's schemes seems significantly better, Gundy indicated.

"It seems like they're moving really fast and they're in the right spot," Gundy said. "(Through two practices), they've only given up a couple of big plays. The last couple of years, we've had numbers of big plays in practice. When you have more depth and more speed, you're going to see a lot of difference."

Gundy said senior cornerback Jacob Lacey and a pair of junior-college transfers linebacker Donald Booker and defensive tackle Swanson Miller performed particularly well on Friday. On the offensive side, Gundy said sophomore wide receiver Damian Davis and backup quarterback Brandon Weeden had a solid Friday session. Weeden's passing accuracy has been impressive through two days of practice.

At 8:15 a.m. Saturday, the Cowboys practice on the grass fields east of Gallagher-Iba Arena. It will be the only preseason practice that is entirely open to the public. Viewing of other selected practice sessions is limited to the first hour.

OSU players are in full pads for Monday's 5 p.m. practice.

The Glass effect: For three-plus years, Cowboy coaches and players have raved about the conditioning program of strength coach Rob Glass, a Newkirk native.

An OSU insider reported that 16 players are able to bench-press at least 400 pounds. Before Glass' arrival in 2005, that insider said, "no more than two or three guys" could press 400 pounds.

The 47-year-old Glass is an OSU graduate who served as a Cowboy graduate assistant in 1986-88 and as the team's strength coach in 1989-95. At the University of Florida, he was the strength-and-conditioning coordinator for three years. In 1998-2004, he was the Gators' head strength coach. Glass returned to OSU when Mike Gundy became head coach in 2005.

Glass' official title at OSU: assistant athletic director for speed, strength and conditioning.

Get to know ...



Josh Cooper

The wide receiver, a redshirt freshman from Mustang, sat out the 2007 season after injuring a hamstring.

It was the first time Cooper could recall missing significant time in his athletic career.

How frustrating was it to be sidelined for so long?

I never had any hamstring trouble in high school. I had a little back problem and some quadriceps problems. But those never kept me out of action. But hamstrings take a lot of time to heal.

In addition to an All-State career as a receiver in high school, you were a standout soccer player. How tough was it to choose one sport over the other?

I played soccer for 14 years and I've played football almost as long. It was tough because I loved both. Football was a better opportunity for me.

What do you like to do away from the football field?

A lot of things. I like to golf. I like to fish. I like to play video games. I like to hang out with friends.

The biggest fish you ever caught?

The fish I have caught have not been very big. I just catch those little ones. I'm still waiting for that big one. The big one is still out there for me to catch.



Opponent watch



Texas A&M

While speaking to 1,300 Aggie fans on Tuesday in Austin, the home of arch-rival Texas, new A&M coach Mike Sherman addressed his quarterback situation. Competing for the No. 1 job are Stephen McGee (a senior veteran of 27 starts) and 6-5, 230-pound sophomore Jerrod Johnson.

Sherman said he hopes to pick a starter within the first seven to 10 days of preseason practice. The Aggies open Big 12 play Oct. 4 at Oklahoma State.



Key dates



Saturday: Practice, 8:15 a.m. Open to the public for the entire session.

Saturday: Fan Appreciation Day, 4 p.m.

Sunday: Practice, 4:45 p.m. First hour open to the public.

Aug. 9: Scrimmage.

Aug. 18: First day of classes.

* OSU officials have not determined whether scrimmages will be open to the public.



2008 schedule



Aug. 30: vs. Washington State (in Seattle)

Sept. 6: Houston

Sept. 13: Missouri State

Sept. 27: Troy

Oct. 4: Texas A&M

Oct. 11: at Missouri

Oct. 18: Baylor

Oct. 25: at Texas

Nov. 1: Iowa State

Nov. 8: at Texas Tech

Nov. 15: at Colorado

Nov. 29: Oklahoma

FAN APPRECIATION DAY

OSU’s annual Fan Appreciation Day activities begin at 4 p.m. Saturday in Gallagher-Iba Arena. The event is free, and fans can get autographs from players and coaches. No cameras are allowed.

Family activities — including field-goal kicking stations and a giant slip-and-slide for children — are scheduled for 6 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium.

By BILL HAISTEN & MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer

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2 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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OSUArthur, Fayetteville (8/2/2008 2:03:46 PM)
Not to be a pessimist but, it's hard to be a major school and be any worse than we were last year. However, I do understand that we play in what is probably the greatest offensive conference right now. That said, the SEC will continue to dominate until the Big 12 can figure out how to play some defense.
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T Bone, (8/2/2008 4:34:23 PM)

OSUArthur: Didn't UA get steamrolled by a big12 team last year? Can't remember who played UA in a bowl game.
 

 
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