TULSA WORLD HOMEPAGE | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | WIRELESS
CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBER SERVICES | SIGN IN SIGN OUT | MY PROFILE PAGE | MY ACCOUNT

Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on RSS
Sports Extra!
Follow us on ...
OU | OSU | TU | ORU | HIGH SCHOOLS | COLLEGE FOOTBALL | COLLEGE BASKETBALL | NFL | FANTASY | OUTDOORS | GOLF | PROS | ALL




SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS
    Sports Editor
Mike Strain
Sports Columnist
Dave Sittler
The Picker
Entertaining & Infuriating

LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US
BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

TULSA WORLD

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA



Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark

Bryant impresses in opener
Coaches and teammates praise OSU receiver's talent.

OSU’s Dez Bryant drives through Washington State’s Mike Graise (left) and Easton Johnson at Qwest Field in Seattle on Saturday. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World
 
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 9/2/2008  2:10 AM
Last Modified: 9/2/2008  2:56 AM

Coaches and teammates praise OSU receiver's talent.



STILLWATER — On Monday, two days after he dominated the Washington State secondary during a 39-13 Oklahoma State victory in Seattle, Cowboy sophomore Dez Bryant was modest in assessing his performance.

"I feel like I've become a more complete wide receiver," he said.

His coaches and teammates were more inclined to use superlatives.

"(Bryant) has got unlimited talent," said co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer.

"He's amazing," Cowboy safety Ricky Price said. "A freak of nature."

"He is fearless," coach Mike Gundy said of the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Bryant. "He can go up and get the ball at any time, and he can go across the middle at any time. That's why he's a little bit different than other guys right now."

Against Washington State, Bryant had seven catches for 90 yards. On four occasions, quarterback Zac Robinson released a high fade pass, and on four occasions Bryant leaped over a Cougar cornerback and made the catch.

As they craft a defensive game plan for Saturday's 6 p.m. game at Boone Pickens Stadium, Houston coaches may double-team Bryant. Washington State primarily attempted to cover him with a single cornerback.

"We'll find ways to get him the ball," Brewer said. "Some days, he'll have three catches. Other days, he'll have 13."

In this decade, Rashaun Woods, D'Juan Woods and Adarius Bowman have starred at wide receiver for OSU. That lineage now includes Bryant, who considered LSU, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arkansas before signing with OSU out of Lufkin (Texas) High School.

Before joining the OSU staff this season as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach, Trooper Taylor was a Tennessee assistant. On behalf of the Volunteers, Taylor also recruited Bryant.

"I begged him, just like everybody else. I guess (OSU coaches) did a better job of begging," Taylor said. "I believe in Romans 8:28 — all things work together for good. I didn't know it at the time, but it worked out for the Taylor family. I feel pretty good about (Bryant)."

During the offseason, Gundy said Bryant was an inadequate blocker. Apparently, Bryant has improved. In addition to returning punts against WSU (and popping a 42-yard return), he was on the field for 68 of 69 offensive plays. Taylor said Bryant only missed two assignments.

"That's pretty strong," Taylor said. "Usually, there are seven or eight (missed assignments). It wouldn't be surprising to have 10 or 12, with the number of plays that we ran. Dez is a phenomenal athlete. He doesn't get tired. You can't dynamite him out of the game."

Bryant said Taylor has compelled him to "be physical a little more and block around the perimeter."

Said Taylor: "We talk about adding extra to ordinary, and having extraordinary. If you take it off, you're just left with ordinary. (Bryant) understands now that it's just as important to block for Spud (running back Kendall Hunter) as it is to catch that fade route on the sideline."

When Gundy was OSU's offensive coordinator, among his favorite plays was the Josh Fields-to-Rashaun Woods fade pass. The Robinson-to-Bryant fade may become a staple of the 2008 Cowboy offense.

"Really, it's kind of backyard football," Gundy said. "We feel like Dez is pretty good at going up and taking the ball out of the air. You can draw it up on a board, but you've got to have a guy out there that's really athletic and has the ability to go get the ball."



Bill Haisten 581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark


COMMENTS 
      Add your comment Show: Most Recent Comment First

3 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
Report Comment Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 

 
Report Comment
AG1, (9/2/2008 10:51:31 AM)
Dez Bryant is going to get killed in the Big 12 if he goes up for jump balls like he did against Wash State. I can just see D-Backs cutting his legs out from under him play after play until he gets hurt. OSU better figure out a way for him to keep his feet on the ground or put the jump balls behind the D-Backs so he just gets pushed downfield with his momentum.

I remember Rashaun Woods running beside or behind the defender with an athletic jump to turn and catch the ball over his sholder, and a chance to continue to move downfield. Bryant seemed to be standing still then jumping in the flat - a great position to be flipped on your head.
Report Comment
T Bone, (9/2/2008 2:13:47 PM)
As I was leavig the SE end of Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Bryant actually jumped over the Safety or CB and caught the ball. Think I wouldn't worry about Dez unless he finds a CB or Safety that runs a 4.4 and hits like a train. He seems to be able to body up to the defender land make the catcxh.
Report Comment
Rhymeister, Tulsa (9/4/2008 10:03:01 AM)
Sounds good, now just need Artrell to get back to being his dominant self by mid-season and then that might be the best receiving corp in the country with Pettigrew.
 

 
Add Your Comment 
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.

 
Post Your Comment
 



Home | About Tulsa World | Advertise With Us | Privacy | Usage Agreement | FAQ and Help | Contact Us | Today's Headlines
Copyright © 2010, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.