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Up close: Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant makes a catch against Houston at Boone Pickens Stadium twoweeks ago. Bryant was a standout basketball player, but decided to focus onfootball instead. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

 
By MATT DOYLE, World sports writer
Published: 9/17/2008  2:07 AM
Last Modified: 9/17/2008  2:52 AM

STILLWATER — Dez Bryant is a big man on the Oklahoma State campus.

A decent basketball player, Bryant says he could have better if he had worked harder. Instead, he put his e%ort into football — and it shows.

The OSU sophomore wide receiver has emerged as one of college best receivers. His breakout performance in the Cowboys’ 56-37 victory against Houston on Sept. 6 earned him national recognition (nine catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns, and a 71- yard punt return TD).

Bryant is only 16 games into his college career, but his potential is limitless. Coach Mike Gundy believes Bryant can rank among the best receivers in school history.

In his free time, after football and academics, Bryant hones his expertise in EA’s NCAA Football ’09 video game.

You are quite the player in real life. But how good is the video-game version of Dez Bryant."

He’s OK. There are some similarities.

They may have downgraded me a bit. But that didn’t bother me.

It didn’t bother you a little bit."

Well, when I first saw it, I thought ‘Oh well. That’s how it is. I’ll just prove it to them on the field’. That’s how it’s supposed to be anyway.

How are you handling all the attention that’s come your way."

It’s not hard to be humble. All through high school, I had good games a lot and it never changed me or anything like that.

What do you have to do the rest of the season to continue to become the best you can be."

Just stay focused and humble. Doing that can take you a long way.

Who were some of the receivers you idolized growing up."

Randy Moss and a guy from my high school (Lufkin, Texas), Quentin Holman. I always wanted to be like them when I was younger. Reggie Mc- Neal (who played QB at Texas A&M) also went to my school and I looked up to him. He was a big-time guy, but he was humble. He had the talent, but he knew he didn’t have to speak about it because he knew what he could do.

How have you developed your game over the years."

When I was younger, I got to play a lot with older guys. We played backyard ball a lot, and when I did something good they’d tell me to stay focused. They also told me if I did well in school as well, everything would work out for me.




Matt Doyle 581-8316
matt.doyle@tulsaworld.com

BRYANT FACTS



Position:
Wide receiver

Class:
Sophomore

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Hometown:
Lufkin, Texas

By MATT DOYLE, World sports writer

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Montana, Enid (9/19/2008 1:36:52 PM)
Dez Bryant is an outstanding young man. Last years Homecoming in Stillwater, I traveled from Enid and took my kids to see OSU play Kansas State. My youngest boy painted his face up and begged me to buy him a football so he could possibly get it autographed. After the beating OSU gave K-State and the touchdowns that Dez provided, my boy was extremely disappointed that the players went over to the visitor side of the field to the student section. He thought he was not going to get a chance to get an autograph on his new ball. After the team sang the school alma mater they headed straight for the tunnel and Dez had to come back across the field and get something from the Cowboys side line. I yelled at Dez and asked him if he would sign my boys football and he did not hesitate. He said "Sure, I'd love to" and jumped up on some footlockers to reach us and autographed my boys football. My son has this ball on a shelf in his room and he still brags about it to his friends. Dez is a very humble and talented young man. Best of luck to him. Us Poke fans can't wait to see what he does to finish out the season.
 

 
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