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Coaches hit recruiting trail
 
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 12/1/2008  2:22 AM
Last Modified: 12/1/2008  3:07 AM

 For members of the Oklahoma State coaching staff, there is no time to be deflated by a 20-point home loss to Oklahoma.

Conversely, there is no time to relax and reflect on a 9-3 regular season that included a seven-week run in the top 11 of the Associated Press poll.

For the coaches, duty calls.

On Sunday morning, less than 12 hours after he had congratulated Sooner coach Bob Stoops on a 61-41 victory at Boone Pickens Stadium, OSU coach Mike Gundy left the state on a recruiting trip.

By Sunday afternoon, he was conducting home visits with recruits.

The Gundy staff members have been dynamic recruiters, and recruiting is what carried the Cowboys from the rock-bottom experience of 2005 (when Gundy's first team was 1-7 in Big 12 play) to the success of 2008 (the Cowboys rank among national leaders in total offense, rushing and scoring, while having made five consecutive games on ABC television).

OSU, No. 14 in the Top 25 released on Sunday, lost only to a team that was ranked No. 1 and undefeated at the time (Texas), a team that was ranked No. 2 and undefeated at the time (Texas Tech) and a team that was No. 3 (OU).

Preceding the three defeats was an Oct. 11 road triumph over the Missouri Tigers, who on that date were No. 3 and unbeaten.

"Playing Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and OU — no one else in the country had to play that," said Joe DeForest, OSU's associate head coach and special-teams coordinator. "The Missouri (victory) was huge and catapulted us into the national spotlight."

After two consecutive 6-6 regular seasons, OSU reached the nine-win mark for the first time since 2003 and for only the seventh time in program history. Next Sunday, the Cowboys learn their bowl destination.

"Have we taken a giant step? Absolutely. Is it a part of the natural progression? Absolutely," DeForest said.

"We'll try get to 10 wins this year (by winning in a bowl game), and then everyone will be clamoring for us to get to 11. That's the way it works."



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

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T Bone, (12/1/2008 10:22:09 AM)
Bill: The coaches should be elated by what impartial non oklahomans think about how OSU played the game. Every guy at the fitness center that watched the game said that OSU played well, but just ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. This is my opinion also. Hope they can recruit good defensive linemen that can pass rush this year. If they do, should make for a heck of another good game next year.
 

 
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