Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Ride Potent Running Game Into Top 25
September 26, 2004 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State isn't trying to be macho when it lines up and simply runs over its opponents. But if you can do it, why not?
The Cowboys have run the ball 181 times and thrown only 31 passes, while winning three straight games and moving into the Top 25 for the first time this season. Only one other Division I-A team is averaging fewer passing yards per game than the Cowboys' 86.3
Oklahoma State started to mix in the pass a little more last week in a 59-7 win against SMU _ nearly tripling their season total with 166 yards through the air. First-year starting quarterback Donovan Woods said he doesn't expect any dramatic changes as Big 12 Conference play begins next week.
``We just need to continue to do the things that we're doing,'' Woods said. ``We don't plan on changing anything. Just continue to execute the things that we have and make plays doing it.''
The emphasis on the run started before the season for the school known for churning out the likes of Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas. Coach Les Miles closed all the Cowboys' preseason practices while implementing the offense that focused almost exclusively on the run.
It worked.
The team that lost its career leaders in touchdown passes and receptions in the offseason turned into a pummeling force on the ground. Led by Vernand Morency's 261 yards, the Cowboys rammed through UCLA for 426 rushing yards in their season opener in the Rose Bowl. They've had similar success against Tulsa and SMU.
As a team, Oklahoma State ranks fourth in the nation with 333.7 yards per game. Morency's average of 187 yards per game puts him second in the country behind Louisiana Tech's Ryan Moats.
Miles said he thinks the team's dominance on the ground has created a hard-nosed attitude that's necessary if the Cowboys expect to be one of the country's elite teams.
``Every team that's any good, they have that,'' Miles said. ``They want to go hit and play physical football. Every team in America that has success has that aspect to it.''
But while he's happy with the Cowboys' success on the ground, Miles hopes he can achieve the kind of balance he had last year with quarterback Josh Fields, wide receiver Rashaun Woods and running back Tatum Bell.
``What we want to do is be a team that can be effective in both the run and the pass,'' Miles said. ``And the only way to do that is with balance and making the defenses have to defend both run and pass on every down and distance.''
Donovan Woods, Rashaun's little brother, has shown some ability to provide that balance. His completion percentage has improved in each of the Cowboys' three games and he's even proven he can throw downfield. Two of his three touchdown passes have been longer than 40 yards.
Miles said Woods' numbers would be better if receivers hadn't dropped several of the quarterback's passes _ a problem he expects to correct as soon as possible.
``I don't think that's something that we can anticipate on a regular basis,'' he said.
Woods said he's confident the Cowboys can have success even if they have to rely on throwing the ball. And even with the Cowboys' concentration on the ground game so far, Woods said he's not counting on surprising anybody when he looks to throw.
``Everybody knows that at any time any team can pass the ball,'' Woods said. ``We pick our times to do it.''
