Oklahoma State University Athletics
McBean Takes Giant Strides to Help Pokes Dominate Up Front
April 11, 2006 | Cowboy Football
Thirty seven tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks sounds like a pretty good season for a typical lineman playing his first year of Division I college football. Apparently Ryan McBean is not your typical lineman.
“Last year I wasn't happy with what I did. This year I'm headed for more. Last year I came in and set a goal for myself and I didn't reach it. This time I'm more fit and I'm faster...I can't tell you what I'm going to do but I know that I'm going make sure I do better than I did last year,” McBean said.
This year McBean, a highly touted junior college player from Hinds Community College, will strive to standout on a defensive line full of prominent players. Nathan Peterson, Victor DeGrate, Larry Brown, Darnell Smith, and Marque Fountain round out the core of talent on the defensive front.
Head Coach Mike Gundy is excited about what the big boys up front bring to the table.
“I think there's some cohesiveness among them now. They're learning to work together and they're in better physical condition.”
McBean agrees, noting that their on-the-field unity is a direct result of their off-the-field togetherness.
“Building a relationship off the field makes you comfortable with them on the field. You can talk to them, you can say okay I'm going to do this to enable you to get a sack or enable you to get a tackle. It's more like a team thing.”
For the Cowboys to be successful on the defensive side of the football McBean and company will need to continue their momentum into the fall. The defensive philosophy Vance Bedford has instilled in the Cowboy players begins with how successful the defensive line is.
“I think Ryan's a physical player,” Gundy said. “He's 6-5 and 290 pounds and he can be physical and get around that gap in the line. That's what he needs to bring to our defense. Because he's in better condition he becomes more of a leader.”
Ryan also knows that he must step up his game from last year for the Cowboys to have a breakout year.
“Everybody knows when it comes down to it, those four boys up front really go hard...We don't worry about the popularity, the celebrity and all that...It's a team thing, we just come together and make sure that in the end we have a ‘W' on our stats. We just want to win, its all that matters.”
Ryan is a physically daunting and amazingly athletic specimen. He is a player who has already left his mark on his defensive line teammates who he considers close friends. Now, as a senior, he has a chance to lead the Pokes back to their winning ways on the field.
A bowl season is in reach and McBean has really dialed it up this off-season to make sure he and his teammates don't have an early holiday season this year.
However, no matter where the Pokes spend Christmas Ryan McBean says Stillwater has always felt like home. With a year under his belt he should start making visitors to Boone Pickens Stadium feel very unwelcomed.
Monday Practice Report
The Cowboys returned to the practice field Monday for the 10th of their 15 scheduled practices during the spring. O-State worked out for 2 1/2 hours under windy but sunny conditions in Stillwater.
It was the first workout since Friday's 100-play scrimmage in Boone Pickens Stadium.
Head coach Mike Gundy said he had looked at the scrimmage tape and gave his thoughts on the quarterbacks.
“Bobby (Reid) played better and he handled some things well,” said Gundy. “He needs to eliminate turnovers. He handled himself better and did a good job. He did a decent job of throwing the ball on the run. He has gotten better.
Gundy said redshirt freshman Zac Robinson also played well on Friday and is improving this spring.
“Zac (Robinson) did fine,” said Gundy. “He had a couple of mistakes. For the most part he played well. He runs the ball well. They are both getting better.”
The Cowboys will take the practice field again on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Spring drills will wrap up with a spring game, scheduled for 5 p.m., on April 22.
