Oklahoma State University Athletics
Koenig Battles Injuries, Defenses to Find Success in Stillwater
April 17, 2006 | Cowboy Football
Trying to integrate a not-so-glamorous position seamlessly into a high-energy offense has been David Koenig's job for the last year. Despite some bumps in the beginning, he says the coaches continually push them to improve their game.
“The whole thing has been difficult going from your main weapon being the run to a passing game. We got new coaches in here and you spend time working on your pass blocking and finesse stuff.”
Last year the offensive line flashed signs of brilliance. A few of the highlights included: springing Mike Hamilton for his record-setting run vs. Texas Tech, holding Baylor's defense to two sacks as Cowboy quarterbacks combined for 383 yards, and holding Texas' 10th-ranked defense in the country to one sack as the Pokes took the eventual national champions down to the wire.
However, last year as a whole was not the most successful in recent memory for the big boys up front.
Most fans can distinctly recall the frustrating level at which the offensive line performed, especially at the beginning of the season. Nevertheless, Koenig says the Pokes learned a lot from their early struggles.
“My personal belief is that everybody goes through a tough time as a player. That's just part of the growing. You have to look at your mistakes, look at them in the film room, make the corrections, and never let them happen again.”
Koenig hasn't always been able to take on such a level of leadership.
In his career at OSU, Koenig has been riddled with bothersome injuries that have kept him out of many practices and games. But he says he has grown mightily from these setbacks.
“Those were tough times, it seemed like I could never really get better. It was a really tough time for me but I made it through and I'm staying healthy now and everything's positive.”
Although you never know what can happen, there appears to be a clear road ahead for this junior from Cape Coral, Florida. Head coach Mike Gundy is very optimistic about Koenig's future.
“Koenig is a guy that keeps getting better each day. He's developed his body which will help him in the trenches when we play those big physical teams. He's healthy now and he should have a great summer and we look forward to him having success.”
Many Cowboys, young and old, have been brought together to try and create a new formula for chemistry, success, and wins.
Koenig is a man at the forefront of these plans. He has known the heights of success, with a winning record and an Alamo Bowl appearance in 2004. He has also encountered the depths of disappointment, with a throttling by Ohio St. in that same bowl along with his many frustrating injuries.
But Koenig and his linemen look to take a not-so-glamorous season last year and turn it into something for the fans to believe in this year. They are doing their best to turn last year's nightmare into something the Cowboy faithful can dream on. In this wacky world of college football anything can happen.
Monday Practice Report
Oklahoma State's football team began its last week of spring drills on Monday in Stillwater, Okla.
The Cowboys practiced for just over two hours in on the grass practice fields in helmets and shorts.
Head coach Mike Gundy said today's practice was more about learning than actual drills.
“Today was a good practice,” said Gundy. “We took all the pads off and there was a lot of learning. There was more teaching that went on than actual reps. In all areas, we wanted to work on correcting mistakes that were made in the last scrimmage.”
The Cowboys are scheduled to return to the practice field on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., for their final regular workout of the spring. O-State will conclude spring drill with the spring game on Saturday. The game is slated to begin at 5 p.m.
