Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes - Oklahoma State at Tulsa
September 11, 2011 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 11, 2011
No. 8/7 Oklahoma State at Tulsa
Sept. 17, 2011 :: 9:10 p.m. Central Time :: H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000 capacity)
TV: FSN (Ron Thulin, J.C. Pearson and Jeremy Bloom)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb and Robert Allen)
Internet: okstate.com
Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 113
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Tulsa Time
The Oklahoma State Cowboys hit the road for the first time in 2011 when they visit the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane Saturday night for the final non-conference game of the season. Kickoff is set for 9:10 p.m. (central). OSU heads east with a 2-0 record (for the fifth time in Mike Gundy's seven seasons) while Tulsa is 1-1 with a loss at No. 1 Oklahoma and a win at Tulane. TU will be playing its home opener.
Television Info
Fox Sports Net will be on hand in Tulsa to televise the game with Ron Thulin calling the action, J.C. Pearson providing analysis and Jeremy Bloom reporting from the sidelines.
Tulsa Connections
As one would expect with a neighborhood rivalry, Oklahoma State and Tulsa have numerous connections.
• OSU defensive coordinator Bill Young and director of football operations Mack Butler are former Tulsa staffers.
• OSU cornerbacks coach Jason Jones came to Oklahoma State from Tulsa in 2008.
• Nine Cowboys are from Tulsa or the surrounding area, including five players from Tulsa high schools (Union's Tracy Moore, Jeremy Smith and Andrew Smith, Cascia Hall's Connor Sinko and Washington's Shamiel Gary, who is redshirting after transferring from Wyoming).
• TU defensive coordinator Brent Guy played at Oklahoma State and has been on the OSU staff on two occasions
• TU offensive line coach Denver Johnson is another former Cowboy staffer
Series Stuff
With the exception of the Bedlam series, Tulsa is OSU's most frequent opponent. The Cowboys hold an all-time series lead of 39-27-5 with four straight wins. OSU is 9-3 against the Golden Hurricane since 1990 and 15-6 against Tulsa since 1980. The Cowboys hold a 22-7 series edge since 1960. OSU is 59-45-8 all-time against Conference USA's current membership. Some other notes:
• The OSU-TU series dates back to 1914.
• The series has an on-again, off-again tradition. The teams met 48 times from 1914 to 1965.
• After a 12-year hiatus, things got going again with meetings in 1976 and 1977 and then there were 19 straight meetings from 1981 to 2000.
• The 2011 game is just the fourth since the latest turn of the century.
• OSU trails the TU series when playing in Tulsa, 14-22-2, including losses in five of its last seven games. Oklahoma State was a winner on its last trip to Tulsa, 36-26, in 2000.
Last Year Against Tulsa
The Cowboys got on an early roll last season in Boone Pickens Stadium and cruised to a 65-28 win over the Golden Hurricane. OSU set a school record with 722 yards of total offense (that total was eclipsed with a 725-yard effort later in the season against Baylor). The Cowboys led 41-7 at halftime behind the right arm of Brandon Weeden. The Cowboy quarterback passed for six touchdowns and 409 yards despite playing just one half plus one series. Justin Blackmon had six catches for an astounding 174 yards and three touchdowns. The OSU defense chipped in with three interceptions.
Road Gains
Oklahoma State hits the road for the first time in 2011 looking to continue a recent trend. The Cowboys head to Tulsa having won nine of their last 10 road games. OSU's current five-game road winning streak is the third longest in the country. The Cowboys are 11-3 on the road since the beginning of the 2008 season.
NCAA's Longest Active Road Winning Streaks
1. Virginia Tech - 9
2. Oregon - 7
3. Oklahoma State - 5
Three To Start
Oklahoma State heads down the turnpike looking to start a season 3-0 for the 20th time in school history. OSU is trying to start 3-0 for the fifth time in seven years under Mike Gundy. Gundy was also 3-0 twice as OSU's starting quarterback.
Non-Conference Report Card
Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State is 24-6 in non-conference games (including bowl appearances). OSU has now won its last seven games outside of the Big 12, dating back to the Jan. 2, 2010, Cotton Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Under Gundy, the Cowboys are 21-4 in September.
Tickets Please
For the second time in three years, Oklahoma State has set a new record for season ticket sales. The old mark of 45,694 was set in 2009. Oklahoma State raised that bar again in 2011 with more than 47,800 season tickets purchased. Oklahoma State opened the season with a crowd of 55,382 for the Louisiana game. It was the largest season-opening crowd in school history and the fifth largest overall. The sixth largest crowd, 54,654, was on hand Thursday night for the Arizona game.
After Two Games
Oklahoma State has cruised through the first two weeks of the season with lopsided wins over Louisiana and Arizona. Some early trends after two games:
• The Cowboys have scored in every quarter this season.
• OSU opponents are averaging just 2.6 yards per rush.
• OSU has converted 20 of its 35 attempts on third and fourth downs. The Cowboys are No. 11 nationally in third-down conversion percentage.
• The Cowboys hold a 55-10 first-half scoring advantage.
• OSU is outgaining the opposition by more than 250 yards per game.
• Fifteen Cowboys have caught a pass this season and eight players have scored.
• The Cowboys already have 12 pass plays of 20 yards or more with nine different receivers picking up at least a 20-yard reception.
NCAA Chart Watching
Oklahoma State finished the 2010 season second nationally in passing yards and third nationally in total offense. After two games in 2011, the Cowboys are second nationally in passing yards (427.5 yards) and second nationally in total offense (630.0).
Arizona Recap
Brandon Weeden completed his first 13 passes and an amazing 28-of-30 to start the game and OSU rolled up 21 points in the first 16 minutes to rumble past Arizona, 37-14 on Sept. 8. OSU took control from the coin toss and after one quarter held a 216-36 advantage in total offense en route to an early three-touchdown lead. The Wildcats eventually abandoned the running game and ended Thursday's contest with 41 yards on 21 carries. Weeden set OSU single-game records with 42 completions and 53 attempts. He passed for 397 yards and a pair touchdowns. Joseph Randle was the other big star with 121 rushing yards and 99 receiving yards. Justin Blackmon was just Justin Blackmon with 12 catches for 128 yards with two scores. Oklahoma State's first three possessions against Arizona resulted in scoring drives covering 88, 80 and 78 yards.
Building A Tradition
Under Mike Gundy, OSU continues to grow as a program. Since the opening of the 2008 season, the Cowboys are 31-10. That win total is the best ever for OSU over a three-year-plus period and the Cowboys are No. 10 nationally (tied) in wins during that time.
Most Wins Since 2008
1. Boise State - 39
2. Alabama - 38
3. TCU - 37
4. Ohio State - 35
5. Utah - 34
6. Oklahoma - 33
Oregon - 33
Virginia Tech - 33
9. Texas - 32
10. Oklahoma State - 31
Southern Cal - 31
Nebraska - 31
Gundy in Perspective
Head coach Mike Gundy is in his seventh season as head coach at his alma mater with a blossoming resume in Stillwater. He is 49-29 but is clearly authoring a sustained period of success at OSU.
• OSU was 12-15 under Gundy after 27 games, but has gone 37-14 since then, including a 31-10 record over the last 41 games and 22-6 over the last 28.
• Gundy's 49 wins at OSU rank third all-time behind only Jim Lookabaugh (58-41-6) and Gundy's college coach, Pat Jones (62-60-3).
• Gundy's .628 winning percentage is third best at OSU. That OSU chart is topped by Hall-of-Famer Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf (.735).
• Perhaps the most impressive part of Gundy's tenure at OSU is that he has built the program with three different offensive coordinators and three different defensive coordinators. Three of his former assistants have left Oklahoma State to become head coaches (Dana Holgorsen at West Virginia, Larry Fedora at Southern Miss and Tim Beckman at Toledo).
• Under Gundy, OSU has gone to five straight bowl games (an OSU first) and won at least seven games in six straight seasons (another school first) and at least nine games in three straight seasons (yet another first).
• Under Gundy, OSU has reached the top 10 of the Associated Press poll for a school-best fourth straight season.
Gundy Goes For 50
The next win for Mike Gundy will be his 50th as OSU's head coach. He will become just the third Cowboy boss to reach that milestone and the first to accomplish the feat since Pat Jones won his 50th game on Sept. 15, 1990, over Northern Iowa. It was Jones' 73rd game as the OSU boss. Jim Lookabaugh, the other head coach to reach 50 wins, got to the mark in 89 games. If Gundy gets his 50th this week, he would have reached the milestone in his 76th game.
Home in the Polls
Oklahoma State has been in the top 10 each week of the 2011 season. At no time in its history has Oklahoma State been more visible in the national polls than during the Mike Gundy era.
• The Tulsa game will mark OSU's 12th straight as a member of the Associated Press top 25.
• Including this week, OSU has been ranked by AP 34 times in its last 38 games, including 20 games as a member of the top 15.
• Oklahoma State began the 2009 season No. 9 in the AP balloting for its highest preseason ranking ever. OSU tied that preseason ranking in 2011. The 2009 and 2011 seasons are the only two in OSU history in which the Cowboys have made an appearance in the AP preseason top 10.
• In 2010, the Cowboys finished No. 10 in the USA Today poll, marking the first time that OSU closed a season in the top 10 of a major poll since 1984 when OSU was seventh in the final AP vote.
• The highest the Cowboys have been ranked under Gundy came in the second week of the 2009 season when OSU reached No. 5 in the AP.
• Under Gundy, OSU is 23-10 as a member of the top 25.
• Under Gundy, OSU has spent 11 weeks (including weeks in which OSU was idle) in the top 10. Prior to Gundy, OSU had spent just 25 weeks in the top 10 of the AP poll in its history. The Cowboys hold an all-time record of 19-9 when ranked in the top 10.
• Under Mike Gundy, OSU has cracked the Associated Press top 10 in four straight seasons, which had never happened at Oklahoma State.
Streaking in Stillwater
OSU will carry several team and individual streaks into the TU game:
• Justin Blackmon has an ongoing NCAA record of 14 straight games with at least 100 receiving yards.
• Brandon Weeden has tossed at least one touchdown pass in 15 straight games.
• Josh Cooper has at least one catch in 19 straight games.
• Safety Markelle Martin has started 26 straight games to lead the team.
• Sophomore running back Jeremy Smith has rushed for a touchdown in six straight games.
• OSU has completed a pass of at least 40 yards in 11 straight games.
Back In Blackmon
To say that Justin Blackmon continues to be a problem for opposing defenses is an understatement. He continued to add to his NCAA record against Arizona with his 14th straight game with at least 100 receiving yards with his 128-yard, two-TD effort against Arizona. A quick look at Blackmon over the last 14 games of his career:
• He has 22 receiving TDs over the last 14 games, along with a special teams touchdown, and a rushing TD.
• He has a reception of at least 29 yards in 14 straight games.
• Thirteen of 20 TD catches have covered at least 20 yards.
• On seven occasions he has reached double figures in catches.
• In seven of the 14 games during the streak, he has reached at least 140 yards in receiving.
• He has 122 catches over the last 14 games.
• He is averaging 15.9 yards per catch during the streak.
• His 22 TD catches cover an average of 28.9 yards.
2010 vs. 2011
Justin Blackmon looks set on defending his Biletnikoff Award. Take a look at his opening two-game totals from the last two seasons.
Blackmon vs. Blackmon
Year G REC. YDS TD YPC 2010 2 18 257 5 14.3 2011 2 20 272 2 13.6
Weeden Watching
Brandon Weeden's rewrite of the OSU record book continued last week when he sliced up Arizona. Against the Wildcats, he hit his first 13 passes and 28 of his first 30 on his way to a 397-yard passing outing. Along the way he set new OSU single-game records for completions (42) and pass attempts (53). It was the ninth 300-yard game of his career (he has just 15 starts). Weeden has six of the top 10 passing performances in OSU history.
More Weeden Numbers
Some other numbers worth noting regarding Brandon Weeden:
• He is 13-2 as a starter, including 6-0 away from Boone Pickens Stadium.
• He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 15 straight games.
• He has at least two TD passes in 13 of his 15 starts.
• He cracked the 5,000-yard mark in career passing vs. Arizona (5,318).
• He enters the third game of the season third nationally in passing (33 completions per game), second in passing yards per game (392.5), second in total passing yards (785), and sixth in total offense (378.5 yards per game).
The New J.R.
A year ago, then-freshman running back Joseph Randle was intriguing. As a backup to All-American Kendall Hunter, he was almost as effective in the passing game (427 receiving yards) as he was rushing the ball (452 yards). Last week against Arizona he almost made history with that versatility. Randle rushed for 121 yards and two scores (with an 8.1-yard average). He also caught nine passes for 99 yards, including a 63-yarder. No player in OSU history has ever rushed for 100 yards and had 100 receiving yards in the same game. Randle has rushed for 250 yards and four scores through two weeks. He is averaging 6.8 yards per rush and is second on the team with 11 catches. Randle enters the Tulsa game No. 17 nationally in all-purpose yards (179 per game) despite having no return yardage.
The New Front Wall
Junior defensive tackle Nigel Nicholas is in his first year as a starter, but the Rossville, Georgia, native is playing like a veteran. Nicholas entered the season with two career sacks, but he already has two this season to rank second in the Big 12 in that category. In fact, OSU's defensive tackles had just six sacks all of last season. They have already combined for three this season in just two games with Anthony Rogers recording a sack against Arizona.
Defense (Clap, Clap)
Statistically, the OSU defense checks in at No. 69 nationally but the Cowboys certainly appear to be a victim of circumstance. OSU allows 379 yards per game but those numbers are terribly deceiving. Consider the following:
• OSU is allowing just 134.5 yards in the first half of its games. The OSU defense is yet to allow a touchdown in the first half this season (Louisiana's score came on a pick six).
• In fact, the OSU defense has allowed just one offensive touchdown all season prior to the fourth quarter.
• Of the 610 yards OSU has allowed this season, 285 (46.7 percent of the total) have come in the fourth quarter. The reason for those final period totals has been, quite simply, the score. OSU has outscored the opposition 71-27 through the first three quarters of the season, allowing reserves to play most of the final period.
Sharp Performance
The right leg of Quinn Sharp has become so valuable to the Cowboys, it might deserve its own seat on team charters. In his first season of handling all of the Cowboy kicking chores, Sharp has been among the nation's best at just about everything.
• He hasn't punted enough times to qualify for the NCAA statistical rankings, but his average of 52.4 yards would lead the nation.
• Sharp already has four punts this season (out of five attempts) longer than 50 yards. His "short" punt of the season traveled 48 yards.
• He is fifth nationally in field goals, having converted 5-of-6, including a 46-yarder against Louisiana.
• He leads the nation with 11 touchbacks on kickoffs. He has led the country in that category each of the past two seasons.
• Sharp is No. 12 nationally in scoring with 13 points per game.
Five Guys
Oklahoma State returns all five starters on its offensive line from a team that finished third nationally last season in scoring and yards. (although junior college transfer Michael Bowie was/is making a strong push to take over a tackle spot). Last season, the Cowboys were seventh nationally in sacks allowed per game (.77). The Cowboys attempted at least 100 more passes than anyone else on the fewest sacks allowed chart. As a result of last year's numbers, most prognosticators have OSU blessed with one of the nation's best offensive lines.
A Budding Tradition
Some other things to consider about the OSU offensive:
• The Cowboy linemen had 76 career starts entering the season, compared to 11 for last year's season opener.
• OSU returns not only All-Big 12 selection Levy Adcock, but also Rimington Award watch list member Grant Garner and two-year starter Lane Taylor.
• Oklahoma State led the Big 12 in rushing every year from 2006 through 2009. OSU did not lead the Big 12 in rushing last season, but the Cowboys actually improved their yards-per-carry from 4.4 in 2009 to 5.0 in 2010.
The Young Influence
OSU defensive coordinator and alum Bill Young is beginning his third season at Oklahoma State. Since his return to OSU, the Cowboys have gone 22-6, including 12-4 in Big 12 play. And while the Cowboy defense is still evolving under Young, his influence is clear in one very important area: turnovers. In Young's two seasons back in Stillwater, the Cowboys have finished No. 11 and No. 5 nationally in turnovers forced.
The Wilson Award
Senior Wilson Youman absolutely has to be one of the busiest players in college football. In each of the first two games of the season, he has seen action on offense, defense and special teams. The senior played on offense as a tight end, on defense as a defensive end and on the special teams kicking units. Since arriving on campus, Youman has bounced between offense and defense but 2011 is the first time he saw game action on both sides of the ball in the same game.
300-100-100-100
Oklahoma State's offensive numbers in the Louisiana were highlighted by the combination of a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers for just the third time in school history - all in the last 13 games. Against Louisiana, Brandon Weeden passed for 388 yards (the ninth best game in OSU history), Joseph Randle rushed for 129 yards, Justin Blackmon had 144 receiving yards and Tracy Moore had 112 receiving yards. The previous 300-100-100-100 combos came in 2010 against Troy and Nebraska and featured Weeden, Blackmon, Josh Cooper and Kendall Hunter accomplishing the trick.
Three Diplomas
Three members of the Cowboy roster, quarterback Brandon Weeden (business), center Grant Garner (business management), and defensive end Jamie Blatnick (health promotions) have already earned their degrees at Oklahoma State.
Uniform Note
Oklahoma State will sport a new look in 2011 - actually 48 new looks. OSU has partnered with Nike this season to play in Nike Pro Combat uniforms. OSU will have its choice of 48 different combinations with helmets of white, black and gray, jerseys of black, gray and orange (for home games), and pants that are black, white, orange or gray.
The Guys To Watch
Oklahoma State has a roster stacked full of potential award winners in 2011. A few who could be flying a bit under the radar:
• Levy Adcock: In his first year as a starter he was an all-conference selection and a contender for the Big 12 offensive lineman of the year in 2010. Rivals ranked Adcock as the nation's 17th best player and lists him as a preseason first-team All-American
• Brodrick Brown: Turned in the nation's top defensive play a year ago and is no doubt a contender for all-league honors as a junior
• Josh Cooper: Will put the wraps on a very productive career in 2011 and is a member of the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list
• Grant Garner: A Rimington Award watch list member and one of the most intelligent players on the OSU roster. He has already earned a degree in business and like his quarterback, is married
• Shaun Lewis: A freshman All-America linebacker in 2010 and a starter as a true freshman
• Markelle Martin is one of the country's most underrated players. He is athletic, physical and smart while ruling the secondary. He has been voted a preseason All-Big 12 player. The Sporting News recently named Martin as the best NFL safety prospect in college football
Quick Recap
Oklahoma State is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. In 2010, the Cowboys, despite being picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 South, set a school record for wins with their 11-2 record. They won 10 regular-season games for the first time ever, tied for the Big 12 South title for the first time and went undefeated on the road for the first time since 1945. OSU finished in the top 10 of the national polls (No. 10 in USA Today) for the first time since 1984.
Miscellaneous Notes
• Oklahoma State is tied for No. 23 nationally with an average of three quarterback sacks per game.
• Josh Cooper has moved up to No. 20 all-time at OSU with 1,053 receiving yards.
• Richetti Jones is yet to record a sack this season but he leads OSU with three quarterback hurries.
• Markelle Martin leads OSU with 16 tackles and four pass break ups. He is one of three Cowboys with a forced fumble to his credit.
• Eight freshmen or redshirt freshmen have been credited with a tackle this season, topped by DT James Castleman's five.
• The OSU offense is flexible. It has a 7-minute, 15-play scoring drive to its credit as well as a 2-play, 60-yard, 40-second scoring drive.
• The 2011 offense already has two of the best yardage totals in school history to its credit. The 666 yard against Louisiana rank ninth all-time and the 594 yards vs. Arizona rank No. 19 all time.
• Fifteen of the top 25 total offense games in school history have been achieved with Mike Gundy as head coach. Four more of those games came with Mike Gundy as quarterback.
