Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Spring Football Primer - Offense
March 24, 2018 | Cowboy Football
Running back and receiver should be areas of strength for Oklahoma State in 2018. In junior Justice Hill, the Cowboys have the Big 12's leading returning rusher and one of only four returning semifinalists for the 2017 Doak Walker Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top running back. Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner form one of the most potent inside receiver tandems in the Big 12 and returning first-team All-Big 12 guard Marcus Keyes figures to be a leader on the offensive line. There are questions that need answering at quarterback, outside receiver and offensive tackle.
Quarterback
Gone are Mason Rudolph and the litany of records he set during his tenure as Oklahoma State's starter, so spring practice presents a golden opportunity for redshirt senior Taylor Cornelius, who has served as Rudolph's chief understudy the last two seasons.
Cornelius saw late-game action in five games last season, completing six-of-10 passes for 148 yards and rushing seven times for 75 yards and a touchdown. For his career, he has completed 15-of-24 pass attempts for 220 yards and has rushed 17 times for 108 yards and two scores. He knows Oklahoma State's offensive system well and at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds, he brings good physical stature. Cornelius is an outstanding overall athlete who was an all-state performer in football, basketball and baseball during his prep days at Bushland HS in Texas.
Also in the fold are redshirt sophomore Keondre Wudtee and redshirt junior John Kolar, neither of whom have seen meaningful game action to this point of their respective careers, but both of whom have been around long enough to be able to execute the offense.
Running Back
Oklahoma State has an All-America candidate in junior Justice Hill, who last season led the Big 12 in rushing by more than 300 yards over the second place finisher and was one of 11 national semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award presented to the nation's top running back. His 2,609 career rushing yards ranks seventh among active players and is first among juniors who play in Power Five conferences. Hill's 14 career 100-yard rushing games ties for third among all active FBS players returning in 2018 and is second among running backs from the Power Five conferences. He is one of only seven players in Oklahoma State history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons and is one of only four OSU running backs - the others being Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Terry Miller - to average at least 100 rushing yards per game in their respective careers (minimum 20 games). On top of that, Hill was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America first team in 2017.
He is not the only returning weapon in the running back arsenal, however, as true sophomore J.D. King and redshirt sophomore LD Brown are both back after productive seasons a year ago. The two combined for 692 yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 2017.
Speedy Chuba Hubbard comes out of redshirt to join the mix as well.
No OSU position group this spring boasts more returning production than running back.
Receiver
With stalwarts James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Chris Lacy all gone to the next stage of their respective careers, there are substantial holes that need filling in the Oklahoma State receiver corps, but the cupboard is far from bare in Stillwater.
Senior Jalen McCleskey has amassed 152 receptions, 1,710 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns during his career. With a full season yet to play, he already ranks among the top 10 in school history in both career receptions (eighth) and career receiving yards (ninth). McCleskey ranks sixth among returning FBS players with 52 career receptions.
Coming off a standout freshman campaign, Dillon Stoner is also back in the mix at receiver. Stoner was a dangerous part of the Cowboy receiving corps a year ago, when he hauled in 44 receptions for 576 yards and six touchdowns. He had a pair of 100-yard games and became more of a scoring threat as the year progressed, finding the end zone in each of the final four games of 2017.
McCleskey and Stoner form one of the top inside receiving duos in the Big 12, but if the Oklahoma State offense is to continue its tradition of success in 2018, then it will likely need substantial productivity from the outside receiver position and the most logical place to look first is junior Tyron Johnson. A native of New Orleans, Johnson was rated as a five-star prospect out of high school and started his career at LSU before transferring to OSU. He saw his first game action as a Cowboy in 2017 and performed admirably (18 receptions for 293 yards and three touchdowns) as an understudy to James Washington, who earned unanimous All-America honors and was the runaway winner of the Biletnikoff Award presented to the nation's top receiver. The 2018 season is Johnson's first true opportunity to be the man.
Other candidates to crack into the playing time rotation include a trio of sophomores in Tylan Wallace, Patrick McKaufman and Tyrell Alexander, plus redshirt freshman LC Greenwood.
Offensive Line
Oklahoma State has two returning first-team All-Big 12 performers from 2017 on its offense - running back Justice Hill and left guard Marcus Keyes. No returning Cowboy has more career starts than Keyes, who has started all 26 games of the past two seasons and has been an important figure in OSU's offensive success. He is the mainstay of the Cowboy offensive line and will be looked to for leadership and stability in 2018.
Beyond Keyes, however, things are less certain. OSU lost both starting tackles from a year ago and enters spring practice not knowing the status of right guard Larry Williams, who has filed for an injury hardship waiver to get a sixth year of eligibility. At the time he was lost for the season in 2017, he was the Cowboys' most dominant offensive lineman. He would be a major boost if cleared. If not, then junior college Arlington Hambright may factor into the mix.
A variety of injuries to others in 2017 paved the way for Johnny Wilson to be able to start 10 games a year ago - eight at right guard and two at center. Wilson is the likely starting center this year and has the temperament to emerge as a leader of the offensive line this offseason.
The two tackle spots will be positions to watch this offseason, with Teven Jenkins, Dylan Galloway, Shane Richards and Matt Kegel all in the mix. With three career starts, Jenkins is the most proven of the bunch.
Cowboy Back
The cast of characters remains largely the same at Cowboy Back, with Britton Abbott and Sione Finefeuiaki both returning. Both Abbott and Finefeuiaki primarily served as fullback-style blocking backs a year ago. New in the mix this spring is junior college transfer Jake Ross, who at 6 foot 6 and 240 pounds, has a similar frame to Blake Jarwin, who went from playing Cowboy Back in the OSU offense to a spot with the Dallas Cowboys.
After being recruited to Stillwater as a quarterback, 6-foot-7 inch Jelani Woods switched to Cowboy Back in the lead-up to last year's bowl game and will now get a longer look from the coaches at that position this spring.
Quarterback
Gone are Mason Rudolph and the litany of records he set during his tenure as Oklahoma State's starter, so spring practice presents a golden opportunity for redshirt senior Taylor Cornelius, who has served as Rudolph's chief understudy the last two seasons.
Cornelius saw late-game action in five games last season, completing six-of-10 passes for 148 yards and rushing seven times for 75 yards and a touchdown. For his career, he has completed 15-of-24 pass attempts for 220 yards and has rushed 17 times for 108 yards and two scores. He knows Oklahoma State's offensive system well and at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds, he brings good physical stature. Cornelius is an outstanding overall athlete who was an all-state performer in football, basketball and baseball during his prep days at Bushland HS in Texas.
Also in the fold are redshirt sophomore Keondre Wudtee and redshirt junior John Kolar, neither of whom have seen meaningful game action to this point of their respective careers, but both of whom have been around long enough to be able to execute the offense.
Running Back
Oklahoma State has an All-America candidate in junior Justice Hill, who last season led the Big 12 in rushing by more than 300 yards over the second place finisher and was one of 11 national semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award presented to the nation's top running back. His 2,609 career rushing yards ranks seventh among active players and is first among juniors who play in Power Five conferences. Hill's 14 career 100-yard rushing games ties for third among all active FBS players returning in 2018 and is second among running backs from the Power Five conferences. He is one of only seven players in Oklahoma State history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons and is one of only four OSU running backs - the others being Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Terry Miller - to average at least 100 rushing yards per game in their respective careers (minimum 20 games). On top of that, Hill was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America first team in 2017.
He is not the only returning weapon in the running back arsenal, however, as true sophomore J.D. King and redshirt sophomore LD Brown are both back after productive seasons a year ago. The two combined for 692 yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 2017.
Speedy Chuba Hubbard comes out of redshirt to join the mix as well.
No OSU position group this spring boasts more returning production than running back.
Receiver
With stalwarts James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Chris Lacy all gone to the next stage of their respective careers, there are substantial holes that need filling in the Oklahoma State receiver corps, but the cupboard is far from bare in Stillwater.
Senior Jalen McCleskey has amassed 152 receptions, 1,710 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns during his career. With a full season yet to play, he already ranks among the top 10 in school history in both career receptions (eighth) and career receiving yards (ninth). McCleskey ranks sixth among returning FBS players with 52 career receptions.
Coming off a standout freshman campaign, Dillon Stoner is also back in the mix at receiver. Stoner was a dangerous part of the Cowboy receiving corps a year ago, when he hauled in 44 receptions for 576 yards and six touchdowns. He had a pair of 100-yard games and became more of a scoring threat as the year progressed, finding the end zone in each of the final four games of 2017.
McCleskey and Stoner form one of the top inside receiving duos in the Big 12, but if the Oklahoma State offense is to continue its tradition of success in 2018, then it will likely need substantial productivity from the outside receiver position and the most logical place to look first is junior Tyron Johnson. A native of New Orleans, Johnson was rated as a five-star prospect out of high school and started his career at LSU before transferring to OSU. He saw his first game action as a Cowboy in 2017 and performed admirably (18 receptions for 293 yards and three touchdowns) as an understudy to James Washington, who earned unanimous All-America honors and was the runaway winner of the Biletnikoff Award presented to the nation's top receiver. The 2018 season is Johnson's first true opportunity to be the man.
Other candidates to crack into the playing time rotation include a trio of sophomores in Tylan Wallace, Patrick McKaufman and Tyrell Alexander, plus redshirt freshman LC Greenwood.
Offensive Line
Oklahoma State has two returning first-team All-Big 12 performers from 2017 on its offense - running back Justice Hill and left guard Marcus Keyes. No returning Cowboy has more career starts than Keyes, who has started all 26 games of the past two seasons and has been an important figure in OSU's offensive success. He is the mainstay of the Cowboy offensive line and will be looked to for leadership and stability in 2018.
Beyond Keyes, however, things are less certain. OSU lost both starting tackles from a year ago and enters spring practice not knowing the status of right guard Larry Williams, who has filed for an injury hardship waiver to get a sixth year of eligibility. At the time he was lost for the season in 2017, he was the Cowboys' most dominant offensive lineman. He would be a major boost if cleared. If not, then junior college Arlington Hambright may factor into the mix.
A variety of injuries to others in 2017 paved the way for Johnny Wilson to be able to start 10 games a year ago - eight at right guard and two at center. Wilson is the likely starting center this year and has the temperament to emerge as a leader of the offensive line this offseason.
The two tackle spots will be positions to watch this offseason, with Teven Jenkins, Dylan Galloway, Shane Richards and Matt Kegel all in the mix. With three career starts, Jenkins is the most proven of the bunch.
Cowboy Back
The cast of characters remains largely the same at Cowboy Back, with Britton Abbott and Sione Finefeuiaki both returning. Both Abbott and Finefeuiaki primarily served as fullback-style blocking backs a year ago. New in the mix this spring is junior college transfer Jake Ross, who at 6 foot 6 and 240 pounds, has a similar frame to Blake Jarwin, who went from playing Cowboy Back in the OSU offense to a spot with the Dallas Cowboys.
After being recruited to Stillwater as a quarterback, 6-foot-7 inch Jelani Woods switched to Cowboy Back in the lead-up to last year's bowl game and will now get a longer look from the coaches at that position this spring.
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