Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Checking In At The Midpoint Of Spring Practice
April 10, 2018 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – This week marks the midpoint of spring practice for the Oklahoma State football team.
Among the key storylines of spring ball to this point have been the defense's adjustment to first-year coordinator Jim Knowles and the offense's transition to the post-Mason Rudolph and James Washington era.
From the defensive perspective, part of the adjustment to Knowles' overall system is the shift to a third safety being on the field more frequently. This is interesting because the Cowboys lost both of their starting safeties from a year ago, so no matter who starts the 2018 opener, he'll be new to the role.
If spring practices to this point are any indication, then sophomores Thabo Mwaniki and Malcolm Rodriguez along with senior Kenneth Edison-McGruder are candidates to see significant game action. Edison-McGruder is an interesting prospect because he started his college career at safety before moving to linebacker. He now returns to his natural position.
Offensively, the transition to a post-Rudolph and Washington era is eased by the fact that Oklahoma State has an All-America caliber running back in Justice Hill. Hill is one of only four returning semifinalists for the 2017 Doak Walker Award presented to the nation's top running back. He led the Big 12 in rushing last season by more than 300 yards and his 2,609 career rushing yards ranks seventh among active players in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Hill is not the Cowboys' lone weapon in the run game, however, as redshirt sophomore LD Brown and true sophomore J.D. King continue to provide reason for optimism with their work in practice. Redshirt freshman Chuba Hubbard has also taken visible strides toward becoming game-ready and could be a player to watch as the season approaches.
At quarterback, returnees Taylor Cornelius and Keondre Wudtee have both seen game action, but all of it has been mop-up duty when the Cowboys held large leads. As a result, it's difficult to point to game production as a clear separator between the two.
Though Cornelius has taken most of the reps with the first-team offense during spring ball to this point, it should be noted that the rapid pace at which the Cowboys practice makes it so Wudtee gets ample reps as well. Wudtee has shown clear improvement from earlier in his career and continues to develop. Cornelius, meanwhile, is an outstanding athlete who has a deep understanding of the offense that comes with the four full years he has been in the program.
At receiver, it seems an impossible task to replace a unanimous All-American and Biletnikoff Award winner in Washington, but the Cowboys are so well-stocked there that it still remains one of the stronger position groups on the roster.
Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner are battle-tested stalwarts, but what has been happening beyond those two on the practice field this spring provides optimism. While nobody is ready-made to fill the large void created by the departure of Washington and Marcell Ateman, it would appear that Tyron Johnson is a good person to look to for production on the outside. His style is different than that of Washington and Ateman, but to this point of spring practice, he is developing properly. Based on what he and sophomore Tylan Wallace have shown in spring ball, there is reason to believe they can make plays come fall. A receiver who did not see any game action last year but has turned heads with some of his play this spring is redshirt freshman L.C. Greenwood, who at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, has the physical stature to contribute.
Among the key storylines of spring ball to this point have been the defense's adjustment to first-year coordinator Jim Knowles and the offense's transition to the post-Mason Rudolph and James Washington era.
From the defensive perspective, part of the adjustment to Knowles' overall system is the shift to a third safety being on the field more frequently. This is interesting because the Cowboys lost both of their starting safeties from a year ago, so no matter who starts the 2018 opener, he'll be new to the role.
If spring practices to this point are any indication, then sophomores Thabo Mwaniki and Malcolm Rodriguez along with senior Kenneth Edison-McGruder are candidates to see significant game action. Edison-McGruder is an interesting prospect because he started his college career at safety before moving to linebacker. He now returns to his natural position.
Offensively, the transition to a post-Rudolph and Washington era is eased by the fact that Oklahoma State has an All-America caliber running back in Justice Hill. Hill is one of only four returning semifinalists for the 2017 Doak Walker Award presented to the nation's top running back. He led the Big 12 in rushing last season by more than 300 yards and his 2,609 career rushing yards ranks seventh among active players in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Hill is not the Cowboys' lone weapon in the run game, however, as redshirt sophomore LD Brown and true sophomore J.D. King continue to provide reason for optimism with their work in practice. Redshirt freshman Chuba Hubbard has also taken visible strides toward becoming game-ready and could be a player to watch as the season approaches.
At quarterback, returnees Taylor Cornelius and Keondre Wudtee have both seen game action, but all of it has been mop-up duty when the Cowboys held large leads. As a result, it's difficult to point to game production as a clear separator between the two.
Though Cornelius has taken most of the reps with the first-team offense during spring ball to this point, it should be noted that the rapid pace at which the Cowboys practice makes it so Wudtee gets ample reps as well. Wudtee has shown clear improvement from earlier in his career and continues to develop. Cornelius, meanwhile, is an outstanding athlete who has a deep understanding of the offense that comes with the four full years he has been in the program.
At receiver, it seems an impossible task to replace a unanimous All-American and Biletnikoff Award winner in Washington, but the Cowboys are so well-stocked there that it still remains one of the stronger position groups on the roster.
Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner are battle-tested stalwarts, but what has been happening beyond those two on the practice field this spring provides optimism. While nobody is ready-made to fill the large void created by the departure of Washington and Marcell Ateman, it would appear that Tyron Johnson is a good person to look to for production on the outside. His style is different than that of Washington and Ateman, but to this point of spring practice, he is developing properly. Based on what he and sophomore Tylan Wallace have shown in spring ball, there is reason to believe they can make plays come fall. A receiver who did not see any game action last year but has turned heads with some of his play this spring is redshirt freshman L.C. Greenwood, who at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, has the physical stature to contribute.
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