Makes sense.

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This is likely a warmup to see if they can get away with arresting Elon and shutting down X.

But but....Trump's limitations!!!

This aint 2008 anymore.

Bill Haisten: So important for OSU – more production from backup running backs​

• Aug 25, 2024 Updated 2 hrs ago

Bill Haisten​

here are signs that Oklahoma State may have its best offensive line in more than a decade, so let’s presume the 2024 Cowboys get above-average blocking.
If that is the case, a major storyline is what happens behind that line.

OSU’s bid for the Big 12 title hinges on quarterback Alan Bowman, who needs the support of a great run game that involves a productive No. 2 running back.

Aug. 22, 2024 video courtesy of OSU Athletics. Gordon is the 2023 Doak Walker Award winner.

Only a few days before the Cowboys open against South Dakota State, there isn’t a clearly defined guy at an incredibly key position – the No. 2 running back position.

At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, former Indiana Hoosier Trent Howland is competing against redshirt freshman Sesi Vailahi to be that No. 2 option in the run game.

Because practices are closed to the media, I don’t know whether there is indecision on the Howland-Vailahi pecking order because they’ve both been really good or maybe because they’ve been inconsistent.

If Oklahoma State can squeeze another 285-carry, 1,732-yard season from Ollie Gordon, then Bowman, Gundy and everyone else are happy and the Cowboys should cook offensively.

In OSU history, however, only one running back totaled as many as 285 carries in consecutive seasons. Terry Miller had 314 attempts in 1976 and 314 more in 1977. That’s an immense amount of punishment on a ball-carrier’s shoulders and knees.

“The perfect scenario for us,” Gundy says, “would be Ollie to stay healthy all year long and carry the ball 20 times a game.”


That would result in a regular-season total of 240 carries, but OSU’s goals extend well beyond the regular season. There is the desire for another Big 12 Championship game appearance, the Big 12 title and a ticket to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

“I have confidence in the other guys who are going to carry the ball,” Gundy continued, “but I also know the more times that Ollie touches the ball – and we can get (defenders) blocked up – it is going to make us a better team.”

As the returning veteran quarterback from a 10-win squad, Bowman now is the second-oldest Cowboy QB ever. By the midway mark of Brandon Weeden’s final OSU season – the historic 2011 season – he was 28. The best quarterback in OSU history now is 40.

At 24, Bowman is the first Cowboy QB to get a seventh season of eligibility and the first Cowboy QB to really capitalize on NIL. The overall value of his 2024 compensation is believed to be in the $400,000 neighborhood.



In 14 games last year, Bowman completed 61% of his passes for 3,460 yards, with 15 TD passes against 14 interceptions. In Year 2 in the OSU system, he should be more efficient.

It’s still critically important, though, to complement the Bowman passing game with a strong run game.

Several of Gundy’s better ground-game teams had reliable, dynamic backup running backs.

In 2006, OSU got a combined 1,177 rushing yards from backup running backs Keith Toston and Mike Hamilton.

As Dantrell Savage’s backup in 2007, Kendall Hunter ran for 696 yards.

For the 2008 Cowboys, Toston and Beau Johnson were backfield backups who combined for 1,043 yards.

In 2010, Gundy got 714 yards and 10 touchdowns from backups Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith.

Last season, Oklahoma State got only 366 yards from backup running backs.

Former Cowboy QB Mason Rudolph flourished even when the Cowboy run game was quiet. Example: Against eighth-ranked TCU in 2015, OSU running backs totaled only 55 yards on 14 carries. The Cowboys were 49-29 winners, however, because Rudolph was an efficient 16-of-24 passing for 352 yards and five touchdowns with zero turnovers.


From the combination of Howland and Vailahi this season, can there be a 714-yard, 10-touchdown type of performance that would lighten the pressure not only on Gordon but on Bowman?

OSU’s other perfect scenario would have Bowman achieving a significant reduction in interceptions and a significant increase in TD passes, while lifting his success rate on completions from 61% to 68%.

A better Bowman in combination with a healthy Gordon and a more robust contribution from Gordon’s backups: the result probably would make Gundy’s 20th season one to remember.

J/K

It's over Commies.

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People who reject God. What a coincidence.

Isn’t that what some of you believe?

Big 12 football stadiums ranked: Does Utah or Oklahoma State have toughest home venue?​

Justin Martinez
The Oklahoman

Homefield advantage is a real thing in the Big 12.

The new-look conference has plenty of venues that opposing teams should strike fear into opposing teams. From OSU's Boone Pickens Stadium to Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium, the list is long.

Here are the rankings for the Big 12's toughest stadiums to play in. This list factors in max capacity, crowd atmosphere and team success.

Big 12 football stadium rankings​

16. David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Kansas​

Max capacity: 51,500

It's hard to rank Kansas, which won't play its home games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this season. The venue is undergoing a $448 million renovation that'll be completed before the start of the 2025 campaign.

Kansas will play its home games at the Kansas City Chief's Arrowhead Stadium instead. It's one of the most feared places to play in for NFL teams, and it boasts a max capacity of 76,416.

But, when it comes to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, it's in the No. 16 spot because it'll be empty this season. It'll surely climb the list in 2025, especially if the Jayhawks continue their resurgence under head coach Lance Leipold.

15. TDECU Stadium, Houston​

Max capacity: 40,000

There was plenty of excitement within the Houston fan base entering last season, which marked the program's first in the Big 12. The Cougars broke their program record for the most season tickets sold.
But that excitement turned into frustration when Houston went 4-8 (2-7 Big 12), including 3-4 at home. The program then fired head coach Dana Holgorsen on Nov. 26.

Better days seem to be ahead for Houston under newly-hired head coach Willie Fritz, and that could lead to TDECU Stadium becoming a more feared place to play in. Until then, it sits at No. 15 on this list.

14. Sun Devil Stadium, Arizona State​

Max capacity: 53,599

Arizona State recorded an average home game attendance of 43,081 in 2022, which marked its lowest average since 1968. And while that number increased to 48,845 last season, there were still some low points.

The first one that comes to mind is Arizona State's 29-0 home loss to Fresno State on Sept. 16. Sun Devil Stadium was practically empty by the end of the game, and the some of the fans who stuck around began to watch the Colorado-Colorado State game on their phones.

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13. Arizona Stadium, Arizona​

Max capacity: 50,782

Arizona is in the process of turning its home atmosphere around.

The Wildcats went 11-18 at Arizona Stadium from 2018-22, but they posted a 5-1 record last season. Arizona than implemented numerous changes this offseason to improve the fan experience, including new concession locations to reduce concourse congestion and a “Cat Cruiser” rideshare option for fans in the Phoenix area.

Those are all encouraging signs for the atmosphere at Arizona Stadium, which ranks No. 13 for now. It could certainly climb this list if the program continues to have success under newly-hired head coach Brent Brennan.

12. McLane Stadium, Baylor​

Max capacity: 45,140

McLane Stadium has one of the better home atmospheres in the Big 12 when Baylor is playing well. That was apparent in 2021 when the Bears went 12-2 (7-2 Big 12), including 7-0 at home.

But the Bears haven't been very good since then. They've gone 4-10 at home in the past two seasons, and the average attendance dropped from 45,463 in 2022 to 43,388 in 2023.

Baylor should be marginally better this season, although it'll likely be in the bottom half of the conference standings once again. That doesn't bode well for the atmosphere at McLane Stadium.

11. Folsom Field, Colorado​

Max capacity: 50,183

The Coach Prime effect is a real thing at Colorado.

With first-year head coach Deion Sanders leading the way last season, the Buffaloes sold out every home game for the first time in program history. They even hosted ESPN's College Football GameDay for the first time since 1996.

The buzz around Folsom Field was there, but it's only No. 13 on this list because it didn't prove to be too difficult of a place to play. Colorado went 2-4 at home last season and will likely be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big 12 this season.

10. Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati​

Max capacity: 40,000

Nippert Stadium used to be one of the nation's toughest places to play in. While it didn't face the stiffest competition in the AAC, Cincinnati went 31-1 at home from 2018-22 under head coach Luke Fickell.

But Fickell left for Wisconsin prior to last season, and Cincinnati struggled in its Big 12 debut. The Bearcats went 3-9 (1-8 Big 12), including 1-6 at home.

Nippert Stadium still comes in at No. 11 on this list because of what it used to be during the Fickell era. It has the potential to be one of the toughest Big 12 stadiums to play in if Cincinnati can regain its footing under head coach Scott Satterfield.

9. FBC Mortgage Stadium, UCF​

Max capacity: 45,301

Similar to Cincinnati, UCF dominated at home prior to its move from the AAC to the Big 12. The Knights went 35-4 at FBC Mortgage Stadium from 2017-22.

UCF then went 6-7 (3-6 Big 12) last season. And while that marked its first losing campaign since 2020, it still went 4-2 at home.

The atmosphere didn't waiver at FBC Mortgage Stadium, which is nicknamed "The Bounce House" because it's susceptible to considerable shaking when its crowd jumps in unison. That consistency despite a down season makes this stadium worthy of the No. 9 spot.

​

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Either you know it's BS or you are not very smart.

Generally there is one (maybe??? two) guys on staff who is considered really connected and the recruiting stud. Who is it on this staff? We have any ID on that person yet?

And the original Tweet he’s responding to:

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He’s pitched a few games already for the Dodgers I think. He was an 11th rounder. Well, looks like his MLB debut was July 7th. Good luck to him.

Mike Gundy hoping to limit Ollie Gordon's carries with his second NFL contract in mind​

• Aug 23, 2024 Updated Aug 23, 2024

Tyler Waldrep​

OSU Sports Writer

STILLWATER — The driving force behind Oklahoma State’s offense this fall isn’t a secret. Opponents must stop running back and Heisman hopeful Ollie Gordon to get the Cowboys off the field.
Of course, Gordon’s effectiveness isn’t the only thing on Mike Gundy’s mind this season.

“It’s just a fact in coaching today, we have to take into consideration and have an appreciation for a young man, doesn’t matter what his position is if he has a bright future for the NFL, we have to take into account what can we do to help him solidify that for an extended period of time,” Gundy said. “Because we all know that the NFL, you have to get through years three and four health-wise and production-wise or you get cut. To get a contract that can change a young man’s life.”


Mike Gundy hopes to limit Ollie Gordon to 20 carries per game this season.
Tulsa World Archive

With that in mind, Gundy hopes to limit the back to 20 carries per game to keep him healthy both for the Cowboys’ end-of-season run and his eventual NFL career.

Last year, Gordon averaged 20.4 carries per game. However, he carried the ball at least 25 times in seven of his final nine games. Gordon also eclipsed 30 attempts twice during that same stretch.

“At the college and NFL level, running backs take a lot of hits,” Gundy said. “More than any other position because they’re getting it from all angles.”

While Gundy hopes to limit Gordon’s exposure to some of that this season, the Oklahoma State coach also acknowledged that his starting running back has a habit of doing his best work late in games. Something his youngest son, Gage Gundy, even pointed out to him last season.

“He said, ‘Dad he’s better at 20-30 than he is at 1-20,” Gundy said. “‘For some reason, he likes it and feeds off of it. He’s strong.’ When he mentioned that to me, I thought he was right.”

As he has maintained throughout the offseason, Gundy acknowledged that there will likely be times when the Cowboys need their starting running back to carry it closer to 30 times this fall. The Oklahoma State coach said Gordon would carry it that much when the team needed it.

“Ollie has never come to us once and said he wants more carries and never once come to us and said he’s carrying it too much,” Gundy said. “If he continues with that thought process and allows us to do what we think is best to be successful as a team and protecting him and his career, we’ll do that.”

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Make America Healthy Again

The uniparty has poisoned our minds, our bodies and our spirits for far too long. If we are willing to stand up and ensure that MAGA happens this time, we will get MAHA as well.

Could Ayo Shotomide-King be Oklahoma State football's next uncovered gem at receiver?​

Scott Wright
The Oklahoman

STILLWATER — Long before he was Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator, Kasey Dunn was building a reputation for discovering hidden gems.

James Washington was the poster child, an unheralded two-star recruit from a tiny, rural Texas town who went on to win the Biletnikoff Award winner.

Leon Johnson III is the most recent Dunn discovery, plucked from Division III George Fox University before becoming a key factor in OSU’s 10-win season last fall.

And there have been plenty more over Dunn’s OSU tenure, which is entering its 14th year.

Could Ayo Shotomide-King be next on the list?

Even some of the hardcore Cowboy recruiting followers are just beginning to learn about the 6-foot-4, 215-pound walk-on receiver from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.

He arrived over the summer and began to catch the attention of his teammates right away.



Then preseason camp began and his skills continued to pop.

“His big body, the way he’s able to run through contact, run through arm tackles, catch the ball strong, catch the ball out there, has strong forearms,” redshirt junior receiver De’Zhaun Stribling said. “That’s one of his best features. He’ll be a good, complete all-around receiver pretty soon.”

A redshirt sophomore who played one season at the junior college level, Shotomide-King caught 37 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns at Snow last season. His best game was a nine-catch, 161-yard performance in November.

Despite solid numbers and good size, Shotomide-King’s recruiting was limited primarily to FCS-level programs.

Until Dunn caught on.


In fact, Dunn pulled in Stribling to get extra eyes on Shotomide-King’s recruiting tape.

“Just watching his film and seeing what he does,” Stribling said. “I felt like he was somebody who could come here and help us win games.

“The first time I saw him was during summer, and his big body stood out. Good guy, even better player.”

Shotomide-King might need extra time to adapt to Power Four football, but he has the qualities to be an impactful player at some point.

And he adds to the Cowboys’ depth at receiver, which is an important factor should they face injury issues that have haunted them the last few seasons.


While the Pokes have an incredibly talented starting group with Stribling, Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens, the depth behind them is somewhat inexperienced.

Talyn Shettron has been in the regular rotation, but has also battled health problems the previous two years. Transfers Da’Wain Lofton and Gavin Freeman saw consistent playing time at their previous schools. And former walk-on Cale Cabbinness has been a valuable backup the past few seasons.

The group of youngsters from the past two recruiting classes are also getting a chance to compete for spots in the rotation, thought the experienced players might have an edge.

“With the new receivers that came in, especially with having veterans with experience, it’s very helpful,” Owens said. “Because it almost looks like they’ve been here. So, it’s like, we sitting there coaching them up on little things, little techniques to fix up and how to run certain things. And they’re so quick to learn it, and they go and perform it out on the field.”

Oklahoma State receiver depth chart​

Name, Class, Ht., Wt., Hometown (Previous school)

The starters​

• De’Zhaun Stribling, RJr., 6-2, 200, Kapolei, Hawaii (Washington State)
• Brennan Presley, Sr.*, 5-8, 175, Tulsa (Bixby)
• Rashod Owens, RSr., 6-2, 230, San Antonio (Roosevelt)

The reserves​

• Talyn Shettron, RSo., 6-2, 195, Edmond (Santa Fe)
• Cale Cabbiness, RSr., 6-2, 205, Norman (North)
• Da’Wain Lofton, Sr., 5-11, 190, Fort Worth, Texas (Virginia Tech)
• Gavin Freeman, Jr., 5-8, 185, Oklahoma City (OU)
• Ayo Shitomide-King, RSo., 6-4, 215, Chula Vista, California (Snow College)
• Kyler Pearson, RSr., 5-6, 150, Tulsa (Tennessee-Martin)
• Tykie Andrews, RFr., 5-11, 200, Enid
• Camron Heard, RFr., 6-0, 170, Houston (Furr)
• Jalen Pope, RFr., 6-1, 195, Aledo, Texas
• Tré Griffiths, Fr., 6-3, 200, Keller, Texas
• Mason GIlkey, RSo., 6-3, 175, Pawhuska
• Ty Walls, RFr., 5-11, 185, Jenks

2024 season preview: A look at OSU's schedule, position-by-position analysis and players to watch​

• Aug 25, 2024 Updated 2 hrs ago

Tyler Waldrep​

OSU Sports Writer

BROADCAST INFORMATION​

Broadcast: 1170 AM/106.9 FM
Coaches TV show: 3 p.m. on Thursdays of game week, OSU Max, ESPN+ and YouTube
Radio show: Mondays from 6-7 p.m., 1170 AM/106.9 FM
TICKETS
877-255-4678
okstate.com/tickets

POSITION ANALYSIS​

Quarterbacks
Only three quarterbacks in the nation threw more interceptions than starter Alan Bowman last season when he tossed 14. If he can clean up the mistakes, then the Cowboys offense could emerge as one of the best in the nation. Depth behind him is something of an issue. Garret Rangel has four career starts and 147 total pass attempts. Zane Flores appears to be the most mobile of the three but has yet to see the field.

Running backs

Ollie Gordon, the Doak Walker Award winner (best running back), will once again serve as the offense's focal point until opponents force the Cowboys to adjust. He led the nation in nine stats, including rushing yards (1,732) and 20-yard rushes (21). However, Mike Gundy would like to limit his load to 20 carries per game this fall. That’s where redshirt freshman Sesi Vailahi and Indiana transfer Trent Howland enter the picture.

Wide receivers
Easily the most overlooked unit on Oklahoma State’s offense. Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens needed only 124 receiving yards between them to become the fifth duo in the entire country to each top 1,000 yards. Now add in De’Zhaun Stribling, who had more yards (198) than both put together in the four games he played before getting injured. Then there’s so much depth behind these guys that Oklahoma transfer Gavin Freeman plans to redshirt.


Tight ends
Perhaps the biggest question mark on Oklahoma State’s roster. Josh Ford, of Stillwater, was a spring sensation and has continued to impress in fall camp. Still, will the Cowboys really roll out a freshman alongside one of the oldest starting lineups in the country? Ohio transfer and sixth-year tight end Tyler Foster has also looked the part since arriving ahead of spring camp. Expect those two to see time inside a larger committee this season.

Offensive line
Oklahoma State’s top eight offensive linemen account for 215 starts (27 on average), 305 games played (38) and 16,414 total snaps (2,052). Expect plenty of TV graphics comparing the starting five’s average age to NFL counterparts, young NBA teams and more. Speaking of the lineup, OSU seems willing to play at least seven, if not eight, of those guys interchangeably. Even if the Cowboys back down from that, what other teams can reasonably match this kind of depth?

Defensive line
Justin Kirkland, an absolute breakout star of 2023, and Collin Clay should serve as the Cowboys’ ultimate tag team inside. Kody Walterscheid brings experience to one end spot. Oklahoma State’s top pass-rusher, Collin Oliver, is expected to play more of an edge role this season. The Cowboys have other experienced players back to fill out the line, but D-II transfer Obi Ezeigbo has earned a lot of praise during camp and could see a lot of time.

Linebackers

Collin Oliver and Nick Martin should make their case to be the best linebacker duo in the Big 12 depending on how much Oliver plays at that spot. When he’s not there, safety Kendal Daniels should replace him. Former Tulsa starter Justin Wright missed most of last season, but could make an impact, especially down the stretch. Despite all that, this could be the Cowboys’ biggest weakness on defense due largely to depth.


Secondary
Oklahoma State returns most of its secondary, including top corners Korie Black and Cam Smith. Kendal Daniels’ shift to linebacker at times could hurt, but the potential return of Lyrik Rawls from injury could offset that change somewhat. Of course, that assumes he can earn his way back to the field against some mix of Cameron Epps, Dylan Smith and UTEP transfer Kobe Hylton.

Special teams

Logan Ward went 7-of-7 on extra points but has yet to kick a field goal. The sigh of relief heard around Stillwater after his first make might be deafening. Hudson Kaak and Wes Pahl split time at punter last year. There’s no reason to expect a change. Shea Freibaum likely remains the guy at long snapper. This could be the most improved unit thanks to rule changes, which allowed OSU to add Scott Snyder, son of Bill Snyder, as kicking coach.

Big 12 power rankings: OSU tops the list with returning starters​

• Aug 25, 2024 Updated 2 hrs ago

Tyler Waldrep​

OSU Sports Writer

Power poll​

1. Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy can become the new unquestioned power of the conference over the next two or three seasons, but the run has to start this year. If the Cowboys can’t get it done this year with so many returning players when can they?



2. Utah: Has the coach, the quarterback and the tradition to come in and become the new face of the Big 12. A little less depth than OSU and a trip to Stillwater this fall is the difference.

3. Iowa State: The Cyclones return more starters than most and don’t play another team in the top half of the Big 12 until Oct. 12.

4. Kansas State: Talented enough to win the conference, but sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson faces Oklahoma State, Arizona and a road trip to Tulane in the first five weeks.

5. Kansas: Improved its win total all three seasons under Lance Leipold. They went 9-4 despite losing quarterback Jalon Daniels three games into 2023. Now he’s back.

6. Arizona: Despite the coaching change and the roster turnover that goes with it, Arizona returns enough key guys to hang with anyone in the conference.

7. UCF: Former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson could be the newcomer of the year, and Gus Malzahn’s squad handled the first Big 12 season better than the others.


8. West Virginia: Returning most of the offensive line and the quarterback is rare these days. This team could still push for a conference championship spot.

9. Texas Tech: Not enough continuity to compete with the top eight.

10. Colorado: Similar to last year, this team will be must-watch TV. Just don’t expect championships in what goes down as a successful season for the Buffaloes.

11. TCU: Last season wasn’t so bad, considering TCU lost one-possession games against Texas, West Virginia, Colorado and Texas Tech.

12. BYU: Might need one more offseason to close the gap with the Big 12 regarding top-end talent and depth as the cracks still show up on the margins this fall.

13. Baylor: Bears haven’t missed bowl games in back-to-back seasons since 2008 and 2009. Keeping that streak alive will require quite the rollercoaster ride.

14. Cincinnati: Bearcats are still adjusting to life in a power conference and a tough final stretch does them no favors.

15. Houston: Quarterback Donovan Smith doesn’t have much returning talent around him, but he can help the Cougars shock a few teams this season.

16. Arizona State: Lost three one-possession games (at Washington, vs Colorado, at Cal) in 2023. Not sure if there’s enough back to flip the script.

​

SMU looks putrid thus far

Question for Trump supporters.....

You probably didn't notice that Thailand selected a new Prime Minister a few weeks ago. What's interesting about it is that the new PM is the 37-year-old daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. I always saw some similarities between Thaksin and Donald Trump. Both were very powerful businessmen that made a huge splash politically and actually did some good things for their country. Thaksin ended up with criminal charges which led to the coup d-etat of 2010 and his self-imposed exile. Since then, his niece - Yingluck - served as PM and now his daughter. They've created quite the political dynasty there.

So here's my question......should Trump lose in November, where does MAGA go moving forward? Do you see yourself voting for and supporting other Trump family members or you see the movement going in a different direction?

Just a few minute ago at the Trump rally.

Terrible situation.. so sad