STILLWATER — Optimism abounds over OSU football 2015, much of it rooted in Master Mason Rudolph. Hero of the Cactus Bowl. Bedlam victor. Patron Saint of Lost Causes after his first college start, in Waco.
Can’t really blame anyone in the stands, on the field or in the pressbox for such euphoria. Rudolph, as a true freshman, looked like the real deal against good competition.
But is it’s too early to tell if Rudolph will be the next Brandon Weeden or if he’ll be the next Wes Lunt. Either seems possible, since Rudolph still is one month shy of his 20th birthday and has taken all of 205 college snaps.
“He’s only played in three games,” Mike Gundy said.
But even Gundy acknowledges it was quite the three games. A put-up-a-fight defeat at Baylor. A stirring win in Norman. A commanding performance against Washington out in the bowl game. Without so much as an inkling that he might play until a few days before going to Waco, Rudolph was impressive. Stunningly impressive.
“I don’t know if stunned’s the right word,” offensive tackle Zach Crabtree said. “I kind of thought, ‘He’s a heck of a player. He’s made a lot of plays.’”
Most analysis of a raw quarterback’s future is dicey. But OSU is in an interesting place: 21/2 seasons before Rudolph took the reins, another true freshman QB did the same. The situations of Lunt and Rudolph weren’t exact. Lunt was proclaimed the starter in April 2012, right after spring practice and before his high school class had staged its graduation, and thus went through an entire off-season as the anointed leader. Rudolph’s rise to the top was sudden, after Daxx Garman’s concussion suffered against Texas.
And the OSU offenses of 2012 and 2014 weren’t congruent. The 2012 Cowboys were rebuilding to some degree. The 2014 Cowboys were wiped out, particularly on the offensive line. Lunt had Joe Randle at tailback; Rudolph most certainly did not.
Still, enough similarities exist to create a solid comparison. Discounting the Savannah State opener, a non-competitive game if ever there was one, Lunt made three starts before losing his job to injury and eventually transferring.
Lunt in those three games played competition similar to Rudolph’s trio. Lunt lost at Arizona 59-38, beat TCU 36-14 in Stillwater and lost 44-30 at Kansas State. A Big 12 champ in KSU (just like Rudolph faced at Baylor) and two other bowl teams. One notable difference, of course, was the stage. Rudolph, who has yet to take a snap in a home game, held up in an arch-rival game like Bedlam.
How did they fare? Rudolph actually has better numbers, with much less preparation time. Rudolph, for all intents and purposes, was the No. 3 quarterback last August, then still got limited practice time backing up Garman.
Yet in those three games, Rudolph’s numbers were 57 percent completions, 284.3 yards per game, six touchdowns and four interceptions. Lunt in his three games had 58.4 percent completions, 314.7 yards per game, six TDs and seven interceptions.
One Cowboy receiver was around for both freshman debuts. David Glidden, who will be a senior in 2015, played on both the ’12 and ’14 Cowboy teams.
Glidden’s assessment: “Quite a few similarities. Both big guys. Pretty composed. For being so young and put in those situations, they both kept their cool and stayed pretty composed overall. That to me was one of the biggest similarities. Very impressive to see out of a young guy. Both real level-headed kids.
“They both got a little style to ‘em. Wes is probably little more of a true pocket passer. Mase has that about him, but I think he likes to get out and make plays on his own and show he can move around a little bit. He’s not afraid to get out of the pocket, run for a first down, break a tackle. Whatever it may be.”
Lunt transferred to Illinois in 2013, after growing discouraged with the quarterback situation and his relationship with Gundy. Last season, Lunt played reasonably well as a third-year sophomore with the Illini; 14 touchdown passes, three interceptions, 63.5 percent completions. He was injured again, but there’s reason to believe he will be a good Big Ten quarterback.
Lunt was not the Cowboys’ next Weeden, and I don’t think he’ll be to Illinois what Weeden was to OSU. All-Big 12. First-round draft pick. Quarterback of the 2011 Cowboys conference championship team.
Will Rudolph? Too early to tell. But it looks quite promising.
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Can’t really blame anyone in the stands, on the field or in the pressbox for such euphoria. Rudolph, as a true freshman, looked like the real deal against good competition.
But is it’s too early to tell if Rudolph will be the next Brandon Weeden or if he’ll be the next Wes Lunt. Either seems possible, since Rudolph still is one month shy of his 20th birthday and has taken all of 205 college snaps.
“He’s only played in three games,” Mike Gundy said.
But even Gundy acknowledges it was quite the three games. A put-up-a-fight defeat at Baylor. A stirring win in Norman. A commanding performance against Washington out in the bowl game. Without so much as an inkling that he might play until a few days before going to Waco, Rudolph was impressive. Stunningly impressive.
“I don’t know if stunned’s the right word,” offensive tackle Zach Crabtree said. “I kind of thought, ‘He’s a heck of a player. He’s made a lot of plays.’”
Most analysis of a raw quarterback’s future is dicey. But OSU is in an interesting place: 21/2 seasons before Rudolph took the reins, another true freshman QB did the same. The situations of Lunt and Rudolph weren’t exact. Lunt was proclaimed the starter in April 2012, right after spring practice and before his high school class had staged its graduation, and thus went through an entire off-season as the anointed leader. Rudolph’s rise to the top was sudden, after Daxx Garman’s concussion suffered against Texas.
And the OSU offenses of 2012 and 2014 weren’t congruent. The 2012 Cowboys were rebuilding to some degree. The 2014 Cowboys were wiped out, particularly on the offensive line. Lunt had Joe Randle at tailback; Rudolph most certainly did not.
Still, enough similarities exist to create a solid comparison. Discounting the Savannah State opener, a non-competitive game if ever there was one, Lunt made three starts before losing his job to injury and eventually transferring.
Lunt in those three games played competition similar to Rudolph’s trio. Lunt lost at Arizona 59-38, beat TCU 36-14 in Stillwater and lost 44-30 at Kansas State. A Big 12 champ in KSU (just like Rudolph faced at Baylor) and two other bowl teams. One notable difference, of course, was the stage. Rudolph, who has yet to take a snap in a home game, held up in an arch-rival game like Bedlam.
How did they fare? Rudolph actually has better numbers, with much less preparation time. Rudolph, for all intents and purposes, was the No. 3 quarterback last August, then still got limited practice time backing up Garman.
Yet in those three games, Rudolph’s numbers were 57 percent completions, 284.3 yards per game, six touchdowns and four interceptions. Lunt in his three games had 58.4 percent completions, 314.7 yards per game, six TDs and seven interceptions.
One Cowboy receiver was around for both freshman debuts. David Glidden, who will be a senior in 2015, played on both the ’12 and ’14 Cowboy teams.
Glidden’s assessment: “Quite a few similarities. Both big guys. Pretty composed. For being so young and put in those situations, they both kept their cool and stayed pretty composed overall. That to me was one of the biggest similarities. Very impressive to see out of a young guy. Both real level-headed kids.
“They both got a little style to ‘em. Wes is probably little more of a true pocket passer. Mase has that about him, but I think he likes to get out and make plays on his own and show he can move around a little bit. He’s not afraid to get out of the pocket, run for a first down, break a tackle. Whatever it may be.”
Lunt transferred to Illinois in 2013, after growing discouraged with the quarterback situation and his relationship with Gundy. Last season, Lunt played reasonably well as a third-year sophomore with the Illini; 14 touchdown passes, three interceptions, 63.5 percent completions. He was injured again, but there’s reason to believe he will be a good Big Ten quarterback.
Lunt was not the Cowboys’ next Weeden, and I don’t think he’ll be to Illinois what Weeden was to OSU. All-Big 12. First-round draft pick. Quarterback of the 2011 Cowboys conference championship team.
Will Rudolph? Too early to tell. But it looks quite promising.
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