SB Nation - Russell Okung

Bedlam Post-Game Quotes

ccmachine — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:57:21 -0000

"You have to compliment the defense. I thought coach (Brent) Venables and the staff did an excellent job. But still, in the end it's the players that have to tackle, be where they need to be, make plays and they were great." - Bob Stoops

"They (Offensive Line) played hard and battled well. For Eric (Mensik), as a tight end, we did a lot of max and zone blocking, so it wasn't mentally that tough. He is used to playing against ends. We had that ready and he is a fourth-year guy. Brian Lepak was a scholarship player at Colorado State and he wasn't like a un-recruited player and he is from an Oklahoma family. So he came back and everything was good for him. I was proud of those guys. - Kevin Wilson

"Our guys came out basic and simple and they lined up right. They played very physical and man-to-man played very strongly. They played a really clean game, we tackled well, covered well and got great pressure. I thought that our guys created a new line of scrimmage from the outset. I thought they responded to a lot of challenges in a lot of different ways. It has been a tough and difficult year but our guys have never made excuses." - Brent Venables

"We had a lot to prove today, especially for the seniors. We've had a difficult year and we just wanted to come out on top with a great win. I'm proud of our team today. We played extremely hard and the score proved it." - Jeremy Beal

"It's a good way to go out. We still have one more game, but to win this Bedlam game, definitely ends us on a high note." - Ryan Broyles

"We knew that we couldn't come out and play the way we played last week and win this game. We've played well at home all year but if we came out and played like we did last week we wouldn't have had a chance. You have to give it to the defense in this game. They held OSU to around 109 yards on offense which makes our job easier and gives us less pressure." - Landry Jones

"Regardless of what happens, life is going to throw all types of different things at you. A lot of different hurdles, but you have to hurdle. A lot of ups and downs. But in the end, you have to find a way to bounce back, pick yourself up and keep on fighting. I think we went out there and proved that today." - Gerald McCoy

"Coach Wilson told us at halftime, we needed to start running the ball more and we knew as an O-line that we needed to start punching it harder and step it up and go ahead and go after it." - Eric Mensik

"It was a big rival, and I think we played together for the first time as a team. Special teams, defensively, and offensively, we were one unit. I thought it was a great victory today for us." - DeMarco Murray

"It's just a great feeling coming out against your rival, on your home field, and doing it for the seniors this year, and letting them go out on a winning note. Just for us to shut them out is even [better]." - Jazz Reynolds

"He was healthy. Zac's health is not an excuse for what happened. Zac wasn't 100 percent, but that certainly isn't an excuse for what happened." - Mike Gundy

"It was very disappointing. We came out thinking we would leave here with a victory and go on to a BCS bowl for the first time and it just didn't work the way we planned it." - Perrish Cox

"They were just the most dominating force on the field. You can see the results of that right now." - Russell Okung

Breaking Down Bedlam

ccmachine — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:16:33 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

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There are so many things that could go right or wrong for Oklahoma in today's Bedlam football game that I really have no idea what to expect. On one hand you consider how well the Sooners play at home and you think that they have an outstanding chance to win. Then you consider how bad they've played in their five losses and add the fact that the competition at home hasn't been that great and suddenly there's a huge knot in your stomach because you realize the realistic possibility that the nation's longest home winning steak very well could come to an end.

The roles are already reversed coming into the game. O-State is the ranked team with a shot at going to a BCS Bowl. Regardless of what the final score is the Cowboys are going to finish ahead of the Sooners in the Big 12 standings and will get a better bowl invitation. The only thing left to happen is for OSU to actually win the game and they come in as a legitimate favorite and for OU to avoid losing their sixth game of the season they must win one of the game match-ups that they're not supposed to.

Quarterbacks

Landry Jones is completing 58% of his passes this year and has 23 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. At times he's look exceptional and then at other moments he's look completely out of his element. The knocks against him are that he's not stable in the pocket and doesn't read through his progressions.

Zac Robinson has completed 63% of his passes with a touchdown to interception ration of 15 to 7. Robinson is a dual-threat quarterback who has rushed for 302 yards this year but has also been known for turning the ball over on a big hit when he runs.

Robinson's experience and leadership give him a clear advantage over Jones but there's the chance that he may not play due to injury or that he'll be playing at less than 100%.

Advantage: OSU

Running Backs

Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray are averaging 4.3 and 4.4 yards respectfully with 12 touchdowns between them but they are a far cry from the dynamic duo that we saw them become last season. After rushing for over 1,000 each last season the two have a combined 1,251 yards this year. The problem has been getting them in space to make plays and clearing holes for them to run in between the tackles. That's on the line and not necessarily the running backs.

Keith Toston is the Big 12's second leading rusher with 1,130 yards. He's averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has crossed the goal line rushing the football 11 times. He's a powerful runner with good speed and is one of only two players (KSU's Daniel Thomas) to average over 100 yards rushing per game.

Toston has clearly had the better season of these three backs and despite Murray having the added dimension of being Oklahoma's second leading receiver the Sooners don't have a rushing threat like Toston has been this season.

Advantage: OSU

Receivers/Tight Ends

Ryan Broyles is one of the most electrifying receivers in the country. He's averaging 12.9 yards per reception and has 861 yards with 12 touchdowns. He's on target to break 1,000 receiving yards this season and it would go a long way for the Sooners if he surpassed that mark today. Behind Broyles is a massive drop off as Brandon Caleb has almost 40 fewer receptions and only 2 touchdowns. Dejuan Miller is coming on and is has pretty much inserted himself as Oklahoma's #2 receiver.

O-State was dealt a huge blow when the NCAA took Dez Bryant away from them. Since then Hubert Anyiam has become the Pokes' top receiver. He's caught 39 passes for 482 yards and 3 touchdowns.

After Anyiam the Cowboys don't have another receiver playing in this game with more than 15 receptions. Conversely the Sooners have four receivers with more than 20 receptions. What's a tight end?

Advantage: OU

Offensive Line

I don't have the words to describe how disappointing Oklahoma's offensive line has been this season. Now this unit has become decimated with injuries and literally a walking triage unit. The latest victim is Trent Williams who may have to sit out today's Bedlam game due to a head injury. Oklahoma has given up 12 sacks this season.

Oklahoma State has only given up 7 sacks this year and is much stronger in both run and pass blocking than the Sooners are. The have a future NFL All-Pro in Russell Okung as their anchor.

Advantage: OSU

Defensive Line

Oklahoma's defensive line against OSU's offensive line is the match-up that could determine the game. Jeremy Beal is third in the conference in sacks with 11 and third in tackles for loss with 16. Gerald McCoy is fifth in the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 14.5.

Ugo Chinasa has 4 sacks for the Pokes and 6.5 tackles for loss. However, you have to go all the way down to 11^th O-States leader board for tackles to find Chinasa, a defensive lineman, listed.

Advantage: OU

Linebackers

Travis Lewis is third in the Big 12 in total tackles with 99 and Keenan Clayton is 39^th with 58. Oklahoma will be without Ryan Reynolds who is a field general for the Sooners defense and that may hurt the Sooners more than missing his 67 tackles. In his place Austin Box will step in and try to get a head start on taking over the middle linebacker position full time next season.

Donald Booker leads the Cowboys in sacks with 5 and tackles for loss with 7. He and Patrick Lavine lead the team in tackles with 80 and 67 tackles respectively. Lavine also leads the team in interceptions with 5.

Both team's linebacker units attack down hill and are solid run stuffers. O-State is second in the conference against the rush (82.6 yards per game) and the Sooners are third (91 yards per game)

Advantage: Even

Secondary

Oklahoma is second in the conference against the pass by holding opponents to just 197.5 yards per game. The OU secondary has a combined 11 interceptions led by Brian Jackson's 4. Jackson and Dominique Franks are one of the best corner duos in the conference and safety Quinton Carter is a hard hitter who's second on the team in tackles with 76.

Perrish Cox is not only the best athlete in Oklahoma State's secondary he's most likely the best athlete on the team. He has 32 tackles and 4 interceptions but as a whole the Cowboys are 9^th in the conference in pass defense.

Advantage: OU

Special Teams

Oklahoma State is last in the Big 12 in kickoff return average (18.6 yards per return) and while the Sooners aren't sitting pretty at #10 (21.2 yards per return) at least they're not last. Punt returns are a different issue for the Sooners where their 14.3 yards per return average are tops in the Big 12. OSU isn't too far behind at 13.9 yards per return which places them 3^rd in the Big 12.

In punting average the Sooners have a 39.6 (Best in the Big 12) to 37.5 advantage. Oklahoma's place kickers have missed seven field goal attempts this season while the Cowboys have missed five.

If this game becomes a field goal kicking contest then I'm not sure that I like Oklahoma's chances. However, in the battle for field position OU's special teams units are outperforming O-State's in just about every category.

Advantage: OU

Rumblings Draft Scouting: Offensive Line Prospects

Brian Galliford — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:47:21 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

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It's been a couple of weeks since we've done a Rumblings Draft Scouting piece - the Buffalo Bills' firing of Dick Jauron and the subsequent rumor mill chatter kept us pretty busy - but now that things have died down some, our weekly scouting piece returns.

At the time that this post was published, Buffalo currently has five healthy offensive linemen - Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith. One might argue that, at a maximum, two of those players are legitimate NFL prospects. Demetrius Bell might be considered legitimate, too, but he's having trouble staying healthy, and it might not be wise to count on him as a starter in 2010.

Naturally, we thought y'all might enjoy talking about 2010 NFL Draft prospects on the offensive line. Away we go.

Offensive Tackles
1. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State (6'5", 300-pound senior)
- The nation's top pass protector without question. Possesses elite athleticism and footwork. Has been dominant against top-flight competition as a senior. Still something of a liability in the run game, and can be overwhelmed at the point of attack. Smart kid with a good work ethic and the frame to add a little bulk. Okung is really the only tackle that is a mortal lock for the Top 10.

2. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers (6'5", 330-pound junior)
- Many scouts will tell you that Davis is a road grader who fits best on the right side. I don't see it. I see a powerful guy who can play the left side, even at his weight, and who is slightly better in pass protection than he is run blocking. I really like his athleticism, and he plays the game with the right demeanor. I'll consider Davis the most well-rounded tackle if he declares, but his ceiling is lower than other players'. I'd take him in the Top 12 without hesitation.

3. Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa (6'6", 304-pound junior)
- I really like Bulaga as a prospect, but he's just not the elite player that you see taken at the very top of the first round these days. Bulaga's very technically sound and has a great reach to help him in pass protection, but he's not an astonishing athlete, and again, his upside might be somewhat limited. He's a safe pick, however, and could be considered an instant starter on the blind side.

4. Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland (6'7", 310-pound junior)
- Campbell might be the highest-upside tackle in the nation right now. He's a phenomenal athlete with great length, and he's really come on as an elite lineman as a junior despite playing for a very mediocre Maryland team. But he's also missed a lot of time with nagging minor injuries, much like Bell, and that's a pretty major concern. He's pretty boom-or-bust, and he might not declare, but he's definitely a Round 1-type prospect.

5. Charles Brown, OT, USC (6'6", 298-pound senior)
- I look at Brown as a poor man's Okung. He's an elite pass protector with great footwork and the ability to consistently mirror. He plays with surprising power and isn't one-dimensional, but like Okung, he can still be controlled at the point of attack. He's a bit of a project player in that he'll need a year or two in a weight program to reach his full potential, but he's got elite left tackle written all over him. Right now, I consider him a fringe Round 1 prospect.

Others to keep tabs on: Jason Fox (Miami, FL), Selvish Capers (West Virginia), Trent Williams (Oklahoma), Ciron Black (LSU)

Interior Linemen
1. Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn State (6'3", 297-pound junior)
- I don't think Wisniewski will enter this year's draft, but it's still at least possible. Centers are becoming hot commodities - two were drafted in the first round last year - and Wisniewski has the look of a top-end NFL anchor. He plays with great leverage and really understands angles and how to open up run lanes.

2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida (6'5", 318-pound junior)
- This guy is fun to watch. He's a really big kid and plays a very physical brand of football. He can bend and anchor, and even better, he looks completely at ease on the move when pulling or getting to the second level. Many scouts will consider him the best center in the draft, even ahead of Wisniewski, and it'd be hard to argue with them.

3. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho (6'5", 330-pound senior)
- I consider Iupati the most NFL-ready lineman currently playing college football. He's huge, moves extremely well for a man his size, and is absolutely dominant at the point of attack. He's also an incredibly motivated and humble young man. The big question surrounding Iupati is whether or not he'll be able to adjust to a pretty massive change in competition level, but as far as run blockers go, Iupati is the best of the best this year. Another immediate starter.

4. Eric Olsen, C, Notre Dame (6'4", 305-pound senior)
- If Buffalo's new regime digs versatility as much as the one currently on its way out, Olsen will be high on their board. He was a guard up until this season, when he shifted over to the pivot. He's had a great season and made the switch seem effortless. He's not a top-end athlete, but he's well-rounded enough to be a starter at either center or guard in the NFL for quite a while.

5. Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida (6'5", 320-pound senior)
- Yes, he's the brother of Maurkice. No, he's not as talented as his younger brother. But Mike is an excellent pro prospect in his own right - he plays the same physical style of football and is fluid enough athletically to block at all levels. He's not the borderline first-round prospect that every name on this list is (with the exception of Olsen), but he, too, has the look of a guy a team can plug in at guard immediately and let him play for a long time.

Ndamukong Suh Finalist for Outland Trophy

Jon Johnston — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:05:23 -0000

Official Release:

DALLAS (FWAA) - Idaho guard Mike Iupati, Oklahoma State tackle Russell Okung and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh have been named finalists for the 64th Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football by the Football Writers Association of America.

The winner of the Outland Trophy will be announced on the evening of Dec. 10 during "The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show" at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The show, hosted by ESPN's Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, airs from 7-9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Iupati, a 6-6, 330-pound senior from Anaheim, Calif., is projected as a high NFL draft pick and has been the anchor for the Vandals' offensive line, which has helped produce more than 30 points a game this season and the 17th best passing offense in college football. Born in Samoa, Iupati, the former high school wrestler and track star has been one of the major reasons the Vandals have compiled a 7-4 record and are bowl-eligible heading into the regular-season finale again Utah State on Saturday.

Okung, a 6-5, 300-pound senior from Houston, is often rated as the top offensive tackle NFL prospect in college football. Heading into the regular-season finale against Oklahoma on Saturday, the durable Okung is slated for his 46th consecutive start for the Cowboys. He's a big reason why the 9-2 Cowboys' offense produces 203.5 yards a game on the ground. Twice during his career he has not allowed a sack against the nation's leader at the time - the latest was an effort against Texas A&M end Von Miller this season.

Suh, a 6-4, 300-pound senior defensive tackle from Portland, Ore., leads Nebraska in tackles with 35 unassisted and 30 assisted. He has 15 tackles for 52 yards in losses (6.5 sacks), 10 pass break-ups, 20 quarterback hurries, one interception, one forced fumble and three blocked kicks. Nebraska ranks eighth in the country in total defense and 14th in rush defense. A top NFL prospect, Suh heads up the nation's third-ranked scoring defense that has propelled the Cornhuskers to an 8-3 regular-season record heading into the regular-season finale at Colorado on Friday.

The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. The Outland Trophy is the third oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.

Colorado Buffaloes Open as 14.5 Point Underdogs on the Road Against Oklahoma State

irish1611 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:43:57 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston (5) has filled in nicely for the injured Kendall Hunter this season. Oklahoma State is one of the best running teams in the nation behind a very good offensive line led by OT Russell Okung (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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It doesn't get any easier for the Colorado Buffaloes (3-7, 2-4) as they travel on a short week to face the 12th ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (8-2, 5-1) in Stillwater this Thursday night (ESPN, 5:30 PM MT). Currently, odds makers have this one pegged at 14.5 points in favor of the home team. It marks the 8th consecutive game the Colorado Buffaloes will go into the game as an underdog. Oklahoma State is the third ranked team the Buffs will have played this season with Nebraska potentially being a fourth next week if they take care of business against Kansas State in Lincoln.

Oklahoma State beat Texas Tech this past Saturday 24 - 17 in Stillwater. Oklahoma State turned the Red Raiders over three times and was able to hold on after Texas Tech had a 10 - 7 halftime lead. Former Colorado prep and current OSU starting quarterback Zac Robinson was part of a scary collision last night with 98 seconds left in the game. He was helped off the field after suffering what looked like a concussion. Before getting hurt, Robinson only passed for 90 yards but was the Pokes leading rusher with 99 yards on 19 carries. The senior signal caller ranks eighth in the Big 12 in passing yards this season but is second in the conference in passing efficiency, throwing for 15 scores and only 7 interceptions. For his career, Robinson has passed for 8,155 yards and 66 touchdowns.

Initially, one had to wonder if Oklahoma State would hold out Robinson on a short week with the rivalry game against Oklahoma in two weeks. But according to the Tulsa World, Robinson plans to play against Colorado. It is also senior night for Robinson and the rest of the graduating Pokes which should provide them some extra motivation to come out strong against the Buffs.

read more of the game preview after the jump...

Robinson and the Oklahoma State offense were dealt a big blow when All American wide receiver Dez Bryant was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after the third game of the year. Bryant still ranks as the second leading receiver on the team. But Oklahoma State has recovered nicely.

The key for Oklahoma State this year has been the emergence of running back Keith Toston after All Big 12 back Kendall Hunter was injured the third game of the year suffering a sprained ankle. Hunter essentially missed six games before returning two weeks ago in a limited role. Last year, Hunter ran for 1,555 yards and 16 touchdowns. Not very often a team losses their two best players in the same year and still has a chance to go 10 - 2 but that is what Oklahoma State has done. Toston has filled in beautifully for the injured Hunter aas he begins to work his way back (Hunter ran 17 for 68 yards against Texas Tech last week). Toston, after only carrying the ball an average of ten times the first two games of the season, has taken over the lead role for the Pokes and is now just 42 yards away from 1,000 on the season. Toston ranks 30th in the nation in rushing yards/game at 95.8, good for 4th in the Big 12. A big reason for the seamless transition between running backs is the dominant offensive line OSU brings out led by All American candidate T Russell Okung. This season, the offensive line has only given up 0.7 sacks a game which is third in the nation and first in the Big 12. Compare that number to the Colorado Buffaloes, who are giving up 3.8 sacks per game which ranks 117th in college football. That tells you a lot about why the Buffs have only three wins and why Oklahoma State, who lost their two biggest play makers from a year ago, has a chance at 10 wins, something Dan Hawkin's "muttered" this offseason.

With the losses of Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter for a big chunk of the year, Oklahoma State's offense has fallen off from last year where they finished the season as the 6th ranked unit in the nation averaging 487 yards a contest. This year, they find themselves 48th averaging just over 400 yards per game. But the big improvement and the main reason why the Cowboys are still a player in the Big 12 is a vastly improved defense. In 2008, Oklahoma State struggled stopping the opposition, ranking 93rd in the nation allowing 405 yards per. This year, the defense is only allowing 333 yards a game and is 7th in the nation allowing just 89 yards on the ground.

As for the Colorado Buffaloes, there are only a few things that need to be highlighted. CU is now eliminated from bowl eligibility after a loss last weekend to Iowa State in Ames. Under first year coach Paul Rhoads, Iowa State is now bowl eligible and, in one year, has won the same number of road games as Dan Hawkins has in four seasons at the helm in Boulder. Just two weeks ago, Iowa State was manhandled by Oklahoma State in Stillwater, 34 - 8. Cyclones RB Alexander Robinson, who ran wild on the Buffs' defense for 138 yards, was held to just 51 yards and 3.2 a carry, his lowest average this year. ISU was held scoreless until the fourth quarter and QB Austin Arnaud was intercepted three times. Pokes RB Keith Toston ran for 206 yards on the Cyclones and three scores.

One has to wonder if the Buffs will come out and play with an pride after being eliminated from postseason play for the third time in four years. With the season already an embarrassment, this national appearance could be very dangerous if Colorado comes out like they usually do on the road - uninspired, timid and lacking confidence - but now with even less to play for. Last week's loss also marks the fourth consecutive season with a losing record, all under Dan Hawkins. As you know, Hawkins at Colorado is 2 - 18 on the road and 3 - 20 when the game is not played in Boulder. Last season, Oklahoma State beat the Buffs 30 - 17 in Folsom, racking up 443 total yards, 226 of which came on the ground. With the injury to Robinson against Tech and the desire to protect him for the Sooners in two weeks, you can expect a heavy dose of Toston and Hunter on Thursday night.

13 days and counting...

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 11.12.09

Seth C — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:50:12 -0000

2010 Schedule Madness: As you guys have already found out, Texas Tech released their 2010 schedule and, although it's not set in stone apparently, the TCU Horned Frogs game may be delayed to 2011 and 2012 as Texas Tech AD Gerald Myers has shuffled the deck chairs in order to get more television time. Here is Myers on late Wednesday per FWST's Stefan Stevenson:

"That schedule is really unofficial," Myers said. "We’ve still got some work to do on that. We don’t have the contracts signed for a couple of those games. We just inadvertently got that up on our Web site."

I think I'm firmly on the side of the fence that Texas Tech has to take chances in order to get more face time and the additional revenue that being on ESPN, ABC or ESPN2 brings to the program is a big part of this program's continued success. Since I wasn't in any sort of meeting regarding the schedule, I again assume that this simply came down to money and how much money Texas Tech could maximize out of the former opponents versus the new opponents. We discussed the disparity in coaches salaries yesterday and this is just another way to try and get that a little more even.

Sheffield Continues Improvement: LAJ's Don Williams writes that QB Steven Sheffield continues to do a little more in 11-on-11 team drills:

During Wednesday’s team period, Taylor Potts took about two-thirds of the snaps at quarterback, Sheffield about one-third and Seth Doege none, the A-J learned. That being the case, it appears likely Potts will get the start on Saturday when Tech plays No. 17 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.

Sharpe Near Nation's Best: FWST's Dwain Price talks with Captain Mike Leach about why DE Brandon Sharpe is having:

"I think he's a little better than you've seen so far,'' Leach said. "There is a level of timing, and as you have success you see it and it's reinforced in your mind a little bit. You keep rolling along and it gets better and better.

"I think that's what's happening now with the timing and visualization of what can happen if you do this technique and that technique really fast. I think as he gets rewarded more, then he will improve more.''

Oklahoma St. Cowboy and Big 12 Links: Per the Daily O'Collegian, safety Victor Johnson tore his ACL on Wednesday and is out for the rest of the year . . . NewsOK's Brandon Chatman on the Cowboys chances to go to a BCS bowl . . . Rock M Nation's Bill C.'s Beyond the Box Score picks for the week (the computers say to pick OSU) . . . Phil Steel also picks the Cowboys . . . FWST's Jimmy Burch has the remedy for the Big 12 teams' woes . . . DT's Adam Coleman writes that the Oklahoma St. offense is still potent . . . LAJ's Adam Zuvanich writes that the OSU offense is led by LT Russell Okung . . . Rivals.com's Olin Buchanan previews the Big 12 weekend . . .

2010 Signees: LAJ's Courtney Linehan runs down the 2010 men's basketball signees and right now, SG James Outler is the only official signee, but also expected to send in their letters of intent are PG Javarez Willis and PF Paul Cooper. Here's Linehan and Outler on head coach Pat Knight:

Jamel Outler knew when college coaches weren’t quite honest about their plans if he played for them. He remembers some saying they had four open scholarships, even though he’d look at their rosters and see only one guard leaving this season. It made him wonder how serious schools really were if they offered one spot to four different players and agreed to take the first one who would commit.

Outler says it was never that way with Texas Tech.

"Coach Pat (Knight) was so laid-back, so relaxed, so honest," Outler said. "He was the only coach who was recruiting me like that."

South Dakota Preview: DT's Mike Graham takes a look at the Red Raiders first opponent, the South Dakota Coyotes, as this is their 2nd full season as a Division I team, but are also expected to win their conference and have the preseason player of the year in Tyler Cain.

Explanation of Tempo-Free Stats: The Only Colors (SBN's Michigan St. blog) has an excellent explanation of tempo-free stats.

Big 12 Previews: DMN . . . FWST . . . Chron . . .

Local Players Sign: LAJ's George Watson and Adam Zuvanich write about the three local players who have signed with the baseball team: Coronado's C Mason Randolph and 3B/P Hunter Scott and Monterey's P Ryan Reagor.

Five Reasons Texas Tech Will Lose :: Oklahoma St. Cowboys Edition

Seth C — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:00:41 -0000

This weekly feature considers five reasons why Texas Tech will win and five reasons Texas Tech will lose to each opponent. Check back tomorrow for "Five Reasons Texas Tech Will Win :: Oklahoma St. Cowboys Edition".

Reason #1 :: Which Team Will Show Up: It was just 3 weeks ago in that this Texas Tech defense gave up 321 yards to a TAMU offense that was about 30th in the country in rushing offense. This week, the Red Raiders face off against the 20th best rushing offense in the country and the majority of the carries are being split between 3 players: RB Keith Toston (155 att. for 882 yds), RB Beau Johnson (74 att. for 297 yds) and QB Zac Robinson (76 att. for 203 yds). The Texas Tech defense would be well served to look back at that TAMU tape and remind themselves that simply rushing up the field without containing Robinson will be a huge mistake. In other words, it can happen. Granted, the Red Raiders didn't have the luxury of having DE Brandon Sharpe fully healthy for that game, but the key is that the same team that showed up against Kansas St., Nebraska and Kansas needs to show up on Saturday.

Reason #2 :: Defensive No-Names: Quick, name one starter for the OSU defense. You could probably say that CB Perrish Cox and possibly is known amongst college football enthusiasts and I think you could have said that Patrick Levine is a familiar name, but the Oklahoma St. defense is getting the job done quietly. Sure, they've had their bad games, including the Houston game where the defense gave up 512 total yards and the Texas game where the offense struggled with turnovers and attempting to keep pace with the Longhorns, but relatively speaking, the defense has been pretty good. Donald Booker, Ugo Chinasa and Richetti Jones are leading the pass rush, but as a unit this group is average. The same goes for TFL, where the team is again fairly average in this area and is led by Lucien Antoine, Donald Booker and Richetti Jones. The team leader in interceptions is linebacker Patrick Levine with 4, while Perrish Cox and Terrance Anderson each have 2. OSU's defensive coordinator Bill Young is doing an excellent job of stopping the run, as the defense has given up less than 100 yards for the past 4 games (Missouri, Baylor, Texas and Iowa St.), and despite what you may read, stopping the run is traditionally a good sign for a defense.

Reason #3 :: Replacing Playmakers: A program has depth if a team can lose it's 2 most imporant players and still only have 2 losses for the year. The loss of WR Dez Bryant and RB Kendall Hunter have been huge for the Cowboys, although it's not as if schools do not have to replace players all the time. The production is slightly off from last year (about 80 yards a game from 2008), but without a player on the outside, or a play-making tight end to help loosen the field, this offense has really been very efficient and pretty good for most of the year. It's not as explosive, but the cowboys are still averaging almost 200 yards rushing a game and WR Hubert Anyiam isn't as explosive as Bryant, but he's shown the ability to have big games, including 119 yards against Mizzou.

Reason #4 :: Pass Defense: In OSU's 7 wins this year, they are holding opponents to a 105.00 passer rating, 10 interceptions and 7 touchdowns. The Cowboys sit right behind the Red Raiders in passes defended and have 11 interceptions, 45 passes broken up, which is good for 56 passes defended for the year. OSU has the athletes to play good pass defense, pressuring receivers and creating turnovers. Much like Texas Tech, the Cowboys have slowly but surely improved the type of athlete. The difference between these two schools is that OSU has not yet found a defensive lineman that opposing teams must account for during the game, but perhaps that's further testament to Young's ability to coach in that he's having success without a standout player along the front four. Make no mistake that defensive coordinator Bill Young and the players are taking this game personally, after what happened last year and after the Houston loss:

On if the Oklahoma State players feel challenged to stop the pass after the Houston game: "I certainly hope they feel that way. We all feel that way. Our coaches and players, we all feel that way. We didn’t play as well as we needed to against Houston and it’s an opportunity to bounce back and show that we can do that and it’s going to be a tremendous challenge for us because they are the ones that invented the offense that Houston ran."

Reason #5 :: No Sacks: The Texas Tech pass rush versus the Oklahoma St. offensive line is truly an interesting matchup. The Cowboys have only given up 4 sacks . . . for the year, which is good for 1st in the nation. The Red Raiders are tied for 3rd in the nation in sacks. The Oklahoma St. offensive line begins with LT Russell Okung who may be the best offensive lineman in the country, certainly the Big 12. You would expect that this is a matchup between DE Brandon Sharpe and perhaps DE Daniel Howard goes up against Okung in the hopes that the Red Raiders can get Sharpe matched up against RT Brady Bond, who is good, but not as good as Okung. This matchup makes me nervous because I do think the offensive line does an outstanding job of protecting the quarterback and getting a positive push on opposing defensive lines. In fact, the Cowboys are 1st in the conference in tackles for loss allowed at 3.22 (the team closest to the Cowboys is Iowa St. at 4.40).

In the Trenches - Answering the Call

burnt in ny — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:33:24 -0000

July 30 2009 - In a pre-season fanpost, I expressed the following concern for the upcoming season

As evidenced in last year's games against Oklahoma State and Ohio State, Texas's defense, which is increasingly designed to emphasize speed and quickness in order to match up with spread offenses, is vulnerable to power rushing attacks.

Numerous pre-season posts expressed anxiety about Texas' defensive tackles behind Lamarr Houston, who was an unknown commodity himself, such as perceived journeyman Ben Alexander and green redshirt sophomore Kheeston Randall. Visions of helpless collapses against power running teams in critical games filled everyone's heads. 2009 could be the year of Motown's Lamarr and the Space-Eaters against the blitzkriegs of Chris Brown, Kendall Hunter, Christine Michael, Tim Tebow, or Mark Ingram. The Horns might even have to use, gasp!, true freshmen Calvin Howell and Derek Johnson. The call went out by anxious UT fans for anyone, anyone to step up.

The Space Eaters - Ben Alexander (92) and Kheeston Randall (91)

Sure, UT could win 10 and maybe even make a BCS bowl (little did we know that there might be as many as 6 undefeated teams after 9 weeks in the 2009 season), but if it was the 2009 mythical national championship the Horns wanted, these guys had to step up.

Jimmy Hoffa, from the grave, "I need some nasty, beefy guys up front, and not ya cousin Guido. Whatevah it takes, capisce?!"

November 1, 2009. Basking in the glow of 41-14, the report is in: The call was ANSWERED!

For the details and more on the offensive line, Will Muschamp, and other tidbits, make the jump!

The Evolution of the Defensive Tackles: Space Eaters to Gap Monsters

No doubt, the Cowboys thought they could build on last year''s success and overpower the spread-ready Texas D. From the first offensive play, Oklahoma State's strategy was clear. Double the strongside DE (Acho or Kindle) with a tackle (Russell Okung or Brady Bond) and tight end Wilson Youman. Let Lamarr Houston penetrate into the play and have Keith Toston cut back behind a double team from guard Noah Franklin and center Andrew Lewis on the presumed sacrificial Kheeston Randall. Randall holds position with his shoulders underneath Lewis, and then when Franklin leaves to block Rodderick Muckelroy, he reaches out and slaps the ball out of Toston's hands, luckily recovered by Oklahoma State. OK, not exactly chopped liver, but it's one play.

On the first drive, powered largely by Zac Robinson's scrambling and a couple of trick plays, OSU ran some variation of the inside power run at Kheeston Randall 6 times. In the half they tried it 8 times The result: gains of 2, 2, 3, 1, 3, 4, 5, and 3 yards. That's a 3.8 ypc average if you're calculating at home. Not exactly 2008, when the Pokes averaged over 6 yards per carry. On all six runs, either Randall or Houston was able to slide off their block into the gap chosen by Toston, or were able to tie up two offensive linemen without losing ground for long enough to let Keenan Robinson or Roddrick Muckelroy make the tackle.

Even more interestingly, on the second drive, OSU abandoned the inside run almost completely (only two more inside runs the rest of the half) and instead began to attack Texas' corners. In the next 7 plays, 3 before and 4 after Jordan Shipley's fumbled punt, and ending the dropped fourth down pass in the end zone by Hubert Anyiam, OSU ran speed options to the outside or passed. They did not make a first down on either drive, and both Houston and Randall had QB pressures. Indeed, for most of the game the primary pressure on Zac Robinson was from either Houston or Randall.

This is worth taking a moment to appreciate. The play of the Longhorn defensive tackles, perceived to be a weakness at the beginning of the season by the fans and clearly also by Mike Gundy (otherwise why call 6 inside runs?) so completely defeats the OSU power running game that the Cowboys have to go to Game Plan B after the first drive. This shift in offensive philosophy eventually leaves Robinson vulnerable to the Texas secondary and perhaps provided the key to the blowout. While the Houtson-Randall-Alexander trifecta may not be composed of the best individual defensive tackles in the Big 12, they are good enough to stop the best power running team on the schedule without altering the defensive formation or changing personnel.

34 or 43: Which is the Magic Number?

The average fan is often aware of offensive formations (Wildhorn vs. empty set, etc.) but oblivious to details in defensive formations. Texas features a "Buck" package with Sergio Kindle as the "Buck" linebacker who can put a hand on the ground as a defensive end (to make a 4-3 alignment) or line up as a linebacker (to create a 3-4). The 3-4 alignment allows Will Muschamp to move Kindle around and create confusion in the blocking scheme. The success of the 3-4 alignment depends heavily on Texas having a strong presence at the nose, and Kheeston Randall filled that bill pretty well. A 3-4 defense is strongest against the pass because of the flexibility and uncertainty it creates for the offense in choosing routes and pass-blocking assignments. The 4-3 has the greatest potential against the run because the defensive tackles can take just one gap and penetrate and the linebackers are more protected.

In the Oklahoma State game, Texas switched regularly between the two alignments, and with largely the same personnel on the field. Although both fronts played well, there was a striking difference in OSU's performance against the two that highlights their strengths and weaknesses. Oklahoma State ran (not counting QB scrambles) against the 4-3 front 5 times in the first four drives, gaining 3 total yards (0.6 ypc). They ran against the 3-4 front 9 times, gaining 45 yards (5 ypc), with two runs accounting for 20 of the 45, including a 13 yard "jet sweep" by Travis Miller. On the other hand, Robinson passed against the 4-3 alignment 8 times, going 4-7 for 31 yards and an added 5 yard scramble (4.5 yards per play). Against the 3-4 front, Robinson threw five incompletions and had one scramble for 5 yards (0.8 yards per play). By the second quarter, Robinson was checking in and out of running plays to try to avoid running against the 4-3. Eventually, that caught up with him as he checked out of a run on 3rd and 2 from the Texas 30, only to throw the pick six to Curtis Brown.

The moral of these stats is that there will be a little cat and mouse game every week with opposing offenses trying to avoid running against the 4-3 and passing against the 3-4. The dominance of each defensive front against the offense it is designed to stop allows Texas to play against the offensive tendency, such as to expect a playaction pass on first down against its 4-3 or expect a run against its 3-4. Reducing an offense's playbook by half is a powerful defensive weapon.

Muschamp, You Wily Fox, You

Muschamp, the fox, playing with the mind of Zac Robinson. No chance, mouse: 41-14!

In going back over my notes and studying the tactics of both teams' playcalling, I'm convinced (without proof of course) that Muschamp baited Zac Robinson into Earl Thomas' interception. One of the great things about spread offenses is that receivers' routes are dictated by coverage, which allows the receiver to exploit the right seam or gap in the defense. However, I think that one of the reasons Texas' offense is struggling as much as it has this year is because defenses have now learned what choices receivers and QB's tend to make against particular formations. Defenses can now "show" one formation, know what choice a QB will make, and then run someone to that spot to jump the route. Against OSU, Earl Thomas began to run with the slot receiver, likely knowing that if he went with the receiver, Robinson would make the read to throw to the receiver running underneath to the area Thomas vacated. Knowing that, Earl released his man to Gideon deep and jumped the underneath route. If a defense gets to the point of responding to an offense's read rather than the actual player movements, then the offense will suffer the fate of the poor mouse in the photo, especially since there's no hole in the snow for an offense to hide.

Takin' it to the house!

Jekyll and Hyde, Version 2009.8

The offensive line that is. Frankly, I'm tired of analyzing the line's play because it's the same infuriating play every week. Any given individual along the line makes 3 great plays, 3 okay plays, and one really bad play. Against OSU, it was MOS. Chris Hall lets the defender get underneath him and thus enough penetration to trip Colt McCoy for a first down on 3rd and 2 in the red zone (Texas 3-0 instead of 7-0). Adam Ulatoski takes the wrong pass rusher and Colt takes a sack (end of drive). Charlie Tanner turns his head to the left and a blitzing LB goes by him to his right - sack and end of drive.

The good news is that, for the first time in three games, the OL was not physically overmatched at any time. The bad news is that this means it's all mental and after 140 collective starts or whatever it is, there shouldn't be this many mental errors. The offensive line is like an old house with faulty wiring: when you flip the switch, the light comes on most of the time, and good luck figuring out why it doesn't come on a few times. That said, GD had better be careful in how much he relies on only the core 5 offensive linemen to protect Colt. Five wide may be a nice change of pace, but an entire series of plays based on it, or using it on third and long, is going to get Colt injured or result in a turnover.

Greg Davis is a Genius

In an ode to GhostofBigRoy's call for series-based playcalling, I give you Texas' third drive against the Pokes at 14:25 of the second quarter. The previous (second) drive self-destructed from missed blocks by Greg Smith and Chris Hall and a failed run on first down, Colt throwing to a triple-covered Shipley for 3 yards when James Kirkendoll was 10 yards from anyone wide open 3 yards downfield on the opposite side of the play on second down, and a missed block by David Snow allowing Colt to get tripped up on a QB scramble.

With visions of Wyoming and Colorado dancing in the fans' heads, Texas started their third drive, after Hubert Anyiam's fumble, with three plays from 4 or 5 wide receiver sets. After overcoming a first down failure of the empty backfield and a sack of Colt, the Horns started first down on the OSU 38. The Horns, using their 11 personnel set with a running back and Greg Smith as the TE, ran the most beautiful series of running plays of the season.

1st down - Jet sweep to Marquise Goodwin (surprise, not DJ Monroe) for 7 yards.

2nd down - Spread counter to Cody Johnson up the middle for 7 yards. Charlie Tanner had awesome lead block.

1st down - Fake the jet sweep to the left and run Fozzy on a counter sweep to the right for 6 yards.

2nd down - Zone read, the DE crashes on Fozzy to seal the backcut, and Colt keeps for 6 yards.

1st down - Play action, fake the zone stretch left, Colt rolls out to the right and finds Marquise Goodwin in a seam vacated by Jordan Shipley's crossing route for 11 yards.

1st down - Jumbo package - Cody Johnson goes 2 yards and breaks the plane of the goal line - touchdown.

So the next time someone tells you that Texas has no running game, no misdirection, or no playaction passing, you can whip this out. The Horns have now used multiple plays to set up multiple other plays on the same drive, including in the running game. MORE OF THIS PLEASE!

Greg Davis goes from genius to imbecile on the same drive

It's the first drive of the second half. After the best playaction pass of the year for 44 yards to Malcolm Williams on a post pattern vacated, once again, by a Shipley crossing route underneath, Texas has the ball on the OSU 20. We're seconds away from 31-7 and good night ladies....

1st down - Cody Johnson on the zone stretch, cuts back inside and, with a good block from Buckner, gets 6 yards.

(Yeah, baby, pound it home!)

2nd down and 3 - Oops, OSU dances in front of Adam Ulatoski, threatening the blitz. Uli decides to tango. False start -5 yards.

2nd down and 8 - Davis can't get the play in in time AFTER A PENALTY &^&%&I. - 5 yards

2nd down and 13 - Let's call a play that hasn't worked all year against a defense that isn't blitzing. Shovel pass to Fozzy, who is clocked by an unblocked linebacker. - 4 yards

3rd down and 17 - Using 11 personnel (Okay, the Horns aren't running, it must be for max protect), Greg Smith runs out in the flat, Colt gets harassed and throws it to Smith for 5 yards.

4th down and 12 from the OSU 23 - Hunter Lawrence bails out the Horns with a 40-yard field goal.

What does it all mean?

Somehow, out of the flickering lights of GD's brain and the offensive line's attention span, Texas has a top offense that is going to look unstoppable on some series and infuriating on others. It is what it is, and I will officially stop complaining from now on and start appreciating it when the lights are fully on.

Okung solidifies himself as top 10 pick

Mocking Dan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:44:04 -0000

Oklahoma State may have been dominated 41-14 by Texas on Saturday, but the Cowboys still had the best player on the field.

That would be senior left tackle Russell Okung. Against one of the best pass rushes in the nation, Okung was stellar. Neither Texas starting defensive end -- Sergio Kindle and Sam Acho -- registered a sack or a tackle for loss.

Okung showed every aspect of his game on Saturday. Against Ocho's deep outside pass rush, Okung effortlessly slid around the edge to seal off. When Kindle tried to bull rush, Okung sunk his hips, repositioned the end and neutralized him. On run plays Okung kept his legs moving finishing off his blocks.

Those are precisely the skills that make Okung clearly the best left tackle prospect in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Also see: Russell Okung NFL Draft scouting report

NFL Draft scouting report: Russell Okung

Mocking Dan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:19:24 -0000

Russell Okung

6'5, 300 pounds | Oklahoma State

Positives: In pass blocking, Okung displays a great initial kick slide off the snap. Moves back inside nicely to neutralize spin moves. Seems to be an intelligent player who shows good blitz recognition and is awareness against stunts.

Has shown the ability to shutdown an opponent's best pass rushers -- see 2009 Texas game. Properly uses his length to create space. Handles strong pass rushers really well.

He's a powerful player who really uses his legs well to drive defenders backward. His strength is ready for the next level, evident in his ability to move defenders down the line on running plays. He also displays good tenacity to snap off a punch and also finish off his blocks.

Clearly his durability is a big plus and he doesn't appear to wear down late in games and has had few injury issues. He's also developed into a leader for the Cowboys' high-octane offense.

Negatives: When Okung has to move around on the second level he looks a little heavy footed and has some trouble locking on a moving target.

Where he falters from time to time in pass protection is his second and third steps. He'll often short step instead of slide step. This allows quicker defensive ends who understand proper technique to get under his pads around the edge. He has the athleticism, however, to remedy this problem.

Where he needs to improve the most in pass protection is his stance. He'll get too high and lose lose leverage. This is mostly a product of standing up off the snap in Oklahoma State's spread offense. Still, it's an issue that will have to be worked on.

One of the things that you can question right now about Okung is his size. Billed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, Okung doesn't look quite that tall and his appears don't look especially long. However, this is somewhat impossible to determine until he gets checked out at the NFL Scouting Combine. His frame, though, looks to be quite filled out.

Final word: Over his career, Okung has developed into the best offensive tackle in college football. He has the kind of athleticism required of a blind-side blocker in the NFL. His pass protection is very good and once he learns better leverage he can become a Pro Bowl-level left tackle.

Playing in 874 snaps as a junior, he led the Cowboys with 27 "dominating blocks," many of which came in the run game.

Compares favorably to Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady. Okung is clearly a top 10 talent and it seems likely he'll be drafted higher.