SB Nation - Josh Cooper

Cleveland Browns Practice Squad, Sanford and Paxson Waived

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:21:18 -0000

Once players cleared waivers at 12:00 PM EDT on Saturday, teams were permitted to form their practice squads. Here is the Cleveland Browns' practice squad to begin the 2012 season:

FB Brad Smelley
WR Josh Cooper
OG J.B. Shugarts
OG Jarrod Shaw
C Garth Gerhart
DT Ronnie Cameron
LB Benjamin Jacobs
LB Solomon Elimimian (from the Vikings)

After making the 53-man roster initially, the Browns also waived DL Brian Sanford and waived/injured DT Scott Paxson. Taking their place are LB Tank Carder and DT Ishmaa'ily Kitchen.

In injury-related news, running back Trent Richardson did not return to practice, but tight end Benjamin Watson did after missing several weeks of action. Team president Mike Holmgren is expected to meet with the media this afternoon, perhaps to deliver a "state of the Browns."

Browns Position Battle Review Before Packers Game

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:02:48 -0000

A few weeks ago, we looked at five positions battles on the Cleveland Browns. As the team heads into their second preseason game, how are things shaping out in each of those battles?

#1 - Slot WR: I originally thought the slot receiver position would be a battle between Joshua Cribbs, Josh Cooper, Josh Gordon, and Jordan Norwood. The reality is that three of those guys haven't even really seen reps with the first-team offense. The only guy who has seen regular reps with the first-team offense is Josh Gordon, but not as the slot receiver. In a twist, when the team uses three-receiver sets, they are moving Greg Little to the slot and letting Gordon and Mohamed Massaquoi play on the outside. My original pick was that Norwood would be the team's slot receiver, so it was a surprise that he was seemingly absent for the first few weeks of camp. Pat Shurmur acknowledged this week that Norwood has been battling a back injury, but if last week's preseason game is any indication, he is doing better. It looks like the team likes Little in the slot, so he's the new favorite to fulfill that role.

#2 - LDT to Replace Phil Taylor: This was originally a battle between veterans Scott Paxson and Brian Schaefering, and rookies John Hughes and Billy Winn. Paxson suffered an injury in last week's game, so it looks like he might drop out of the running if he doesn't get healthier soon. Schaefering has been battling injuries, but has still been part of a three-man rotation with Hughes and Winn. The battle for this position is still heating up, and in the end, I still don't think we'll have a definitive winner (i.e. the team will opt for a rotation). In terms of physicality, I've been most impressed with Winn at camp.

#3 - Free Safety: There was never a competition. Usama Young has been sidelined most of camp with an injury, but that isn't the reason why Eric Hagg is starting: the coaches really like him there. Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram notes that defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is "confident Hagg has seized starting job and won't let it go."

#4 - Outside Linebacker: Originally, there was a competition between James-Michael Johnson and Kaluka Maiava to see who would fill in for Scott Fujita while he served a suspension for the first three games of the season. Things have changed drastically since then. The other outside linebacker, Chris Gocong, suffered a season-ending Achilles' injury. That means Maiava is now a lock to start over there, while Johnson is pretty much a lock to start for Fujita through Week 3. The Browns need another veteran in the starting rotation, so Fujita is heavily favored to start now over Johnson in Week 4.

#5 - Fullback: The battle between Owen Marecic and Brad Smelley is tipping in favor of Smelley. Although Marecic continues to see reps with the first-team offense, there still doesn't appear to be anything special in his game. Smelley made a nice reception for a touchdown last week, and even Bernie Kosar pointed how "Marecic really hasn't done anything in his year and a half here" during last week's preseason broadcast. Ouch. My hunch is that both guys still make the roster and that Marecic starts, but we'll see.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2012: WR Preview (Can Cooper Squeeze In?)

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:11:48 -0000

As if it wasn't difficult enough to sift through the first six wide receivers on the Cleveland Browns depth chart, when you look at a few of the guys behind them, you kind of start wishing you could keep more than 53 players on your team. Today's preview takes a look at wide receivers Carlton Mitchell, Josh Cooper, Rod Windsor, Bert Reed, Jermaine Saffold, and Owen Spencer.

7. CARLTON MITCHELL - TWITTER-SAVVY WIDE RECEIVER

Carlton Mitchell (#18)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215
Age: 24
Experience: 3 years
College: South Florida
Note: Pegged as having a lot of upside...might be running out of time to showcase it.

Mitchell had a glimmer of home at making the team this year up until last week when Josh Gordon arrived. A sixth-round pick by the Browns back in 2010, Mitchell has been patiently waiting for his opportunity to shine. He did not play in his rookie season, and his playing time was limited at the beginning of last season after he had surgery on one of his fingers. Mitchell finished the season with 3 catches for 31 yards, all of which came over the final two games of the season.

Mitchell has gained somewhat of a cult following due to the humor he has expressed on his Twitter account, as well as the fact that some fans have felt that he has breakout potential. He has some of the same physical tools that Gordon has, but you have to imagine the coaches won't think twice about getting Gordon into the lineup over Mitchell. This is Mitchell's third and possibly final year to try to make an impact in training camp. Unfortunately, the numbers aren't in his favor this time around, and he is no longer eligible to make the practice squad.

Final Roster Odds: 5%

8. JOSH COOPER - COMPETING FOR SLOT WIDE RECEIVER

Josh Cooper (#88)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 190
Age: 23
Experience: Rookie
College: Oklahoma State
Note: He was Weeden's No. 2 receiver in college...could fulfill the slot receiver role.

Sure, I am interested in seeing what happens with all of the Browns' receivers at this year's training camp. The receiver I am most interested in right now is Cooper.

The Browns want to make sure that Brandon Weeden has as smooth of a transition to the NFL as quick as possible. Cooper was Weeden's No. 2 receiver behind Justin Blackmon at Oklahoma State, so the two obviously have some chemistry together. Cooper will also be bunking with Weeden when training camp begins. The question is this: how much "special treatment" will Cooper receive from the coaching staff to begin training camp?

Usually, undrafted free agents start off by working with the third-team offense, and possibly work their way up to the second-team offense. Does Pat Shurmur want Weeden to have Cooper as a security blanket throughout all of training camp? If so, does that give him an unexpected edge to be the team's slot receiver in 2012, making a guy like Jordan Norwood expendable? Or, does Cooper get treated like the guys below him in this review: he'll work with McCoy or Wallace, hoping to catch on as a practice squad player? Cooper reportedly looked very good in OTAs and minicamp, so he could be on his way to working with the first-team offense.

Final Roster Odds: 27%
Practice Squad Odds: 80% (if he doesn't make the final roster)

9. ROD WINDSOR - RETURNING PRACTICE SQUAD WIDE RECEIVER

Rod Windsor (#13)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
Age: 27
Experience: 2 years
College: Western New Mexico
Note: Was on the practice squad most of 2011...good hands, but not physical.

Windsor was one of the guys who had a pretty good training camp and preseason last year with the Browns. He spent most of the season on the practice squad, but was promoted to the 53-man roster for the final two weeks of the season.

Scouting reports say that Windsor has a high football IQ, good hands, and pretty good speed. His downside is that despite his size, he is not very physical and has a tough time getting off of jam coverage. He is labeled as being "one-dimensional." The Browns liked what they saw from Windsor last year, so depending on how things work out with Cooper, Windsor could end up on the practice squad again.

Final Roster Odds: <1%
Practice Squad Odds: 50%

10. BERT REED - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT WIDE RECEIVER

Bert Reed (#83)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
Age: 24
Experience: Rookie
College: Florida State
Note: Oddly deemed a high-priority signing by Shurmur...good speed.

As a senior at Florida State, Reed registered 29 catches for 403 yards and five touchdowns. Reed is listed ahead of the remaining two players because, for whatever reason, Pat Shurmur singled him out by saying he was a "high-priority signing." Coaches don't usually say that about undrafted free agents.

According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN and Scott Petrak from the Chronicle-Telegram, Reed stood out during the offseason programs due to his quickness. He was officially clocked with a 4.46 (not at the combine), but several scouts reported him being in the 4.3's. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Windsor and Reed, who are on the opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of size, competing against each other for a spot on the practice squad.

Final Roster Odds: <1%
Practice Squad Odds: 30%

11. JERMAINE SAFFOLD - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT WIDE RECEIVER

Jermaine Saffold (#85)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200
Age: 23
Experience: Rookie
College: Missouri State
Note: Seems to have elite level speed on the clock...does not match it with quickness.

During his senior season at Missouri State, Saffold had 45 catches for 913 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also possesses great speed, as he was clocked with a 4.36 40-time.

Sports Illustrated says that he uses his frame well to shield off defenders. His downside is that although he's fast, he does not have an elite "burst" and has average quickness. Saffold must be a guy that people like to photograph; out of all the teams backup receivers, he had the most pictures to choose from (six). Between Travis Benjamin, Reed, Saffold, etc, Cleveland is definitely hoping one of these guys catch on with their speed and ability to stretch the field.

Final Roster Odds: <1%
Practice Squad Odds: 20%

12. OWEN SPENCER - RENT-A-RECEIVER SPECIALIST

Owen Spencer (#17)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Age: 24
Experience: 1 year
College: North Carolina State
Note: Bounced around five different teams in 2011...will he finally stick in Cleveland?

Why is Owen Spencer a "rent-a-receiver specialist?"

Last year, Spencer signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent. He was with the team through training camp, but was waived before the start of the season. The rest of Spencer's season looked like this:

Two weeks on Seattle's practice squad.

Two weeks on Detroit's practice squad.

One week on Minnesota's practice squad.

One week on Cleveland's practice squad.

For whatever reason, Spencer showed something on film for so many teams to be interested in him throughout the season. On the same note, for him to be waived as often he was waived, he must not have been too hot of a commodity. Spencer's chances might be better than the guys listed above him, but at this point, you're grasping at straws trying to evaluate these guys -- we'll just have to see how things turn out in camp.

Final Roster Odds: <1%
Practice Squad Odds: 10%

That concludes our wide receiver preview and our "See Ball, Catch Ball...and Block" theme. Our next theme, "Hard Hitting and Klutch Kicks," will take a look at the linebacker position and the team's special teams unit. Today's poll asks what you think the fate will be for Carlton Mitchell and Josh Cooper. Read the choices carefully so you don't jump the gun when voting.

Poll

How will things turn out for wide receivers Carlton Mitchell and Josh Cooper this year?

Mitchell and Cooper both make the team.

41 votes

Mitchell makes the team, Cooper makes the practice squad.

60 votes

Mitchell gets waived, Cooper makes the team.

145 votes

Mitchell gets waived, Cooper makes the practice squad.

103 votes

349 votes | Poll has closed

Mizzou Links, 10-19-11

Bill C. — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:06:56 -0000

Mizzou Football Links

OSU
The Missourian: Tigers' secondary facing big test against Oklahoma State

Unlike against Kansas State, which does not rely on the passing game, and against Iowa State, which cannot rely on anything, the Missouri secondary will get a sense if it has improved since the loss to Oklahoma four weeks ago.

Ford thinks so. He said the Oklahoma game taught the secondary the hard way that communicating what defense it needs to be in — before the fast-pace offense snaps again — is critical.

"The athletes they have across the board, man, if you're not on top of your game, they can get behind you real fast," he said.

Unfortunately, those athletes are not limited to Blackmon. He accounts for seven of the team's 19 receiving touchdowns, and receivers Josh Cooper and Hubert Anyiam each average more than 50 yards per game.

"That's what so difficult about them, they got a gang-load of receivers," cornerback Trey Hobson said. "You got to account for Blackmon, but their other receivers can hurt you, so it’ll be a game where the whole secondary is going to have to be focused."

PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: Pinkel on OSU
CBS Sports: Keys to the Game: Missouri vs. Oklahoma State
Cowboys Ride For Free: Midway Through The Season, What Needs To Be Fixed?
Ground Game
The Trib: Improbably, MU football thriving by running

Personnel changes in the backfield have coincided with a shift in philosophy for the offense, the kind that calls for 58 running plays in one game, as the Tigers did in Saturday’s 52-17 win over Iowa State, their most rushing attempts in a game since 2002.

That was three years before Missouri remade its offense with a no-huddle spread attack that spawned pass-prolific quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert.

Now, the Tigers still employ the spread but with a willingness to change their stripes. Quarterback James Franklin has routinely taken snaps from under center on short-yardage plays and kept the ball or handed off to a tailback, sometimes with a fullback stationed between them. It’s the kind of conventional approach MU coaches had been reluctant to try since adopting the spread.

"It’s a big help, because it’s something different," tailback Henry Josey said. "Nobody thinks we can do that or that we’re a bruising type offense. But we can do that, too."

Post-Dispatch: Henry Josey bursts forth for Mizzou
PowerMizzou: Tuesday's Top Tigers
LUUUUUUUUUUUKE
KC Star: Missouri linebacker Luke Lambert makes the most of extra year of eligibility
NFL
Niners Nation: Buying Spaghetti With Justin Smith
49ers.com: Aldon Smith Earns Second Rookie Nomination
We Are Mizzou: Tigers in the NFL

MIZZOUEXPANSIONAPALOOZA™ 2011

Self-Share Again!
SB Nation: Conference Realignment: EXPANSIONAPALOOZA 2011 And The Balance Of Power
Train Keeps A-Rolling
ArkansasNews.com: [Arkansas AD] Long has news on A&M, SEC

During his speech, Long said the SEC is preparing a 13-team schedule for 2012, but he is still hopeful the league can add a 14th team. The deadline for doing so is "coming quickly," but he would not elaborate.

It is imperative, he told the audience, that the league get to 14 teams. Otherwise, there will be inequities in the schedule, he said. "We won’t stay long as a 13-team conference," he said.

Leaders of other SEC schools have made similar statements.

Long told the Touchdown Club that there are a "number of institutions interested" in the SEC. In a brief news conference after the luncheon, he would not name names. Nobody expected him to do so.

He did acknowledge a gentleman’s agreement of sorts that the SEC would not invite a school from a state that already has a school in the league. Such an agreement would preclude Clemson, Florida State, and Georgia Tech, among others. A 14th member also must be a geographic fit, he said,

"There are not a whole lot of options out there," he said. The SEC is "being cautious and rightfully so."

The Missourian (AP): McCaskill; Mixed emotions about MU's possible move to SEC
KC Star (Campus Corner): Big 12 future with and w/out Mizzou
Team Speed Kills: A proposal for SEC football realignment
Kansas City
Bring On The Cats: It's (Past Time) to Step Up, Kansas City
The Future
EDSBS: BEHOLD THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS: THE SUNBEAST
The Big East
Post-Dispatch: MU's decision impacts Big East
College Football Talk: Big East confirms upped exit fees, no invites sent yet
The Nova Blog: [Commissioner] John Marinatto Conference Call Highlights
History'd
Athlon Sports (Ivan Maisel): What the Birth of the Big 12 Tells Us About Its Current Struggle
Danny Dan
Yahoo Sports Radio: Dan Weztel CFB Podcast With "Dan Beebe"

Other

NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRDS
McKinsey Quarterly: Competing through data: Three experts offer their game plans
This Would Suck
ESPN Soccernet (James Dall): Selling football's soul
So Cool...
Splitsider.com: Watch All 7 of Last Week's Community Timelines Simultaneously

UFL Features a Ridiculous Number of Former Saint Players

Andrew Juge — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:00:27 -0000

Reading HansDat's post the other day about the UFL peaked my interest enough to take a look at what teams are out there and who is on their roster. What blew my mind was the number of names I recognized as Saint cast-offs. Some of them were terrible and barely made it through training camp, while others were actually serviceable.

Check out some of the former Saint names:

DT McKinley Boykin

DE Josh Cooper

WR Mike Hass

DT Antwan Lake

TE Nate Lawrie

LB Terrance Melton

G Rob Petitti

DE Josh Savage

DE Renaldo Wynn

Other random notable names: K Matt Bryant, HB Maurice Clarett, WR Michael Clayton, QB Daunte Culpepper, T Anthony Davis, HB Ahman Green, LB Edgerton Hartwell, HB Maurice Hicks, LB Cato June, QB Josh McCown, CB Ronnie Prude, QB Ryan Perrilloux, HB Dominic Rhodes, HB Marcel Shipp, QB D.J. Shockley, LB Odell Thurman, HB Labrandon Toefield, DT Claude Wroten

These were the names I recognized based on running down a list of of the UFL listed players. I'm sure I missed some. That's an incredibly long list of former Saints. Most notable are probably Kaesviharn and Bockwoldt, both who started for the Saints and played more than one season for the team. A lot of these guys were either backups for a year or camp bodies that never made the active roster. In fact, the mere fact that I recognize some of these names confirms my fear that I'm a little too obsessed with the Saints.

Anyway, having some familiarity with the players (and there's a long list of LSU guys, too) will probably make it slightly more likely that I'll take interest in the league, especially if...well you know.

So does reading this list of players make you more or less likely to give the UFL a shot?

Oklahoma State Depth Chart for Week 3, Tulsa

samuelbryant — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:00:36 -0000

Week 3 depth chart and game notes are out. The ceremonial DB flip-flip continues for another week.

Notes
Not sure what Daniel Koenig did to piss Joe Wickline off, but he has been replaced in the 2 deep by Jordan Taormina at the Tackle position. I honestly didn't see what Koenig did last week (not even sure if he was on the field), but both DE's for Troy were having success with the speed rush so maybe Wickline is looking to mix it up on the edges.

At WR, no more Isaiah Anderson on the depth chart, and Hubert Anyiam returns to the 2-deep. Anyiam was on the field a lot in the Troy game so I figured he would be back soon. Dancin Anyiam wasn't used a whole lot, but he was thrown at twice (catching one), and the only other time I noticed him was on a bubble screen to Cooper when Anyiam couldn't hold his block and the play went for -3 yards. Regardless, it will be nice to get more size and athleticism on the field to rotate with Bo Bowling once Anyiam is back at full strength.

At RB, the expected happened as Joseph Randle officially moves ahead of Jeremy Smith and becomes the #2 back. Smith is a solid back but it is becoming apparent that he may not be the best fit in this system. He doesn't seem to hit holes as quickly as Randle, and can't really run outside.

And on the defensive side, the only change is the ceremonial Justin Gilbert - Devin Hedgepeth switch which seems to serve no purpose other than to force me to bold 2 extra names every week.

Also of note on the defensive side is that DT Shane Jarka is not listed anywhere on the 2-deep. Doesn't mean he won't be back, but as of today the coaches aren't planning on it.

Click the Jump for the Depth Chart.

Offense		Defense
LT	Nick Martinez	DE	Richetti Jones
	Jordan Taormina		Jamie Blatnick
LG	Jonathon Rush	DT	Chris Donaldson
	Brandon Webb		Anthony Rogers
C	Grant Garner	DT	Nigel Nicholas
	Casey LaBrue		Davidell Collins
RG	Lane Taylor	DE	Ugo Chinasa
	Anthony Morgan		Darius Hart
RT	Levi Adcock	SLB	James Thomas
	Parker Graham		Shaun Lewis
WR	Bo Bowling	MLB	Orie Lemon
	Hubert Anyiam		Tyler Johnson
IR	Josh Cooper	WLB	Justin Gent
	Michael Harrison		LeRon Furr
IR	Tracy Moore	CB	Andrew McGee
	Justin Horton		Devin Hedgepeth
WR	Justin Blackmon	SS	Markelle Martin
	Colton Chelf		Deion Imade
FR	Bryant Ward	FS	Johnny Thomas
	David Paulsen		Victor Johnson
RB	Kendall Hunter	CB	Broderick Brown
	Joseph Randle		Justin Gilbert
	Jeremy Smith
QB	Brandon Weeden
	Clint Chelf
	Johnny Deaton

Oklahoma State vs Troy: Quick Notes and a Recap

samuelbryant — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 05:47:30 -0000

All photos by author

Just got home, voice is gone, throat is killing me, not sure if I'm drunk or pre-hungover, and the Cowboys won the turnover/penalty-fest. I don't want to get too analytical or too negative (even though there is plenty of room to) until I've had a night to process this... but here are some quick notes for now.

Here comes bullet (points)!

I know it really doesn't need to be said, but 2010 Kendall Hunter is special. The most lethal combo of shiftyness, power, and breakaway speed I have ever seen in person.
I mean this to be a positive, but there is a negative to it. With so many legitimate deep threats at WR, Oklahoma State should have no problem with press coverages, or safeties cheating up. Million Dollar Man Brandon Weeden overthrew Bo Bowling twice, underthrew Josh Cooper, Colton Chelf, and Tracy Moore once each (the first two still made the catch though), and connected with Justin Blackmon on a beautiful 45 yard bomb that hit him right in stride. These guys were getting behind the secondary with ease but the MDM was just having issues connecting... maybe because of the thumb injury. So a little bit of positive and negative there. They were getting behind everyone, but the timing or the thumb prevented a perfect throw.
Speaking of the thumb. It was wrapped. Here is a pic I snapped in the 1st quarter.

Now zooming in on the hands.

Looks like tape to me. I gotta assume that was affecting his throws.

The LBs played pretty well. Orie Lemon and Justin Gent in particular were involved everywhere they should have been, and Lemon delivered at least 2 jarring hits that I can remember. The only negative I noticed was on Troy's last TD. They ran a post with the inside WR who was the primary WR on the play and QB Corey Robinson's eyes were locked on him the entire route. Lemon was playing zone on that side and went outside instead of covering the middle. If he watched the QBs head he would have had an int. Hard to fault him too much though for one quick half step in the wrong direction considering how well he played everywhere else.

I feel like I watched Devin Hedgepeth find his own "peth" (required terrible pun quota met) and become a man tonight. Three plays really stood out.
One was in the 2nd Quarter on a 3rd down deep in Cowboy territory when Hedgepeth was 1-on-1 with some WR who ran a post to the back of the end zone. Hedgepeth had good coverage, but stumbled as Robinson delivered a perfect pass. As Hedgepeth was falling he reached an arm up and dislodged the ball at the last second. Very athletic and heady play.
The Second one was the hit and forced fumble when Jerrel Jernigan was trying to hit the corner of the endzone in the 3rd. Jernigan got around the end, Martin took a bad angle, so it left Hedgepeth as the only thing in his way. They met head-on at the 2 and Jernigan went backwards. It was about the only time the entire game someone was able to square up Jernigan, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Third was on Jernigan's first breakaway kick return in the 1st quarter. Hedgepeth caught him from behind at about midfield to save a TD. I repeat, he caught Jerell Jernigan, FROM BEHIND!

Richetti Jones was a force. In particular there was a play early where he tracked down the RB from behind coming all the way from the opposite side. His speed burst is unreal. The rest of the D-line needs to get more pressure. Jamie Blatnick caused some disruptions, and almost had a pick when he sniffed out a screen in the 1st, but outside of that rush end, there wasn't a consistent push by the D-line.

Johnny Thomas had money on Troy covering the 1st half line. That's the only explanation I have for his play. On Troy's first TD, Thomas took just an awful angle to their WR after he had caught a short pass in the flat. Thomas basically just gave him the sideline and wished him a nice 40+ yard trot to the endzone. On the 2nd TD he completely blew coverage over the middle. For some reason he was staying over the top of the only WR in the middle of the field when Troy was operating from the Cowboy 10. You don't need over the top containment when you are in the endzone Johnny. That's like letting someone break into your house, watching them start to steal most of your shit, then once they are about to leave you get up and hide a few valuables so they don't get even more on their way out.
Thomas was pulled for Victor Johnson for the last couple series of the first half. They shared time throughout the 2nd half, and were actually on the field together quite a bit with Markelle Martin who would move up to a DB/rover sort of role in that package. Not sure if that was due to an injury or if Bill Young just saw some advantage to having 3 safeties on the field.

The offensive line was not very good. There were very few stable pockets for Weeden to operate out of and very few instances where Kendall had a gaping hole. Worst moment was the 2nd interception which should be credited to Nick Martinez instead of Weeden. The DE on the weakside blew by Martinez, who was barely able to even hold him (which he was flagged for) as the DE swatted Weeden on his throwing arm just as he was releasing. The resulting throw-punt of a pass was easily picked.

I can't recall ever even hearing of a fumble out of victory formation. I think my balls shrunk two sizes at seeing that (is there an official unit of measure for testicles?).

This is a pretty solid Troy team. They caught a lot of breaks, especially in the first half, but they have a lot of speed on both sides of the ball, and their defense can lay some wood.

I can't remember ever being as scared of a guy with the ball in his hands as I was every time Jerrel Jernigan touched it tonight. Whether on kick returns, those little underneath routes, or running out of wildcat formation, I was legitimately terrified every time he had the ball. I found myself searching for him every time Troy would line up and would feel relief when I wouldn't see #3 in the formation. He did fumble twice though, so I guess he does have a weak spot.

I think that will do it for tonight. Here is a link to the SB Nation game recap courtesy of Sports Network. I'm off to bed to dream about running victory formation out of shotgun.

Oklahoma State Week 2 Depth Chart

samuelbryant — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:58:39 -0000

This was actually released a couple of days ago, but I forgot to mention it then, so take it now. Week 2 depth chart and some quick analysis after the jump.

Changes from the previous week are bolded.

Offense		Defense
LT	Nick Martinez	DE	Richetti Jones
	Parker Graham		Jamie Blatnick
LG	Jonathon Rush	DT	Chris Donaldson
	Brandon Webb		Anthony Rogers
C	Grant Garner	DT	Nigel Nicholas
	Evan Epstein		Davidell Collins
RG	Lane Taylor	DE	Ugo Chinasa
	Anthony Morgan		Darius Hart
RT	Levi Adcock	SLB	James Thomas
	Daniel Koenig		Shaun Lewis
WR	Colton Chelf	MLB	Orie Lemon
	Bo Bowling		Tyler Johnson
IR	Josh Cooper	WLB	Justin Gent
	Michael Harrison		LeRon Furr
IR	Tracy Moore	CB	Andrew McGee
	Justin Horton		Justin Gilbert
WR	Justin Blackmon	SS	Markelle Martin
	Isaiah Anderson		Deion Imade
FR	Bryant Ward	FS	Johnny Thomas
	David Paulsen		Victor Johnson
RB	Kendall Hunter	CB	Broderick Brown
	Jeremy Smith		Devin Hedgepeth
	Joseph Randle
QB	Brandon Weeden
	Clint Chelf
	Johnny Deaton

The Changes
Offense
Colton Chelf and Bo Bowling switched places, Michael Harrison replaces Anthony Hill, and Clint Chelf and Johnny Deaton switched places. Nothing really earth shattering here. Probably the most interesting move is the Chelf, Bowling switch, but with as much as the WRs were rotating last week, the starting position nod is more of an ego boost than anything. Dana (we are on a first name basis) is going to put the hot hand on the field.

Defense
Nigel Nicholas gets the start for the injured Shane Jarka at DT. Davidell Collins is tagged as the backup with Anthony Rogers probably getting some time here as well. Collins was someone Young was not expecting to have to use until later in the season when he had more time to develop... but when you suffer an injury at an already shallow position, you need bodies.
The other change is in the secondary where for some reason Justin Gilbert and Devin Hedgepeth switched places. They are both still in a #2 role, but just flipped who they were backing up. I'm pretty sure Young is just effing with us here.

Oklahoma State Preview: Q&A With Cowboys Ride For Free

Brian Floyd — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:34:19 -0000

We had the chance to exchange questions with SB Nation's Cowboys Ride For Free in the weeks leading up to tomorrow's game. You can find our answers over at CRFF here.

Samuel Bryant and Cincinnati Joe were kind enough to take the time to answer a few burning questions I had about OSU, Stillwater, and this weekends upcoming game.

What should we expect out of OSU. What do the Cowboys run on offense? Are we going to get lit up by a big, physical receiver like in 2008?

Expect a fast paced "Air Raid" style of offense that runs a lot of plays and spreads the ball around. We lost that big physical receiver in Dez Bryant but we have a nice quartet of receivers that will hopefully replace his productivity. It looks like the receptions will most likely be pretty evenly divided between guys like Justin Blackmon, Tracy Moore, Josh Cooper and freshman Isaiah Anderson. You could see as many as 8 different WR's on the field at different times.

You're replacing quite a few players at important positions this year. How's the transition going, especially at quarterback?

Only returning 4 starters on each side of the ball has all of us playing a bit of a guessing game as to how everyone will look in the opener. While all the newcomers look great in practice, you never really know until you line up against a quality opponent. Of all the new faces, quarterback is probably the spot we are least concerned about. Weeden will be 27 years old so we don't expect the same type of "rookie" mistakes that a 19 year old would make in his position. Really, the only thing we have to go off is what the coaches tell us and the fact that he brought us back in the second half last year against Colorado with 170 yards and 2 TD's (when starter Zac Robinson was out with an injury). All reports from the coaches are that he is taking to the new scheme very well.

Our fans like to travel, so are they going to feel at home in Stillwater? What are some can't miss places to eat/drink/see in your lovely little Oklahoma town?

Stillwater is a super small and very welcoming town. The WSU fans should expect to be invited to tailgates, offered food/drink, and just generally be accepted into the community. On gameday it can be tough to get into some of these places, but my short list would be:

• Hideaway Pizza - Still the best pizza I have had anywhere in the world, and there is no way that this is a biased opinion. Any option on the menu is fantastic. It's well worth the wait...

• Eskimo Joes - More of the bar atmosphere, this place is usually overcrowded on game days as it is about 2 blocks from the stadium, but it is a cool bar with pretty solid food. "Joes Cups" hold 22 ounces of cold beer and the cheese fries go very well with them. Also, their shirts are something like the 2nd most collectible shirt in the world. Remember the movie Can't Buy Me Love? No? They guy from Grey's wears one

• Shortcakes Diner - For late-night/drunk food this diner is open 24 hours. It is cheap and delicious breakfast/greasy spoon dining. Do not go here if you are in any way counting calories.

• Coney Island - On the "strip" so you can mow down a few dogs between bar stops. Honestly some of the best coneys I've had and the price can't be beat. It's the epitome of cheap college town grub. And it's good!

There are some other great places, but to save some space I'll stop at these four. Just ask around when you get to town, and people will point you to some good spots.

We really would've loved to have your money....err I mean companionship... in the Pac-10. What was the general feeling in Stillwater about the idea of joining a potential Pac-16? Great idea or best idea ever?

As much as I personally didn't and still don't want to give in to it, I would have to say that the general consensus here was excitement. Playing new teams in new places all while making more money.. not a lot of downside there. Personally I like the regionalism of the conferences as they stand now, but progress is progress and if a move had to happen, I really liked the Pac-16 option. Maybe in 2012.

T. Boone Pickens: Great for the athletic department or over involved, off-his-rocker booster?

Hard to say he is not great. These last few recruiting classes we have gotten in here would not have happened without a little 200 and something million dollar donation from Mr. Pickens. That doesn't mean he still can't be off his rocker, but overall I think he is rightly given plenty of leeway by the fan base considering all he has done for the school and the athletic program.

The Cougs have been historically terrible over the past few years. Are you overconfident or scared of the opening game?

To be honest, honest... I don't think too many people here think there is much of a chance of us losing this game. If it were in Pullman there may be a different feeling, but at home against a team that was 1-11 last season, I would say we are leaning toward the overconfident side of things. However, there is a prevailing thought in Stillwater that due to the inexperience and youth of this team we will drop an early game that we shouldn't... just none of us are actually predicting which game this will be. So if you want to, you and your readership can assume it will be the Cougs.

Who should we worry about? Is there a player on offense that's gonna torch us? Is there a player on defense that may kill our quarterback?

On offense, Kendall Hunter. He was the RB that had 107 yards and 2 TD's in 2008 against WSU on his way to being named a 3rd team All American that season. He missed almost all of last season with an injury, but is back and our new offensive coordinator has been quoted as saying thing like he wishes he could give him the ball 40 times a game. He is a stud.

On defense, Ugo Chinasa would be the primary QB killer on the end, but the two guys I would worry most about are MLB Orie Lemon and SS Markelle Martin. Both can move and flat out lay the wood. Martin in particular is an absolutely terrifyingly hard hitter. Your offense should be terrified of this guy. Just typing his name made me a little nervous.

Is Mike Gundy really a man? Is he 40? Are you tired of this joke yet?

Yes. No. Kinda. The thing is, Oklahoma State has historically been this forgotten little wrestling and basketball school in the middle of the country. As stupid as this kind of publicity is, it is publicity, and is part of the opinions people have formed about us. If it weren't for T. Boone, Gundy's rant, and Dez Bryant, I'm not sure we would have made any sort of front page news in the past decade.