Cowboys try to catch a break
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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Naturally, final-minute and final-play losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M over the past three games were draining to Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy. But at least his mom isn’t feeling sorry for him anymore.
A year ago, Gundy said that really was the case, as the Cowboys limped to a 4-7 record in his rookie season that included a 1-7 mark in the Big 12 Conference.
Now, OSU is 4-3 entering Saturday’s game against 20th-ranked Nebraska, and it doesn’t take much imagination to believe Gundy’s team could be undefeated. Thus, it’s not as hard as you might think for the Pokes to keep pushing forward.
“I think it can be draining for a couple days after the game. But to be honest, last year when we played our league games, in most of them by the end of the third quarter we were out of the game,” Gundy said. “That’s a little bit more draining on me than these other ones.”
Last week, Oklahoma State led Texas A&M 27-20 and had the Aggies facing a fourth-and-13 from their 32-yard line with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. A&M ended up converting when running back Jorvorski Lane turned a one-handed reception into a gain of 17 yards to keep alive a 65-yard, game-tying drive that was capped with three seconds to play.
After the Aggies went up 34-27 on their first possession in overtime, the Cowboys answered with a touchdown. But the game never made it to a second extra period because Jason Ricks’ PAT kick was blocked, for the first time in his career.
Equally as stunning to OSU was its 31-27 loss at Kansas State, when the Wildcats gained 150 yards and scored touchdowns on their final two possessions to erase a 10-point deficit.
The week before that, Oklahoma State dropped a 34-25 decision at Houston after being down by just two points entering the fourth quarter.
“It still hurts,” said Andre Sexton, a redshirt freshman safety who’s the team’s leading tackler. “But like the coaches have said, you have to put it away because we have to play Nebraska now and they are a good team ... and we have to motivate ourselves to play harder this week.”
Defensively, the Cowboys have a big-play unit that’s made 60 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. But they’ve also allowed 40 rushes of at least 10 yards and 35 passing plays of at least 15 yards. Gundy, though, still sees a unit that is running hard and putting forth great effort.
Offensively, he has little reason for concern, as the Cowboys are one of just four teams in the nation to average more than 200 yards both rushing and passing.
OSU also has potent special teams, leading the nation in kickoff returns and No. 3 in punt returns. And yet, the losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M came about partly because of special-team mistakes (the Cowboys gave up a kickoff return for a TD against K-State and botched a PAT hold following their first score against the Aggies).
The sum of those parts leaves OSU in the same shape as Boone Pickens Stadium. When completely renovated, it will be one of the premier sites in college. But right now, the final phase of the renovation, the west end zone construction project, is just coming out of the ground.
“We are going to continue what we have been doing and that is all we can do,” defensive end Darnell Smith said. “As a senior, I think what we are doing is good, but if we stick to our game plan, we need to learn how to finish.”
Seeing how his players immediately reacted to last week’s loss gives Gundy hope that will occur.
“You had guys that were crying and upset,” he said. “If it is not that way, then I think you have got a problem.
“This is a close group ... and they’re staying focused. They understand if they continue to put their hat in the ring and they’re in there in the fourth quarter, eventually it’s going to turn.”
And while that process has produced some draining moments, Gundy is convinced it won’t be debilitating.
“I think, at times, that can help you,” he said. “We’ve been in the situation enough now that our players learn to rally.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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