By Michael Doutey
After re-watching Oklahoma State’s dominating 44-21 win over Boise State, I’m putting out some of my quick hit notes from the game as well as some news and notes from Mike Gundy’s Monday press conference.
Notes From Mike Gundy’s Press Conference
— Gundy says from what he has watched of Texas Tech that they look like the same old Texas Tech. Says that they have a good, young quarterback and people will be disappointed that he will be around for three or four years. Alan Bowman is Tech’s quarterback. He is a true freshman who is coming off a career day throwing for 605 yards against Houston. He has yet to throw an interception and has been sacked only once this season.
— Gundy feels like his team is in a good frame of mind coming off a big win last week. He feels like his team leaders have good chemistry and that helps the whole team with their focus.
— Gundy feels like Cornelius has done a good job so far. He referenced back to when Corn had been good on the driving range and now has done well on the first couple holes. But he also said this is where things start to get more difficult, but feels that he is developing into a solid college quarterback.
— He is really excited about true freshman Jarrick Bernard. Bernard had a sack (and forced a fumble but BSU recovered) and had a blocked punt. Bernard was very active on Saturday and was used in a multitude of ways.
— Gundy felt like the team really tackled well after not doing so as well the previous game.
— He felt like the offensive line was better run blocking in the second half. He is going to stay consistent with the group he played this week. The starters will be Arlington Hambright, Marcus Keyes, Johnny Wilson, Larry Williams and Tevin Jenkins. He still wants to see his team get a lot better in run blocking.
— He was sort of surprised that his team was a lot more physical than Boise State was. He was very happy with that. He was also pleasantly surprised that they were as good as they were at stopping the run. OSU only allowed 34 rushing yards and 1.1 yards per carry.
— He reiterated that Dru Brown is the backup and is getting the number two reps.
— He was confused with Zac Sinor. He thought he was going to punt last week but he didn’t. Gundy expects him to this week. He seemed frustrated with Sinor.
— Other injury news. Tracin Wallace apparently has a knee issue, but we don’t have more information other than that. He’s had two ACL tears in his high school career. LC Greenwood has been banged up and he felt like last week and was first time he could really go full speed in practice. LD Brown missed BSU game with an ankle injury. Not sure when he will return.
Quick Hits from OSU-Boise State
— Boise State dominated the first quarter, even though the score was just 0-0. But Boise State missed an opportunity after a Matt Hockett authored shank punt. But the tone for special teams was set when Boise’s Haden Hoggarth doinked a 26 yard field goal off the right upright. OSU had little going for them, but that set the tone for what was coming.
— OSU fell behind 7-0 early in the second quarter. Boise had just dominated the first quarter and completely took the crowd out of the game. OSU racked up just 15 total yards on nine plays while Boise State had run 27 plays for 134 yards when OSU began their first drive of the second quarter. But JD King’s nine yard thundering catch and run spirited the rest of the touchdown drive and got the fans excited for the first time all game.
— Amen Ogbongbemiga began the block party as he went straight up the gut, knifing through the Boise State “protection wall,” blocking Quinn Skillin’s punt. This swung all the momentum fully in OSU’s corner and BPS was fully into the game for the first time.
— This was the first time we’ve seen a deliberate quarterback run game with the starting quarterback since Clint Chelf. On the very short drive after the blocked punt, Corn was used in some power run game. He was running between the tackles, which really helped the run game in goal line situations. Those plays reminded me of how OSU used JW Walsh back in 2015. Maybe that will help some of the short yardage issues OSU has.
— The second quarter was when OSU really got after Brett Rypien. OSU got some pressure on Rypien in the first quarter, but they hung back and he picked them apart. Once they dialed up the pressure, that’s when OSU really took off as a defense and forced punts. Jordan Brailford really lead the parade to the quarterback all game, but especially in the second quarter when he had his two sacks.
— We saw the return of the quarterback draw in the second quarter. Corn doesn’t have get away from the cop speed, but he was effective running the play.
— Up 14-7 with all the momentum, OSU faced a third and one at the Boise State three yard line. OSU handed the ball to… Chuba Hubbard? Hubbard got stuffed up the middle, losing two yards and OSU had to settle for the field goal. The play was not a good one. Even if Corn kept it he wasn’t going to make it. It was just an odd play call and really odd giving Hubbard the ball in a power run situation while King and Hill, who are stronger runners, didn’t get the ball.
— To close the opening half, OSU was pressuring Rypien at will. On the Boise final drive of the second half, which was nine plays and OSU lived in the backfield. Calvin Bundage got a quarterback hurry, Jordan Brailford crushed Rypien and forced a fumble (which Boise State recovered) and the next play Jarrell Owens got a sack. It was incredible to watch and the fans in BPS ate it up.
— On the first drive of the second half, Hill finally got loose. Down the field, Tyron Johnson was called for holding. But the offensive line opened the first real hole for Hill all game.
— After Corn missed on a deep throw to Tylan Wallace (who would have walked in for a touchdown), Corn began creating. His best throw of the day was when the was forced right out of the pocket and threw a dart to Jalen McCleskey for 18 yard gain. McCleskey did an awesome job of catching the pass and keeping his feet in bounce. It was a beautiful play directed by Corn.
— OSU forced Boise into a 3rd and 10 but Bundage tried to guess the snap count. He guessed wrong and Boise got another crack to keep the drive going with a third and five. Rypien averaged 6.8 yards per competition, so he picked up the first down. Boise went on to score a touchdown as Rypien threw a strike to AJ Richardson who made a brilliant one-handed catch over AJ Green. But if Bundage hand’t jumped offsides, that wouldn’t have happened. Bundage did it three times. He needs to clean that up. Green also did a poor job of playing the ball and then didn’t really try to push Richardson out of bounce.
— The drive that put OSU up 27-14 was the best of Corn’s career. On first down, TC was tackled for a five yard loss on the quarterback keeper. That drive Corn got creative again. He was forced out of the pocket a few times and found Dillon Stoner several times. Once, Corn had to spin out of the pocket to his left and then flipped the ball over a defender to Stoner for a nine yard gain. After that, TC was sacked for a seven yard loss. Typically, that would have thrown off the rhythm off the offense. But Corn shrugged it off and threw a touchdown to Stoner on a crossing route. With two plays on first down that went for losses, I was sure OSU was going to punt or have to settle for a field goal. But they pushed through and scored a touchdown. It was a very encouraging drive.
— In the fourth quarter, OSU got to second and goal at the Boise one. But, OSU couldn’t score a touchdown. The Cowboys settled for a field goal, but at some point this season, not being able to punch in touchdowns from the one yard line is going to to cost them.
— Matt Ammendola had a great day and has made 17 straight field goals.
— Up 37-21, OSU called a deep throw to McCleskey on second and nine. Corn nearly threw an interception, the defender luckily landed out of bounce. Why was that play called and why to Jalen who is so small? OSU is trying to kill the clock and play keep away. Seemed like a bad play call and gave Boise the ball back and didn’t kill much time.
— The delayed blitz was really effective in the second half. Boise State found a way to adjust from OSU’s speed rush from the first half and Jim Knowles did a good job of adjusting with a delayed blitz.
— Justice Hill ripped off a 53 yard run. It was nearly a 72 yard TD run, but after he hit a helpless defender with a monster stiff arm, Hill’s heel went out of bounce. Hill finished with 123 yards on just 15 carries and a TD. Even after a very slow first half, he went over the century mark and averaged 8.2 yards per carry.
— Corn was carried by the offensive line for the exclamation point score, mainly lead by sophomore tackle Tevin Jenkins.
— OSU had two kickoffs out of bounce. That was really the only blemish of the day.
— OSU sacked Rypien four times where he fumbled the football. Boise jumped on it every time until Boise’s last play. If they can replicate that in weeks to come, they’ll feast on fumble recoveries.
— For the second straight week, Tylan Wallace crossed 100 yards receiving. He caught five passes for 105 yards.
— Justice Hill has a touchdown in nine straight games.
— OSU has forced a turnover in 30 straight games.
— OSU is first in the nation in blocked kicks since 2013.
— For his performance against Boise State, Taylor Cornelius was named to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 list and as a Manning Award “Star of the Week.”
— Amen Ogbongbemiga was named Big 12’s Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
