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STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — After weeks of injuries piling up for No. 15 Oklahoma State, coach Mike Gundy decided to simplify matters this week.
All-America receiver Dez Bryant? He's day to day (well, he was until he was declared ineligible on Wednesday).
All-Big 12 running back Kendall Hunter? Day to day.
Star cornerback Perrish Cox? You guessed it.
Gundy already preferred to keep opponents guessing when it came to the Cowboys' injuries, and that policy has come into focus this season as some of the team's top players have landed on the disabled list. There are enough question marks that Las Vegas isn't putting a betting line out on Oklahoma State's Big 12 opener this week at Texas A&M (3-1).
Even Gundy, who says he's honoring the players' wishes by keeping their injuries a secret, isn't sure what he's got heading into the game.
“I don't think there's any question that any time you sustain a certain number of injuries that you may not know exactly where you're at as a team,” Gundy said. “But I have a good feel for the players on this team. I have a good feel for the guys out there playing the game.”
Bryant, Hunter and Cox were all wearing T-shirts and shorts on the sidelines when OSU beat Grambling 56-6 two weeks ago to wrap up nonconference play. Defensive end Jermiah Price, strong safety Markelle Martin and middle linebacker Orie Lemon are also among the list of starters who have also missed time with injuries.
“People I'm sure have been looking and seeing how many guys we have on the sideline and feeling like we're probably not as good as a team as we were going into the season,” linebacker Andre Sexton said. “At the same time ... when those guys were sidelined, you just saw other guys step up and make plays. That's all the coaches ask from them. They're on scholarship, too, and they were brought here for a reason.”
Just how many of the starters Oklahoma State (3-1) will have ready on Saturday remains unclear. An off week gave the group some extra time to heal, but was it enough?
“The injury report sure looks a little bit better,” offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer said.
The injuries have forced the Cowboys to rely on some unproven players, particularly at wide receiver. Senior Demarcus Conner, sophomore Josh Cooper, redshirt freshmen Isaiah Anderson and Justin Blackmon and junior college transfer Dameron Fooks had combined for five total catches before this season but are slowly emerging from anonymity.
“Sometimes it's nice to be slipping around in the shadows where they didn't know who you were, they don't think they're going to throw it to you,” Brewer said. “All of a sudden they throw it to you and you make a play or two, then you start getting noticed and there may be a little bit different coverage from some people.
“I like to be the Rodney Dangerfield sometimes. Don't get any respect and just keep making plays.”
No matter who's on the field, Gundy said Oklahoma State's game plan will be tailored to allow those players to be successful.
“We have confidence in the players that are on the field and the plays that we're giving them to execute on Saturday, that they'll be able to get that done,” Gundy said. “But I don't think that it would be fair for me to sit up here and say that I have as much confidence in a first-year player as I do in a veteran player because that's never going to feel that way or be that way.”
The Cowboys, of course, aren't alone in fighting the injury bug. Just down the road, No. 19 Oklahoma is dealing with the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, second-team All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham and top receiver Ryan Broyles. Two other Big 12 teams have lost their starting quarterbacks to injuries, and all eyes this week are on Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's recovery from a concussion.
“I think it happens to everybody in college football,” Sexton said. “It just seems like maybe other teams have more depth than we do in those certain key positions where we need it. But then you see the younger guys that we have step up and just see the potential that we have for the future. ...
“In a way, it just opens up another door for someone else to shine and a lot of people have made a big name in our program just from getting those kind of opportunities.”
All-America receiver Dez Bryant? He's day to day (well, he was until he was declared ineligible on Wednesday).
All-Big 12 running back Kendall Hunter? Day to day.
Star cornerback Perrish Cox? You guessed it.
Gundy already preferred to keep opponents guessing when it came to the Cowboys' injuries, and that policy has come into focus this season as some of the team's top players have landed on the disabled list. There are enough question marks that Las Vegas isn't putting a betting line out on Oklahoma State's Big 12 opener this week at Texas A&M (3-1).
Even Gundy, who says he's honoring the players' wishes by keeping their injuries a secret, isn't sure what he's got heading into the game.
“I don't think there's any question that any time you sustain a certain number of injuries that you may not know exactly where you're at as a team,” Gundy said. “But I have a good feel for the players on this team. I have a good feel for the guys out there playing the game.”
Bryant, Hunter and Cox were all wearing T-shirts and shorts on the sidelines when OSU beat Grambling 56-6 two weeks ago to wrap up nonconference play. Defensive end Jermiah Price, strong safety Markelle Martin and middle linebacker Orie Lemon are also among the list of starters who have also missed time with injuries.
“People I'm sure have been looking and seeing how many guys we have on the sideline and feeling like we're probably not as good as a team as we were going into the season,” linebacker Andre Sexton said. “At the same time ... when those guys were sidelined, you just saw other guys step up and make plays. That's all the coaches ask from them. They're on scholarship, too, and they were brought here for a reason.”
Just how many of the starters Oklahoma State (3-1) will have ready on Saturday remains unclear. An off week gave the group some extra time to heal, but was it enough?
“The injury report sure looks a little bit better,” offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer said.
The injuries have forced the Cowboys to rely on some unproven players, particularly at wide receiver. Senior Demarcus Conner, sophomore Josh Cooper, redshirt freshmen Isaiah Anderson and Justin Blackmon and junior college transfer Dameron Fooks had combined for five total catches before this season but are slowly emerging from anonymity.
“Sometimes it's nice to be slipping around in the shadows where they didn't know who you were, they don't think they're going to throw it to you,” Brewer said. “All of a sudden they throw it to you and you make a play or two, then you start getting noticed and there may be a little bit different coverage from some people.
“I like to be the Rodney Dangerfield sometimes. Don't get any respect and just keep making plays.”
No matter who's on the field, Gundy said Oklahoma State's game plan will be tailored to allow those players to be successful.
“We have confidence in the players that are on the field and the plays that we're giving them to execute on Saturday, that they'll be able to get that done,” Gundy said. “But I don't think that it would be fair for me to sit up here and say that I have as much confidence in a first-year player as I do in a veteran player because that's never going to feel that way or be that way.”
The Cowboys, of course, aren't alone in fighting the injury bug. Just down the road, No. 19 Oklahoma is dealing with the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, second-team All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham and top receiver Ryan Broyles. Two other Big 12 teams have lost their starting quarterbacks to injuries, and all eyes this week are on Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's recovery from a concussion.
“I think it happens to everybody in college football,” Sexton said. “It just seems like maybe other teams have more depth than we do in those certain key positions where we need it. But then you see the younger guys that we have step up and just see the potential that we have for the future. ...
“In a way, it just opens up another door for someone else to shine and a lot of people have made a big name in our program just from getting those kind of opportunities.”
