Thursday, April 20, 2023
Another offseason of turmoil prepared Dunn for changes to offense
Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor Kasey Dunn has never been through a “normal” year as OSU’s offensive coordinator. When the offense lost a starting
quarterback, three starting receivers and two other freshmen wideouts, a starting running back and a starting offensive lineman to either the transfer portal or eligibility exhaustion, Dunn didn’t panic. He’s faced challenges in each of his three seasons as offensive coordinator, which has prepared him for his upcoming fourth. “I’ve sat down and talked to my wife a lot about this stuff and I was like, ‘What the hell.’ But, really it’s like, what’s new? It’s been three years,” Dunn said. In 2020, just a month after being
promoted, COVID-19 shutdown not just college football, but the world. Two months later, social turmoil went throughout the country. In 2021 and ‘22, the team managed NIL and the new transfer portal, with a number of injuries to key players. Through the past three years of whirlwind, OSU is the only team in the Big 12 with a winning record in each of those seasons. “This has been a helluva ride,” Dunn said. “I’m just thrilled to be a part of the culture that (Mike) Gundy has established here for sure and his
ability to continue to win in probably one of the strangest times in college football.” Through seven games in 2022, OSU’s offense averaged 45 points per game and 467 yards per game, and the Cowboys rolled to a 6-1 record. In the final six, they averaged only 14 points and won one game. Not only did the offense struggle in the second half of the season, but it had many players to replace. See Turmoil on 3
O’Toole cooled Sooners’ run, pitched season-high in OSU’s Bedlam win and collected the Cowboys when things looked bleak early against Oklahoma. He stopped the OU run and gave his team the opportunity to relax and get back in flow in No. 24 OSU’s 19-8 win Braden Bush on Tuesday night in O’Brate Assistant Stadium. Sports Editor “What O’Toole did was probably the main chunk of the game that gave us a A dozen pitches in, chance,” OSU coach Josh Holthings were shaky for Evan liday said. “So, his outing was O’Toole. excellent.” He began his stand at It took O’Toole just the mound in the second insix pitches to end the third ning, after starter Drew Blake gave up three runs in the first. inning. He ended the fourth in 14. O’Toole bested his O’Toole’s appearance didn’t start off promising, with a hit season high and went four innings, allowing three hits and by pitch of catcher Wallace two runs. He also reached a Clark, then an eight-pitch walk of designated hitter Ca- season-high 60 pitches. The Cowboys (25-13, den Powell. Not ideal for the 8-7 Big 12) had lost three junior right-handed pitcher midweek games in a row who hadn’t tossed more than entering Bedlam, and pitching three innings this season. O’Toole, a junior college was a culprit in each. During that stretch, OSU pitchers transfer from Iowa Western gave up five runs in innings Community College, recovtwo through five against Dalered with three-straight outs las Baptist and five more in and only a sacrifice-fly run those same innings against given up. Then he took it to Oral Roberts. another level. O’Toole didn’t let it hapO’Toole pitched his pen again. longest outing of the season See Bedlam on 2
File Photo The Stillwater Arts Festival will also feature live music, food trucks and several other craft opportunities.
Creativity, personality on display at 2023 Stillwater Arts Festival Emi Norton Staff Reporter
Andy Crown Evan O’Toole calmed down OSU during an early OU run, allowing just two runs in a season-high four innings during Tuesday’s 19-8 bedlam win at O’Brate Stadium.
Appreciate regional artists and their work with two days of live music, food trucks and a chance to create your own masterpieces. The Prairie Arts Center is hosting the annual Stillwater Arts Festival in which it brings nearly 50national and regional artists to showcase their talents. The festival occursat the Prairie Arts Center in Stillwater on Friday from 12to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Prairie Arts staff and the community have taken great measures to make sure the artists are warmly welcomed with an environment where they can feel comfortable.The festival has
been a juried event for more than 40 years and will offer awards totaling $3,000 this year. Festival attendee Regina Bowling of Edmond has been creating her art for as long as she can remember. She attended the arts festival in Edmond last year and said how excited she is to return to the Stillwater Arts Festival. “Meeting people, talking about the paintings, talking to students about techniques, the energy was terribly exciting and fun,” she said. “It was quite successful and encouraging. I’ve always loved Stillwater and was thrilled to be accepted to have a booth for this festival.” Besides viewing and purchasing artwork from the
featured artists that will be attending the arts festival, you can expect to experience local and traveling bands playing live music while indulging in the plentitude of food trucks. Bowling expressed her enthusiasm to be part of the energy. “First, the energy is fantastic,” she said. “Being outdoors, enjoying the results of multiple artist’s creative work in art, music and foods with other like-minded people is simply fun.” Attendees will also have the option to create family-friendly crafts. Examples include tote printmaking, raku firing, henna tattoos, paper marbling as well as other activities that are to be determined. See Creativity on 6