Wednesday August 29, 2018

2018 COWBOY FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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JUSTICE HILL

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Hill, COwboys look to pRove doubters wrong je re m y ko lok Asst. Sports Editor @j e rem ykolok

The air surrounding the northeast corner of campus where the Sherman E. Smith Training Center and Boone Pickens Stadium reside has been filled with a quiet optimism during the four months leading into Thursday night’s game.

Any time a football team loses its starting quarterback and three starting receivers to the NFL, as Oklahoma State did this offseason, one might expect it to inevitably collapse into a rebuilding year.

But unlike most of the national media and even some fans, OSU’s players and coaches put the past season in the rearview mirror.

One can’t help but notice the drop-off in talent from last year’s array of offensive weaponry to this year’s. It would be silly to pretend otherwise.

Still, the Cowboys carry a sense of confidence and anticipation into Thursday night’s season opener against Missouri State. A variety of factors influence their determined mentality, and perhaps none are larger than the return of All-American running

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back Justice Hill.

One of the few returning starters to the OSU offense, Hill could be the key to busting the normal trend of “the rebuild year” and could take the Cowboys to potential heights this season that most people probably don’t expect them to reach.

Even in the past two seasons, Hill was the heartbeat of the Cowboy offense. He frequently set the tone early in most of the victories, later opening up the middle of the field for Mason Rudolph to sling the ball around.

To put it bluntly, the Cowboys will likely go

as far as Hill can take them this season. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the season will be a bust because Hill, a junior running back, is one of the most dynamic and talented players in all of college football.

Although his younger brother Daxton’s looming commitment induces salivation from the national media and fans of the four remaining schools rumored to be in the hunt for the five-star high school senior, Hill’s quiet demeanor and laid-back attitude seem to repel major attention from the national media. But he doesn’t mind flying under

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T.C. Brewster/O’COLLY

Justice Hill led the Big 12 with 1,467 rushing yards in 2017.

the radar.

“I just do the same thing I’ve always done since the first day I got

here,” Hill said. “I just come in for work, come out and practice hard and STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 3

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translate that to the game.

“For me, I just go out there and run the ball and do everything I can to help the team win.”

Hill is coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons, 1,142 in his freshman campaign and 1,467 last year. He also led the Big 12 in every major statistical rushing category last season, including total yards, touchdowns (15) and rushing yards per game (112.8).

He led the conference in rushing attempts as well, a statistical category he likely won’t dominate again this season.

OSU coach Mike Gundy said numerous times throughout spring, summer and fall practices that he wants to keep Hill’s

rushing attempts per game down compared to last season, likely because the Cowboys will need to lean on him for big-play production late in games more than they did last year.

During the first few spring practices, Gundy said he wanted Hill to rush the ball 20 to 25 times per game this season. Four months later in the fall, he amended his earlier statement and changed the numbers to 15 to 20 carries per game.

The coaches can strive for team success without running Hill into the ground this season because, as Gundy noted in May, OSU could be as deep and talented at that position as any team in the country, with sophomore J.D. King, redshirt sophomore LD Brown and redshirt freshman speedster Chuba

Hubbard behind Hill on the depth chart.

“Everybody’s hungry,” Hill said. “We’re all capable of running the ball.

“Everybody’s been working since December, since January, so we’re just ready to get out there.”

Many people don’t expect this year’s OSU team to be memorable within the grand scheme of things.

Sandwiched between the Rudolph-to-Washington era and the optimismfilled future with Spencer Sanders at the helm, the 2018 Cowboys will shift the program’s identity, likely only temporarily, from a passfirst, run-second offense to a run-first offense with one of the best running backs in the country behind a

relatively experienced offensive line.

OSU will face Boise State, Texas Tech, Texas and West Virginia at home this year. But the defining moment of the season comes down to the in-state contest in which Gundy has notoriously struggled throughout his career.

The fact of the matter is, Oklahoma owns the Big 12. OU won 11 of the last 17 Big 12 titles, including the last three. In recent history, the Cowboys and Sooners have found themselves on a collision

course toward the end of the season with huge conference championship implications on the line.

In his 13-year career, Gundy has defeated OU only twice (2011, 2014).

This year, the task at hand doesn’t get any easier, as the Cowboys will head south to play OU on Nov. 10 in Norman. The Sooners will unleash super-athlete Kyler Murray at quarterback this season, an ideal replacement for their recently-graduated Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. For the Cowboys, the replacement of Mason Rudolph, arguably the greatest signal-caller in school history, with Taylor Cornelius is not quite as sexy of a depth chart announcement.

History has showed that Gundy’s Cowboys seem

to thrive under the radar.

It’s where they’re most comfortable. He enters the season with the most complete running back he’s had since the man he handed the ball off to in 1988. His offensive line has experience, and his defense has some playmakers.

If Hill can stay healthy leading into the marquee matchups down the stretch of the season, the Cowboys could be right where they’ve become accustomed to finding themselves: in the hunt for the Big 12 Championship with their rivals 80 miles to the south.

Jeremy Kolok is a university studies junior from San Antonio, Texas. He can be reached at jkolok@okstate. edu.

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new-LOOK COWBOY FOOTBALL TEAM SET FOR OPENER WAD E HAUGEN COPY CHIEF @WAD E_HAU GEN

It’s a daunting task to replace a football team’s all-time leading passer and its all-time top receiver in the same season.

But as they say in the entertainment industry, the show must go on, and it will continue for Oklahoma State on Thursday when it welcomes Missouri State to Boone Pickens Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff. FS1 will broadcast the Cowboys’ season opener.

This year is unlike the last few for OSU. The safety blankets that were

Mason Rudolph and James Washington have moved on to the NFL. Multiyear starters Tre Flowers, Ramon Richards and Chad Whitener are gone from the defense. Glenn Spencer is coaching at Charlotte with Jim Knowles replacing him as defensive coordinator and bringing a 4-2-5 scheme to Stillwater.

The 2018 Cowboys bring a lot of excitement into the season but also many unknowns.

Here are a few notes to get football fans primed for the season opener: Quarterbacks: For the first time in three seasons, the Cowboys are in need of a quarterback, and Taylor

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Cornelius appears to be the guy. Cornelius is a former walk-on who backed up Rudolph for the past three seasons. He possesses much more top-end speed than Rudolph, but he has yet to display the ability to throw with consistency in a game. In nine career games, he went 15-for-24 through the air for 220 yards. He has yet to throw a touchdown or interception in his career.

Running backs: This group has potential to become one of the top running-back units in the country. It returns the Big 12’s leading rusher from last season, Justice Hill, and contains two back-

ups who have the ability to start at most Big 12 schools in J.D. King and Chuba Hubbard. Hill enters the season ranked first among Power Five nonseniors in rushing yards with 2,609. King showed flashes of what he could do last season, including rushing for a career-high 142 yards against West Virginia.

Wide receivers: The Cowboys lost roughly 59 percent of its receiving yardage from last season with the departures of Washington, Marcell Ateman and Chris Lacy to the NFL. Cornelius doesn’t seem to have worries with guys such as Dillon Stoner,

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Tyron Johnson and Jalen McCleskey returning.

“Those guys make my job easy,” Cornelius said. “…They do an unbelievable job catching the ball in traffic.”

Linebackers: With Knowles’ 4-2-5 scheme, not many linebackers will appear on the field at a time. What this unit lacks in numbers, it will make up for in experience with Justin Phillips and Calvin Bundage manning the middle. Phillips started every game last year and is the leader of this defense, while Bundage finished the year strong, notching two second-half sacks in the Bedlam game.

Secondary: Perhaps the biggest question mark of this team, besides the quarterback position, is the secondary. Kenneth Edison-McGruder returns to the secondary after spending last year at linebacker. Malcolm Rodriguez and Thabo Mwaniki, two first-time starters at safety, join him. A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams, who each started every game last year, return at the cornerback spot.

Wade Haugen is a sports media junior from Weatherford. He can be reached at wade.haugen@ okstate.edu.

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMY WOODS/O’COLLY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY T.C. BREWSTER/O’COLLY

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SPORT S

smith jr: Transfer“worth it” h allie hart Sports Editor @ha llieha rt

Enoch Smith Jr. gazed at the beaming stadium lights.

The bright beacons reminded him he didn’t have to wait much longer.

Smith said the long drive stands out in his mind. He spent almost 12 hours traveling from Chicago, his home city, to Stillwater.

When he noticed the luminous Boone Pickens Stadium in front of him, he knew he had reached his new home.

After one season at Oklahoma State, Smith, a redshirt senior defensive tackle, is encouraging younger teammates. He is adopting defensive techniques the Cowboys are learning from new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. He is banding with energetic OSU teammates to prepare for the season opener against Missouri State and embracing coach Mike Gundy’s “Cowboy Culture.”

His initial arrival in Stillwater marked the realization of a dream that formed long before he left Chicago. A 12-hour road trip dragged on for Smith, but it was simply a flash of time compared to his year away from football.

Four years ago, Smith embarked on his college football journey at Michigan State. He redshirted in 2014 and played in three games the next year. Two days before the

t.c. brewster/O’COLLY

Oklahoma State defensive end Enoch Smith Jr. participates in a drill during OSU football practice.

Spartans’ first game of the 2016 season, Smith made an announcement.

“I have enjoyed my time spent here, but my time here has come to an end,” he said in a tweet.

Smith decided to go to Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. He could have gained eligibility to play immediately, but he transferred one day too late.

Without eligibility, he realized he had no reason to stay that year.

He couldn’t play the sport he loved. He couldn’t live close to home if he attended Butler.

Smith returned to Chicago, where he maintained the self-motivated attitude he had on the football field but used it in other aspects of life. “(I was) really just staying focused because I didn’t want to get myself in trouble back in Chicago,” Smith said. “Because we know the stereotype

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that comes with Chicago, so (I) just kept myself busy.”

Smith enrolled in Kennedy-King College about 7 miles from his family’s apartment in South Side Chicago. He trained with his father, a former college football player and arena football athlete. He worked as a cashier and clothing department employee at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

With a busy schedule, Smith devoted up to 32 hours to his part-time job each week. As he stood for eight hours a day, he couldn’t help but let thoughts of football creep into his mind. He wanted to play again.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, I’d much rather be in practice than doing this right now,’” Smith said.

Smith said he connected with Joe Bob Clements, the Cowboys’ defensive line coach, on Twitter.

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Smith committed to OSU on Dec. 13, 2016.

Before he became a Cowboy, he eagerly read through the schedules of teams that recruited him.

“Dad, if we play your school, I’m sorry, I’m gonna have to ball,” Smith told his father, Enoch Smith Sr. Smith is ready for it to happen at 7 p.m. Thursday.

His dad, a defensive end and outside linebacker, played at Missouri State, the Cowboys’ first opponent this season.

“It’ll be like me and my dad playing against each other, but whatever team I’m on, he’s a fan of,” Smith said.

As Smith went through the process of switching schools, his dad could relate. Smith Sr. began his college football career at Highland Community College in Kansas.

“He’s always been in my corner, in my ear telling me things, especially giving me words from the Bible because he’s a minister as well,” Smith said.

Although Smith is nearly 1,000 miles from East Lansing, he also remembers what he gained from Michigan State teammates such as Shilique Calhoun, who now plays for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. “He would stay in my ear and keep the younger guys motivated,” Smith said. “I took that with me here.”

As a mentor to teammates, Smith doesn’t let them dwell on mistakes or prideful moments.

“You need to live to play another play,” Smith said.

“That play you did last time, it’s in the past. You need to move on.”

In 2017, Smith made an

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impact as a reserve for the Cowboys. He notched solo sacks against South Alabama and Kansas State. He also tallied a career-high four tackles against Tulsa and appeared in 11 games.

But the past is the past.

This season is another opportunity for Smith to continue living his dream of returning to Division I football.

Although he keeps his focus on the present, he isn’t forgetting the events that led him to the place where he reached his goal.

“It was a long drive,” Smith said. “But it was worth it.”

Hallie Hart is a sports media junior from Chandler. She can be reached at sports.ed@ ocolly.com.

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FOR RELEASE AUGUST 29, 2018

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ACROSS 1 Script deviations 7 Shallot, e.g.

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14 Knitted shoe 15 “The African Queen” screenwriter James 16 Bird on Australian coins 17 Follow-up vaccination 19 Cul-de-__ 20 Birth announcement abbr.

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By Craig Stowe

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40 Mozart works 41 Expression of regret 42 Like Ronald McDonald’s sleeves 45 They may be precious 46 “My memory fails me” 48 Cousin of Gomez Addams 49 Selected

8/29/18

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Daily Horoscope oklahoma state

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SOLUTION TO TUESDAY’S PUZZLE

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By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Today’s Birthday (08/29/18). Expand your network of conversations this year. Fulfill promises to forward a passion project.

Try new cultures, flavors and scenery. Summer blesses your team before health hurdles require adaptation, leading to spiritual and philosophical insight. Love reaches new heights this winter. Grow stronger together.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Keep growing stronger. Take care of yourself. Assert your wishes. Talk about how you’d like things to be. Get expert assistance. You’re especially persuasive.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Something you try now doesn’t work. Rather than forging new path, revise familiar routines and upgrade the organization levels. Cover the basics. Keep your patience.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Your friends can help with a breakdown. Reach out to your network to discover the resources you need. You can do without some stuff. Prioritize.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- A professional dream lies within view despite obvious obstacles. Put in some sweat equity. Take charge, and budget carefully. Slow and steady wins the race.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Broaden your view to include wider horizons. Keep agreements, and make deadlines. Share your thoughts and dreams. Explore to learn new ideas and philosophies.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Don’t rush into a purchase. Talk it over with your partner. Adjust the budget, and wait to see what develops. Get creative and imaginative.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Communication resolves a roadblock with your partner. Release outdated preconceptions. Clean a mess: “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.

Thank you. I love you.”

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Focus on building strong, healthy foundations. The excellent work you’ve been doing reflects you well. Slow to avoid mistakes with a heavier load.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Fun and romance call to you. Make plans with someone you enjoy.

Compromise to find the middle ground between one view and another. Keep it simple.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Family comes first. Tempers may be short. Don’t make expensive promises.

Avoid knee-jerk responses. New facts dispel old fears. Hold your peace.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Creativity doesn’t always work in a linear fashion. Follow inspiration where it leads. Costs can vary widely, though. Don’t get burned. Organize your ideas and plans.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Your ideas are attracting attention. Take advantage of profitable opportunities. Don’t spend it before you get it. Finish a tough job before going out.

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C OWBOY FOOT BALL

sports

bundage: potential x-factor j ere m y ko lok Asst. Sports Editor @ j e r emyko lok

Newly-hired Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles implemented schemes that will, by design, place Calvin Bundage directly into the action, which is where he wants to be.

Bundage, a junior linebacker for the Cowboy football team, blossomed into a hybrid role between safety and linebacker in Glenn Spencer’s defense, a role in which he only occasionally had the privilege of blitzing the opposing quarterback.

Now, with Knowles rebranding the Cowboy defense into a 4-2-5 scheme, Bundage has added a noticeable amount of weight in muscle throughout the offseason to prepare for his new role.

“That dude, he’s a maniac out there, man,” senior linebacker Justin Phillips said. “Now, our defense lets him run around and be a little bit more free.

He’s gonna be in the backfield a little more.”

On the outside looking in, Knowles and coach Mike Gundy could’ve picked anyone from their talented group of linebackers this season to be the designated pass rusher.

They chose Bundage for the role because of his speed and explosiveness, his teammates indicated.

Bundage recorded 54 tackles during his sophomore campaign. He sacked

Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield twice in last season’s high-scoring Bedlam matchup in Stillwater, showing his knack for rising to the occasion in big games.

Gundy said the coaches believe he has the kind of big-play ability to become the X-factor in marquee conference games down the stretch of the schedule, specifically against some of the most potent offenses in the country.

“He wants to get after the ball, and that’s period,” senior defensive tackle Darrion Daniels said. “I talk to him and he’s like, ‘If I could make (the quarterback) fumble on the first play, I’m gonna make him fumble on the first play,’ so that’s kinda his mindset.”

It’s no secret that Bundage is an unapologetic, hard-hitting defender. He’s not a

dirty player.

He’s reckless and explosive. That’s just his play style.

“I definitely try to play reckless and go after the big hits,” Bundage said. “That’s the brand I want to build.

And it’s fun. It gets the crowd into it.”

Now, Bundage will play much more of a classic linebacker role, similar to what his favorite player Von Miller plays in Denver.

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He’ll line up in the box and blitz the quarterback with regularity. And if football fans think the opposing signal-caller doesn’t notice when a player like Bundage is lined up on the other side of the line of scrimmage, they might want to think again.

“I noticed that last year, when Bundage is on the field, a quarterback could know he’s coming and still couldn’t do anything to stop him from making a play,” Daniels said. “I feel like Bundage being on the field, he strikes fear in the quarterback. He wants the quarterback to know he’s coming.”

With the departure of defensive back Ramon Richards, who was the unquestionable vocal leader, heartbeat and spark plug for OSU’s defensive players when they needed it last season, numerous Cowboy players have said Bundage’s energy and explosiveness have propelled him into a leadership role on the defense this year.

He doesn’t lead as vocally as Richards, but Bundage has become a leadby-example type of guy on the team by showcasing his competitiveness and big-play ability every day in practice, the same qualities that might make him a fan favorite on the Cowboy defense this season.

Jeremy Kolok is a universities studies junior from San Antonio, Texas.

He can be reached at jkolok@okstate.edu.

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