Friday, August 23, 2024
New Agricultural Hall opens on campus
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The Ferguson College of Agriculture’s new home is open for classes.
Agricultural Hall, which officially opened its doors to students Monday, has been years in the making. After large fundraisers and months of construction, the new addition has finally joined campus.
Tori Watchous, a sophomore studying animal science, said she is ready for classes in the new facility.
“I think it’s awesome,” Watchous said. “I am super excited about it because Ferguson is one of the biggest colleges, and we had one of the smallest buildings. I think it’s really cool that we finally have a massive building like other colleges.”
Lights On Stillwater bridges community
AVA WHISTLER STAFF REPORTER
Hundreds of students stood in a weaving line around Boone Pickens Stadium on Wednesday evening.
“It’s an organized chaos,” Lori Hatfield said, a vendor at the annual Lights On Stillwater event. “It’s always fun, always hot and always very cool to see the ways in which the community supports the students.” Lights on Stillwater, with the Student Government Association runs, had tables and vendors covering the North side of Boone Pickens Stadium. The roads were blocked off to traffic. Students flooded the streets. And it was, as Hatfield described, hot.
This much-anticipated event occurs the first Wednesday of every fall semester, as it has for years.
“It allows us to connect with the community and allows them to connect with us,” vendor Dr. Danielle Dugot with the Veterinary Specialty Center of Stillwater said. The event is mutually beneficial. It allows businesses to market themselves, student clubs and organizations to recruit new members, and above all, it fosters an awareness between students and the community.
See LIGHTS on page 5A
The building is designed with size in mind. The new college accommodates six of the nine Ferguson College of Agriculture departments. The open concept is intended to encourage new ideas and participation from students and staff.
“Previous buildings and a lot of older buildings were really centered around different units,” Dean and Vice President of Agriculture Jayson Lusk said. “We really care about our different departments and different units, but we also wanted to create an environment where people would have more accidental opportunities to bump into each other.”
There are plenty of places to bump into people with study spaces, meeting rooms, research labs and computer labs. There are also large lecture halls and graduate labs.
Chelsey Comstock, coordinator for prospective students in Ferguson, said students were prioritized when the building was designed.
Shrum acknowledges ‘growing pains’ of record enrollment
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Although OSU has reached record enrollment in several of its student demographics, it has not been without some issues, President Dr. Kayse Shrum said Tuesday.
Shrum said during a faculty council meeting that the university will have to adjust to its new growth.
“I know that in our strategy, we said (in) 2026 we wanted to be at 5,000 (freshmen), we’re over that this year, not without a few growing pains,” Shrum said. “But you know, we’re going to learn from that process, and it’ll be smoother next year.”
Friday, OSU announced record enrollment numbers, reaching new highs for freshmen, along with the university system. The Honors College, Graduate College, Native American students, nursing students and online students also saw record enrollment.
The unexpected growth caused issues with oncampus housing, which has room for about 5,600 students. However, about 5,700 students requested on-campus housing, leaving some students in a bind.
To mitigate the issue, OSU briefly offered students compensation to forfeit their on-campus housing.
Alara Rains, a freshman, took OSU up on its offer of a bronze meal plan valued at $3,500 and a $1,000 scholarship in exchange for no on-campus housing.
“Oh my God, it was so stressful,” Rains said. Rains, who attended community college before enrolling at OSU, initially applied for a housing exemption for the spring semester. Freshmen are automatically enrolled in on-campus housing, according to Housing and Residential Life. The day after applying for the exemption, Rains was notified she was also exempted from living on campus during the fall semester.
“It was a bit stressful because I had to rush to find housing,” Rains said. “It was a week before my apartment complex that I currently have shut down applications.”
However, Rains said the compensation “kind of made up for all the stress that it caused.”
Luis Cantu, a transfer student and sophomore, said an expanding OSU will allow more exposure to a diverse student body.
“I think that’s one big positive, just being able to connect with so many different people from so many different places,” Cantu said.
See ENROLLMENT on page 7A
Delainey Cops
The new Ferguson School of Agriculture Hall promotes collaboration and networking amongst students.
Bryson Thadhani
Lights On Stillwater is an annual event that brings OSU students and the Stillwater community together.
See HALL on page 6A
Kennedy Thomason
Dr. Kayse Shrum said the university is
Bryson Thadhani
Thousands of students and community members attend Lights On Stillwater every year.
How to register to vote as a college student
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With a presidential election on November’s ballot, most of OSU’s student population is eligible to vote.
Although it is too late to register to vote for the Aug. 27 primary election runoff, there are eight weeks until voter registration is due for November’s election.
Historically, college students have lower turnout rates than other voting demographics. Eighty percent of college students registered to vote in the 2020 presidential election, compared to 69% registration in 2016, according to a study from Tufts University. Citizens must be 18 years or older to register to vote, and registration must be completed 25 days before the election, or Oct. 11, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board. Registration can be completed online, via mail or in person.
Voters can use the Oklahoma Voter Portal to register online. An Oklahoma driver’s license and signature on file with Service Oklahoma are required to
register this way.
The O’Comic News
Ask the Pokes
How did your first week of class go?
Registration via mail or in person requires more steps. To register by mail, you must print out a copy of atheVoter Registration Application after filling it out on the Voter Portal. The application must then be sent to your County Election Board.
To register in person, you must be registered at your County Election Board, local tag agency and with select public assistance agencies. Agents at your local tag agency will send the completed application to the State Election Board for free.
For out-of-state students, voting in November’s election could present more of a challenge. Out-ofstate students are entitled to choose where they vote, either their hometown or their college town.
If out-of-state students don’t want to deal with changing polling locations, they can request a mailin ballot.
Students from Oklahoma who don’t want to travel to their hometown to vote can also update their voter registration with a Stillwater address.
Students who are studying abroad this fall are also eligible to vote, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
On Nov. 5, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those in line by 7 p.m. will still be allowed to vote. KENNEDY
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GOD’S VIEW OF US!
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2:9-10 NIV)
It is good to stop and see who and where we are. This is what the apostle says of all believers. Those who have turned to Christ and received him as their Lord and saviour. By God’s grace, we have received a new relationship with God. It is quite a step up from where we were before. We have received mercy and are God’s people. We belong to him! However, there is a purpose in all of this.
We are to realize all that God has done for us and praise him who has called us out of spiritual darkness into his wonderful light. He has not only forgiven our many sins, never to be remembered any more, but has brought into a new relationship. We are children of God! We are to live with him forever in his Heaven. The wonderful truth is that all can come to Christ and receive this wonderful relationship with the God of love!. No matter about your past. All are welcome to come. Christ died for all that they might receive this great and eternal blessing.. Wow!
As Christians we can and should share this message with all. I remember first sharing this with two fellow air force men As I begin to share, there was a great joy.that filled my being. No wonder it is called the “Gospel”. It is the “Good News” that is for you and all people.
”My classes were not bad, just introductory stuff, but my favorite part about the first week is that there’s a lot of opportunities across campus where you can meet new people and get to know all the new organizations. So just to really see campus culture.”
- Maha Achour
What is your favorite class this semester?
“My favorite class is my adolescent development class. I really like that, we have an open communication style, and I like to hear everyone’s answers.”
- Alexes Fakingham
What is your hardest class this semester?
“I would probably say the class that I’m taking right now; it is classroom experiences and environments. That’s where I have to go every Monday to a school in Stillwater public schools and be a kind of like a student teacher. Not exactly hard, but a lot of effort.”
- BayLeigh Garbes
File Photo
Regardless of hometown, many of OSU’s students can register to vote in Stillwater.
Kendall Mcghee
New OSU dining hall open for business
JACKSON JOHNS STAFF REPORTER
The Central Market Place, located near the Villages and Wentz Hall, is finally open and ready to welcome students to campus.
As the newest addition to OSU dining, the market is replacing the KerrDrummond Mezzanine, which is currently undergoing demolition. The $22 million complex features three dining options and an updated version of the Twenty Something market.
The 405 Deli, which debuted at KerrDrummond in 2022, moved to the new dining hall along with another staple of OSU dining, Caribou Coffee. This is the second Caribou location on campus.
The proximity to the residential halls makes the new Caribou location that much more convenient for students who live on campus.
The 1890 Market, which is meant to be a more modern update to Twenty Something, has dozens of tables, booths, lounges and bar-style seating. Kaitlin Joliff, a student, said she primarily visits Central Marketplace for the groceries offered at the 1890 Mar-
ket. She said the selection of groceries surprised her.
“My go-to items are definitely milk, eggs and candy,” Joliff said.
The newest addition to OSU dining and the new dining location is BYTE. The new restaurant is a locker-style concept with a rotating menu. A few of the options available are based on other dining concepts, including Linguetti’s, the former Italian restaurant in KerrDrummond and Passport, the international cuisine restaurant in the Student Union.
It is only the first week of classes, but students seem to be already loving the
Advice for new Cowboys
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The first week of school is coming to a close, and new students are still navigating classes, homework and college.
Upperclassmen are chiming in with advice and wisdom for first-time college students.
First things first, stay on top of things. Senior Gavin Bodenstab is studying to be a professional pilot and said he prioritizes staying ahead of the game and fostering friendships.
“My advice would be to always stay ahead of your school work,” Bodenstab said. “Go to everything you can, always try to be friendly and help others when you get the chance.”
Junior Samantha Gurnesy, who studies hospitality and management, said she recommends avoiding the dreaded morning classes but sticking with it if you are in one.
“My one piece of advice is to not take morning classes if you struggle to wake up in the morning because it’s so tempting to skip when attendance isn’t taken, but that is how you fall behind and fail,” she said. “Go to class.”
Going to class is essential, but sophomore Khya Ward said she encourages students to get involved outside of class.
“Join events. Be active. Do not be afraid to go alone,” Ward said. “Be social, that’s the best way to have a social life and network that helps you in your career. Go do internships and job fairs.”
Get involved in and out of class, but manage your stress. For sophomore Shelly Polan, that’s as easy as a trip to the gym and a good meal.
“Definitely manage your stress and take care of yourself before anything,” Polan said. “I hang out with my friends, use the therapy service, go to the gym and eat good food.”
In the long run, Polan said she hopes students remember not to stress over the little things.
“Have fun,” she said. “It is never that serious.”
A good friend can make your day, and senior Bekah Bowman, who studies psychology, said she wants students to branch out in and out of class.
“It is the best way to make new friends and have someone who knows what you are going through and someone for support in class,” Bowman said.
Junior Brett Smith recommends new students put themselves out there to stand out with their professors.
“Network the heck out of yourself,” Smith said. “Let teachers know who you are and that they want to get to know you.”
Junior Eric Renner also encourages building a rapport with professors and teaching assistants.
“Go to TA office hours,” Renner said. “It will help you, and that is why they are there.”
Sophomore Jack Lemon advises students to prioritize keeping their dorms clean to create a safe learning and living environment.
“Empty your lint traps so our dorms don’t light on fire,” he said.
Lastly, sophomore Brian Redford said students should stay true to themselves while at OSU.
“Do not think about what other people are going to think of you as,” Redford said. “There is always going to be eyes on you, but those should not matter. Everyone is here to grow and everyone is here to get better, so do not beat yourself up.”
Advice is a never-ending resource at OSU. Students across all grades and majors are ready to help out and answer questions.
Whether you are a freshman trying to find your way or a senior enjoying your last year, if you have a question, just ask your fellow Cowboys.
Central Market. Foot traffic in the area is increasing, and students said they find the new location easy and convenient.
Jaron Hatfield, a sophomore, said Central Market brings more people to the area. The new building is convenient, and Hatfield visits often for “a quick meal or chips.” Hatfield said parking is still limited but has significantly improved since construction for the building ended.
“It’s definitely a little better,” Hatfield said. “Cleveland (Street) has been a lot busier.”
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‘Alien: Romulus’ revives
thrilling film franchise
JACKSON JOHNS STAFF REPORTER
In case you weren’t bombarded with advertisements all over YouTube these past few weeks, there’s a new “Alien” movie out.
Did you think the franchise died after the mess that was “Alien: Covenant”? I certainly did. But like a certain insectoid extraterrestrial, it’s back again, and I feel conflicted about if that’s a good thing.
“Alien: Romulus” starts 20 years after Ridley Scott’s original, with a silent scene of the recurring franchise villains from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. In the scene, they are found recovering the body of the original Xenomorph that we last saw thrown out of the Nostromo’s airlock 45 years ago.
This scene primes us for a surprisingly quiet viewing experience, as director Fede Alvarez utilizes his infamous silence, alongside “Twisters” composer Benjamin Wallfisch, to create a truly unsettling movie.
The plot, expectedly, is gaunt and bare bones. And, despite some strong moments from Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, the cast is entirely forgettable once the face huggers start pouring out of doors like blood from the elevators in the Overlook Hotel.
I don’t want to get into too much plot breakdown here, because I want you, my dear reader, to watch it for yourself, but I will say that it’s rather thin. It relies mostly on callbacks, homages, a tense atmosphere and fantastic creature effects to keep the audience engaged. It is similar to other franchise spinoffs in the way it relies on nostalgia.
Even with these complaints, I have to applaud Alvarez for making a thrilling and frankly beautiful film. I thoroughly enjoyed my time, and I do not regret buying a ticket. I definitely recommend checking this one out.
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Hayden Alexander
Sophmore Shelly Polan recommends that students find ways to de-stress that work for them.
Courtesy 20th Century Studios Xenomorph from “Alien: Romulus,” the latest movie in the classic franchise.
Center for Sovereign Nations celebrates 9 years on campus with NASA
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The Center for Sovereign Nations at OSU is turning nine this year.
To celebrate, NASA, the Native American Student Association, hosted a week of events highlighting the resources available to Native American students on campus.
The student-led organization, which is advised by the Center for Sovereign Nations, promotes community, education and cultural awareness on campus.
Dawna Hare, NASA’s co-adviser, said this year marks the Center for Sovereign Nations ‘s ninth year on campus, and they are doing things differently.
“Usually, they put a big tent up out here during lunch, and it’s like 100 degrees, really, really hot, and they invite all the university people, tribal partners, but students haven’t always been able to attend,” Hare said.
Hare said student leaders worked hard to set up multiple events for students to visit throughout the week.
“They wanted to have activities that could be offered during the week and that students would have an opportunity to visit,” Hare said.
One of the events students participated in was a friendly game of stickball. Initially, it was a way of settling disputes and war, but the traditional game now offers a fun way to stay active and learn about native culture.
“It used to be between tribes, and it would be to settle arguments,” NASA president Chenoa Turtle said. “Now, it’s a lot more social.”
Turtle joined NASA during her freshman year and said NASA is imperative in building support for native students on campus.
“Having a place for these students to come daily and enjoy each other’s company, hang out, find people who can relate to them, and just know that they have support and that we will always be there for them is important.”
That sense of community and support drives its members. Miss American Indian OSU Lauren Branham believes that the organization allows students to connect in ways they might not be able to at home.
“A lot of us grow up in small towns that are either predominantly white, or they have a different demographic than fully Native, and it’s very rare that you get into those instances, those places where you are fully accepted in that way or you don’t
feel like somebody is judging you,” Branham.
A larger Native population makes Oklahoma a hub for different native organizations, and NASA is a key player.
“We have a lot of students from different tribes, even from outside of Oklahoma,” Turtle said. “ It’s a very central place for them to come together and learn about other people’s tribes and also have resources to the tribes that are around Stillwater.”
Learning about other tribes is a big draw for students. Sophomore Garrison Moulton-Hurst is studying history and is interested in Native American history.
“I am a very big supporter of the Native American people and I would like to expand my knowledge and know more about this.”
Moulton-Hurst said he motivates his fellow students to get involved.
“Don’t be afraid,” Moulton-Hurst said. “It’s good to meet new people, and this organization is very welcoming to people.”
NASA is housed in the Center of Sovereign Nations offices and opens its doors to students daily.
“It’s been a very, very, very great place for all of us to meet,” Branham said. “You can come in and grab what you need.”
Branham said NASA is focused on diversifying its events.
“We host multicultural events,” Branham said. “That way, everybody can come in and see what different tribes do, and everyone gets represented at the same time; nobody gets left out.”
The week’s events are drawing in many new members. Freshman Olivia Prunty from Des Moines, Iowa, said she looks forward to finding a home away from home.
“Being a Native student, I was hoping to connect with other Natives on campus,” Prunty said. “I’m from out of state, so I don’t know a lot of people here.”
Turtle is ready to welcome new members and encourages them to attend an event even if unsure.
“I was very hesitant myself as a freshman, but coming here, I found community, and I continue to come in every day to the center and to NASA meetings, because of that community that supports me,” Turtle said.
NASA hosts weekly meetings and get-togethers in Life Sciences East Room 105 on Thursdays. Everyone is welcome to attend.
“I can just hang out; it’s outside of school; it’s a way for me to relax and get back into my culture since I am far from home,” Turtle said.
Hall
“The purpose of this space is specifically for students in mind,” Comstock said. “When we built this space, we wanted to be world-class researchers, but we also wanted to have a space for students to feel like they had a place to go.”
Comstock said she is happy students can come to the new location for more than only classes.
“I think, like any space, it gives them a space to work on homework outside of their dorm or their house,” Comstock said. “It gives them a space to just really feel connected to the college, to the university and a place to feel safe too.”
Junior Gage Watson said he is looking forward to gathering with friends at the college.
“I’m excited for all these hangout spots we’ve gotten here to study with friends and just hang out,” Watson said.
Lusk said he hopes the school will bring department heads, professors and graduate students together in a concentrated environment.
He said one of the key objectives of the building is to encourage and promote collaboration and interdisciplinary work.
“The offices are much more open so that you can see the people around you, and the hope is that it spurs collaboration among graduate students and faculty as they see what their peers are doing,” Lusk said.
The site is designed to comfortably host more than 60 agriculture clubs on campus comfortably.
“Having a space where those clubs can meet, where they can get together, where their leadership can store things and work together after hours is something this building is well designed for,” Lusk said.
Modern updates are the talk of the school, but one update builds upon decades of love and memories.
Many alumni donated to the construction of the new college and their number one request: bring back the Dairy Bar.
The Dairy Bar became a staple of OSU dining in 1928, but in 2006, the school tore down the building, frustrating students and alumni.
“A lot of alumni have very fond memories of the Dairy Bar being a place where they would go in between classes and network and have fun, play cards, and that sort of thing,” Lusk said.
The Dairy Bar brings students together over ice cream and shared conversations.
“We are hoping to replicate those relationships that get to be built again amongst our current students,” he said.
The Dairy Bar is bustling, and the halls are filled, but Lusk said the idea of moving the building was a little stressful at first.
“We had a lot of anxiety, to be frank, about the move, because it’s a big undertaking to move hundreds of people, computers and lab equipment from one building to another.”
Lusk said a lot of planning took place over the last couple of years to make the transition as smooth as possible, but that it has been a “relief” to have the move completed.
That transition has included students, who walked in Agricultural Hall for the first time Monday.
“The building has come alive in the last week as students have been coming back to campus,” Lusk said. “I think for all of us, it just felt amazing to have seen these spaces that have been dreamed about for years now being used.”
Lusk said everybody is welcome to use the building, no matter their major.
“If you eat, you are involved in agriculture, so everybody has a home here,” Lusk said. “We hope that you will hang out a little bit with us, and maybe in the process, you might get to learn a little bit about food and agriculture.”
The Ferguson College of Agriculture is hosting a grand opening Oct. 5 during family weekend.
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Hayden Alexander NASA hosts regular events open to everyone in the OSU community.
Delainey Cops
Back by popular demand the Dairy Bar is back 18 years after closing in 2006.
Delainey Cops
Lake McMurtry increases overall revenue for sixth year
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @_KENNEDYPAGE
Lake McMurtry continued its overall upward trend in increasing revenue during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The lake generated about $320,000 in revenue, a slight dip from the previous year’s $328,629. Overall, the numbers over the past six fiscal years have climbed.
Jill VanEgmond, executive director of Lake McMurtry, said during a city council meeting Monday that many statistics the park tracked remained the same as the previous year.
“When we ended our fiscal year, we had 605 active annual members,” VanEgmond said. “We had over 42,000 total visits for the year from 40 different states and 163 different Oklahoma communities.”
Although Lake McMurtry has seen a flat-rate subsidy of $180,000 since fiscal year 2018-2019, its revenue has seen an overall increase of about 44%. Overall, its revenue for the 2023-2024 fiscal year topped $500,000. VanEgmond said the revenue generated has remained “steady.”
Financing for the lake comes through various avenues, including beginner backpacking clinics, basic kayaking skills and Adventure Camp for youth. It also offers the Orange Dirt Trail Series, which will be held Oct. 26. It is
a multi-distance race that helps finance the lake’s operations.
During the past fiscal year, the lake also offered its Ride to Thrive program, an afterschool biking program for middle school students. It graduated its first class in May, and VanEgmond said the program will be back for its second year.
Vice Mayor Amy Dzialowski said she is proud of the lake’s accomplishments over the past year.
“I think (you are) such a great example of what city and a public private partnership is really meant to do,” Dzialowski said. “You always have such great new things that you’re offering our community with this community resource.”
Mayor Will Joyce said it is “impressive” that the lake has been able to continue to reach the community through programs like Ride to Thrive.
“That’s not just kind of the core of keeping the lake going; that’s going on and figuring out ways to get more people out there and how do we expand what your impact is on Stillwater, beyond just maintaining trails,”
Joyce said.
The lake has had success in increasing its revenue, but VanEgmond said that is not what the lake’s staff focus on.
“It’s really our goal not to just be a destination, to be a value in the community and to make impact outside just like this,” VanEgmond said.
aware of their sexual health.
But Hatfield offers a unique perspective. As an OSU alumna, she was able to experience both sides of the event – as a student first, and then as part of a business.
“Just because we go to school here doesn’t mean we’re not part of the community,” student body vice president Aubrey Ruffin said. “And everyone always welcomes us and is so warm.”
Hatfield said the event emphasizes the two communities Stillwater houses: students and local residents.
“For those of us who live here and aren’t often on campus, it’s a reminder that the students are here and that our connections with them are so important,” she said.
Hatfield is the executive director of Stillwater Life Services, a pregnancy resource center and STD testing lab. Hatfield is a regular at the event, tabling for more than 15 years and giving away roughly 3,000 T-shirts each year. Her merchandise is an expected find, with funny messages encouraging students to be
She remembers the event happening on the football field inside Boone Pickens Stadium during her college years.
“Now, it’s become so much bigger and there are still so many opportunities and ways to connect in the community,” Hatfield said. In the years since, this event has become a precedent to the values of Stillwater itself.
“When people are asked how they would describe OSU, they say it’s home-y. It’s a second home,” Ruffin said. Especially for incoming freshmen, the event is a great example of that home, where everyone is around to support one another.
“That’s the thing about Lights On Stillwater. It reminds us that Stillwater isn’t just Stillwater – it’s also OSU. And OSU isn’t just OSU – it’s also Stillwater.”
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Student body president, vice president setting mental health goals
KENNEDY THOMASON
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @_KENNEDYPAGE
As a new semester begins, the student body president and vice president are moving into their new office.
Student Body President Aubrey Ruffin and Vice President Landry Baker, respectively, are gearing up to deliver on campaign promises of building a better culture within the Student Government Association and creating better mental health support for students.
“This is kind of the year of setting precedent, in our opinion, of setting the standard for how things should be, fun and inviting and welcoming,” Ruffin said.
SGA has faced division among its ranks before, with previous elections having violations and delayed results from SGA Supreme Court hearings.
This time around, Baker said she wants to bring the “individually passionate” members of SGA together.
“Not that it was bad before, but I think that we have the people this year to do something really cool and set future SGA up for a lot of success,” Baker said. “And so I think if we start kind of creating a vibe now, it’ll pass on.”
The pair spearheaded its first major event Wednesday evening: Lights on Stillwater. SGA runs the event annually, with the student body vice president typically taking charge. Local businesses set up in a street-fair style to interact with students.
While campaigning during the spring semester, Ruffin and Baker said student mental health was a priority. They planned to create a packet for advisers to
give to students during their mandated semesterly enrollment meeting.
Although enrollment has already passed for this semester, the pair said they would still like to implement the idea for the spring semester. In the meantime, Ruffin said SGA’s mental health officer is working to bring the Green Bandana Project to campus.
“Basically, the Green Bandana (Project) is that you kind of get certified, in a sense, to have the bandana on your backpack or somewhere noticeable to know that if I see a green bandana on somebody, it means they’re a safe person for me to go talk to,” she said.
If OSU starts the initiative on campus, it will be the second Oklahoma college to do so, joining Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
As freshmen adjust to campus and returning students do the same, Ruffin said she wants the student body to feel supported.
“My big message is like, please never be scared to ask for help, not only from us, but from all faculty,” she said. “These faculty members, again, are also Stillwater residents; they want to help. These people want to help, and nobody’s wanting to see you fail.”
OSU offers a variety of resources, from tutoring to counseling. University Counseling Services is available to students at little to no cost, while other services like the Writing Center or the LASSO Center are free.
For returning students, Baker said it’s not too late to get involved and “expand your comfort zone.”
“Four years is short, and even our one year that we’re gonna have this office for is short, but like, you can still make a difference in a short time, and you can help set people up to continue the work,” Baker said.
Kennedy Thomason
Lake McMurtry Executive Director Jill VanEgmond said a majority of the lake’s visitors come from border states in a city council meeting Monday.
Courtesy of Aubrey Ruffin
Aubrey Ruffin (left) and Landry Baker were announced as the
president in March.
Lifestyle
How to beat the heat
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The heat is hard to beat, but the triple-digit highs are taking a break in Stillwater.
The pleasant temperatures are not here to stay. The heat will return on Friday and stick around for the weekend.
High temperatures can be harmful to students’ health and safety. Take precautions to stay cool this week.
Here are 10 ways you can beat the heat.
Hydrate
Drink plenty of water. According to UCLA Health, hydrating helps your
body stay regulated during hot days and prevents heat exhaustion. Carry a water bottle and take drinks often.
Eat
Eat during the day. If you are not getting the proper nutrients, your body is not getting the energy to keep you from overheating. Eat regularly and choose healthier, lighter options.
Wear light colored clothing
Wear loose-fitting and lightly colored clothes to stay stylish and cool.
Sunscreen
Wear it. Smelling like sunscreen in class is a better alternative to burning under the sun’s rays.
Hats and sunglasses
A hat and sunglasses can help protect your skin and eyes from the sun while
keeping you in the shade during your walk to class.
Take breaks
Take a break from the heat and cool off. Stop at the Student Union or find a shady spot to rest between classes.
Plan for cooler temperatures
If you plan on going outside, plan for cooler temperatures. Early morning and evening are the best times to enjoy the great outdoors during the heat.
Limit coffee, soda and alcohol
Staying hydrated is essential and coffee, soda, caffeinated beverages and alcohol dehydrate you. Try trading out you afternoon coffee or soda for water.
Splash into cooler temperatures
Swimming or taking a cool shower to wash off the
day’s heat is a great way to cool off.
Know the signs of heat strokes and heat exhaustion
High body temperatures, a rapid pulse, and dizziness are signs of a heat stroke. Call 911 immediately if you think you are having a heat stroke or go to the emergency room.
Heavy sweating, a weak pulse, nausea, and tiredness are symptoms of heat exhaustion. Take a minute and find a place to rest and drink water.
If you think you are going to pass out, find a place to sit and drink water. If you are out of time, alert those around you so they can help catch you. Stay cool, cowboys!
news.ed@ocolly.com
Stillwater
News/Lifestyle
‘The Acolyte’ divides ‘Star Wars’ fanbase
HAYDEN
“Star Wars: The Acolyte” is not returning for a second season after Lucasfilm decided to cancel the series a month after the first season aired.
The show divided fans, and though it showed potential, ultimately, the negatives outweighed the positives.
“The Acolyte” had everything going for it: a strong foundation, a stacked cast and a solid budget. However, lazy writing, confusing plot lines and a complete disregard for the pre-established “Star Wars” lore hobbled the series.
Set 100 years before the Skywalker Saga, “The Acolyte” tells the story of twins Osha and Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) as they navigate their past and future in the Force. Mae is hunting down the four Jedi she blames for her mother’s death, and Osha, a former Jedi, is a mechanic. They fight for their identity within the Force and are manipulated by those around them. However, the storyline quickly unravels.
Instead of using the period to explore new concepts as a standalone story, the writers decided to intertwine this show with the Skywalker Saga. In theory it was not a bad idea, but it did not work in practice.
An intriguing murder-mystery thriller turns into an ill-constructed explanation for a pivotal legend in “Star Wars” history.
There is a push among storytellers in the media to explore the gray areas of good and evil, but “The Acolyte” takes it to a new level.
Show creator Leslye Hedland told StarWars.com that she never intended to make the Jedi the antagonists. “I wanted to make them a little more fallible,” Hedland said.
The Sith’s job is to go after the Jedi and their teachings, not the showrunner.
Hedland’s concept was on the right track. “Star Wars” constantly explores the failures of the Jedi, but this
treatment lacks attention to detail.
During the season’s run, we learn that four Jedi, including Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), killed Osha and Mae’s mom because of a series of idiotic decisions. Mae vows to hunt down the Jedi spurred on by her Sith master, Quimir (Manny Jacinto).
Mae attempts to strike out alone, but Quimir takes over, murdering countless Jedi, including Jecki Lon (Daphne Keen) and Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett).
Qumir changes targets and nurtures the growing hatred in Osha.
Osha kills Master Sol, becoming the acolyte. Master Rwoh claims Sol is behind everything to cover up the discovery of a Sith.
Rwoh visits Master Yoda to tell him the truth, presumably. So, in five seconds, Yoda’s character is changed forever.
The lore-breaking continues with the twins Osha and Mae. Instead of writing their own story, they copied Anakin’s story and ruined a longrunning “Star Wars” mystery.
The mythos claims that Darth Plagueis, Sith Master to Darth Sidious, created Anakin through the Force. This supposedly explains Anakin’s powers and why he is the chosen one spoken of in Jedi prophecy, but it is never confirmed.
The mystery thrived in the background, weaving an extra layer into the story and allowing fans’ imaginations to run wild until “The Acolyte” premiered.
Now, 100 years before Anakin, a random coven of witches discovers how to create life through the Force. The myth that sets Anakin apart is no longer unique.
Osha is a copy-paste female Anakin. She joins the order at an odd age, eventually leaves, and turns to the dark side, in part because of her mother’s death. She also force-chokes Master Sol as he tells her that he loves her. Sorry, Padme, Master Sol stole your move.
In less than three episodes, it completely changed the fabric of “Star Wars.”
Ignoring the lore bending, the show itself needs work. The plot drags on and delivers character development entirely out of left field.
Plot-altering decisions occur with no proper build up. For example, after a short walk through the woods, Mae abandons her Sith master out of
nowhere. Her revenge arc dissipates with no previous hint of her doubt in her role as the acolyte.
Osha and Mae’s storyline is the least compelling in the entire series. Take it out and focus on the cover-up of the Sith by the Jedi. Make Quimir the acolyte.
The witch coven’s chant of “the one, the two, the many” belongs in a Disney Halloween special, not “Star Wars.”
The dialogue feels unnatural and out of place. The actors are great, but the writing fails them.
Stenberg is an accomplished actress. Jung-jae learned English for this role and killed it. Keen as Jecki is by far my favorite, and Barnett plays a stoic Jedi in Yord, but it’s not enough.
Jacinto as Qumir is flawless, and no, it is not because he takes his shirt off.
If I had a nickel for every time someone took their shirt off in this show, I’d have two nickels, which is not a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.
Jacinto’s performance is perfect, and his lightsaber combat is brutal and precise.
The lightsaber choreography rivals the prequels duels and puts to shame the blunt stabbing of the sequels. It’s fast, powerful and fun to watch.
Master Sol is an excellent addition to “Star Wars.” He is a perfect example of the internal struggle faced by most Jedi over emotions, but in the end, his emotions blind him to the truth.
The world building is excellent and offers a window into the past. Many parts of the new lore work, like the bleeding lightsaber, cortosis helmet and whip lightsaber. We witness several Jedi thriving and see the order in its heyday.
Darth Plagueis cameos sent utter shock and awe through the fandom.
The show had plenty of good things going for it, but not enough.
Although the show is not my favorite, I do not think it deserved to be canceled. A second run might offer the show redemption and a chance to fully realize the storyline.
“The Acolyte” had so much promise, but it did not deliver. The writers flew too close to the sun, but the show will go down in “Star Wars” history for all the right and wrong reasons.
Even though Cantu said he has enjoyed seeing and meeting fellow students en masse, the large student population has created disruptions during the first week of class.
“Parking has been such a pain,” Cantu said. “I think (Tuesday) I was doing laps for, like, 40 minutes trying to find the spot. Yeah, it was horrible.”
Although all students who were in need of housing have been placed, Shrum said the university has capacity to handle rising enrollment.
“As far as housing, I think we could accommodate that, we just have to change some of our policies,” she said. “And I think… if we do 5,500 freshmen, we’re still good with housing, so we have a little bit of wiggle room before we really have to kind of start thinking seriously about where to go with growth.”
Over the past two years, money has been poured into OSU’s marketing and recruitment budget, which has played a role in fewer students declining acceptance, Shrum said.
Gov. Kevin Stitt wants the OSU system to grow to 40,000 students, Shrum said. This year, the system has about 36,000 students enrolled. It includes campuses in Stillwater, Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Shrum said after accomplishing the target freshman enrollment number two years early, the university has a year or two to decide its next growth goal.
Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes
The Acolyte’ cancelled after one season.
‘It Ends With Us’:
More than just a romance drama
This article contains mentions of domestic violence and spoilers.
For those who walked into the theater expecting a romance drama full of cheating scandals and passionate love, the movie starting with an abusive father’s funeral must have been a shock.
But, as one of the many peer-pressured into reading “It Ends With Us,” a bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, when it blew up on TikTok in 2021, I knew what I was getting into. Yet, I wasn’t quite ready to see it on the big screen.
In the beginning of the movie, Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) flees her father’s funeral, overcome with nerves and emotion. She ends up on the roof of a random building in Boston, reflecting on her day when suddenly a door slammed open.
Out walks Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) in a state of anger.
Without noticing Lily’s presence, he kicks over a chair.
The aggression shown in this first scene of Ryle doesn’t go unnoticed by the viewer, but seems to be immediately forgotten by Lily. After sharing “naked truths” about their traumatic days, Ryle bluntly tells Lily he wants to have sex with her, which she declines.
Lily is not like the other girls. She is a “take home to momma” girl. Her words, not mine. But regardless, things escalated further until Ryle received a phone call from the hospital where he worked and had to abruptly leave. Lily, at that moment, thought she would never see him again, which would probably be in her best interest. But of course, that is not how these stories work.
Now, the most ironic part, that did not surprise me as a reader of many of Hoover’s works, is Lily’s dream job; owning a flower shop. Yes, I know, I would use a rollingeyes emoji in this article if I could. Lily Blossom Bloom wants to own a flower shop. OK, whatever, Colleen.
I dismiss this creative decision to focus on the fact that Lily’s first employee, Allysa (Jenny Slate) becomes the comedic relief and comfort character of the movie. Of course, there’s a catch. Her brother is none other than Ryle. It’s not long before Lily and Ryle encounter each other again as Allysa and Lily become best friends.
Their romance takes off, and it’s full of bliss. Until Lily’s mother comes to town and takes them to a new restaurant in Boston called “Roots.” At this point, many flashbacks scenes of Lily and her first romance with Atlas Corrigan, played by the oh-so-handsome Brandon Sklenar, have pre-
pared us for this interaction.
Atlas, Lily’s first love, was a homeless boy who squatted in the house next door to Lily’s. His mother kicked him out after he tried to defend her from her abusive boyfriend. With the dark pattern of domestic violence running in Lily and Atlas families, their high-school love stemmed from relatability and safety for them both.
Of course, nothing good happens for long in stories of domestic violence. Lily’s father, played by the same actor who plays Owen Hunt in “Grey’s Anatomy,” beats Atlas almost to death when he finds him in Lily’s bed. It is a traumatic scene to watch, and it left me feeling unsettled, but ready for a reunion between the two, which didn’t happen for another seven years.
Nothing comes of their short reunion at first, but then the
abuse starts. Ryle’s original aggression comes to the surface. The first incident is portrayed as him reaching into the hot oven and his reflexes causing Lily to be hit in the face.
In another instance, she is pushed down the stairs after Ryle finds Atlas’ number in the back of her phone case. He put it there for emergencies after seeing her bruises on another outing to his restaurant, but it’s portrayed as her falling.
The last straw for Lily occurred in one of the most unsettling and painful scenes to watch. She is held down forcefully by Ryle, and he injures her collarbone where a tattoo in tribute of a childhood memory with Atlas is.
The memories come flooding back, and the scenes are altered to show the truth, from the slap by the oven to the push down the stairs, and Lily flees.
The change in the scenes to show Lily’s true perspective each time was phenomenal and emotional for the viewer. It is one of the moments that makes the movie.
Atlas lets Lily stay with him, and she visits the doctor where she finds out she is pregnant.
She allows Ryle to have part in the pregnancy without being in a relationship with him. Finally when the day comes, Ryle is there for Lily in the delivery room.
Ryle has a moment with his daughter that is interrupted with Lily asking for a divorce. At first it shocks him, but after Lily asked what he would do if his daughter was in her position, he understood. He left the room, and Lily told their baby “it ends with us.” The pattern of abuse passed down through generations would not continue with
Lily and Ryle. It is an emotional and vulnerable scene that left me happy that the theater was dark. (Tears, tears and more tears).
As for the press tour drama you may or may not be aware of, Justin Baldoni is using his platform to support victims of domestic violence and raise awareness for the issue, unlike some of his co-stars. If you’re going to take anything away from this story, it has to be beyond the shallowness of Hollywood movies. It’s a reality for many, and it’s important to recognize that. In a perfect world, no amount of concealer would need to be used to cover up a bruise given by a loved one. But as we all know, the world is far from perfect.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800)799-7233
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy Entertainment Weekly
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively portraying Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid in the movie adaptation of bestselling novel “It Ends With Us.”
As Carmichael enters Year 20 at OSU, he reflects but also looks forward to the future
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER
@PONCYCALIF
In 1995, Colin Carmichael thought he was going to be the next head coach at the University of South Alabama.
Less than one year later, the Scotland native found himself in Stillwater, Oklahoma, helping Karen Hancock start a program for the second time after visa issues brought his candidacy
to be the next coach at South Alabama to a halt.
Twenty-eight years later, Carmichael is still in Stillwater, starting his 20th season as the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowgirls. With six Big 12 championships, a near 70% winning percentage, six Big 12 Coach of the Year awards and more than 200 career wins, Carmichael has solidified himself as one of the best coaches in conference history.
“It means more here because you’ve gone through ups and downs, the highs and lows in this program,” Carmichael
said. “When you get success and you win championships, I think it means a little more when you do it at a place where you probably have a bigger connection than you would if you went somewhere else.”
Camichael’s 20th season is off to a roaring start. The Cowgirls went on the road and took down No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln and defeated Oral Roberts at home, doing enough to break into the national rankings at No. 17, despite being picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
“It’s funny; I think Ally (Jackson)
OSU’s Bindbeutel has bounced back from a ‘devastating’ injury; now it’s time for her to
BY DANIEL ALLEN I STAFF REPORTER
Anormal day of work swiftly went haywire for Judy Bindbeutel.
The timing of Judy’s exhusband, Tom, calling her on an afternoon in April was “odd,” she said. Sure, Oklahoma State had a soccer exhibition match scheduled that day – the final one of the Cowgirls’ spring 2023 slate. Her daughter, Gracie Bindbeutel, was a starter on the team. Shortly thereafter, Judy’s curiosity quickly shifted to anxiety and anguish. When she heard the dreaded words from Tom detailing Gracie’s torn meniscus and ACL, she was “broken.”
“I remember hearing the words from Tom, and I just couldn’t believe it,” Judy said. “You don’t know what to do, where to go from there.”
Now, after taking a medical redshirt dur-
ing her true sophomore season, Gracie is back in the lineup. Expectations are lofty for the speedy forward-turned-wingback for the 2024 season. That’s nothing new for Gracie. Success has followed her throughout her soccer career.
What was new was the reality of enduring such a detrimental injury. She had gone through her occasional shin splints, pulled muscles and concussions. She’s glad to be playing again.
“It’s amazing (to be back),” Gracie said. “It’s definitely been a journey. But yeah, it’s so nice. It’s everything I’ve hoped for.
“It was a lot to be playing every day for my whole life and then just not for a long time — half a year. Definitely, missing out on a whole season is really hard… but I’m really, really excited to see where this season can go.”
and Grace (Yochum) were pointing out the last two times we’ve won the Big 12, we were picked seventh or eighth,” Carmichael said. “We knew what we had coming back, and a lot of those preseason rankings, even the top 25 rankings, are just based on the year before.”
Carmichael has made a habit of exceeding expectations during the past two decades in multiple areas, recruiting in particular.
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER @DANIELALLEN1738
Despite Ollie Gordon II’s stellar sophomore season, which landed him the Doak Walker Award and a projected first-round pick in next year’s draft, OSU head coach Mike Gundy wants something to change for Gordon. Gundy doesn’t want Gordon to endure the same workload he did in 2023. During OSU’s annual team media day on Aug. 3, Gundy shed light on the potential of others in the running back room complementing Gordon’s skillset. And hopefully, Gundy said, it will deprive Gordon of a ballooned carry total, like the 24 carries Gordon averaged per game after the first three game’s of the season last year.
See GORDON on page 5B
Nick Becker
As Colin Carmichael enters Year 20 of being at the helm of Cowgirl soccer, he’s one of the Big 12’s best coaches ever
See CARMICHAEL on page 4B
FIle Photo
Gracie Bindbeutel is back from a torn meniscus and ACL and is looking to continue her prior success as a Cowgirl.
FIle Photo
Mike Gundy said he wants other running back’s on OSU’s roster to take some of the pressure and workload off of Ollie Gordon II.
Breaking down how OSU soccer can return to the NCAA Tournament
is probable.
Three years separate the present and Oklahoma State’s most recent appearance in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
Not too long. But long enough for OSU head coach Colin Carmichael to voice displeasure two weeks ago, before the Cowgirls’ season opener at Nebraska.
“Not making the (NCAA) Tournament, it sucks,” Carmichael said. “You work so hard all year, and to not make it is like a gut punch.”
The aforementioned three-year stretch marks the longest since Carmichael’s inaugural season at the helm in 2005, when he served as an associate head coach alongside former head coach and assistant, Karen Hancock, where OSU hasn’t appeared in the NCAA Tournament.
Carmichael wasn’t coy about “how much sleep” he’s lost since. Not only thinking about his teams’ recent lack of appearances in the field of 64, but also how close they were. OSU was one of the first four teams left out the last three seasons.
Simply not making the tournament is one thing. Coming up short while being ever so close to making it is another. And Carmichael’s players echoed his sentiments.
“We are not going to be on the bubble again,” wingback Gracie Bindbeutel said. “We are tired of having that discussion. We do not want to do it again. I really do believe that we have what it takes this year.”
In Carmichael’s mind, there are a multitude of reasons for optimism. From roster depth to a challenging nonconference slate, Carmichael and Co. are adamant a return to the NCAA Tournament
The Cowgirls already opened the season with a 2-0 upset win on the road against No. 6 Nebraska. It gave OSU its first top-10 win since 2020, which, ironically, was the most recent year made the NCAA Tournament. Three days later, came a 1-0 win at home against Oral Roberts.
Sitting at 2-0-0, OSU appears to be in a favorable position to make a return. However, a lot still must fall in its favor for that to happen.
Here’s a breakdown of why 2024 might be the year where Carmichael’s optimism comes to fruition.
Returning key pieces
OSU returns nine starters from a year ago. But perhaps none other are more important than Bindbeutel.
Two years ago, Bindbeutel played a pivotal role for a team that fell just short of making the tournament. Already being a highly-touted recruit with high expectations heading into her first season in 2022, she started at forward.
Expectations were even higher heading into 2023, before she tore her ACL in OSU’s last spring match. Now, she’s near full health, Carmichael said, and will be looked upon as a team veteran.
Of course, Bindbeutel’s scoring ability is her best asset. But her speed complements it. So often during her freshman year, she’d outrun everyone else on the field.
Sophomore forward Laudan Wilson’s freshman success a year ago speaks for itself. Now, OSU gets her back, fully healthy. Mix those two with Xcaret Pineda’s leg power, and Carmichael could have one of his best offenses since 2011.
At goalie, Grace Gordon enters her second year with the team after a successful 2023 season, where she surrendered 15 goals to go with an 81.5% save percentage. OSU returned its starting goalie
for the first time in two years. Although Carmichael said the goalie spot was “open” ahead of his team’s season opener, Gordon has started each of OSU’s first two games and allowed zero goals.
Challenging nonconference slate
RPI and strength of schedule have gashed OSU’s season resume the past couple of seasons.
Carmichael said he went all in when scheduling his team’s nonconference slate, adding that he wouldn’t have done so had he not been optimistic about their talent.
Of course, maintaining the Bedlam rivalry was important in Carmichael’s mind. However, the Sooners haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2016.
So, Carmichael scheduled road matches against then-top-10 Nebraska and a San Diego State club that won 14 matches last year. Home matches against talented Texas State and Oral Roberts teams also added, in addition to a Bedlam home match.
Big 12 success
A challenging nonconference schedule goes a long way in bolstering a club’s tournament chances. But it can only go so far if the said team is subpar in conference.
OSU hasn’t dazzled in Big 12 play in either of the past three seasons. A year ago, the Cowgirls went 5-5. Two years ago, they only won four conference matches. And in 2021, they matched that win total.
Not to mention, the Cowgirls have faltered in marquee conference matches. Over the past three years, OSU has gone 2-7-1 against ranked Big 12 opponents. If Carmichael’s club hopes to return to the NCAA Tournament, more success against ranked conference foes will be necessary.
But given that the Cowgirls have already logged a top-10 win in 2024, there’s reason for OSU fans to be optimistic.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
AUG. 25: @ CENTRAL ARKANSAS
AUG. 31: @ SAN DIEGO STATE
SEPT. 5: VS. TEXAS STATE
SEPT. 8: VS. UL MONROE
SEPT. 12: @ BAYLOR
SEPT. 15: VS. TEXAS A&M — COMMERCE
SEPT. 19: VS. COLORADO
SEPT. 22: VS. TEXAS TECH
SEPT. 26: @ BYU
SEPT. 29: @ UTAH
OCT. 5: @ KANSAS
OCT. 10: VS. HOUSTON
OCT. 13: VS. CINCINNATI
OCT. 17: VS. IOWA STATE
OCT. 20: @ UCF
OCT. 25: VS. TCU COWGIRL SOCCER SCHEDULE
Cowgirls hoping early momentum can thrust them atop the Big 12
“But once we settled into the game, I think it’s hard to argue that we weren’t a better team.”
Last season, OSU struggled to close matches.
The Cowgirls would get to the final third of a match deadlocked, only to crumble and allow a late goal. Of OSU’s eight losses, four came on a goal in the final 25 minutes.
The Cowgirls opened this season with a different idea in mind.
Playing at No. 6 Nebraska, OSU withstood a first-half onslaught from the Cornhuskers. Nebraska had eight corners and nine shots in the first 45 minutes, but the Cowgirls, just as they did so often in 2023, held the Cornhuskers scoreless in the first half.
“We had to withstand a little bit of an onslaught at the beginning; (they) kind of caught us on our heels,” OSU head coach Colin Carmichael said.
OSU eased its way into the second half, but when sophomore midfielder Lexi Lee broke the seal in the 66th minute to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead, the match was over. They scored again just eight minutes later, and the rest is history.
OSU extinguished the demons of the past season off the bat, squashing one of the nation’s best teams on the road with a dominant 2-0 win.
“We lost one home game last year,” senior defender Alex Morris said. “We were very good at home against ranked opponents like UCF. We struggled to go get those road wins. And so first game of the season we go and get a top-10 road win. I think that’s really just a confidence booster and like, ‘Hey, we can really do something this season.’”
Although earning a win against a top-10 team is notable, the Cowgirls
know they have a lot more work to accomplish their goals this season. OSU has not been to the NCAA Tournament in three seasons, meaning the group of Morris, Mollie Briener, Grace Gordon and Nicole Ray have not been to the tournament as Cowgirls, a program that has won the Big 12 six times since 2005.
“You know it’s a good one whenever (strength and conditioning assistant Mallory Fowlkes) says we can get froyo after, so definitely very exciting,” Morris said. “Kind of like you said, it just was some hard work paid off. And, you know, it’s not the end of the season at all. In fact, it’s the first game. But I think it’s a good confidence booster, a spirit lifter. Everyone’s like, ‘All right, we beat No. 6 Nebraska. Who wants us next?’”
With Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12, the conference is still trying to figure out who the top dogs are going to be. TCU and BYU are assumed to be in
that mix, as is Texas Tech. After that, the powers of the future have yet to be determined.
Coming off a promising start to the season, the Cowgirls hope to establish themselves as contenders with an experienced attack and an improved defense bolstered by potential breakout stars Chloe Joseph and Gracie Bindbeutel.
With an explosive mixture of experience and youth, the Cowgirls are looking to build upon a quick start to the season and become a real player in a Big 12 that is desperate to find a second fiddle to BYU.
“As far as the two wins, that’s what you go into the weekend hoping for, no matter how you get them,” Carmichael said. “And I think the performance at Nebraska set a very high bar for this group, shows what they’re capable of. But what we’ve talked about is you got to do it every game.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo
Sophomore Laudan Wilson is one of the many key returning pieces for this year’s Cowgirl squad.
Why OSU soccer’s new formation will better suit the Cowgirls’ play style, identity
KENZIE KRAICH STAFF REPORTER @KRAICH20
Oklahoma State women’s soccer’s dominant showings in two matches have come with a new look on the field.
The No. 17-ranked Cowgirls have revamped their on-field formation, switching to a 5-3-2, which will create new opportunities in the attacking third.
“We thought this system is going to suit the personnel that we have,” OSU head coach Colin Carmichael said.
With new faces coming in and old ones leaving, Carmichael wanted to try something different to set up the athletes he had. Putting both preseason All-Big 12 selections, Laudan Wilson and Xcaret Pineda, in positions to play off each other has played a large part in the formation shift, as well as the speed he would have on the outside.
“We came into the spring and started the same way (we did last season), and then as we got about a month in, I just looked at it and thought, ‘Gracie (Bindbeutel’s) back, and she’s super fast,’ and we wanted to look at her on a flank,” Carmichael said. “We wanted to get Laudan and (Pedina) higher up the field together, cause they’re two of the best players in the league.”
Carmichael believes the new five-back shape will allow his athletes to be successful in the attacking third and will create more opportunities around the goal in the bigger matchups the Cowgirls will have this season.
“We want to play with two central forwards instead of one because we weren’t creating enough chances… so having two forwards plus (Pedina) and Laudan a little bit higher would give us the opportunity to create more goal-scoring opportunities,” Carmichael said.
Bindbeutel credits the success of the new formation to the team’s willingness to win, and because there are now five players in the defense compared to last year’s four, the formation offers more room for error.
“It’s everybody. It’s not just one person,” Bindbeutel said. “So I think that the formation helps a lot. It offers more support, but at the end of the day, I think it’s willingness.”
The Cowgirls are on track to record standout performances on the defensive end, as they held previously ranked No. 6 Nebraska to four shots on goal compared to their own five. The dominance continued into their matchup against Oral Roberts, with four shots on goal allowed and 15 attempted on their own.
The current shape on the field allows OSU to suffocate opponents on defense and create longer possessions on offense, but it can also tire the players running on the wings.
Goalie Grace Gordon gives credit where it’s due and praises the work the team did in the offseason.
“I give so much credit to those girls, especially on the wing that run up and down the entire time,” Gordon said. “I just think it’s awesome… that’s part of the hard work you put into the offseason so you have that ability during the season.”
Senior midfielder Alex Morris is no stranger to the five-back formation, as the Cowgirls played it her first two years as a Cowgirl, and because OSU has had multiple looks on the field during the past few years, she has a strong message for why the change will not affect her and her teammates this season.
“As Colin always says, a formation is a strategy and it’s a tactic, and it can help you win, but at the end of the day, if your 11 players are better than their 11 players, then you’re going to win the soccer game no matter what formation you’re playing,” Morris said.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Cowgirls finding cohesion despite roster age gap
Composure, maturity, confidence and experience are all characteristics a wellseasoned, veteran team would have. Lucky for OSU soccer, it checks all the boxes with one exception — the majority of its players are underclassmen.
Despite being a youngerdominated team, OSU has brought back most of its players, and keeping the experienced athletes on the roster has served them well so far this season.
“I’m not convinced last year we could have gone on the road to Nebraska this early in the season and played with the composure and the maturity that we did,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “In fact, I know we couldn’t, but this group did. Then, late in the game against ORU, it’s easy to panic there, but we just kept doing the right things.”
Returning nine starters from last season, the Cowgirls are beyond where they were a year ago. OSU started seven new faces to begin the previous season, making this time around much more familiar for the players and coaching staff.
With 10 in the sophomore class, OSU is a younger team, but the Cowgirls seem far from inexperienced.
“They got so much experience last year and got to open up their eyes to see what it is,” said goalie Grace Gordon.
Of the 10 sophomores in the program, nine of them played in more than 15 matches last season, and not one didn’t see the field all year. Staying consistent in improvement can be difficult for young athletes, but Carmichael’s group of girls do not stray away from a benchmark to be set.
“Those kids are bought in, and I think that’s one of the things I think that pleases me the most with this group, is a lot of those kids last year that
were kinda thrown into the fire... that group has certainly improved,” Carmichael said. “The improvement from one year to the next to a lot of those kids – Laudan, Lexi, Adelhia [Ghonda], Taryn [Thibeau], you go through the list; they’re all better.”
The sophomore class is responsible for two of the three goals and 35% of the total shots on goal.
This team’s dynamic for the Cowgirls mirrors that of the one they had last fall — but the difference? The bond among the players.
“I’ve never had this type of bond with the people and closeness in such a short period of time,” Gordon said. “I think, just like the feeling of open communication and trustworthiness… amongst players, coaches, any type of staff… it’s really hard to beat that.”
Not only do the players feed into the cohesive dynamic, but also those whom the coaching staff brings in. Gordon credits the staff for bringing in athletes that will fit the mold and possess the same goals as the rest of the team.
Senior wingback Alex Morris commented on the difference in the team’s feel on and off the field this year compared to her previous seasons.
“I think it’s funny, because if you saw the people interacting in our locker room, or you saw us hanging out, or you saw us at each other’s house or something, you wouldn’t realize how big of a gap there honestly is between a lot of people,” Morris said. “The team is so close this year, closer than I’ve ever been with my team in years prior.”
The Cowgirls have a winning mindset across the board, and that has set the tone for the fall.
“We’re way ahead of where we were last year,” Carmichael said. “A lot of that is player retention… I think that goes a long way early in the season because you get more experience.”
Photo
Xcaret Pineda is one of the key Cowgirls that head coach Colin Carmichael wanted to highlight in the team’s new formation.
But the injury she suffered instilled a nuanced mentality and work ethic within her, which she said she intends on withholding for as long as she plays.
Gracie had erupted into one of OSU’s star prospects during the spring season. Forget her impressive fall season as a freshman in 2022, when she ranked third on the roster in goals scored (4); her productivity through the spring had OSU’s coaching staff and her teammates optimistic of a potential star in the making.
But not for long.
In the second half of an exhibition match against Tulsa at Neal Patterson Stadium, Tom watched Gracie fall to the ground after making an aggressive move toward the ball. After OSU’s medical staff took her behind the home stands to examine her, Tom got word of the official injury and didn’t hesitate to relay the news to Judy.
Torn ACL and meniscus. Playing during the 2023 regular season was deemed impossible.
Judy said she remembered nearly falling to her knees in agony. Secondhand pain was relatively new for her. And in the moment, she despised the feeling.
“That was just devastating,” she said. “It was absolutely devastating. It blinded us completely, as to be expected with something like that.
“It was absolute doom.”
However, instead of sulking, Gracie got to work. She attended every day of rehab, showed up early and left later than what was expected. Slowly but
surely, she made progress.
Of course, rehab wasn’t always easy for Gracie. Some days, she would awaken sorer than others. Others, she wouldn’t have the mental drive to attack rehab.
But she persisted through it all. It’s a trait Judy said Gracie has displayed throughout her playing career.
“When she gets stressed or is going through it, she just goes to her little Gracie space,” Judy said. “Then she puts her head down and stays committed until she gets it done.”
By OSU’s 2023 season opener, she could put weight on her injured leg, months earlier than initially expected.
And both Gracie and Judy credit OSU for such a smooth and swift rehab.
“I mean, my gosh, just look at her
now,” Judy said. “She’s an example of OSU taking care of their athlete. I’m appreciative of it, and I know Gracie is too.”
This season, Gracie is expected to be a pivotal part of an OSU team eager to make a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. With nine returning starters from a 2023 team that was one of the first four teams left out of the field of 64, inserting Gracie’s skill set and speed back into the lineup provides an immediate boost. She knows it. Her head coach does, too.
“Last fall was really tough for her,” OSU head coach Colin Carmichael said. “You know, when a kid is injured and they miss the entire fall (season), it’s not easy. And so, the mentality to come through that, fight back and get
strong spring performance, it isn’t a surprise to anyone that OSU is a good team, but the heights it has already shown it can reach are a promising sign.
The Cowgirls have shared a conference with teams with more resources since their inception in 1996. Whether it be Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M or now BYU, OSU has never been the premier destination in the Big 12. Despite a disparity in resources, the Cowgirls have been one of the most consistently successful programs in the conference, and Carmichael chalks it up to the same thing most coaches who have found success with OSU have: internal development.
“For women’s soccer, it’s never been a destination for a lot of youth soccer players,” Carmichael said. “Some of the best players in our sport are from Florida, Texas, California, Ohio, the northeast. There are some really good Oklahoma kids, not as many, it’s a small populated state. We’ve never been Duke, (North) Carolina, UCLA, Florida State. We’re just not them; I don’t think we can be.
“What we’ve done a good job of over my years is we get good players who we identify that are really driven and have that working mentality, we bring them in, maybe they are three-stars, and we train them, and maybe a year or two into that we have a lot of success.”
Carmichael will occasionally land a four-star, with players like Lexi Lee, Laudan Wilson and Logan Heausler, but the majority of OSU’s roster were middling recruits who never caught the eye of the coastal powers.
Players under Carmichael’s tutelage typically level up after a few years, and sometimes the inbetween years result in seasons without a postseason berth. Over the past few years, OSU has been in one of those droughts. It has been three seasons since the Cowgirls made the NCAA Tournament, but this group appears to be poised for a bounceback season.
With Bedlam behind them and a win against No. 6 Nebraska already in the books, the Cowgirls are on the verge of making Carmichael’s second decade in charge start off with a bang. After a
“This current group are really good kids, win, lose or draw,” Carmichael said. “Love those guys, they’ve kind of rejuvenated me a little bit. I think we had a couple of years there, COVID and then post-COVID, it was just really different. But this group of kids have been amazing, and I actually enjoy just showing up and being around them all the time. It’s a lot of fun.”
Carmichael’s sentiment is shared by a roster that is an interesting mix of young players and veterans. Multiple underclassman are key parts of the rotation, like Wilson, Lee, Gracie Bindbeutel and Adelhia Ghonda are all sophomores. But Mollie Breiner, Alex Morris, Kate Dreyer and Grace Gordon are all in at least their fourth year and also play huge roles on what could be the best OSU team in the past five seasons.
“We like to make a lot of old jokes on him. Like, ‘Oh wow, you’ve been here a while, huh? Before half this team was even born?’” Morris said. “It’s a pretty cool thing. I mean, he knows what he’s doing; he’s been doing it for a long time. That’s good for the trust of the team. We can trust our coach’s plan.”
Age aside, Carmichael has proven he is one of the best in the Big 12, and it is easy to make the assumption that he will be the head man of the Cowgirls as long as he wants.
With a season ahead of them and a huge win already earned, the sky is the limit for Carmichael’s 20th team, and regardless of the result, he will never forget the team that helped him usher in his second decade of being a head coach.
“I’m very tuned in to the fact that a lot of coaches don’t get to stay at one place like I have, I’m very thankful for that,” Carmichael said.
“And then, you know, the age I’m getting to now is like, you know, I’d love to have another great run of success here. I’m not getting any younger, so it’s great to get those things done, but, yeah, very thankful that I get to do what I love to do at a place that I really love.”
back on the field right away is something that I respect for all of those kids that are injured.
“As the (2024) spring went on, we sort of started teaching and giving her a little bit of advice. And she has come in this preseason and been great.”
But perhaps most importantly, Carmichael said, having her back on the sidelines is immensely fulfilling. Because in the minds of her coaches, teammates and parents, nobody can replace “Gracie B.”
“She’s just such a positive influence,” Carmichael said. “That kid, she’s always smiling. She’s upbeat. You (could) hear her on the bench, encouraging her teammates. This (wasn’t) the role she (wanted) to play, but it’s the role she’s been forced to play. I can’t wait for the next (three) years with Gracie B.”
Kirkland could break NFL Combine bench press record
OSU defensive lineman Justin Kirkland can do something 51 times that, according to fitnessvolt. com, only 0.4% of Americans can do once.
Bench press 225 pounds.
With some help from OSU strength and conditioning coach Rob Glass, Kirkland believes he’s in tip-top shape headed into his junior season. So much that he’s moving better and putting up bigtime numbers in the weight room — numbers that could break an NFL Combine record, Kirkland said.
“Coach Glass, I mean, he truly is the best,” Kirkland said. “He knows how to take care of your body but still push it to the absolute limit… I truly think I’m the most agile I’ve ever been. I’m 352 pounds and the strongest I’ve ever been.
“...Bench (press), on a good day with some preworkout, (is) probably like 508 pounds. And then maybe, if we’re doing 225 pounds, probably 51 (reps).”
Only 20 players in combine history have surpassed 40 reps of 225 pounds. Kirkland easily cracks that and could perhaps break the record in its entirety.
Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea holds the official all-time record with 49 total reps. But the record unofficially belongs to Justin Ernest, who made 51 reps in 1999 but never played in an NFL game, which is why his score is considered unofficial.
Kirkland said he can get 51 reps to beat Paea and match Ernest for the record. And the nose tackle wants to solidify that sooner rather than later, a goal he said he was chasing in 2023.
Kirkland played in 14 games last season and made six starts and 22 tackles. It was his first season at OSU after spending a year at Utah Tech, where he recorded 40 tackles and two sacks. And in his second season with the Cowboys, Kirkland is expected to have a more significant role under new defensive line coach Paul Randolph.
“I’m trying to get it on video, then put it on Twitter before next year,” Kirkland said of getting 51 reps. “So, I’ll try to back that up.”
File Photo
Colin Carmichael said he’s “very thankful” to do what he loves at a place he loves at OSU.
OSU head coach Colin Carmichael called Gracie Bindbeutel “such a positive influence,” and said he can’t wait to coach her for another three seasons.
Oklahoma State’s offensive line depth cements the unit as the roster’s heart and soul
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER @PONCYCALIF
One offseason after getting ravaged by the transfer portal, the OSU offensive line flipped the script.
First to pledge his return was starting center Joe Michalski. Then it was the pair of starting linemen, Dalton Cooper and Cole Birmingham. After those three, the crux of an offensive line that allowed only 13 sacks in 2023-24, announced their intentions to return to the Cowboys for one final season, the rest followed suit.
Jason Brooks, Preston Wilson, Taylor Miterko and Jake Springfield joined the aforementioned trio in deciding to return, fortifying one of the nation’s elite offensive line units and setting the tone for a summer that saw the Cowboys bring back almost every key contributor from the past season’s 10-win team.
“We hang out outside of football and everything like that, so it comes down to a trust thing,” Birmingham said. “You’re playing next to a guy you trust.”
Star running back Ollie Gordon II, for good reason, gets most of the national attention, but the offensive line that blocks for him is the lifeblood of the Cowboys’ offensive attack.
The Cowboys are the rare team in the NIL era that has not only been able to hold on to the starting five linemen for more than a season but also keep a few key reserves. Last season’s starting five of Cooper, Birmingham, Michalski, Wilson and Springfield are all expected to retain their starting spots. Miterko and Brooks join the starters as linemen who will get significant playing time.
OSU offensive line coach Charlie Dickey is “rolling in seven,” head coach Mike Gundy said.
“We have eight that have played.
Eight have been in some (drills) but really, he’s rolling seven in those five spots,” Gundy said.
In the modern, NIL-based era of college football, having the ability to switch up the offensive line and still be confident it will hold up is increasingly rare. Most of the time, if a lineman isn’t slated to be a full-time starter, he will go elsewhere. In OSU’s case, only one lineman entered the portal following last season, and that player has yet to announce his next school. The Cowboys also brought in tackle Isaia Glass from Arizona State, who has extensive experience as a starter at the Power Four level but is not currently slated for a big role.
The seven in the rotation all have starting experience, which allows for minimal fall-off in the event of a new guy being rotated in.
The combination of experience and camaraderie among a large group of returners with significant experience gives OSU a leg up on most Big 12 opponents, especially on the offensive line.
With OSU aiming to replace Oklahoma and Texas as the dominant force in the new-look Big 12, setting the tone this season will be important. Games against other contenders for the role, such as Utah and Kansas State, loom large in settling the struggle for supremacy, and with an experienced, physical and most importantly, deep offensive line leading the way, the Cowboys have a chance to stake their claim early in the season.
“We have a lot of guys that step up and play just as good as the guy in front of them,” Michalski said. “Sometimes someone’s dog-ass tired, no matter how good they are. Their backup might be a little bit better for one series than they are. It’s just a lot more confidence if somebody goes down; the next guy’s gonna be able to stand up.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Ollie
Continued from 1
But are the Cowboys deep enough in that area to do so?
“I think we’re in a better situation than we were at this time last year, in my opinion,” Gundy said. “Ollie is gonna have to carry the load. But hopefully not quite as much.”
Losing former backup Jaden Nixon to Western Michigan in the transfer portal hurt, particularly in the moment. However, Gundy remained confident that his team’s transfer portal additions would outweigh their loss.
Trent Howland transferred in from Indiana after two seasons with the Hoosiers and a 354-yard, two-touchdown campaign a year ago. AJ Green transferred in from Arkansas after three seasons with the Razorbacks and a 312-yard, two-touchdown season in 2023. Gundy, however, did confirm during the team’s media day that Green wouldn’t play a lot this year due to a lower leg injury from the spring, saying, “I’m not expecting him to do much this year. He had an injury. I don’t expect him to do much over the first few months.”
And then there’s the sleeper, Sesi Vailahi.
Vailahi was rated as a fringe three-star out of high school. He didn’t even crack the top 2,000 in 247Sports’ 2023 class rankings. Per usual, however, Gundy saw something most other college head coaches didn’t: potential.
Vailahi garnered playing time in OSU’s blowout loss to UCF. A little less than one month later, Nixon entered the transfer portal, and Vailahi was called up.
The redshirt freshman garnered more playing time in potentially the most paramount game of his young playing career – the Big 12 Championship Game. A clash with sixthranked Texas.
Although he logged only two
carries for seven yards, Vailahi got exposure in a big moment. And while he appeared in just two games in 2023, he managed to maintain his redshirt status thanks to the NCAA’s four-game redshirt rule.
“He was a baby last year,” Gundy said. “He’s grown up a little bit. He’s showing some signs of maturity. He has good vision. So, I am comfortable in that area.”
Gundy and offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn have proclaimed Vailahi to be a hot commodity. Howland will likely make an immediate impact.
“There was games last year where (Gordon) carried the ball around 30 times,” Gundy said. “I would prefer for that not to happen (this year). And I am hoping that we have a couple of guys that can get in there and steal 10 or 12 carries from him to keep him fresh. My guess is that will happen.”
A multitude of offensive pieces shared a similar sentiment. Particularly other skill position players.
“We have running backs who can play ,” wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling said. “We have a lot of depth over there, too. So, no matter what happens, (they) will be out there, competing at a high level with everybody.”
Gundy has given an ideal average of around 21 to 22 for Gordon this season — just a couple of handoffs down from his 24 average after he took over the starting role. And not as many 30-plus carry games.
To succeed and reach new heights in 2024, OSU needs Gordon to still be Gordon. But allowing a workload parallel to Gordon’s in 2023 is grueling and could enhance injury risks or even increase the likelihood of an efficiency drop-off.
So, therein lies the lingering question – can OSU afford to ease Gordon’s workload? Well, Gundy can only hope that, with the aforementioned trio, it can.
“I guess the fair answer would be we’re better off now than we were at this time last year,” Gundy said.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Week 4 vs. Utah
Week 5 at Kansas State
Oddsmakers have No. 17 OSU as the underdog in two of its biggest games. The oddsmakers at ESPN BET, which has set odds on three of the Cowboys’ games, including two Big 12 matchups. Here’s a look at those odds:
Week 1 vs. South Dakota State
The folks at ESPN BET have the
Cowboys as 9.5-point favorites against their season-opening opponent, South Dakota State. You can pick OSU to cover that spread at -115 or take the Jackrabbits at -105.
Other lines available include an SDSU +290 moneyline, while OSU’s is at -360. The over/under on total points for the game currently sits at 53.5. SDSU comes into Stillwater as the No. 1-ranked FCS team, having won back-to-back national championships with 29-straight wins. The Cowboys, coming off a 10-win season, are 19-2 in their last 21 games at home.
OSU is a slight 1.5-point underdog in its first conference game of the season, but Mike Gundy has won 10 of his last 11 games as a home underdog.
The Utes’ spread is at -105, while the Cowboys’ is -115. An over/under on total points hasn’t been set, but Utah’s moneyline is -120.
This is perhaps OSU’s toughest game on its schedule, as the Utes, No. 12, are the highest-ranked opponent on the Cowboys’ 2024 slate. OSU and Utah have only met once, which was in 1945, when the Cowboys won 46-6.
The Wildcats have a 5.5-point edge over OSU on ESPN BET. That spread sits at -110 for both KSU and the Cowboys.
Moneyline-wise, OSU’s is +180 while the Wildcats’ is -215. No over/under on total points has been set.
OSU got the best of KSU last season in Stillwater with a 29-21 win behind Ollie Gordon II’s 136-yard game and Alan Bowman’s 235 yards through the air. The No. 18 Wildcats are 15-6 in their last 21 home games and are one of the Big 12’s best, with Avery Johnson running the show at quarterback.
File Photo
Redshirt freshman Sesi Vailahi is poised for a bigger role after appearing in games down the stretch and with Ollie
Gordon’s workload decreasing.
Payton Little
Joe Michalski (66) is one of the key returners on OSU’s
soul of the roster.
Like
Oklahoma State football’s NIL QR codes or not, it’s a great chess move
SLAUGHTER
OSU football made national headlines again this summer. No, head coach Mike Gundy didn’t say anything that was deemed controversial, and no star players were arrested.
This time, it was for a relatively good thing.
OSU announced Tuesday that QR codes, which link to a general team name, image and likeness fund, will be on players’ helmets this season. The football program is believed to be the first to wear QR codes in regular season games for NIL purposes. ESPN, Yahoo Sports, USA Today and most national outlets picked up the story, juxtaposing the announcement with Gundy’s comments last week about focusing on football rather than NIL since the season is nearing.
“The good news is, the next five months, we can just play football,” he said. “There’s no negotiating now. The portal’s over. All the negotiation’s history. Now, we’re playing football. The business side of what we do now — we have to have those conversations with them. ‘Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It’s non-negotiable now. It’ll start again in December.’ So now we’re able to direct ourselves just in football, and that part is fun.”
The comments were mostly taken out of context, citing that Gundy was fighting against his players profiting off of NIL deals. But they were especially taken out of context Tuesday, as, in some people’s eyes, Gundy’s program went from being against NIL to launching a new initiative five days later.
And though that may not be true, what is true is that Gundy has never been the most proactive in the NIL trends. His old-school mentality and, at times, apprehensive nature to dive into the NIL space have been apparent, as OSU has become known as a program that isn’t going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on high school or transfer portal talent.
Yet, Tuesday, Gundy made headlines for being proactive. If OSU’s press release is correct and the Cowboys are trendsetters for wearing QR
codes, that’s a hat Gundy can hang on his NIL rack. High school recruits and future transferportal-bound athletes are seeing the headlines and maybe wondering if they could get in on that action in Stillwater.
For a program that’s presumed to not be as interested in others in NIL, it’s a phenomenal chess move.
On Wednesday, Gundy appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN. When discussing the effect that the QR codes can have in a widespread manner — from Boone Pickens Stadium, where QR codes will be around the stadium, to Stillwater bars and restaurants, to OSU watch parties anywhere — Gundy said the codes’ public availability can attract more financing.
Although the university’s press release said the code is linked to a general team fund and didn’t specify about sending money directly to players, a donor can select which player to “credit” their support to. When using star running back Ollie Gordon II as an example, Gundy said fans could send money “to him.”
“People can be at a bar in London or New York City or LA or Tokyo and having a watch party and get fired up, and they can go online to our social media, and they can bang money to him through the QR code or to our social media,” Gundy said. “...Instead of a round on everybody from me, it’s pull up (the QR code) and send some money.”
Whether Gundy is correct or not on the ability to send money directly to players, the impact it could have can’t be understated. Say Gordon or Brennan Presley find the end zone and point to the 1.5-inch square on the back of their helmet — will fans not be fired up to donate? How about the ones at The Strip who are watching the game from Stillwater’s bars, where Gundy said the QR code will be available?
For the Cowboy fans on The Strip or in Tokyo, OSU’s widespread NIL reachability is undeniable. And on top of a Gordon touchdown bringing in some money from the team, it may make players who are seeking NIL opportunities give OSU a look.
Because now, Gundy seems like an NIL innovator — if you read the headlines, that is. Checkmate.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU football is making donating to Pokes With a Purpose’s NIL fund easier than ever.
All you need is to scan a player’s helmet with your phone.
This season, OSU will have QR codes on helmets which link directly to a page where you can donate toward the team’s NIL fund. OSU said in a press release that it’s believed that this is the first time a college football team will wear QR codes in regular season games for NIL purposes.
“This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game,” head coach Mike Gundy said, per release. “It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a real impact when it comes to supporting the NIL efforts for Cowboy football. I’m thrilled about this opportunity for our players.”
Since the 1.5-inch QR code on the helmets may not be visible from the stands, the hope is that television broadcasts and social media posts can lead fans to the donate page. On top of the helmets, when the players are on “The Walk” pregame, each player’s bag tag will have a QR code linked to the team fund.
QR codes will also be across Boone Pickens Stadium, including coasters, signs and more.
The first time the QR codes will be seen will be on Aug. 31 in the Cowboys’ regular season opener against two-time reigning FCS champions, South Dakota State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Oklahoma State’s ‘freak show’ wide receiver room is poised to lead the offense
De’Zhaun Stribling, one of many OSU veteran weapons set to return to the position, attested to this when asked about the growing depth around him.
Everyone is aware that running back at OSU is a historically high-prowess position.
The man with the illustrious zero on the back of his jersey has recently made sure of it. This year, however, it’s the wide receiver group that’s looking to put itself on the map, joining the likes of the great Cowboy receivers — Justin Blackmon, Hart Lee Dykes, Rashaun Woods and more.
“There’s so many guys that I can’t just say one person or two,” Stribling said. “You know, our depth on the freak show is very good, and those guys are making plays and stepping out.”
Laughs emerged as Stribling inserted variations of the word “freak” into his comments over and over again; however, the point he was trying to make
was nothing to snicker at.
The depth and talent the Cowboys are returning at wide receiver are freaky. Not only do the offense return guys like Brennan Presley, who’s fourth in OSU career receptions, and breakout wideout Rashod Owens, but new transfers have entered the depth chart and are turning heads.
“G-Freaky, Gavin (Freeman), he’s doing great, putting his time in, getting familiar with all the plays. So is (Da’Wain) Lofton,” Stribling said. Freeman, better known as
“G-Freaky,” has done some “freaky” things prior to his arrival in Stillwater. The 5-foot-8, 185-pound pass-catcher spent his first two seasons on the field across Bedlam lines as a Sooner before transferring to OSU this offseason.
Lofton, the second recent addition to the position group, has had a couple sparks of his own. In three years at Virginia Tech, the senior totaled 410 yards on 35 receptions, along with three touchdowns.
the depth chart seems to be a comfort to those up front.
Whether this “freak show” wide receiver room is legitimate or not still remains to be seen. But a proven veteran presence and guys waiting in the wings to fill in where needed are brewing excitement for the upcoming season.
Even though Freeman and Lofton aren’t starting, a veteran presence stashed in
“With the new receivers that came in, especially with having veterans and veterans that have experience and playing over the years of college football…it’s very helpful,” Owens said. “It almost looks like they’ve been here too.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Football
Waterfield/OSU
Bruce Waterfield Image of Oklahoma State Football
Code Taken Thursday, August15, 2024, Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK. Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics.
Big 12 Football Preseason Poll
the backfield by fellow freshman Abu Sama, who also showed he deserved to be in any conversation about the best running back in the conference outside of Gordon.
points at Oklahoma, and beat a feisty Boise State team on the road.
Big 12 football is almost here.
To celebrate, members of The O’Colly football beat — Ashton Slaughter, Parker Gerl, Daniel Allen and Calif Poncy — have filled out their own preseason polls. We averaged them out to make our own Big 12 Football Preseason Poll.
Here’s how this season will play out through our beat writers’ eyes:
No. 1: Oklahoma State
Slaughter — OSU’s coming off a Big 12 title game appearance; the two former Big 12 behemoth programs are in the SEC; and the Cowboys are returning the third-most production in the country (85%). Alan Bowman, Ollie Gordon II, a three-headed monster of a receiver group, an experienced offensive line, Nick Martin, Kendal Daniels and more experienced defenders are back.
If not now, when? I picked OSU to finish first because this is the Cowboys’ year — and conference — to lose.
No. 2: Kansas State
Gerl — With quarterback Will Howard transferring to Ohio State, K-State is handing the keys to Avery Johnson, one of the most talented players in the Big 12. Pairing him with running backs DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards gives the Wildcats a high-powered offense and a shot at the Big 12 title, as head coach Chris Klieman and Co. have all the pieces in place to be a contender.
I had KSU winning the conference in my poll. I’m all in on Avery Johnson’s talent and think he’s in for a monster season, one so monster it will bring the Wildcats a Big 12 title.
No. 3: Utah
Allen — Star quarterback Cam Rising is back for Year 7 after missing all of 2023 with a back injury. Former UCLA standout tight end Carsen Ryan, USC speedster Dorian Singer and Washington star wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons transferred in. I ranked Utah first in my preseason poll; my colleagues say otherwise. But if recent seasons of Big 12 football have any indication, expect the unexpected.
No. 4: Iowa State
Poncy — Iowa State went into last season with little to no expectations. After a summer that was headlined by a sports-betting scandal that saw multiple players kicked off the team, ISU was left starting from scratch. Quarterback Rocco Becht replaced Hunter Dekkers and quickly became one of the conference’s elite passers, and late in the season he was joined in
I had ISU right here at fourth in my poll. The Cyclones are talented, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them crash someone’s party at the Big 12 Championship, but odds are they finish somewhere in this middle group.
No. 5: Arizona
Slaughter — Despite losing head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, Arizona returns Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan, who may be the best quarterback/wide receiver duo in the country. And the Wildcats are returning 68% of their production.
What hurts Arizona is its road schedule — at Kansas State, Utah, BYU, UCF and TCU — but a relatively easy home schedule balances it out. I have the Wildcats finishing sixth in their first Big 12 season.
No. 6: Kansas
Gerl — It all comes down to health with the Jayhawks. Do-it-all quarterback Jalon Daniels — the 2023 Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year — only played in three games last season, but KU still managed to go 9-4. If Daniels can remain healthy around a strong Jayhawks team head coach Lance Leipold has built, another successful season should be in play.
I had Kansas at No. 6 in my poll, and my colleagues agreed. As I said above, KU has all the tools to have a strong season, but we haven’t seen them with Jalon Daniels as of late, which makes them difficult to project.
No. 7: West Virginia
Allen — When West Virginia was picked last in the Big 12 Preseason Media Poll last summer, fans in Morgantown, West Virginia, didn’t know if Neil Brown would have a job after the season. Fast-forward, Brown took that last-place-projected team to a 9-4 finish — West Virginia’s best since 2018. Now, with standout quarterback Garrett Greene returning, perhaps the Mountaineers could break through and make an appearance in this year’s Big 12 Championship Game.
I picked West Virginia to finish 11th — there are too many sleeper teams in plain sight for me to give Brown’s Mountaineers the benefit of the doubt.
No. 8: UCF
Poncy — UCF is coming off a confusing season. Last year, the Knights were missing their starting quarterback for half the season, didn’t discover their star runningback was a bell-cow until Week 6, and lost five games in a row in the middle of the season. They also eviscerated conference runner-up Oklahoma State 45-3, lost by only two
I had the Knights at seven in my poll, so I’m higher on them than most of my colleagues, because bringing in a proven commodity in KJ Jefferson and returning a player the caliber of RJ Harvey has me thinking UCF could be a sleeper in the conference.
No. 9 TCU
Slaughter — After TCU’s two-year roller coaster of playing in a national championship to finishing 10th in the Big 12 and missing a bowl game, our staff picked the Horned Frogs to finish around the same mark.
The talent is there, but quarterback Josh Hoover’s inconsistency and the defense under a new coordinator could throw some wrenches in TCU’s plans for a bounce-back season. Because of the somewhat favorable schedule, though, I have the Horned Frogs finishing eighth, and our staff has them finishing ninth, even with some question marks.
No. 10: Texas Tech
Gerl — TTU is coming off a 7-6 season, which is considered disappointing given the expectations it had coming into 2023. But with running back Tahj Brooks still in the fold and quarterback Behren Morton showing flashes last season, the potential for a strong showing from the Red Raiders still remains. They just have to show it.
I had the Red Raiders at No. 10 in my rankings. Can Beheren Morton have a strong enough season to lift TTU above some of the Big 12’s more established teams?
No. 11: Colorado
Allen — Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and head coach Deion Sanders — what could go wrong? Well, a lot did for Colorado in 2023; the Buffs went 4-8 and lost 26 players to the transfer portal. But if all goes accordingly, the offensive line issues and defensive woes from last year will be fixed.
I, however, have them ninth in the conference and am bullish that the Buffs can make a bowl game in 2024 — ninth place should be good enough… right?
No. 12: BYU
Poncy — The Cougars have struggled to adjust to life in the Big 12 early on. BYU went 5-7 last season after a midseason quarterback change, missing out on a bowl game in its first season as a member of a power conference. BYU brings back its leading rusher in LJ Martin and its leading receiver in Chase Roberts, along with the fifth-rated 2024 recruiting class amongst Big 12 schools.
I had BYU all the way down at 14 in my poll, and that is primarily due to the quarterback position; incumbent
starter Jake Retzlaff didn’t wow anyone last season, and while former Baylor starter Gerry Bohanon was brought in, I still have doubts about the position.
No. 13: Houston Slaughter — Everything Willie Fritz has touched in college football has turned to gold. The past two seasons at Tulane, a 17-7 record as Georgia Southern’s head coach for two seasons and four seasons at Sam Houston State, highlighted by two Division I-AA national championship appearances, show that Fritz can not only adapt to new programs but turn them around. And Houston needs a lot of turning around, perhaps too much in Fritz’s first year in a solid Big 12. I have the Cougars at No. 14, and the highest anybody on our staff ranked them was 13th.
No. 14: Baylor Gerl — The Bears badly need to bounce back after a 3-9 season in 2023. And in trying to do so, they brought in quarterback DeQuan Finn from Toldeo, the MAC Player of the Year, and a new offensive coordinator in Jake Spavital from Cal. Head coach Dave Aranda is expected to take over the play-calling duties on defense in a season that relies on him and the changes he has made all around.
I like the changes Baylor made. I just think there are too many teams that are better than the Bears, which is why they’re at No. 14.
No. 15: Cincinnati Allen — When an offensive unit ranks fifth nationally in rushing offense, that often results in more than three wins — usually a bowl game appearance. That, however, didn’t happen for Cincinnati, as the Bearcats went 3-9 in their first season in the Big 12. Head coach Scott Satterfield and Co. can only hope Indiana transfer Brendan Sorsby will patch up the quarterback issues displayed a year ago. Otherwise, another dreadful season could set Cincinnati football back insurmountably.
No. 16: Arizona State
Poncy — Most see the mantle for last in the Big 12 as a two-horse race between Arizona State and Cincinnati. The Sun Devils are coming off a dreadful season in which they went 3-9 and lost seven of those games by double digits, and on top of that, ASU lost freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada to Georgia, where he serves as the QB in waiting behind Carson Beck. I had ASU at 15 in my poll, but a last-place finish wouldn’t shock me in the slightest. Sam Leavitt is the projected starter in Tempe, and a redshirt freshman surrounded by the talent of a typical rebuilding team doesn’t give me high hopes.
Bedlam basketball continues, OSU lands transfer wing Kelvin
O’COLLY SPORTS STAFF REPORT
Bedlam men’s basketball lives on.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported Thursday that OSU and the University of Oklahoma finalized a contract to play Bedlam in 2024, which is set for Dec. 14 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
It was first reported in June that Bedlam was on track to continue, but now, the contracts are official. The Sooners and Cowboys will at least play one more time, if not more.
It’ll be new OSU head coach
Steve Lutz’s first Bedlam. He was hired in April after coaching at Western Kentucky last season, where he went 22-12 and took the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Tournament.
Lutz’s first Cowboys roster is mostly new, as just three players from last year’s team are returning for the 2024-25 season — Bryce Thompson, Jamyron Keller and Connor Dow.
Matchup-wise, Bedlam has gone back-and-forth as of late. The Cowboys have won four of the last seven meetings, but the Sooners have won the last two. OU was able to sneak by OSU each time with a fourpoint win and a two-point win, the latter coming thanks to a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Cowboys’ Charleston Classic schedule
On Thursday, it was announced that OSU will face Florida Atlantic University in the first round of the 2024
Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic, which spans from Nov. 21-24 at TD Arena in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Cowboys will play three games in four days. After facing the Owls, OSU will face either Miami or Drake in a consolation or semifinal game. Other teams in the bracket are Seton Hall, VCU, Vanderbilt and Nevada.
Lutz is one of the four new coaches in the field — Drake’s Ben McCollum, FAU’s John Jakus and Vanderbilt’s Mark
Byington are the other ones.
In the Cowboys’ past two visits to TD Arena, they placed third in the 2015 Classic, and in 2019, they defeated College of Charleston.
Mikey Kelvin joins OSU Lutz continues to fill out his initial roster at OSU.
Mikey Kelvin, who spent the last three seasons at Queens University in Ontario, Canada, joined the Cowboys after averaging a career-best 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per
game last season. Kelvin also knocked down an impressive 37.6% of his shots from three.
“Mikey is a great young man who has competed and excelled at the highest level of Canadian university basketball. He’s long, athletic and shoots the three well,” Lutz said, per release. “He has only been playing basketball since his junior year of high school but has already had a great deal of success, including a run to Canada’s national championship game. We’re excited
to have him join the Cowboy Family this year.” Kelvin becomes the ninth transfer addition of the offseason for the Cowboys, who have constructed a roster built of pesky defenders and athletic options on the defensive end. Making the jump from the U Sports League in Canada to the NCAA is a unique path for Kelvin, but with a 6-foot-6 frame and a solid shot from the perimeter, he could help OSU at some point this season.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Alexis Higgins
Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will play in Oklahoma City on Dec. 14.