Wednesday, August 30, 2017

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JEREMY KOLOK & DEKOTA GREGORY/O’COLLY

R TE 9 S O N P O GE PA

SHOWTIME S

o’COLLY HourS: 10 AM4PM

2017 COWBOY FOOTBALL PREVIEW SEPT. 4, 2017

Corner of 5th & Main / 405.624.3212 / stillwaterfurnitureshowcase.com

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

Branding Cowboy football D e kota Gregory S Po rts Editor @ D e kotaG r egory

The hype surrounding Oklahoma State’s 2017 football team started in 2007.

Cowboys coach Mike Gundy entered a postgame press conference with a newspaper in hand. Three minutes and 20 seconds later, he went viral. He had yelled his defining words: “I’m a man, I’m 40.”

“It was really kind of a turning point for us at Oklahoma State in recruiting,” Gundy said nearly 10 years later. “It opened up so many doors for us with parents and with young people that we were recruiting that appreciated that.”

Gundy’s first marketing attempt was an accident.

The moment was used to defend his player, but it ultimately advertised the OSU brand, with a bright orange background sprinkled with OSU logos serving as the backdrop of the video.

Kevin Klintworth was in charge of OSU’s communications at the time. Today, Klintworth is a senior associate athletic director and still has his hand in communications. Being at OSU for 11 years, Klintworth is involved with almost everything in OSU Athletics, including communications and marketing.

“That ‘I’m a man, I’m 40’ thing became such a part of pop culture,” Klintworth said. “I mean, three weeks later, they were talking about it on Monday Night Football. I remember that, thinking, ‘My gosh, this is going to be going on forever.’ I told Mike when it

happened, ‘Mike, no matter what you do, you’ve just written the first line of your obituary.’”

We’ve evolved into something really special at Oklahoma State.”

Mike Gundy Coach

The Cowboys finished 2007 with a 7-6 record.

OSU was 10-3 the next season and has had only two seasons with less than nine wins since.

“Maybe it was coincidence, but the program started winning more games (after the rant),” Klintworth said. “Parents saw it as a positive. Then Mike took that and ran with it.”

*** Gundy stood in front of hundreds of media members with a new manner at Big 12 Media Days in July.

His first words: “I was thinking flying down here this morning just how we’ve evolved at Oklahoma State, the culture we’ve created with the young men and how fun it is for myself and our staff. We’ve

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

involved into something really special at Oklahoma State.”

The OSU football team is projected to have its best season since winning the program’s only Big 12 title in 2011. That hype started when quarterback Mason Rudolph and receiver James Washington announced before the Alamo Bowl they would forgo the NFL Draft and return for their senior seasons. Other than a 38-8 win against Colorado in the bowl game, the Cowboys haven’t done anything since for fans to believe OSU’s chances of winning games has increased. All their improvements have been made inside Sherman E. Smith Training Center, where few are allowed and the media are rarely in attendance.

The only other time OSU was readily available to watch was its spring game, in which the Cowboys did not look much different than they had in the past.

Although the team has been under lockdown, as are most college football teams during the offseason, the Cowboys’ hype escalated.

When Gundy finished his opening statement, he was eventually asked about what now defines him. He is no longer the 40-year-old football coach, he is the football coach with a mullet that usually sticks out of an orange visor. The hair has been the center of attention on ESPN, once last season and multiple times throughout the Big 12’s ESPN carwash during the summer.

Not to mention the pictures scattered throughout social media.

“I think that would be a

good subject for marketing majors, graduate students to look into,” Gundy said.

“I’m gonna say the dollar figure is somewhere in the millions for the amount of time that we’ve had on the air for (the mullet).”

Gundy’s personality has been the best billboard for OSU Athletics. He has made Klintworth’s, and others involved with marketing the team, jobs easier.

“Some things you just can’t plan,” Klintworth said.

“The things that Mike has done on his own, he has just kinda done on his own.

Sometimes those things are great, most of the time they’re great. Any time someone is their actual self, it works pretty well.”

Nothing was more Mike Gundy than a picture of him, wearing blue jeans, a

gray OSU long-sleeve shirt and a black OSU baseball cap with his mullet peeking out the side, holding up a rattlesnake after a day of hunting. That was just as Mike Gundy as the coach promoting the wrestling team by creating a video of him wearing a singlet, with a “Big Daddy” mug in the foreground as he advertised an upcoming dual.

“I can’t say I told him to grow a mullet,” Klintworth said. “I can’t say that I put him in a wrestling singlet.

That was all from the mad mind of Mike Gundy.

“Mike can be really funny when he, no pun intended, lets his hair down.”

As the hair grew, so did the attention on the Oklahoma State football program. Its coach has a mullet and hunted rattlesnakes. Its

punter launched his own Heisman campaign. Its quarterback is a Heisman candidate and appeared on a regional cover of Sports Illustrated’s college football preview.

“You’d be surprised that (the players) probably don’t pay a lot of attention to it,” Gundy said. “The people outside that aren’t around us every day, they don’t get to be involved like our guys do, so they’re a little bit more in-tuned to it.

“I think our players understand that some of the stuff I do, and/or they do, attention comes natural.

But there’s been so much of it for whatever reason that I think that a lot of it now they just kind of roll with the punches and it’s kinda the same ‘ole, same ‘ole.”

O’Colly FIle Photo

The Oklahoma State football team is projected to have its best season since winning the program’s only Big 12 title in 2011.

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 2

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS *** Mason Rudolph sat on a stool and tugged in between the buttons of his black OSU polo during the last media availability before the Cowboys’ season opener. Reporters stood around him with recorders, cameras and lights. National media asked questions about all they knew of this football team: its coach has a mullet and its quarterback dawned the cover of Sports Illustrated. But without those storylines, those outlets may not have even appeared at an OSU media function.

Rudolph smirked and wiggled in his seat be-

fore answering another question about Gundy’s hair.

“The way he wears his hair is his choice and no one else’s,” Rudolph said. “Honestly, it’s been something for you guys to talk about. It’s fun, but the players, we look at it as just another component of his personality.”

Questions about the magazine cover followed three more questions about Gundy.

“Did you like the picture they used?”

“Uh, yeah, it was fine,” Rudolph answered. “Once it came out I kind of just blocked it all out. I tried to forget about it and move on. That’s what

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

you gotta do.”

Six days before the Cowboys’ first game against Tulsa, it was six minutes before a reporter asked a question that involved football.

During the 20-minute span, Rudolph was never asked about Mason Rudolph the player. He was not asked about a game plan. He was not asked about anything he noticed on film. That’s what Rudolph enjoys talking about.

The questions have been the same since Big 12 Media Days in July: Gundy’s mullet, the Sports Illustrated cover, the punter’s Heisman campaign. For Rudolph, he’s glad more questions will be targeted to

football than hype after Thursday.

“The only time I talk about it is with (the media),” Rudolph said.

“Everything else is score zone, red zone, what are we running here, ‘(offensive coordinator Mike) Yurcich, what are we doing there?’ It’s gotten a little old to be honest. It’s all you hear. I’m focused on Tulsa and the plays that we’re gonna run against them and the mindset and the routine. I’m just glad it’s game week.

Dekota Gregory is a university studies senior from Locust Grove.

He can be reached at sports.ed@ocolly.com.

OCOLLY.COM

Mike Gundy/Twitter

OSU football coach Mike Gundy donned a singlet to promote OSU’s wrestling match against Penn State.

PAGE 3

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

OSU football offensive position breakdown Luk e Gar za STAFF REPORTER @Lu keAGarz a

QUARTERBACKS Entering his final season at Oklahoma State before his presumed entrance in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mason Rudolph has the weapons necessary for a career year.

Rudolph is 22-6 as a starter and enters the 2017 season ranked third among FBS quarterbacks in career passing yards and pass efficiency.

Taylor Cornelius looks to be Rudolph’s primary backup for the second consecutive season. Cornelius’ job has been relatively easy because of Rudolph’s durability. Cornerlius, a redshirt junior, has attempted only 14 passes in two seasons as Rudolph’s backup. Keondre Wudtee, a redshirt freshman, sits at third on the depth chart.

RUNNING BACKS At this point last season, OSU’s running back situation was a

bit unclear. That’s not the case this season.

Sophomore Justice Hill solidified himself as one of the best young running backs in the nation after leading all freshmen in rushing with 1,142 yards last season.

He has tacked on 15 pounds since his freshman year began and will re-

sume duties as the Cowboys’ go-to back.

Hill, last year’s Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, will help take pressure off Rudolph and will allow more flexibility with OSU’s play calling. J.D. King, Ja’Ron Wilson, LD Brown and Chuba Hubbard are the other running backs listed on OSU’s roster.

OSU coach Mike Gundy spoke highly of King’s blocking ability and size and also complimented Hubbard’s speed.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

WIDE RECEIVERS With perhaps the deepest and most talented receiving corps in the nation, much of this season’s hype surrounds OSU’s passing game. The biggest star of the group is James Washington, a senior on AP’s preseason AllAmerica team. Slot receiver Jalen McClesky and senior Chris Lacy are also expected to make large contributions this season. Redshirt senior Marcell Ateman returns after missing last season because of a foot injury, and Dillon Stoner also returns after an ankle injury shortened his debut season. In addition to the returners, the Cowboys have some newcomers who are expected to make a splash. LSU transfer Tyron Johnson will suit up for the Cowboys after sitting out the 2016 season because of transfer rules. Johnson was a five-star prospect and was the second-ranked receiver in the class of 2015, according to Rivals. com.

Tylan Wallace,

a freshman receiver from Fort Worth, Texas, joins the Cowboys after finishing an incredible high school career. Wallace ended his career inside the top 15 for receiving yards in Texas high school history.

COWBOY BACKS Acting as the Cowboys’ version of a tight end-fullback hybrid, Blake Jarwin had 41 receptions for 616 yards and five touchdowns in his OSU career. Redshirt junior Britton Abbot will replace Jarwin, who is fighting for an NFL roster spot in Dallas.

Abbot began his OSU career on the scout team and appeared in 12 games last season.

The majority of his playing time came as a blocker in the backfield, but his role could greatly increase with Jarwin’s departure. Sione Finefeuiaki is another can-

OCOLLY.COM

didate to see some work at OSU’s custom-made position.

OFFENSIVE LINE Although their names are called less than any other position, offensive line play is pivotal.

This year’s group features three returning starters, led by right tackle Zach Crabtree and center Brad Lundblade, both seniors.

Left guard Marcus Keyes is another returner slated to make an impact after starting all 13 games for the Cowboys last season. The Cowboys have a new face from the Pac12 in Aaron Cochran, protecting Rudolph’s blind side. Cochran is a 6-foot-8, 350-pound tackle who blocked for former No. 1 NFL Draft selection Jared Goff. Right guard Larry Williams started the first five games last year before suffering an injury that kept him dormant until the Alamo Bowl.

Line play is cru-

cial, as an extra split second of good blocking can be the difference between making a completion down the field and taking a sack. There isn’t much experience

behind the starters, making health at this position paramount to OSU’s success.

KICKER Fan-favorite Ben Grogan’s OSU career is over, so it’s redshirt sophomore Matt Ammendola’s turn to put the ball through the uprights in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Grogan converted on almost 75 percent of his field goal attempts, but so far, Ammendola hasn’t missed.

That should be noted with an asterisk with a lone attempt from 53 yards against Central Michigan. Ammendola is no stranger to the field, as he handled the majority of OSU’s kickoff duties, earning 41 touchbacks in 88 attempts.

PAGE 4

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

OSU football defensive position breakdown CORNERBACKS

The biggest question mark for Oklahoma State lies in its secondary, and the questions begin at cornerback. After Ramon Richards’ transition to strong safety, the Cowboys are left with a pair of physical yet inexperienced corners, both at least 6 feet tall. A.J. Green, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore, looks to start after primarily playing on special teams last season.

He had only two tackles in his freshman year.

Redshirt freshman Rodarius Williams will likely start opposite Green. Williams was a Louisiana allstate selection and had two interception returns his senior year. Madre Harper is another player who will likely see some time at cornerback.

Harper appeared in 12 games last season, mostly on special

teams, and recovered a fumble for a touchdown against Southeastern Louisiana.

Senior Malik Kearse, who started his career at Fort Scott Community College, is also someone to watch for. Graduate transfer Adrian Baker received a lot of hype after transferring from Clemson but isn’t listed on OSU’s depth chart for the season opener against Tulsa.

SAFETIES Ramon Richards finds himself playing a new position in 2017 after spending the first three years of his career at cornerback.

Richards racked up eight interceptions and 12 pass breakups in 38 career games. He’s joined

by Tre Flowers, a 6-foot-3 presence who earned a SecondTeam AllBig 12 nod last season.

With

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

three of the four starters in the secondary at least 6 feet tall, it’s reasonable to expect an aggressive, fastpaced defense. Gundy and players alike have raved about the speed of this year’s unit, so Thursday will provide a first look at the most changed facet on the team.

LINEBACKERS Kenneth EdisonMcGruder will likely serve as OSU’s “star” or strong-side linebacker this season. Edison-McGruder made the move from safety to linebacker last spring, so his experience in the secondary should come in handy when asked to drop into coverage. Justin Phillips’ playing time increased as last season progressed, playing in all 13 games and starting against Texas Tech and Oklahoma. He finished the season with 42 tackles, which led all OSU underclassmen, and he racked up 14 tackles against Texas Tech. He also forced a fumble in the Alamo Bowl.

Perhaps the most accomplished player on OSU’s defense, Chad Whitener, will begin his final year at OSU looking for a return to the All-Big 12 First-

Team, a feat he accomplished in 2015. Whitener was named to the All-Big 12 Second-Team in 2015 and has 170 total tackles, three sacks and two interceptions in his career.

Gyasi Akem and Amen Ogbongbemiga are Whitener’s backups. Akem is a senior from Broken Arrow, and Ogbongbemiga is a redshirt freshman that contributed to the scout team in 2016.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES OSU has been the benefactor of a productive defensive line during the past couple of seasons, and defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements is one of the main reasons.

Cle-

OCOLLY.COM

ments joined the team in 2013 after helping Kansas State to a Big 12 title in 2012. Each of Clements four seasons ranks inside OSU’s top 10 all-time for tackles for loss in a season. Clements was vital in the development of now-NFL players Vincent Taylor and Emmanuel Ogbah. Although there might not be a player of Ogbah’s or Taylor’s caliber on this year’s team, don’t be surprised if someone blossoms in Clements’ fifth season at OSU. DeQuinton Osborne and Darrion Daniels are the top candidates to lead the interior of OSU’s defensive line as starters on the depth chart. The duo has combined for nine tackles for losses in 37 games. The Cowboys gave up more than 193 rushing yards per game last season, which ranked 82nd in the country. Making an improvement largely relies on the interior of OSU’s defensive line.

DEFENSIVE ENDS Redshirt juniors Jarrell Owens and Cole Walterscheid look to lead OSU’s attack against opposing quarterbacks this season.

Four of OSU’s five defensive ends are from Texas, and each bring Texas-sized bodies to the table. Each stands at least

6-foot-3 and has an average weight of 260 pounds.

Vili Levini, Tralund Webber and Jordan Brailford will give the Cowboys extra depth. Most teams don’t rotate offensive linemen, so with a healthy combination of pass-rushers, the Cowboys’ pursuit of opposing signal-callers will strengthen as the game continues and offensive linemen begin to tire.

PUNTER Quarterback Mason Rudolph’s biggest competition for the Heisman Trophy might be on his own team. Jokes and social media campaigns aside, Zach Sinor ranks among the best punters in the nation and begins the season on the Ray Guy watch list because of it. The Ray Guy award goes to the best punter in the nation, and if this season is anything like his last, Sinor could finish the season with the punters’ version of the Heisman.

Sinor led all FBS punters with 62.5 percent of his punts being downed inside opponents’ 20yard line last season. The next-best? Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky, who finished at 53.1 percent. Sinor had 35 punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line, which also led the nation.

Luke Garza is a sports media senior from Gig Harbor, WA. He can be reached at luke.garza@okstate.edu.

PAGE 5

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

Opinion: Rudolph ERA might be best in osu history MAR S HALL S C OTT opinion editor @ Marshal l _On c e

As mist fell from the Texas sky, I sat in McLane Stadium and watched Mason Rudolph, a freshman at the time, warm up alongside Daxx Garman.

Garman had played in the Cowboys’ past nine games after J.W. Walsh went down with a season-ending right foot injury. Garman’s health was also in question, though.

It was the talk of the town leading up to Oklahoma State’s Week 11 matchup with Baylor: Was Garman injured? And if he was, would OSU coach Mike Gundy decide to burn Rudolph’s redshirt with only

two guaranteed games left in the season?

The Cowboys headed back to the locker room after their pregame warmup.

When they returned, Garman did so without his helmet.

A new era in OSU football was upon us.

Rudolph, now entering his senior year, is nearing every OSU passing record, is in the Heisman conversation and his team has the type of hype around it that hasn’t been seen at OSU since the 2011 season. At the end of this season, Rudolph will likely be regarded as the best quarterback in OSU’s history.

In his first game, Rudolph outperformed Baylor’s

Bryce Petty, who was taken in the fourth round of the NFL Draft a few months later. The next week, Rudolph led the Cowboys to a season-saving Bedlam victory. After a couple of seasons of ups and few downs, he had the chance to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, but he came back.

It was something straight from a storybook, and together, we are witnessing the plot’s climax.

Rudolph sits only 546 yards from Brandon Weeden’s school record of 9,260 career passing yards.

Rudolph has averaged about 300 yards a game during his career, so the record should be broken after OSU’s sec-

ond game at Pittsburgh.

In the Big 12, teams are usually only as good as their quarterbacks, and OSU has had some good quarterbacks. Gundy, Weeden and Josh Fields have all had success at OSU, but the Rudolph era has the chance to be OSU’s best.

“I think he’s gonna go down as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of Oklahoma State,” Gundy said. “He’s been everything we’ve ever asked him to do.

He’s done it all. He’s been great.”

Marshall Scott is a sports media senior from Madill. She can be reached at opinion.ed@ocolly.com.

O’Colly FIle Photo

Mason Rudolph enters the season just 546 yards from Brandon Weeden’s record of 9,260 career passing yards.

tailgating?

we’ve got you covered!

•Whole Briskets •Beef or Pork Ribs •Pork Butts, Shoulders & everything in between •Burger Boxes •Bratwurst & Sausages •Custom orders (405) 338-9343 919 S. Main St. 1907meat.co

lunch dinner weekend brunch

1907 Meat Co. is a whole animal butcher that sources directly from local farmers and ranchers.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 6

cover s t o ry

c owboy Foot ball

WHO TO FOLLOW Dekota Gregory - @dekotagregory

READY FOR A SMOKEFREE NIGHT OUT? VISIT ONE OF THESE

SMOKEFREE VENUES IN STILLWATER

Marshall Scott - @Marshall_Once Cameron Jourdan - @Cam_Jourdan Luke Garza - @LukeAGarza /FINNEGANSFIGHTINGGOAT

O’Colly Sports - @ocollysports

/ZANNOTTISWINEBAR

/STILLWATERGATSBY

BIT.LY/COLLEGEBAR

SUPPORTING SMOKEFREE BARS & CLUBS FIND MORE SMOKEFREE BARS NEAR YOU: FREETHENIGHTOK.ORG WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 7

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 PAGE 9

MIKE GUNDY MASON RUDOLPH

@ Tex as Tec h

November 11 @ Iowa S tate

TCU

November 4 Ok lahom a

K ansas S tate

November 18

Bay lo r

K ansas

BIG 12 Title

December 2

@ W e st v i r g i n i a @ TE XAS

November 25

October 28

@ Pi t t sb u r g h

September 16

OCTOBER 21

@ S o uth Al abama

TUL SA

OCtober 14

September 8

AUgust 31

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JEREMY KOLOK, ETHAN SAMPLE AND DEKOTA GREGORY/O’COLLY

COLLY.COM

September 30

= Home game = Away game = Big 12 Title

September 23E

BIG 12 Title

Oppon ent

Op pon ent

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

AN O’COLLY PRODUCTION

COWBOY FOOTBALL SHOW TIMES

JAMES WASHINGTON

SPORTS

OFFENSE

Startin g lIn eup

LT AARON Cochran LG MARCUS KEYES C BRAD LUNDBLADE RG LARRY WILLIAMS RT ZACH CRABTREE

78

71 56 60 WR James Washington QB Mason Rudolph WR Jalen McCleskey 28 2 1 WR CHRIS LACY RB Justice Hill CW Britton Abbott WR MARCELL ATEMAN 41 15 5 3 75

DEFENSE DE JARRELL OWENS DT DEQUINTON OSBORNE DT DARRION DANIELS DE COLE WALTERSCHEID

82 79 LB KENNETH EDISON-MCGRUDER LB CHAD WHITENER LB JUSTIN PHILLIPS 45 19 3 CB RODARIUS WILLIAMS S TRE FLOWERS S RAMON RICHARDS CB A.J. GREEN 31 4 8 7 93

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

91

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 10

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

2017 Cowboy football Schedule breakdown Cameron Jourdan Assistant Sports Editor @Cam_Jourdan

Aug. 31: vs Tulsa Now known as the Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic, Oklahoma State owns a 3927-5 edge against Tulsa.

Although the teams haven’t met since 2011, OSU holds a five-game winning streak in the series. In that 2011 game, kickoff wasn’t until after midnight because of severe weather and it ended at 3:55 a.m.

Sept. 8: at South Alabama

South Alabama and OSU have never met before, with their first matchup coming in Mobile, Alabama, in Week 2. Last season, The Jaguars finished 6-7 overall and 2-6 in the Sun Belt Conference, placing eighth in conference.

Sept. 16: at Pittsburgh Last season, OSU escaped with a 45-38 win after a rain delay.

Pittsburgh has lost running

back James Connor and quarterback Nate Peterman since then, though, former five-star quarterback recruit Max Browne, a USC transfer, looks to even the series at one against the Cowboys.

Sept. 23: vs TCU Although TCU had a down year in 2016, the Horned Frogs have the personnel to succeed in 2017. OSU coach Mike Gundy is 4-1 against TCU. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 1510-2.

Sept. 30: at Texas Tech

Texas Tech and OSU must agree before games to make it a shootout because these teams combine for firepower when they’re on the field. After Texas Tech lost 45-44 last season in Stillwater, it will look to get its third victory against OSU since Gundy became head coach.

Oct. 14: vs Baylor (Homecoming) Baylor has won three consecutive games against the Cowboys, and the Bears are the only Big 12 team quarterback Mason Rudolph hasn’t beat. Combine that with the homecoming atmosphere, and Rudolph has a chance to join a list few are on in beating every team in the conference. The only other active quarterback is Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield.

Oct. 21: at Texas Is Texas back? The Longhorns might be, but a good midseason test for OSU comes WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

OCOLLY.COM

when it travels to Austin to play the Longhorns.

Gundy is 5-7 against Texas, though, he has won the past two seasons. This starts possibly OSU’s most difficult three-game stretch of the season.

Oct. 28: at West Virginia Morgantown, West Virginia, isn’t an easy place to play. At home, the Mountaineers hold a 2-1 advantage against the Cowboys. The winner of the contest will take a 5-4 series lead and an OSU win will mark its third-straight against WVU.

Nov. 4: vs Oklahoma Bedlam. What more do the players, coaches and fans need to know.

Oklahoma has dominated the series, clinching a Big 12 and belittling OSU’s hopes for a title with victories the past two seasons. Gundy has a chance to win his third game in 13 tries against the Sooners come the first weekend in November.

Nov. 11: at Iowa State November 2011 in Ames, Iowa, still stings some Cowboy fans. Although Iowa State hasn’t

beat OSU since then, playing November football in Ames is no easy task. Combine that with the mental and physical fatigue of playing OU the week before, and the Cyclones could look again for an upset late in the season.

Nov. 18: vs Kansas State Bill Snyder always puts together good football teams. Expect no less this season. Snyder and his Wildcats will look to end a two-game skid against the Cowboys when they come to Stillwater. Gundy is 6-3 against Kansas State.

Nov. 25: vs Kansas (Senior Day) The setting will be different than the last time these teams met in Stillwater. The Jayhawks haven’t beat OSU since 2007, the year Kansas won the Orange Bowl.

A win against KU could set the Cowboys up for the Big 12 Championship Game on Dec. 2 in Arlington, Texas.

Cameron Jourdan is a sports media senior from Edmond. She can be reached at cameron. jourdan@okstate.edu.

PAGE 11

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

OSU starts season with Thursday night kickoff against Tulsa Cameron Jourdan Assistant Sports Editor @Cam_Jourdan

Mike Gundy said he struggled to stay awake the last time Oklahoma State and Tulsa met on the gridiron.

That was in 2011.

The game was delayed because of weather.

It kicked off after midnight and finished about 3:55 a.m. OSU beat Tulsa 59-33 at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

“That was probably one of the most unusual game experiences I’ve ever had,” Gundy said. “Once you get over about 40, it’s hard to stay up past 10 o’clock. I don’t know what time that game started, but I remember being on the sidelines and thinking, ‘You know, this is not going to look good if I am kind of dozing off.’

“I had to kind of shake my head at times to stay awake.

Plus, I had burned all of that mental exertion before the game. That was a long, drawn-out process.”

Thursday, OSU kicks off its 2017 campaign against Tulsa at 6:30 p.m. inside Boone Pickens Stadium.

Although Tulsa lost most of

its offensive production from last season, including quarterback Dane Evans, Gundy said he thinks Tulsa will try to run the football because the Golden Hurricane is solid up front.

Four of Tulsa’s five starting linemen return to pave the way for running back D’Angelo Brewer, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. The Golden Hurricane has to replace a

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

1,000yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers.

Tulsa

returns two senior defensive ends, Jesse Brubaker and Jeremy Smith, along with senior linebacker Craig Suits. Nine defensive linemen have lettered for the Golden Hurricane, as the front seven is the strength of Tulsa’s defense.

Starting this season, the OSU-Tulsa football series is called the Bank of Oklahoma Turnpike Classic. OSU has won five straight against Tulsa and leads the all-time series 3927-5.

The Golden Hurricane finished 10-3 last season, including a 55-10 win over Central Michigan in the Miami Beach Bowl.

“They’re really good,” Gundy said. “I know coach (Philip Montgomery) from a distance, not real well, but I think he has been the driving force in the success they’ve had down there. When you watch them on tape, very good at what they do.”

The Cowboys return most of their offensive production, including quarterback Mason

O’Colly FIle photo

Mike Gundy and the Cowboys start the season against Tulsa on Thursday.

Rudolph, who has 25-to-1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy award, according to Bovada. Rudolph has a plethora of receivers to throw to, perhaps the best receiving corps in the country. James Washington leads the pack, recently named to the Associate Press’ preseason All-America team.

Washington aside, OSU has fellow seniors Chris Lacy and Marcell Ateman, junior Jalen McCleskey, who led the team with 73 receptions, redshirt sophomore Tyron Johnson and redshirt freshman Dillon Stoner returning.

Although the receiving corps is loaded,

OCOLLY.COM

Rudolph realizes there is only one ball to throw and not everyone may get the numbers they want.

“It’s not about keeping people happy,” Rudolph said. “I don’t care. I’m going to do the same reads and same progressions that I learned from coach (Mike) Yurcich from day one. Those guys are going to get open because they’re great players.”

Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said he thinks the team’s depth is as good as it has been, and it could help them against Tulsa and throughout the season.

“Numberwise, I’d have to go back and

count them, but I think it’s eight (receivers) that we can play with,” Yurcich said. “Really good depth. There’s a ton of guys there. We keep each other fresh.”

Cameron Jourdan is a sports media senior from Edmond. She can be reached at cameron. jourdan@okstate.edu.

vs.

No. 10 Oklahoma State vs Tulsa When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday Where: Boone Pickens Stadium Broadcast: FS1, Cowboy Radio Network

PAGE 12

C OWB OY FOOTBALL

SPORTS

5 OSU newcomers to watch for in 2017 Cameron Jourdan Assistant Sports Editor @Cam_Jourdan

Patrick Macon, linebacker, junior, Arizona Western Community College Patrick Macon, the National Junior College Athletics Association Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, will be a run-stopper inside for Oklahoma State’s defense this year.

Macon is listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. Last season, Macon had 122 tackles, including 27.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks in his team’s national runners-up season.

Tyron Johnson, wide receiver, redshirt sophomore, LSU Tyron Johnson, a former five-star recruit, adds to a plethora of weapons for the Cowboys at wide receiver.

Johnson brings another downthe-field threat for quarterback Mason Rudolph. Combine his skillset with the other receivers, and OSU will be hard to stop in the passing game.

Brock Martin, defensive end, freshman, Oologah High School Brock Martin, a freshman defensive end from Oologah,

is a name who fellow defensive end Cole Walterscheid said fans should watch out for. Walterscheid said Martin could see playing time for OSU this season and his presence off the end could help the defense tremendously.

Aaron Cochran, offensive tackle, senior, California Aaron Cochran, who has one season of eligibility left, won the starting left tackle job after transferring from California as a graduate transfer. At 6-foot-8, 350 pounds, Cochran will help solidify the offensive line with his strength in both pass and run protection.

Adrian Baker, cornerback, senior, Clemson Although Adrian Baker didn’t make the two-deep roster at cornerback, coach Mike Gundy said Baker will see time at the nickel position.

Baker, a Clemson graduate transfer, has one season of eligibility left and could be a force in the secondary, especially during conference play.

Cameron Jourdan is a sports media senior from Edmond. She can be reached at cameron. jourdan@okstate.edu.

O’Colly FILE PHOTO

Tyron Johnson could be OSU’s breakout star.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Dekota Gregory Sports E di tor

oSU r egu l a r s e as o n R ECO RD

Ma r s h a l l S C ott

O pi n i o n Ed i to r

Ca m ero n J o u rda n Assi sta n t Spo rts Ed i to r

Luk e Gar za Sta ff R e p ort e r

11-1

1 2-0

1 1 -1

10 -2

Big 12 R egu l a r S e as o n F i ni s h

Fi r st

F irst

Secon d

S eco n d

O S U MVP

Mason R ud o l ph

M ason Rudolph

M ason Ru dolph

M as o n Ru do lp h

B r e ako ut P l ay er

Jo r dan B r ai l ford

Tyron Joh n son

Calvin Bu n dage

T ra lu n d Web b er

B IG 12 C h ampi on

O KL AHO M A STAT E

Okla h om a

OKLAHOM A

O KLA H O M A

N at i o nal C h ampi on

USC

A LABAM A

F lorida State

A LA BA M A

H e i sman W i nner

Saquon Bar kl e y

Bo Sca rbrou gh

Sa m Darn old

Saqu o n Ba rkley

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 13

cl a ss ifieds

Help Wanted

Houses For Rent Houses For Rent Houses For Rent

Help wanted part‑time. Will work around student schedule.

Small construction and fencing.

405‑377‑6994.

229 S. Burdick 3 Bed‑1Bath New Paint & Carpet Centrally Located Available Now $725

Misc. For Sale

127 N. Duck 2 Bed 1Bath Apartments Only $425 Per Month Close to Campus Total Electric

Stillwater Property 405‑743‑2126

SCOOTERS WHY WALK?

3112 N. Madison‑ 4 Bedroom w/offc, 2 Bath, 2 Car Garage 2 story Home located in Luxurious Lakeview Village Addition walking distance to Boomer Lake.

All Appliances Included, Washer/Dryer hkups, Large trees surrounding property and Yardwork Included! Pets with Owner permission, (sorry no students) Only $1,900/month Available NOW! www.campbellmgmt.com 405‑372‑9225 ext 0

Honda of Stillwater 105 S. Perkins Road stillwaterhonda.com

Houses For Rent

JAMES CREEK 138 S. Bryan Ct. in Stillwater. 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2 Car Oversized Garage, 2 Story Homes.

We have both a Short‑Term 5 Month Lease Available and a long term 12 month lease available Each Bedroom is 13’ x 15’ and includes its own Bathroom and Walk‑In closet along with Dimmable Lights.

1,550 sq ft homes. Granite Throughout & All Stainless Steel Appliances Included!

Covered back porches, Mowing/Yardwork Included, Pets Allowed w/Owner Permission, Private Gated Addition w/Private Pool, Spas, Sand Volleyball and Sport Courts.

Only $1,200‑$1,350/month www.campbellmgmt.com 405‑372‑9225 ext 0

Duplexes For Rent 119 S. Payne Street 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath, 1 Car Oversized Garage 2 Story Home for Lease. Mowing/Yardwork Included! Total Electric Utilities=Cheaper bills, refrig, Stove and Oven, Microwave w/vent hood, Dishwasher, Garb disposal, Washer, Dryer Hkups or rent a set from us.

All Bedrooms have ceiling fans, walk‑in closets and dimmable lighting.

Access to a private Pool, Spas, Sand Volleyball and Sport Courts less than a block away!

Only $990/month! Available NOW! www.campbellmgmt.com 405‑372‑9225 ext 0

2‑Masters near campus, open layout, 405‑564‑4683.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

Houses For Rent Available Now: 2‑bedroom houses with horse pasture.

2012 E. McElroy, 405‑372‑7107.

************************ FREE RENT TILL SEPTEMBER 1!

Beautiful, huge, 3 & 4 bedroom duplexes available.

405‑762‑6464. www.cowboyproperty.com CASA MIA has one & two bedroom units, all bills paid w/cable & reserved parking. $605/$890. 1 block east of OSU. CasaMiaOSU.com, (405) 372‑1228, or visit 140 N. Duck.

YOST RANCH (1904 W. Yost Rd.) NOW LEASING ALL UTILITIES PAID! Brand New! 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath 1,216 sq ft Solitaire Homes. Private Gated Addition located on 65 acres and Nice 2 acre pond. Large front and back porches. Comes with Brand new 8 x 12 storage bldgs on‑site.

Black Appliances‑‑ refrigerator, Dishwasher, Stove and Oven w/vent hood. Washer/Dryer Hkups, Each home sits on a small acreage.

Horses optional w/Loafing Shed and private pasture on some homes.

Only $1,095/month ALL UTILITIES PAID! www.campbellmgmt.com 405‑372‑9225 ext 0

Misc. Services A&D Storage Storage Unit Prices: 5x10‑$25 10x10‑$40 10x15‑$45 10x20‑$60 Open Air Storage‑$25

Call 405‑533‑7867

Complete horse stabling facility: Indoor/Outdoor arena, round pen, pasture available.

RV parking available also.

Trish‑405‑612‑9460

Classified Line Rates: 1 Day ..........................................50¢ per word/per day 2-4 Days.....................................40¢ per word/per day 5-9 Days.....................................35¢ per word/per day 10-14 Days.................................30¢ per word/per day 15 or more Days.........................25¢ per word/per day Logos and graphics are available at an additional cost of $1 per day.

Borders are also available for a flat rate of $2.

Deadline for Classifieds – Noon the business day prior to publication

Computer Services

Society Squares $5.00

ALL THINGS ELECTRONIC

For 7 lines. Each additional line 50¢.

Each Line is approx. 14 characters wide.

Graphics and logos available at an additional cost.

Society squares are for campus organizations, departments and the greek community only.

FREE ESTIMATES

Business Squares $8.00

Laptops, game systems, computers, cell phones, data recovery and password bypass

Call or text 405‑332‑1715

To place a classified ad call 744-7355

OCOLLY.COM

For 7 lines. Each additional line $1.00.

Each Line is approx. 14 characters wide.

Graphics and logos available at an additional cost.

Student Notices $3.00

Per day for 25 words. No borders or graphics available at this rate. Only for student groups and organizations.

Activities must be free and open to everyone.

PAGE 14

NEWS

Ga m e day Park i ng

FOR RELEASE AUGUST 30, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

Courtesy OSU Parking and Transit

ACROSS 1 Brigantine’s pair 6 Necklace globule 10 Touch gently 13 Sneezing sound 14 Grade for exceptional work 16 “Gross!”

17 Student’s allnighter 19 Links figure 20 Trek on a trail 21 Lots 22 Martini garnish 24 Keats’ “__ on Indolence” 25 Dessert with a caramelized top 27 Verbal 29 Former “Inside the NFL” host Dawson 30 Correctional 32 Issuer of bulls 35 Bridge support 39 Course of study that may include forensics 42 Trail 43 Sports figures 44 __ fit: tantrum 45 Tie-ending qtrs.

47 Boot 48 Like a mid-17th century English government 54 Letter after upsilon 57 “Spider-Man: Homecoming” actress Marisa 58 Je t’__: French “I love you” 59 Cookware material 60 Bygone U.K. record label 61 Car’s impactabsorbing structural feature 64 Suitable 65 Comic/writer/ activist Izzard 66 Solitary sort 67 Ed.’s acquisitions 68 Italian wine region 69 Latin clarifier DOWN 1 Virile 2 Bitterly pungent 3 Seal the deal

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

OCOLLY.COM

8/30/17

By Jacob Stulberg

4 Heavy reading?

5 Signal of distress 6 Moisten while roasting 7 __ salts 8 Dress named for a letter 9 Electronic music’s Daft Punk, e.g.

10 Dilation target 11 Tequila source 12 Red billiard ball 15 [Bo-ring!]

18 Rank between marquis and viscount 23 __ fringe: fanatical extremists 25 Colombian city 26 __ cheese 28 Make emphatically, as a point 30 Angel dust, for short 31 Significant stretch 32 Sketchbook, e.g.

33 __ Navy: discount retailer 34 Comfy lounging wear

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

36 Like aggressive investments 37 IV units 38 “Listen up!”

40 Body part with a bridge 41 It’s just over a foot 46 __-baked potatoes 47 Film critic Pauline 48 Third-stringers

8/30/17

49 Escapades 50 Passes over 51 Praises highly 52 Maximum 53 Macao Science Center designer 55 Sharpens 56 Like noble gases 59 Polo maker that’s a Polo rival 62 Nutritional abbr.

63 Philanthropist Broad PAGE 15

h o ros cop e

Daily Horoscope oklahoma state

STUDENT MEDIA STUDENT MEDIA AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 106 Paul Miller Building • OSU • Stillwater, OK 74078 Phone: 405-744-6363

Level: 1 2 3 4

The mission of Oklahoma State Student Media is to provide a professional environment where students create outstanding media and help local businesses.

Oklahoma State's award-winning newspaper since 1895 To place an ad, call 405-744-7371 or email ads@ocolly.com To place a classified ad, call 405-744-7355 or email lori@ocolly.com To pitch a story idea, call 405-744-6365 or email news.ed@ocolly.com To report an error, complaint or other issue, email editorinchief@ocolly.com To report an issue with newspaper delivery, email barbara.allen@okstate.edu or call 405-744-8369

8/30/17

SOLUTION TO TUESDAY’S PUZZLE

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit

www.sudoku.org.uk © 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

Available throughout campus in print MWF, inside the Stillwater News Press TWF and online 24/7 @ocolly.com.

All your marketing needs under one roof, from websites to videos, from ad campaigns to social media

Our office is open M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 108 Paul Miller.

For a free video consultation, call 405-744-7039 or email videos@orangehouse.agency For a free consultation on other digital/marketing needs, call 405-744-4192 or email orangehouseagency@gmail.com

OCOLLY.COM

By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency (TNS) Today’s Birthday (08/30/17). Reap an abundant harvest this year, and bring the bounty home. Try a new path with your health and fitness, leading to valuable philosophical or spiritual insights. Transitions and shifting circumstances next winter inspire and energize your work. Communication can work miracles.

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

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Adventures flower with disciplined focus. Revelations and unexpected discoveries line the road. Follow your plan, but allow for deviations. Sate your curiosity.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 9 -- You and your partner are on the same page with financial priorities. Take action for shared goals. Consider unscheduled opportunities. Watch for synchronicity.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Opposites attract.

Collaborate for shared benefit. Draw upon hidden resources to keep the ball in play. Your practice is paying off. Forge ahead.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Physical action gets results today. Keep practicing your moves. Disciplined efforts win unexpected reward. Put some great music on and go for it.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Now’s the time to make your move. Someone looks especially fine. Show off what you’ve been practicing. Include the unexpected. Weave your magic.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Domestic duties require action. Throw yourself into a project and the results are better than expected. Power on for home and family.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Get your message out. Edit it tightly first. Discipline with words and creative expression earns fabulous results. Communications go further than expected.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Profitable opportunities require sweat equity. Put your back into it! Cash flow increases with steady action. Physical magnetism is part of the fun.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re growing stronger, and a personal dream beckons. Stick to tried-andtrue routines. Fitness practices yield outsize benefits. Physical action wins. Nurture yourself.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Peaceful productivity unfolds in private settings. Consider plans for upcoming adventures. Quiet your mind and meditate. Rely on your partner’s strength. Organize for effective coordination.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 9 -- Participate with your community. Public events, parties and meetings provide powerful results. Keep practicing together. Disciplined teamwork pays off in a big way.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 9 -- The spotlight is on, and it’s your turn to shine. Perform the moves you’ve been practicing, and smile. A professional goal is within reach.

PAGE 16