In anticipation of Saturday’s game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys we thought it would be fun to get an Oklahoma State perspective on the upcoming game. Gerald Tracy from SBNation’s Cowboys Ride for Free was gracious enough to give us a few minutes of his time to answer our questions.
HornSports: Sophmore quarterback Mason Rudolph’s leadership and maturity were things Mike Gundy mentioned when speaking about Rudolph at Big 12 Media Days this summer. Rudolph was handed the keys to the Oklahoma State offense early this spring. What does he bring to the Cowboy offense that J.W. Walsh didn’t?
CRFF: J.W. Walsh is a great competitor and has a lot of what you want from a starting quarterback. However, he’s just not going to win you 10 or more games. Rudolph has matured very quickly, and showed he had the arm, decision making and pocket presence to really strive in the OSU offense. He’s not a threat to run, but can if he needs to. His pocket presence is outstanding. In situations where you would see Walsh hurry a throw and it be intercepted, Rudolph strives and throws completions. He’s a great leader in the locker room and he lets plays really form in front of him. His arm strength and accuracy are also much further along than anyone we’ve seen in Stillwater since Weeden. In fact, Gundy rated Weeden a nine out of 10 when he left OSU and ranked Rudolph at a seven right now after six games played.
HornSports: Should Texas expect to see J.W. Walsh take snaps under center also?
CRFF: Texas is going to see J.W. Walsh, yes. It might only be for five to 10 snaps, but he’s going to play. He’s played in every game so far this year, scoring a touchdown in the first two but none in last weeks game against UTSA. If brought in, it’s usually been in the redzone or after OSU is up enough to take Rudolph out. I expect that to change now that we are in conference play, but I’m sure he’ll stay in his limited role. They use a triple option with him and occasionally pass.
HornSports: Oklahoma State had its first 100-yard game rusher on the season last week in Chris Carson against UTEP. The Texas defense has struggled to stop the run. How much of a threat is the Oklahoma State run game to the Longhorns this weekend?
CRFF: Depends on what Texas can do in the trenches. I haven’t really watched them but I know they were a threat last year. The tackles have generally done a better job this year but the inside portion of the line has constantly let Chris Carson and Rennie Childs down. However, if the Cowboys can get a good to decent push, Carson and Childs have shown the ability to get through almost any hole and grab some good yards.
HornSports: Oklahoma State is +6 in turnover margin. The defensive line, led by DE Emmanuel Ogbah, is playing extremely well. We’re accustomed to high-powered OSU offenses, but is the defense really THAT good this year?
CRFF: Yes. The turnover margin is completely because of the UTSA game though (seven turnovers), because the defense only had one turnover in the other two games. It’s a bend but don’t break sort of defense, only without completely bending, if that makes sense. The Cowboys are No. 34 in the country against the run and No. 45 in the pass, but the big number is points per game, standing at just 11.7, good enough for No. 8 in the country. Sure, they’ve been against pretty lowly teams, but all three of the teams played do have pretty good offense systems and the Cowboys have allowed 14 points or less in every game. The biggest question was the interior defensive line but that has since been solved by two or three surprisingly great young guys. Texas will score more than 14 I think, but I’m not expecting 40 plus points from either team.
HornSports: Texas has a legit dual-threat quarterback in Jerrod Heard. How do you see the OSU defense vs. Texas offense playing out?
CRFF: Oklahoma State has a lot of speed on its defense, but I do think it’s a cause for worry. Heard is the main reason I’ve had to rethink my predictions on this game. However, the defense likes to hit and if they come out with the same hunger for the ball that they had last week and force a few turnovers, it may be a little harder for Heard and the offense to keep up. I still think Heard runs for at least 70 plus yards, just hope none of those are a last minute touchdown.
HornSports: There are a lot of players on the Oklahoma State roster that played high school football in Texas. Is Texas just another game for the team or is there a little something extra there when the two teams play?
CRFF: They’ll obviously say it isn’t, but it is. As you said, with a lot of these kids from Texas, they get to play in front of their families, friends and old coaches for probably the first time in a while. It’s also a pretty good recruiting tool for Gundy and co., if they continue to win at DKR and in the state of Texas.
HornSports: What are the key positional matchups for you in this game?
CRFF: Oklahoma States offensive line vs. Texas defensive line is the first match up for me. If the Longhorns find a way to stop the rushing attack and force it all on Mason, it could result in a few turnovers. However, if the line gets a good push, this offense can be scary. My next one is Ogbah and the left tackle for Texas. Ogbah is going to be going after Heard and if he can pull him down for a sack or two, or even get to hurry his throws, it could help take the rushing portion of his game out, hopefully. Heard is basically what this game hinges on for me. Good game for him equals bad game for Cowboys.
HornSports: Oklahoma State has a three-game winning streak in Austin and is 40-5 against unranked opponents over the last five years. Give us you final prediction for Saturday’s game?
CRFF: I’ve still got OSU but I’ve got them by about 27-24. I know that OSU can score, but sometimes they just look lackluster. Heard impresses and solidifies himself even more as the guy in Austin. I’m not looking forward to the game against y’all the next few years.
HornSports: Our condolences to the OSU family on the recent loss of longtime video coordinator Jeff Naples. Cancer sucks.
CRFF: Thank you, it sure does and it seems to keep hitting close to home around here. Thanks for having me come by!
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