STILLWATER — With the start of the season just over a week away , the Oklahoma State football team has zeroed in on some lofty goals, thanks to a wealth of experienced players returning.
The 18th-ranked Cowboys open the season against the No. 1 team at the FCS level, South Dakota State, which will come to Boone Pickens Stadium riding a 29-game winning streak. The Pokes and Jackrabbits are set to square off at 1 p.m. Aug. 31 at BPS.
Though OSU comes into the season with known commodities in several areas, there’s still plenty to learn about this team. Here’s an A-to-Z guide to preview the year:
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A is for Alan Bowman
Back for his seventh year of college football and his second as the Cowboys’ quarterback, the 24-year-old Bowman’s veteran presence and reliability will be the glue that holds the wildly talented players together as an offense.
B is for Big 12 Championship Game
The Pokes have made two of the last three, but have not won it yet. That remains the next step for this program, though the 12-team playoff also presents uncharted territory.
C is for Collin Oliver
The senior edge rusher enters the season fifth on OSU’s all-time sacks list with 22.5. With his role shifting more toward the pass rush and away from traditional linebacker play, Oliver has a chance to move up a few more notches. Leslie O’Neal holds the all-time record with 34.0.
D is for Defensive Improvement
While there is a lot of excitement about some of OSU’s individuals on defense, the overall production of the group is the most important factor in the team’s long-term goals. OSU finished last season outside the top 80 in nearly every meaningful defensive stat, and outside the top 120 in a couple, including pass yards allowed per game. As Bryan Nardo enters his second year as defensive coordinator, his unit must show significant signs of growth.
E is for Ezeigbo
Unlike last year when the Cowboys welcomed a wave of transfer portal additions, this team will see only a few new faces. Among them, edge rusher Obi Ezeigbo is one of the most intriguing. For one, he enters in an area where OSU needs help, but also, he’s coming from the Division II level after a solid career at Gannon University. Eyes will be on him to see if he can make the jump.
F is for Fast Start
The veteran nature of this team should help the Pokes avoid the type of messy start they had last year, when they lost two of their first four games. That’s good news, considering their schedule is much tougher this year. Along with opening against a team that has won 29 straight, the Cowboys host an SEC squad (Arkansas) and go on the road to face Tulsa before diving into Big 12 play against two of the league’s favorites, Utah and Kansas State.
G is for Getting to the Quarterback
Last year, OSU averaged 1.93 sacks per game. It was the first time since 2013 that the defense didn’t reach the 2.0 mark. That number needs to improve, and it’s part of the reason new defensive line coach Paul Randolph was brought in. It’s also part of the reason Oliver will be used as a pass rusher more frequently. But the changes need to produce sacks, pressure or at least less time in the pocket for QBs.
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H is for Heisman Chase
Can Ollie Gordon II contend for the Heisman ? Can any running back challenge for the award that has gone to 20 quarterbacks in the last 24 years? Gordon won the Doak Walker Award last year, rushing for 1,732 yards and 20 touchdowns. He is a major key to the Cowboys’ team success, and their won-loss record will have a direct impact on his Heisman chances.
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I is for Interceptions
This one goes both ways. OSU picked off 13 passes in 14 games last year, which is a solid number. But it can always improve, and with a more seasoned secondary, it’s likely to do so. Perhaps more importantly, the offense needs to see its interception numbers drop. The 14 picks thrown by Bowman last year was the only bothersome stat he produced. He has shown in previous seasons that he can keep interceptions low, and that’s a step he needs to take this year.
J is for Josh Ford
Few true freshmen will get the chance to see the field this year. It has nothing to do with talent, and everything to do with the number of returning starters and backups the Cowboys already have in place. While Ohio transfer Tyler Foster looks like the clear starter at tight end, keep an eye on Ford, the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Stillwater product who has impressed with his toughness since arriving on campus in January. He might not take the job from Foster, but Ford could certainly be in the rotation.
Zooming in a bit closer on the secondary, the group has a lot of experience, but none more than what Black brings. The super-senior enters his third year as a starter and has been one of the Big 12’s most consistent coverage cornerbacks the last two seasons. He is a rock in the back end of the OSU defense.
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L is for Linebackers
This position group will look different than it did a year ago as part of some adjustments Nardo made to his 3-3-5 scheme in the offseason. And those changes offer some intrigue. While Oliver won’t be in a typical linebacker role quite as often as last year, Nick Martin is back after his breakout sophomore season. And they welcome to the group Kendal Daniels, a redshirt junior who has been a key player at safety the past two seasons. Now measuring 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Daniels has the physicality to excel at linebacker, though coach Mike Gundy maintains Daniels will still see time at safety .
M is for Maturity
Bowman is 24 years old. The starting offensive line could include all sixth-year players with an average age of 23.5. The three expected starters at receiver are all in their fourth or fifth seasons. And the defense is much the same with fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year players in major roles. Rare is the opportunity to bring together as much experience as the Cowboys have in key spots all over the field.
N is for New Opponents
The Big 12 welcomed four new programs to the league and OSU will get a look at three of them. Two of the most intriguing games against newcomers bookend the Pokes’ Big 12 schedule. Utah, which is widely considered the top contender for the league title, comes to Stillwater on Sept. 21, and OSU visits Colorado for the regular season finale Nov. 29.
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O is for Ollie Gordon II
We’ve already discussed his Heisman chances, but if anyone deserves two entries on here, it’s Gordon. With such an experienced offensive line, and a balanced passing attack, Gordon should be set up for potential success, even when opponents try to take him away. After leading the nation in rushing and all-purpose yards last year, Gordon could not only cement himself as the top running back in college football, but add even more juice to the excitement NFL front offices have for him.
P is for Playoffs
This is where the 12-team playoff comes into the picture. Yes, the Cowboys want to win the Big 12 Championship Game, but part of that motivation is the potential to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. There’s no guarantee that the Big 12 will get a second team into the playoff, especially if the teams at the top of the league beat up on each other all year. So the playoff race will be tense for teams like OSU, who could easily find themselves on the bubble.
Q is for Quick Passes
A weapon the Cowboys began to lean on even more than usual last year was the quick pass, particularly to slot receiver Brennan Presley. The super-senior from Bixby is already in the program’s top 10 for career receptions, and he had two games with at least 15 catches last year. More games like that could be in his future as opponents focus on the best way to contain Gordon.
R is for Ring of Honor
This is the fifth year of OSU’s Ring of Honor at Boone Pickens Stadium, and the first time a defensive player gets the call. Defensive end and College Football Hall of Famer Leslie O’Neal will be inducted during the Sept. 7 game against Arkansas, joining the quartet of running backs who led the way in the Ring of Honor: Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore and Terry Miller.
S is for Stribling
He might seem like something of a forgotten man, but redshirt junior receiver De’Zhaun Stribling won’t be forgotten for long. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver has NFL skill and will get the chance to show it after missing most of last year with a broken wrist.
A lack of depth behind Gordon at running back sent the Cowboys to the transfer portal over the summer, landing the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Howland from Indiana. His size makes him a unique back, and his toughness was proven in the Big Ten Conference. Howland, along with redshirt freshman Sesi Vailahi — and possibly true freshman Rodney Fields Jr. — will be the primary backups when Gordon needs a rest.
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U is for Updates in BPS
For the second straight year, Boone Pickens Stadium got some fan-centric modifications. Mirroring the work that was done to the north bleachers in 2023, the south side got a makeover with more leg room, additional aisles, more chairback seats and other amenities added below the bleachers. With the changes, the seating capacity of BPS now stands at 52,305. And for the first time in program history, OSU has sold out all of its home games before the start of the season.
V is for Versatility
One of the wrinkles that was added to the Cowboy defense over the offseason was its use of multi-position players. Oliver can be a defensive end or a linebacker. Daniels can be a linebacker or safety. Interior defensive linemen can slide to end positions. The versatility of the OSU defense will be one of its biggest advantages, particularly when it comes to disguising its calls.
W is for Ward
The Cowboys have been reliable at placekicker for most of the last few years, and now it’s time for another new leg to step in. Logan Ward, a walk-on from Deer Creek High School in Edmond, is set to take over the job. He has punted and been the kickoff specialist in previous seasons, but this is his first time filling the primary placekicking role.
X is for Xavier Ross
Returning to the versatility conversation from above, Ross is another key piece. He began his OSU career as a defensive tackle, then shifted to end last year. Now, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound super-senior will get a chance to show the skills he picked up playing both positions as he combines the size and strength to go inside, but the quickness to be a threat on the edge.
Y is for Young Backups
We’ve dissected the veteran experience that fills the vast majority of OSU’s starting positions this year. But some youngsters are fighting for playing time on the second string. Freshmen like Ford, Fields and safety David Kabongo have impressed early. And more seasoned young players like redshirt sophomore receiver Talyn Shettron or defensive end Jaleel Johnson could be in line for bigger snap totals as well.
Z is for Zane Flores
The gunslinger from Gretna, Nebraska, benefited from a no-pressure freshman year last fall, getting the chance to learn the offense and develop at a relaxed pace. But now, he’s in the heat of the battle for the backup quarterback job with redshirt sophomore Garret Rangel. Barring a Bowman injury, the backup QB battle should continue all season, setting the stage for a duel for the starting job next spring.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football from A to Z: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Cowboys
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