Fall Camp Day 4: MAC Shutdown Gets Attention and Defensive Line Gets Credit
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State got underway with their fourth practice of fall camp on Saturday morning with a pre practice run thru at 8:45 a.m. and then stretch started at nine a.m., but during the early portions of the practice the coaching and support staff were buzzing with the news that had just broke, the Mid-American Conference announced that they were cancelling all fall sports and looking toward the winter and spring to get back to intercollegiate athletics including the sports shelved in the fall.
Oklahoma State did not have any MAC schools on the schedule but they could be impacted as Tulsa was scheduled to host Toledo on Sept. 5. That date now opens up meaning the Cowboys and Golden Hurricane could play that opening Saturday, even the Thursday, Sept. 3 slot where OSU was supposed to Oregon State. More than likely, the game stays at Sept. 12, but it means that Tulsa's first game as of now will be against Oklahoma State.
Other Big 12 teams losing a possible match-up include Iowa State (Ball State on Sept. 12) and Kansas State (Buffalo on Sept. 5). Western Michigan loses a game on NBC at Notre Dame.
"Clearly we are charting a conservative path -- and it is one that has been recommended by our medical advisory group," MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher told reporters on a video conference. "There are simply too many unknowns for us to put our student-athletes in situations that are not clearly understood. We have traditionally been a leader on student-athlete well-being issues. This has not been an easy decision. For the Mid-American Conference, it is the right decision."
The FCS Division I playoffs were shelved on Friday and as a result the Missouri Valley Conference has moved their conference schedule to the spring, but in a crazy split-season format, the conference is allowing it's members to keep non conference dates including Missouri State playing at Oklahoma, currently scheduled for Aug. 29, but will definitely move to a September date.
A huge part of the concern for Group of Five and FCS schools to deal with is the mandate for weekly testing by the NCAA and the demand of Power Five opponents and their conferences for schools scheduled to play their members to have like testing and protocols to prevent COVID-19. With all the lost revenue it is hard for those programs to make it work financially.
Speaking of work, the Cowboys have kept that up and the report from Saturday was that the defense continued playing well in team action and many of the multi-player drills like inside, pass pro, seven-on-seven, and full team work.
The defense has shown in practice that they can force some turnovers.
Bruce Waterfield - Oklahoma State University Athletics
A big part of that as there were a few turnovers again for the defense, is the play upfront on the defensive line. We expected it going into the season, but defensive ends Trace Ford, Tyler Lacy, and Brock Martin especially have provided intense pressure and pursuit from the outside. Inside, it has been Cameron Murray, Israel Antwine, and Sione Asi that have been very effective.
There is even more depth developing with Tyren Irby, Isreal Isuman-Hundley, Kody Walterscheid, Xavier Ross, and freshman defensive tackle Grant Mahon getting work.
A good day for the running backs as LD Brown (0) above and Dezmon Jackson and Micah Cooper got a lot of the work.
Bruce Waterfield - Oklahoma State University Athletics
The offense has it's moments as well as running backs LD Brown, Dezmon Jackson, and Micah Cooper were all reported as having big plays in team period work on Saturday. Chuba Hubbard plays some snaps but not a lot.
Brennan Presley and Langston Anderson have continued to look good, but one witness claimed that anybody that doesn't say Tylan Wallace and Dillon Stoner first when talking about receivers at Oklahoma State is not paying attention or knows much about football.
On the offensive line, I would love to see the work that line coach CharlieDickey is doing. He told me a couple of weeks ago that he would be looking at a lot of options and checking players out in different spots. Part of that is the loss of starter Dylan Galloway this summer due to previous injuries and his having got his diploma. With Galloway out at left tackle, we know that right tackle and All-Big 12 candidate Teven Jenkins is working there. Hunter Anthony is getting work on the right side and all kinds of young linemen are working from guard-to-guard.
The givens are center Ry Schneider and left guard Josh Sills. Hunter Woodard working in multiple spots and keep an eye on Tyrese Williams, Cole Birmingham (6-8, 308), Taylor Miterko, Preston Wilson, and even freshman Eli Russ.
Oklahoma State has the day off on Sunday with only a special teams meeting and offensive and defensive group meetings to go with a big lunch. There is no physical work at all.
