Tom Herman Poaching, Corner Solidifying, and Spring Football Calendar
A few news and notes from Oklahoma State football as the coaching staff gets ready to return from a few days off following recruiting and good news continues to roll in with spring football less than a month from starting.
Tom Herman Got A Former Cowboy Coach, But Missed on A Current Gundy Staff Member
Texas head coach Tom Herman has juggled a lot of his football staff and apparently liked a lot of Big 12 assistant coaches and wound up with two former Big 12 assistants and one current one.
USA Today Sports Images - Daniel Dunn
The new staff at Texas has been announced and Longhorns head coach Tom Herman has completed his revitalization of the Texas football brain trust. Herman traded out defensive coordinators and brought in Chris Ash, the former Ohio State defensive assistant that was let go as head coach at Rutgers.
On offense, Herman hired former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, but Pokes Report has learned that Herman also approached then current Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson just before the Cowboys traveled to Houston to play in the Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl. Yurcich ends up as Texas new offensive coordinator and he was 5-1 vs. the Horns while in Stillwater.
That was not the extent of Herman's interest in Oklahoma State coaches as he also made a strong pitch and generous offer to Cowboys defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements. Clements, who is moving toward his eighth season on the Oklahoma State staff, turned Herman and Texas down to stay with the Cowboys. That is a strong statement for Oklahoma State football.
You can see the pattern as Herman hired former Texas player Jay Boulware away from Oklahoma to join the Longhorns staff. Former Kansas State assistant and player Andre Coleman was promoted from analyst to full-time coach over the receivers.
The other new additions to the staff came from South Carolina (Coleman Hutzler) and Indiana (Mark Hager). However, several sources from other Big 12 schools have said assistants were contacted by Herman and Texas. The message possibly being if you can't beat them, hire them.
Christian Holmes Commitment is Huge for the Defense
The news this morning about Missouri grad transfer cornerback Christian Holmes posting his commitment to Oklahoma State on Twitter was very welcomed news. The Cowboys have three freshmen corners coming in with the 2020 class, but one may have needed to rise up and be a back-up right off the bat for the 2020 season.
Rodarius Williams returns as a three-year and soon to be four-year starter. That is huge, but at the end of the season sophomore-to-be Thomas Harper was running second team at corner. A.J. Green, Kemah Siverand, and Bryce Balous are all gone, graduated leaving the position slim with depth.
Christian Holmes celebrates a play at Missouri in a game against Ole Miss.
University of Missouri Athletics
Holmes is a proven player that has lots of experience at Missouri, including his best season in 2018 when he finished with six tackles, five unassisted in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Oklahoma State.
We know from an interview after the bowl game this past season that Tanner McCalister, who played corner as a freshman, is moving back to the position after playing safety this past season. The junior from Rockwall (Heath), Texas is solid and now with Holmes that gives the Cowboys a solid foursome at corner.
Spring Football Starts March 9 with Pro Day March 10, Coaches Clinic April 3, and Spring Finale April 18
It is less than a month before Oklahoma State will be back on the football field and working real football stuff toward next season. This spring promises to be eventful with Kasey Dunn taking over as offensive coordinator, the newness of eight players that came in mid-year including transfer Josh Sills from West Virginia and Collin Clay from Arkansas. Young quarterback Shane Illingworth from Norco, Calf. will be fun to watch develop as he and starter Spencer Sanders will be coached by former NFL quarterback Tim Rattay.
All that starts on Monday, March 9 with the first day of the 15 allotted spring practice days. The next day NFL scouts will ascend on Stillwater for Pro Day. Only corner A.J. Green is invited to the NFL Combine. That means Cowboys like receiver Jordan McCray, offensive guard Marcus Keyes, center Johnny Wilson, quarterback Dru Brown, defensive back Kemah Siverand, and kicker Matt Ammendola will look to prove themselves on Tuesday, March 10.
Other spring football practice days include March 11, 12, 24, 25, 27, and 30. The Cowboys will practice on April Fools Day and then on Friday April 3 will have practice, but also the all day Cowboy Coaches Clinic. There will be practices on April 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, and then spring practice concludes on Saturday, April 18. High school coaches and prospects are welcomed to attend practices but are asked to call the Oklahoma State football office to make their plans known.
