IRVING, Texas — Oklahoma State has altered its offense for the 2010 season. The Cowboys, who had run a balanced style since Mike Gundy took over in 2005, will go to the spread this season.
Gundy said the decision was made because it should make recruiting easier.
“If you look at the areas that we recruit in — Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana — most of the offenses have a number of wide receivers who can make plays and running backs,” Gundy said. “There’s not as many tight ends. There’s not as many fullbacks to recruit.
“We believe that the success in college football is all about the players you bring in, and there’s a greater pool to choose from in this type of offense than what we played in the past.”
Scoring points hasn’t been a problem for the Cowboys during Gundy’s tenure. They’ve averaged at least 28 points a game over the last four seasons.
But there was another reason for the change going into this season.
The Cowboys will have a new starting quarterback (Brandon Weeden) and three new starters on the offensive line.
“They didn’t play much last year, so they didn’t have as much of an adjustment,” Gundy said. “They just had to learn the scheme.”
Like old times
Weeden, a junior, is 26 years old and came to Oklahoma State after spending four years playing professional baseball. Weeden, who was a pitcher, said the Cowboys’ new offense reminds him of his days playing baseball.
“In this offense, I feel like I’m pitching a baseball game again,” Weeden said. “It’s my job to get us in the right play, just like I had to shake off the wrong pitch. It’s very comparable.”
Back on two feet
Missouri quarterback Blain Gabbert was solid last season, throwing for 24 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. But he was turned into a pocket passer after suffering an ankle injury in the fifth game of the season against Nebraska.
Gabbert said his improved health should show on the field this season, but playing on a bad ankle last season helped, too.
“It was difficult last year not being able to do what I wanted to do. I couldn’t run the ball. I couldn’t get outside of the pocket,” Gabbert said. “I helped to focus on the little things. I had to stay in the pocket and make better reads. Those things made me better.”
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel had no problems with Gabbert’s play last season, but is expecting bigger things from the junior.
“I thought he did a lot of good things (last season),” the coach said. “I expect him to up his game with the experience factor.”
Leaner Tigers
Pinkel said Missouri focused on becoming leaner and quicker in the offseason. The decision resulted from seeing former players who’d gone on to the NFL return in the offseason at lighter weights than they carried while in college.
“Those guys were coming back leaner than what we had them,” Pinkel said. “We had all the statistics, and we had all the body fat and all body composition evaluations. They just kind of felt — they (the NFL) lean them up a little bit more than what we did.
“We decided to look at our players and learn from that.”
Thursday night kickoffs
Four Big 12 Conference games will be played on Thursday night for ESPN. Oklahoma State will host Texas A&M on Sept. 30. Kansas State will host Nebraska on Oct. 7. Kansas will host Kansas State on Oct. 14 and Texas hosts Texas A&M on Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving night).
Wildcat coach Bill Snyder said he wished every game could be played on Saturdays, but national exposure is too important to pass up.
“It’s part of the TV-driven direction that college football has gone,” he said. “I think it’s great for the viewing audience. I can appreciate it in that respect.”
No rotation
Texas Tech has the most-watched quarterback battle in the Big 12 brewing. Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield both played last season. Both are seniors and both put up solid numbers.
Tuberville said he would name a definitive starter prior to the season opener.
“We will not have a rotating quarterback,” the coach said.
Neither went through spring practice due to injuries, so what they do when practice begins next week will be the deciding factor.
“I want to get at least two scrimmages with both,” Tuberville said. “It’s going to be tough to make a decision, but one will stand out.”
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
