10 More Thoughts On Iowa State

Photo Attribution: KT King

1. I don’t know if this is necessarily better but more of OSU’s games this year are exciting. Last year if you didn’t tune in to the first quarter of the Baylor/Kansas/Tulsa/Tech games you were probably pretty bored the rest of the time. This year? barnburner against Kansas (!), Iowa State strikes first (!), can we mount a late comeback on Arizona (?), and everything from here on out is going to be exactly the same. Not as fun maybe (definitely), but more nerves are wracked.

2. OSU did a lot of good things on Saturday but that first possession 4th down “hard count,” what was going on? I’ve seen harder counts in Peyton Manning commercials than what Walsh gave ISU, plus he was staring at the sideline the entire time. Bizarre, but I guess you can get away with stuff like that when your punter is using a 7-iron on his kicks.

3. It really felt like OSU should have had about 10 interceptions. Barnett was basically just throwing passes straight up in the air and our DBs were either 1.) running into each other or 2.) so rabid for a turnover, just flat out overrunning the ball. They need to settle into their coverages and just play.

4. What’s our deal with players getting multiple personal foul and/or other big penalties in a single game? It was Calvin Barnett in the Arizona game, Nico Ornelas in the Kansas game, then Zack Craig yesterday.

5. How badly did everyone want Iowa State to miss a controversial field goal? That’s all I was rooting for in the 4th quarter. Does it sting?

6. This is just…wow.

That INT by Lowe was the first time a starter has recorded a takeaway (L. Johnson, A. Lampkin, Ty. Johnson INTs, J. Mitchell FR) #OKState

— NewsOK OSU Game Day (@NewsOKOSUGame) October 20, 2012

7. A lot of people really like rolling Walsh out of the pocket so he can either run or throw. I don’t. I’ve seen more heat on wedding bouquet tosses than what Walsh gets on his passes when he’s on the move. Now do I wish he’d go over the middle more? Absolutely (see below). But rolling out and shot putting deep balls? Not so much.

Walsh never looked at him but Blake Jackson was WIDE OPEN on that fade to Charlie Moore – pic.twitter.com/GNxjimAW

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) October 20, 2012

8. Anything else > Fox > Fox Sports > FX > Pac-12 Network

9. One thing on Walsh, he needs to settle down after 8-yard runs. I don’t need him jawing towards the other sideline or staring down the student section after picking up a 2nd and 6 in the first quarter. Want to mouth off after TDs? Fine, I don’t prefer it[1. Give me the subtle “we’re just better than you are” Weeden fist pump any day of the week.] but at least you scored. Other than that just go play.

10. How bizarre is it that OSU is one game up on West Virginia in the Big 12 race? Only Kansas State and the Pokes fully control their own destiny in the Big 12 race since TCU lost Saturday. But the upcoming stretch is brutal — four of the next five are against teams in the top 25 — there’s a long way to go but 4-2[2. And a shady fumble from being 5-1.] through the halfway point with the injuries this team has had isn’t bad at all.