Photo Attribution: Nielsen Network & O’Colly
One of the major storylines coming into this season was which of OSU’s seemingly bottomless well of wide receivers would step into the void left behind by graduating talent1.
We were told the style would be the same, the chess pieces similar, the end result up in the air but getting more predictable by the year.
So who has stepped up so far this season. Here are the stats…
| Rk | Player | Receptions | Yards | Yards per catch | TD |
| 1 | Josh Stewart | 19 | 208 | 10.9 | 2 |
| 2 | Blake Jackson | 12 | 217 | 18.1 | 1 |
| 3 | Tracy Moore | 11 | 128 | 11.6 | 4 |
| 4 | Joseph Randle | 9 | 77 | 8.6 | 0 |
| 5 | Isaiah Anderson | 8 | 105 | 13.1 | 0 |
| 6 | Austin Hays | 8 | 77 | 9.6 | 1 |
| 7 | Blake Webb | 5 | 90 | 18 | 0 |
| 8 | John Goodlett | 4 | 61 | 15.3 | 1 |
| 9 | Charlie Moore | 4 | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| 10 | Kye Staley | 3 | 80 | 26.7 | 1 |
| 11 | C.J. Curry | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 0 |
| 12 | Jeremy Smith | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 13 | Cameron Gravelle | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 14 | Justin Horton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Brandon Sheperd | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Who we thought they were
Josh Stewart – Like I said yesterday, he was born to play in this offense. And with his bestie from high school tossing him the rock now? He has to feel like Reggie Wayne on draft day last year when he realized he was trading in Curtis Painter for Andrew Luck: ecstatic.
Tracy Moore – He’s had a pretty strange year already, from missing the first game to his sick outing in Tuscon to being non-factor against Louisiana. Well, weird for most people, it’s the kind of inconsistency that’s pretty much defined Moore’s career. Does OSU absolutely have to have a go-to Blackmon-like WR to be a successful team in the Big 12? No. But it would be nice if Moore would assume that role.
Joe Randle – I’m not sure how Walsh will handle it going into conference play but with Lunt in I suspect you’d see Randle’s receptions skyrocket. One thing the coaches have talked about, and I’ve been really impressed with in Lunt’s 75 throws is his ability to check down on his progressions. I expect that from juniors and seniors. Freshmen? Not so much.
Disappointments
Isaiah Anderson – No catches against Louisiana and over half his yards came against Savannah State. Where’s the breakaway speed I keep hearing about? Where’s the improvement over the last four years? If Josh Cooper had half of Ike’s speed, he’d be playing xbox with Melanie and Brandon during the week2 and running routes as a starter for the Browns on Sundays. I want to like Ike but he’s going to have to give me more than “I really should have caught that deep ball for a TD against Arizona that hit me in the shoulder pad” as his season highlight.
Charlie Moore – The guy who took over the spring game apparently didn’t make it to fall camp because I’ve seen nothing so far. 3 for 18 against Savannah, nothing against Arizona, and 1 for 22 against the Cajuns. Not writing him off but putting him on the Beau Johnson memorial “wait, I thought this guy was supposed to be a stud” shelf for now.
CJ Curry – I think I can pinhis inconsistency, or non-existence really, to being a freshman but I am dying to make one of these new guys my Justin Gilbert of the future.
Surprises
Blake Jackson – Not so much that we didn’t expect these numbers from him because I think a lot of people did. It’s the way he’s looked during games that has everybody excited. Some crazy weird hybrid between Alonzo Mayes (beastliness, ability to use his body well) and D’Juan Woods (good routes and hands, apparently small attention span) comes to mind.
Blake Webb – I’ve yet to see this “can beat Gilbert and Anderson” in a race speed but he’s played pretty well so far. Seems like he’s the kind of guy who puts together a little 40 for 600 and 8 season and you barely even noticed him catching the ball.
The Unknown
Austin Hays – Is he going to be the freshman that emerges from the Curry/Sheperd/Seales/Webb group? Maybe, but one game against the worst team in football history isn’t going to tell us either. He hasn’t played since then either so maybe he redshirts anyway, but you’d think Monken and Gundy would want one of these freshman wideouts to start taking over and integrating as a larger part of what has become a spectacular offense.
Austin Hays was supposed to see more action against Louisiana , however he got a staph infection in his elbow so didn’t make it. Should be ready for Texas though.
So far the receiving corp has stacked up exactly as I expected. I knew last year that Stewart would be solid. I’ve also seen exactly what I expected from ‘OU’ Anderson – every year he gets hyped, and statements are made about it being his time to excell, and every year he shows flashes of brilliance, only to ultimately have a season defined by mediocrity. Yep, exactly like OU. Is the the second or third year we’ve gone through this with Anderson? Drivekiller Jackson redeemed himself Saturday, we may have to change his nickname. It’s fun just watching tiny little safeties and corners try to bring him down!
Out of everything that stuck out from seeing OSU live this weekend, and there was a lot, what surprised me the most was how BIG Jackson looked. And I was literally LOLing when he carried the ULL DB for 30. If he figures out how to consistently catch the ball, he could be unstoppable.
I don’t think you can call Tracy Moore inconsistent yet.
While Walsh played pretty well, he struggled throwing to the outside and I think the receivers’ stats show that. Since he (Walsh) has played more than Lunt, the inside guys (Stewart/Jackson) have better stats than Moore. I bet if Lunt plays the whole game against Louisana, Moore doesn’t have the non-factor game he did.
I would even move Hays from ‘Unknown” to “Suprises” just for the fact that he was the last guy signed last February with little fanfare and was the leading WR in the opener. Yes, I know it was Savannah St. but then the other guys should have done as well or better.
Just my 2 cents worth.
I love Horton. He’s like a baby giraffe out there. All legs and and arms with zero coordination.
If we change his nickname can it simply be drivethriller jackson? let’s not veer too far from his AZ title just incase we revert
Austin Hays caught over 1000 yards and 14 TDs his Sr season playing 5a San Antonio ball. He accounted for over half OUs hot shot 4 star QB recruits passing. Who got the better recruit?
Gundy snagged him as a 2 star. 6’3″ and breaks into high 4.4s. He’s playing exactly as expected. just didn’t get hyped. He’s a stud…
Seems like Charlie and Isaiah can’t get open. That seems to be the deciding factor, not so much after catch speed. Hope break out.
If you think about it, the ENTIRE season to this point has been an inconsistent performance by our receivers. Sure, some of this has been due to lack of playing time (suspensions & blow-out games), a bad case of the dropsies (AZ), and the fact that Lunt has played like three series for the season.
It’s just hardfor me to give a straight evaluation on this group right now.