Spring Game Has Highlights, But Aftermath Steals Show

The field at Boone Pickens Stadium was split in thirds.

Between the hashmarks from end zone to end zone, almost every one of the 96 men listed on the Oklahoma State football roster signed autographs, met with family and talked about the Cowboys’ Spring Game. Only two were definitely not among them.

On the home sideline, receiver James Washington stood in uniform at a table with Sharpies at the ready. Metal fences enclosed him in a triangle, and dozens if not hundreds of patient OSU fans waited in line for their 10 seconds with one of the best college pass-catchers in the nation.

Mirrored on the visitor sideline, quarterback Mason Rudolph sat at a chair with even more fans eager to get a chance to be next to their Heisman Trophy candidate.

Sign. Smile. Photo. Next.

“It’s great to see the fans come out and interact with all of our players,” Rudolph said. “Fun day for us. Fun day for the fans. Beautiful weather.”

Rudolph had just whipped up 204 yards with a touchdown on 13-of-17 passes in his final Spring Game. Washington finished with a team-high three catches for 31 yards. Those two players, those three catches were what a lot of those fans came to see. The autographs were just a bonus. Or maybe it was the other way around.

Fans were given 30 minutes on the field to meet with their favorite players, get their autographs and make memories. Rudolph and Washington signed tons of stuff from T-shirts to hats to footballs to “a baby,” Rudolph said.

“It was fun,” Rudolph said. “He was asleep.”

Today Mason Rudolph signed a baby. pic.twitter.com/gsrBFBg25D

— Nikki Kay (@NikkiKayTV) April 15, 2017

There were an estimated 18,000 people at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday. At least half of them were on that field after the game.

“We had a great crowd,” Gundy said. “It was awesome to have this many people here.”