Three Things We Learned In The Oklahoma State-Kansas Game

Sometimes you don’t learn much in blowout wins. Maybe that was the case on Saturday as OSU housed Kansas 44-20 in Lawrence, but I do think there are a few things we figured out. Also Kyle Boone was at the game and has some solid insights.

Let’s take a look.

Kyle Porter

1. Jalen McCleskey is a go-to option

In the past it has seemed a little like No. 1 was simply a peripheral cog in the OSU offensive machine. An amazing one, no doubt, but not a bell cow. We learned on Saturday that when The President is taken away, the Veep can hold his own. McCleskey had six catches for 129 yards and looked every bit the part of a No. 1 guy.

If Washington returns and Ateman gets a redshirt, next year could be ludicrous.

2. It will be a miracle if Mason makes it to December

OSU has now allowed 23 sacks in seven games so far this season. Mason Rudolph insisted after the game that none of them were clean blows, but we are now on pace for OSU to allow more sacks in the year Mike Gundy said Daxx Garman should have “filed a lawsuit against us after the game for assault…on ourselves” (2014).

The Pokes allowed 40 that year and are tracking for even more this go around. #Pray4Mason

3. This is a volatile team

I have sort of been accepting this over the last 3-4 weeks. You might get a rout against Texas. You might get a really close game against Iowa State. Part of that is because there is Big 12 parity (Gundy was right about lesser teams being able to beat better ones), but part of it is because OSU is not a juggernaut.

If we thought that against CMU and Iowa State then it was confirmed against KU. That’s fine, of course, I don’t know that I totally expected it to be, but it certainly resets expectations on a week-in and week-out basis.

Kyle Boone

1. Pass blocking becoming a glaring weakness

Kyle hit on this above on OSU’s inability to protect Mason Rudolph, which has emerged as one of the biggest issues over the last few weeks. In part, it can be attributed to Mason’s tendency to hang onto the ball for too long, but it’s also a big issue for the offensive line. The O-line has been flying under the radar from criticism, thanks to the heroic efforts of Justice Hill. Keeping Mason healthy and upright versus the alternate could be the difference between going 5-0/4-1 to end the season versus 0-5/1-4.

2. OSU has multiple Piesman Trophy candidates

Vincent Taylor has proven that he not only blocks field goals in his sleep, but that he is more than adepth in the pitch option game in the open field. DeQuinton Osborne recorded a #BigManInt that nearly went back for six. And Mote Maile, a grunt in the middle of the defensive line, secretly helped OSU on offense this weekend against Kansas — twice in goal-line situations, lining up at fullback to block. If that package sticks around (it was Kansas, after all), perhaps we could see a scenario a la James Castleman 2014 with Mote getting offensive reps. I’m all for it!

3. Cowboy defense relying on defensive turnovers

After a slow start in Lawrence Saturday, it was the defense that helped create a spark to fuel a 24-point victory over the Jayhawks. Boasting a 17-13 lead, the defense came out with a vengeance in the second half and used turnovers to set themselves up nicely on offense.

“We talked about it at halftime. ‘Guys, we ain’t got any turnovers yet. The only way for us to get separation on these guys is to set up our offense,’” Glenn Spencer said at halftime.

Oklahoma State forced one fumble and 2 interceptions — both INT’s getting OSU back into their own territory with substantial returns.

Oklahoma State scored 17 points on KU’s turnovers, which was nearly the difference in the game.