STILLWATER — After Oklahoma State’s 44-20 win over South Dakota State on Saturday, coach Mike Gundy regularly pointed to two bothersome factors of his team’s performance.
Mediocre rushing production and big plays allowed by the defense.
The first concern makes sense — the Cowboys averaged 3.8 yards per carry — but it seems likely that reigning Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II and the veteran offensive line will get back to their expected level of production.
The big plays against the defense, particularly the four pass plays that equaled 164 of South Dakota State’s 388 total yards, were a bit more of a worry. But Gundy says the fix shouldn’t be complicated.
“Our players need to have their eyes in the correct spots,” he said. “(SDSU) did a couple things scheme-wise that were really good, so four of the six (plays) we need to be more disciplined with our eyes. We need to adjust to what they did to us.”
More: What is Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy concerned about? Run game vs. Arkansas
With Arkansas on tap next, set for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium, the Pokes will face an athletic offense that showed good balance in destroying Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70-0.
New Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green threw for over 1,700 yards and rushed for 436 last year at Boise State, and he showed playmaking ability in his Arkansas debut.
So he will put some pressure on the Cowboy secondary because of his mobility and arm talent.
“When you are competing against a guy that has the ability to run, you have to take that into account in your structure of defense and the style of play,” Gundy said. “We have plenty of ways to do that because we see them quite a bit now. It’s just a matter of being disciplined and making sure somebody has responsibility for the quarterback.”
Here’s a look at whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling for the Cowboys after their season opener:
More: Will Oklahoma State football’s Ollie Gordon win Heisman? Tracking 2024 stats, betting odds
Oklahoma State football 2024 week 1 stock report
Stock rising
De’Zhauh Stribling, WR: Stribling looked like an emerging star early last season before a broken wrist sidelined him for the year. Saturday did nothing to change his expectations. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt junior was targeted eight times, catching six for a team-best 83 yards.
Trey Rucker, S: Rucker had a career-high 15 tackles, but more importantly, he played well in coverage. His receiver was targeted five times and Rucker allowed two catches for 7 yards. The super-senior needs to be a veteran presence in the safety group, and he looked the part in the opener.
Iman Oates, DL: After redshirting last season, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Oates began to generate some buzz during preseason camp. Then he made the first start of his OSU career on Saturday. He played 42 of 67 total snaps, more than any other defensive lineman except for linebacker/edge rusher Collin Oliver.
Stock falling
Tyler Foster, TE: Gundy gave his tight ends a grade of average in the opener. Foster is the most experienced of the group after playing regularly the past couple years at Ohio. He played only 26 snaps Saturday with Josh Ford and Quinton Stewart also mixing in behind him. Still, Foster’s OSU debut wasn’t much different than what the Cowboys saw from Josiah Johnson last year, and by October, Johnson had made a significant jump to become an integral part of the offense. Perhaps the same is coming for Foster.
Cam Smith, CB: Smith’s coverage mistake on South Dakota State’s 60-yard touchdown pass was the most glaring of the coverage issues Gundy talked about from Saturday’s game. In all, Smith allowed five catches for 119 yards, but the redshirt junior is in his third year in the regular rotation and should return to the form that helped him earn the starting job in the first place.
More: Mike Gundy cracks joke about Connor Stalions, Michigan cheating scandal after OSU win
2024 Oklahoma State football redshirt tracker
One true freshman saw the field in Oklahoma State’s season opener, but others could get into the action at some point.
Tight end Josh Ford, the Stillwater High product, was the lone true freshman to get on the field in OSU’s 44-2 win over South Dakota State, and he is expected to remain in the rotation throughout the season.
The redshirt tracker won’t account for every redshirt-eligible player’s game participation, but will focus on first-year Cowboys and other notable redshirt candidates.
Players can appear in up to four regular-season games and still maintain redshirt status. Here’s a look at the redshirt tracker:
Played in one game: Josh Ford (Fr.); Gavin Freeman (Jr.).
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football stock report heading into Week 2 vs. Arkansas
