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  1. Interview from OKC's Channel 9 Hunter Interview
  2. Texas A&M Baylor Houston SMU ou Oklahoma State Cotton Bowl Alamo Bowl Old Dallas Cowboy Stadium (OSU vs texas tech)
  3. LaVocheya Cooper has verballed to Oklahoma State per Ostate.com.
  4. Chris Dinkins, RE Lee, looks like he changed his commitment from TCU to OSU. Please tell me about him. Thanks.
  5. I thought ya'll might enjoy seeing Kendall Hunter in action... Definitely, one of the top RBs in the Big 12 and, IMO, the nation.
  6. However it's delivered, good news for cornerback Van Zant March 23, 2009 By Lesley Visser CBS Sports He was waiting for the sign. Literally. Martel Van Zant, born without eardrums and deaf since birth, was waiting for the assistant head coach of the Manchester Wolves of the Arena Football League 2 to sign to him Monday that he had earned a spot on the roster. "I made the team!" he texted, sending joy through a Blackberry. "I'm so grateful for the opportunity. I know I have the skills and the dedication. I'm ready for this." Van Zant will give as good as he gets when the Wolves' season starts Friday night against the Wilkes Barre Pioneers in Scranton, Pa. A 6-foot-1, 215-pound cornerback, he was a starter at Oklahoma State, where he never heard the roar of 40,000 fans but fit in perfectly. After a strong junior year, he dislocated his ankle in a routine drill and was not invited to the combine. Undeterred, his agent, Kelli Masters, took him to Indianapolis anyway, and they spoke to 16 teams. "Only Jeff Fisher responded," said Masters, one of the few female NFL agents. "I think it's because Jeff is hearing impaired and he had a heart for Martel's disability." Van Zant worked out with Tennessee for two weeks but still wasn't quick enough on his recovering ankle to be signed as a free agent. So Van Zant went back to work, staying in shape and hoping for a call. Four months later, Manchester assistant head coach Brian Hug, whose parents are both deaf, called Masters and invited Van Zant to try out. Hug had followed the career of Kenny Walker, a defensive lineman for the Denver Broncos in the early 1990s. Walker was only the second deaf player in the history of the NFL, following Bonnie Sloan, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. Hug believed in Van Zant. "I knew sign language before I knew how to speak," said Hug. "When we talked about bringing Martel in, I knew it would take work. But I also knew it would be worth it." "Brian has been great with me," Martel texted. "He takes time and we go over signs for the secondary when the defense changes. The whole team has had to make a commitment." Head coach Danton Barto said Van Zant has the attitude of his childhood idol, Deion Sanders. "He's ferocious and he loves to make a play," said Barto, who played five years in the CFL and is in the University of Memphis Hall of Fame. "Of course, things take longer to explain, but he knows the playbook inside out." It has never been an easy journey for Van Zant, just a wondrous one. Growing up in Tyler, Texas, Van Zant was the only deaf member of his family. He was mainstreamed in school and distinguished himself on the field, where OSU coach Les Miles found him and offered him a scholarship. With an interpreter by his side, Van Zant had the patience to work hard both on and off the field. There have been a number of famous deaf athletes -- William Hoy was an outstanding player for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Senators in the 1950s. He was also the reason umpires came up with signs to declare ball, strike and out. "I admit it, I was a little unsure at first," said Barto, who might also use Van Zant's 4.4 speed at linebacker. "I knew it would be a demand on everyone. When Martel came to us, I sat him down and said, 'Look, you will make this team or you won't, but it won't be because you're deaf. We're not a charity; we're trying to win football games.'" Barto almost always has Hug with him to interpret, but when he's yelling at Van Zant, he doesn't need anyone else. "I talk a lot with my hands anyway," said Barto. "When I'm mad, I don't want Martel looking around for Brian. I want him looking at me." Fine with Van Zant. His only complaint? "Coach Hug's signing is a little old school."
  7. How can you say the whorns are the better team when mizzou beat them in Austin? mizzou also finished 3 games above them in the conference?
  8. Pettigrew cementing stock with effort at Senior Bowl practices
  9. OSU Tabs Miami's Bill Young As Defensive Coordinator Courtesy: okstate.com Release: 01/20/2009 STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy has announced the hiring of OSU graduate Bill Young as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. Young, who has a long history of success at the highest levels of football, spent the past season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami (Fla.). Young becomes the third OSU graduate on the current Cowboy staff, joining Gundy and tight ends coach Doug Meacham. “We’re very excited to add Bill Young to our staff,” Gundy said. “He has been successful everywhere he’s been. He will bring a great deal of experience to the defensive side of the ball and he is very familiar with our conference. It’s great to have an OSU graduate and a former player as an addition to the staff.” Young was born in Oklahoma City and attended Grant High School. He was a Cowboy linebacker and defensive end from 1965 through 1967 and was an academic all-Big Eight selection as a player. After earning a bachelor’s degree in education at OSU and a master’s degree in secondary education at Central Oklahoma, he spent six years in the Oklahoma high school ranks at Carl Albert and Putnam City West. “We’re extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with coach Gundy and his staff at Oklahoma State," Young said. "It means a lot to me to come back to OSU because I am a graduate, I played there and now we are back as part of the Cowboy family. My wife and I are very excited to get back to Stillwater and Oklahoma State.” Young’s collegiate coaching stops have included OSU, where he coached the offensive and defensive lines from 1976 through 1978. He also spent two years at Iowa State before becoming defensive coordinator at Tulsa (1980-85). Young spent three years coaching the defensive line at Arizona State before three straight stints as a defensive coordinator (Ohio State, Oklahoma and Southern California). After a season as the defensive line coach of the Detroit Lions, Young returned the college game and spent 2002 through 2007 as the defensive coordinator at Kansas, prior to joining the Hurricanes last season. Young’s accomplishments are many. He has been the part of 16 bowl teams. His final defensive unit at Kansas was No. 12 nationally in total defense and fourth in scoring defense. While at USC, Young’s Trojan defenders led the Pac-10 in total defense and were second nationally in takeways. Bill Young By Year 2008: Miami, Fla. Defensive Coordinator 2002-2007: Kansas Defensive Coordinator 2001: Detroit Lions Defensive Line 1997-2000: Southern California Defensive Coordinator 1995-96: Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator 1988-95: Ohio State Defensive Coordinator 1985-88: Arizona State Defensive Line 1980-85: Tulsa Defensive Coordinator 1979-80: Iowa State Defensive Tackles 1976-78: Oklahoma State Offensive/Defensive Lines 1970-75: Putnam City West HS Defensive Coordinator 1969-70: Carl Albert HS Defensive Line 1968-69: Oklahoma State JV Offensive Coach/Defensive Line
  10. I thought a few of you might enjoy reading this article... OSU running back Kendall Hunter keeps coming back Running back plows through adversity BY JENNI CARLSON Published: December 26, 2008 STILLWATER — Everyone says Kendall Hunter is quiet. Never says much. Doesn’t have much to say, really. But the truth is, the Oklahoma State running back has quite a story to tell. He endured a rough life at home. He experienced a tough break on the field. Yet like so many defenders this season, none of it stopped Hunter. Instead, it motivated him. Hunter has become one of the best backs in the country. There have been big numbers and huge games, conference honors and national recognition. And now with the Cowboys readying for the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Hunter is preparing to show his stuff again. "When I saw Kendall playing last year, I was like, ‘This guy’s amazing,’ ” offensive lineman David Washington said. "I never thought we’d miss a beat.” Hunter is speedy and shifty, but the thing that sets him apart is his physicality. He runs so hard, so tough. Even at 5-foot-8, 190 pounds, he’s difficult to bring down. Then again, that has been the story of his life. Hunter was born an hour and a half east of Dallas in Tyler, Texas. His mother, Freddie, and his father, Kenny, married when Hunter was a toddler, but they separated a few years later. That left Hunter’s mother to raise three children largely on her own. She worked all sorts of odd jobs around Tyler. The hours were long. The wages were low. "She did all of what she could,” Hunter said. But that understanding didn’t necessarily make childhood any easier. Not always having the shoes or the clothes or the toys like his friends was tough. Hunter found solace on the football field. There, he was like everyone else. He wasn’t needy. He wasn’t lacking. He wasn’t different. Except for his unbelievable skill. His first season of youth football, his coach stuck him on the offensive line. Yep, the guy nicknamed "Spud” was once an offensive lineman. But the next season, he switched teams and positions. He was soon playing running back, and that changed everything. "I knew what I wanted to do,” he said. "I wanted to touch the ball.” He was playing varsity ball by his sophomore year at John Tyler High School. A year later, he was well on his way to breaking the school’s rushing record, a mark held for several decades by Hall of Fame legend Earl Campbell. College recruiters were calling, and future plans were developing. Then, one fall Friday night, Hunter made a dive toward the end zone. Defenders reached and grabbed as he leapt toward the goal line. He landed in the end zone for a highlight-worthy touchdown, but when Hunter popped up and started to walk, he fell right back down again. Something was wrong with his foot, and he thought his shoe had come off. "Then, I really looked,” he remembered. "It was twisted backward.” Hunter had broken his ankle so severely that he would need a plate and screws to surgically repair it. None of it fazed Hunter. He recovered quicker than his doctor had ever seen anyone rehab from such an injury. He returned to the field for spring ball about six months after the injury. "It’s just me sitting out and realizing how much I love football,” he explained. He carries a reminder of that with him always. He can still touch his ankle and feel the hardware just below the skin. That motivates him. Ditto for phone calls home to his family. His mom still lives in Tyler with his older brother and sister. "They motivate me a lot,” Hunter said. He paused. "I just wish I could do more for my family,” he said, his voice quiet but his words strong. "I just like to see them happy.” Hunter already has quite a story to tell, but the final chapters have yet to be written. He has every intention of making the ending the happiest of them all.
  11. As usual, no respect for OSU on this board. :hmm: That's okay. I can deal with that. There are two chunks of data that I feel are important to review before blindly supporting your team: 1. Here are the stats and national rankings: Total Offense..........OSU 501.43/#7.....UT 484.00/#10-->Very close Rushing Offense......OSU 283.14/#5.....UT 193.43/#28 Passing Offense......OSU 218.29/#52....UT 290.57/#13 Passing Efficiency...OSU 186.92/#3.....UT 193.34/#2-->2 of top 3 nationally Scoring Offense.....OSU 46.43/#4......UT 48.14/#2-->2 of top 4 nationally Sacks Allowed........OSU 0.71/#4.......UT 1.71/#57 Turnover Margin.....OSU 0.71/#27......UT 0.57/#36-->Very similar Total Defense........OSU 335.86/#47....UT 323.14/#39-->Closer than most think Rushing Defense....OSU 116.71/#35....UT 48.14/#2 Passing Defense....OSU 219.14/#77....UT 275.00/#111 Passing Eff. Def.....OSU 111.74/#33....UT 125.78/#72-->A bigger OSU strength than thought Tackles for Loss....OSU 4.71/#96......UT 6.86/#24 Sacks..................OSU 1.14/#101.....UT 3.43/#4 Net Punting..........OSU 41.32/#4......UT 39.78/#8-->2 top 10 units Punt Returns........OSU 22.00/#2......UT 6.00/#96-->Big OSU advantage Kickoff Returns.....OSU 24.50/#17.....UT 25.80/#7-->Both strong units 2. I know last year is last year, however: Arkansas State 21-13 W Seriously Central Florida 35-32 W Surrendered a million yards rushing Kansas State 41-21 L Self Explanatory Oklahoma 28-21 L Close Loss Nebraska 28-25 W It's not the Nebraska OSU 38-35 W Don't get me started...We all know!!! aTm 38-30 L Seriously They lost a lot of key players: Charles, Sweed, Griffin, Finley....ect ect ect Did this texas team make a pact with the devil? I, honestly, think this will be a tough game for OSU to win, whether the game is in Austin or Stillwater. BUT, I think OSU is better than many of you think. We are faster on defense than we ever have been. We have playmakers and quality defensive line and linebackers on defense. Additionally, we have playmakers all over the offensive side of the ball: Pettigrew, Robinson, Tostin, Bryant, Okung(OL matching up to Orakpo), Hunter among others. If we can contain McCoy, and I realize that is a huge if because he's playing great, OSU will win this game. Your running game does not scare me. Count that as my fearless prediction. OSU 33 Whorns 24 This game means a whole lot to both teams but this may be the biggest game in the history of Oklahoma State Football. The Whorns, no doubt, have a great team that is playing great. I hoping, like crazy, that they stub their toe this weekend.
  12. If anyone is interested in some highlights of former East Texas players, there are quite a few in the houston game here on CoachGundy.com. Dez Bryant, Kendall Hunter and Brandon Pettigrew will certainly make a bulk of the highlights this year for OSU. If the correct video is not coming up, select the video here:
  13. Pettigrew Returning To OSU For Senior Season Courtesy: okstate.com <==Link Release: 01/14/2008 STILLWATER - Oklahoma State junior tight end Brandon Pettigrew, a 2007 first-team all-Big 12 selection by the league coaches, has announced that he will be returning to OSU for his senior season. Pettigrew is rated as one of the nation’s top tight end prospects by NFL draft experts. He had been weighing his options regarding an early jump into his professional career. “I feel like I’ve improved as a player every year I’ve been on campus,” said the product of Lee High School in Tyler, Texas. “I want to continue to get better, and I want to keep working toward my degree in economics. One more year at OSU can only help me. ” Pettigrew, a 6-6, 260-pounder, caught 11 passes as a freshman, had 24 receptions as a sophomore and 35 catches as a junior for 540 yards and four touchdowns. He had two of the biggest grabs of the 2007 season when he scored on a 54-yard reception in the final minutes against Texas Tech and on a 39-yard play in the fourth quarter against Kansas State. OSU rallied for fourth-quarter wins against both of those Big 12 foes. In a time of year in which recruiting takes center stage, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy knows he picked up one of his biggest commitments for 2008 with the return of Pettigrew. “Brandon is a great leader for our team – on and off the field,” Gundy said. “He will be as close as you can get to a ‘can’t miss’ first rounder next year. It’s also good to know he will leave here with a degree. It’s exciting for us to know Brandon will be around in 2008.” “I enjoy the atmosphere of college football and I want to remain a part of what’s happening with Oklahoma State,” Pettigrew said. “College years are a unique time in anyone’s life and I want to enjoy them while I can.” “Our program is on the brink of reaching another level and I would like to do my part to help us reach that goal,” he added. “Our coaching staff has done a great job of putting the pieces in place and I think 2008 could be a memorable season.”
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