Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Have RPO - Will Travel
October 26, 2017 06:30 PM | Football
Radio sideline reporter Jed Drenning provides periodic commentary on the Mountaineer football program for WVUsports.com. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @TheSignalCaller.
The internet, it's been said, is just a world passing around notes in a classroom.
On it, you can find pretty much anything.
Dancing housecats, finger painting tutorials and the world's largest purple spoon sculpture.
It's all out there.
Bacon lip balm, a map of the Akkadian Empire, the lyrics to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and a ride to the mall.
You want to know how to tie a Windsor knot; or attract butterflies; or rebuild a carburetor on a Briggs & Stratton generator? You got it. How about learning to speak Klingon or hit a hanging curveball? You're in luck.
A few clicks on a keyboard can reveal Al Capone's barber chair, the score to Super Bowl XIII (35-31 Steelers over the Cowboys) and a hundred recipes for spicy Moroccan carrot salad.
Online, you really can find almost anything.
Even an offensive coordinator?
You betcha.
In search of a new coordinator after Todd Monken exited Oklahoma State in 2013 to take over the program at Southern Miss, coach Mike Gundy weighed his options. Turning over the keys to a Cowboys offense that had led the Big 12 in scoring three straight years under the guidance of play callers like Monken (2011-12) and Dana Holgorsen (2010) was not an enterprise to be taken lightly.
Either way, Gundy eschewed the traditional search route. Instead, he jumped online and scoured the statistical section of the NCAA's web site. There, as the story goes, he was quickly drawn to the flashy numbers being posted by a Division II school in Pennsylvania.
The Shippensburg Red Raiders had become an offensive juggernaut that demanded attention at the D-II level. In 2012, Shippensburg won 11 games while leading the country in total yards and finishing No. 2 in scoring and passing offense. Red Raiders quarterback Zach Zulli took home the Harlon Hill Award, given to the premier player in Division II.
The architect behind this offensive barrage playing out 1,200 miles from Stillwater on the doorstep of Gettysburg was a 37-year-old assistant coach named Mike Yurcich.
But would Gundy pull the trigger on such a chancy hire?
The OC title at Oklahoma State, after all, had developed some serious sizzle under Gundy, catapulting three different OSU assistants who held that post into their own head coaching jobs. To the skeptics, following up previous Cowboy play callers like Larry Fedora, Holgorsen and Monken with a hire from the D-II ranks would be like casting Zach Galifianakis as the next James Bond.
It would unquestionably be a fresh take on the role but the ounce of intrigue it provided would include an obvious pound of risk.
If any coach was bold enough to make so daring a hire, it was Gundy. We're all familiar with his 2007 "I'm a man, I'm 40!" rant, his ubiquitous hairstyle (business in the front, party in the back) and his rattlesnake hunting exploits.
Gundy is anything but a slave to convention, but would he really take a shot on a small college dynamo whose only FBS experience to speak of was as a graduate assistant at Indiana nearly a decade prior?
After some extensive film study and considerable number crunching, Gundy met Yurcich face-to-face then rolled the dice.
The Cowboys head man told Jeremy Fowler of CBSsports.com regarding his choice to bring in Yurcich: "You can either coach or you can't."
Mike Yurcich, it appears, can indeed.
Four years removed from that hire, it's now obvious that Gundy read the table right. Barreling toward its showdown with No. 22 West Virginia on Saturday, No. 11 Oklahoma State leads the nation in total offense (585 yards per game) and passing offense (393 yards per game). In some ways, the Cowboys resemble those Shippensburg attacks that were carving up the PSAC not so long ago.
Averaging a snap every 21.8 seconds (12th-fastest in the nation and second-fastest in the Big 12 behind WVU's 21.6 seconds), the OSU offense spreads you out and gets you on your heels with tempo then attacks from all directions.
It starts with an Oklahoma State passing game that's every bit as dynamic as advertised. Mason Rudolph is blessed with a powerful arm and the vision of a stalk-eyed fly. He sees the entire field and can drop a dime on any part of it. If there's a snitch in your coverage, Rudolph will smoke it out.
Then there's Rudolph's vast assortment of trinkets – scattered across the Cowboys' offense like playthings on Andy's floor in "Toy Story." The crown jewel is Sports Illustrated Midseason All-American wide receiver James Washington, the national leader in receiving yardage (131 per game) and the proud owner of a preposterous 20.2 yards per catch average during his four-year career.
On the other side is Marcell Ateman, a rangy 6-foot-4 former all-district basketball player averaging 106 receiving yards per game in the last five outings. Ateman's freakish leaping ability and terrific ball skills make him an inviting target in key situations, as evidenced by his eight catches that have moved the chains on third down for OSU (tied for second-most in the Big 12 behind the 10 such receptions by WVU's Gary Jennings).
In the slot is Jalen McCleskey, one of the fastest players on the Oklahoma State roster and a thorn in West Virginia's side in last year's Mountaineer loss in Stillwater. McCleskey managed a career high 11 catches against WVU including a critical third-and-goal touchdown grab in the final seconds of the first half.
With this trio of playmakers, Oklahoma State is the only team in the nation featuring three different pass catchers with double-digit receptions of 20-plus yards. But OSU's aerial prowess is also complemented by the Big 12's most formidable feature back, Justice Hill, who rolls into Morgantown hotter than a car hood in July.
Hill has posted four consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts and through seven contests he leads the league in rushing (107 yards/game). He's a gifted runner with an amazing jump cut and a unique blend of twitch and brawn that the Cowboys offense hasn't seen at the position since Joseph Randle (All-Big 12 First Team in 2011-12).
Equipped with ample playmakers in the passing game and on the ground, and a signal caller like Rudolph who has mastered the high art of quick decision making, it's not surprising that Oklahoma State's weapon of choice has become the "RPO."
No, that's not a pop band from the 1980s. RPO signifies Run/Pass Option -- a concept that has taken over the college football mainstream in recent years and, yes, has even worked its way into the NFL.
In its most basic sense, an RPO is an offensive scheme designed to isolate a defensive player (a.k.a. a "conflict" defender) who is tasked with run and pass responsibilities. The offense targets that defender then, in effect, simply zigs when he zags with a choice to either – you guessed it – run or pass the football on the same play call.
RPOs mitigate a defense's ability to outnumber you in the running game while dressing the stage for big-play possibilities in the passing game. If executed properly, an RPO can guarantee that the offense is always right. In part, that's why every team that runs tempo is utilizing some form of RPOs these days, including Dana Holgorsen, who has employed these concepts for years.
RPOs helped Clemson blaze a path to the national title last season. Offensive coordinators like Joe Moorhead and Chip Long have used them, respectively, to help return Penn State to national prominence and resurrect the Notre Dame offense. Nearly every team in the country has at least some RPO elements included in their system these days. Oklahoma State is just heavier into the curve.
Bill Connelly wrote a great piece over at SBnation.com recently on Mike Gundy embracing the "basketball on grass" philosophy of RPOs. He concluded that the cerebral role of the quarterback is edging ever closer to that of a point guard and that these new wrinkles are here to stay.
That's hard to dispute.
Watching game tape of Oklahoma State as it executes these RPO concepts can be mesmerizing. You're almost tempted to grab a tub of popcorn and a box of Sno-Caps – until you're stirred back into focus by the unsettling realization that this show is actually coming to Mountaineer Field this weekend.
Early in the second quarter against Baylor, from their own 21-yard line, OSU lined up on the right hash with twins to the boundary and a single receiver to the field. With two backs joining him in the shotgun, Rudolph surveyed the Bears four-down look with two linebackers behind it – a six-man box. On the snap, Rudolph placed the ball in the belly of Justice Hill -- who was crossing his face, right to left. As he did so, Rudolph read the "conflict" defender, outside linebacker Taylor Young, who was aligned over top of the Cowboys two receiver side.
Instead of charging downhill, Young retreated on the snap in reaction to the bubble screen/slant combination that was developing to that side of the formation. Seeing this, Rudolph knew that – without Young crashing toward the box -- OSU had a six-on-six blocking opportunity in the run game, led by fullback Britton Abbott. Rudolph finished the give to Hill, executing the "run" dimension of the RPO.
Hill cut inside the block of left tackle Aaron Cochran then, giving a stiff arm to Baylor safety Taion Sells, burst toward the perimeter and hit the rail. A tenacious open-field block by Ateman sprung him to daylight and he raced 79 yards up the sideline for an OSU score.
Later in the game, during third quarter action from its own 32-yard line, OSU offered up the same look. Again on the right hash, it showed twin receivers to the boundary. This time, however, as Rudolph held the ball in Hill's gut to make his read, the "conflict" player – Bears linebacker Jordan Williams – charged two hard steps downhill in run support.
Just two steps, then he froze. But it was too late.
Williams' indecision allowed Washington to break open behind him on a slant, prompting Rudolph to go with the "Pass" option on this RPO. He caught Williams flat-footed, ripping a perfectly placed throw past him that hit Washington in stride. Washington did the rest, turning on the jets to explode past Baylor safety Rajah Preciado and race 68 yards for a Cowboys touchdown.
Throw in the tape of the Cowboys' trip to Heinz Field last month and you'll see more of the explosive possibilities of Oklahoma State's RPO game – but you'll also see the risks attendant to these packages. Rudolph shredded Pitt with a steady diet of RPOs, finishing with 497 yards in the air, five TDs and a career-best 15.5 yards per attempt.
But this game also revealed the hazards of an RPO concept – an unprotected quarterback.
When watching a team execute an RPO, even a team as adept at it as Oklahoma State, one thing is often conspicuously absent – pass protection. To the offensive line, every RPO is a running play, which logically calls for a run blocking assignment. This sometimes leaves the quarterback compromised.
Ten minutes into the game at Pitt, just moments after scorching the Panthers with a 54-yard touchdown strike that came on an RPO, Rudolph went back to the well again. This time he came out of the play fake to Hill and targeted Washington down the deep middle on a post. Washington had a step on Pitt cornerback Avonte Maddox but Rudolph overshot him. He did so in part because, as he made the throw, he had 575 pounds of Pitt defenders in his face.
Defensive tackles Shane Roy (280 pounds) and Kam Carter (295 pounds) slipped through the cracks of the Cowboys' zone-run scheme to converge on Rudolph, smashing him to the ground with extreme prejudice just as the ball left his hand. At least part of this might have been avoided with traditional pass protection.
Instead of OSU right guard Larry Williams continuing to provide center Brad Lundblade with help on Carter – as he would have in conventional pass pro, absent a blitzing defender – he detached from the double-team and climbed to the second level to seal off linebacker Saleem Brightwell for the inside zone run portion of the RPO. This placed the defensive tackle Carter in a one-on-one matchup with Lundblade that he easily won, knifing upfield into Rudolph's face where he was joined by fellow defensive tackle Roy who overpowered left guard Marcus Keyes.
This demonstrates one of the potential pitfalls of the RPO – a quarterback left in harm's way -- and that's before you even consider the risks tied to unblocked defensive ends on zone read RPOs.
But there's more to the Cowboys than the RPO. In fact, there's more to Oklahoma State than just the "O."
Offense, as the saying goes, sells tickets. But defense wins championships.
A program with Big 12 title aspirations like the Cowboys understands that.
Glenn Spencer's defense knows a thing or two about derailing high-powered attacks. For all the buzz surrounding the Oklahoma State offense, the most intriguing matchup on Saturday might be Will Grier – the nation's leader in touchdown passes with 26 – against a Cowboys defense that has allowed the fewest TD passes in the Big 12 with four (the second-fewest in the country).
For those scoring at home, that's two fewer than Alabama and Wisconsin, three fewer than Georgia, four fewer than Ohio State, five fewer than Clemson and eight fewer than Notre Dame. None of which, you might notice, play defense in the Big 12 Conference – home to four of college football's top seven passing offenses and seven of its top 30.
Some points to ponder:
2) 26 by Randy Moss of Marshall, 1997
3) 25 by Stedman Bailey of West Virginia, 2012
The last time OSU visited WVU at No. 11 was in 2013. West Virginia was a 21-point underdog but shocked the Big 12 in Clint Trickett's first start as a Mountaineer with a 30-21 upset. Despite averaging just 1.7 yards per carry, West Virginia won by holding the Cowboys to 30 percent on third down and forcing three turnovers, including a 58-yard pick six by Ishmael Banks.
I don't know those details because of my uncanny recall. I know them because I looked them up on the internet.
You can find almost anything on there.
I'll see you at the 50.
The internet, it's been said, is just a world passing around notes in a classroom.
On it, you can find pretty much anything.
Dancing housecats, finger painting tutorials and the world's largest purple spoon sculpture.
It's all out there.
Bacon lip balm, a map of the Akkadian Empire, the lyrics to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and a ride to the mall.
You want to know how to tie a Windsor knot; or attract butterflies; or rebuild a carburetor on a Briggs & Stratton generator? You got it. How about learning to speak Klingon or hit a hanging curveball? You're in luck.
A few clicks on a keyboard can reveal Al Capone's barber chair, the score to Super Bowl XIII (35-31 Steelers over the Cowboys) and a hundred recipes for spicy Moroccan carrot salad.
Online, you really can find almost anything.
Even an offensive coordinator?
You betcha.
In search of a new coordinator after Todd Monken exited Oklahoma State in 2013 to take over the program at Southern Miss, coach Mike Gundy weighed his options. Turning over the keys to a Cowboys offense that had led the Big 12 in scoring three straight years under the guidance of play callers like Monken (2011-12) and Dana Holgorsen (2010) was not an enterprise to be taken lightly.
Either way, Gundy eschewed the traditional search route. Instead, he jumped online and scoured the statistical section of the NCAA's web site. There, as the story goes, he was quickly drawn to the flashy numbers being posted by a Division II school in Pennsylvania.
The Shippensburg Red Raiders had become an offensive juggernaut that demanded attention at the D-II level. In 2012, Shippensburg won 11 games while leading the country in total yards and finishing No. 2 in scoring and passing offense. Red Raiders quarterback Zach Zulli took home the Harlon Hill Award, given to the premier player in Division II.
The architect behind this offensive barrage playing out 1,200 miles from Stillwater on the doorstep of Gettysburg was a 37-year-old assistant coach named Mike Yurcich.
But would Gundy pull the trigger on such a chancy hire?
The OC title at Oklahoma State, after all, had developed some serious sizzle under Gundy, catapulting three different OSU assistants who held that post into their own head coaching jobs. To the skeptics, following up previous Cowboy play callers like Larry Fedora, Holgorsen and Monken with a hire from the D-II ranks would be like casting Zach Galifianakis as the next James Bond.
It would unquestionably be a fresh take on the role but the ounce of intrigue it provided would include an obvious pound of risk.
If any coach was bold enough to make so daring a hire, it was Gundy. We're all familiar with his 2007 "I'm a man, I'm 40!" rant, his ubiquitous hairstyle (business in the front, party in the back) and his rattlesnake hunting exploits.
Gundy is anything but a slave to convention, but would he really take a shot on a small college dynamo whose only FBS experience to speak of was as a graduate assistant at Indiana nearly a decade prior?
After some extensive film study and considerable number crunching, Gundy met Yurcich face-to-face then rolled the dice.
The Cowboys head man told Jeremy Fowler of CBSsports.com regarding his choice to bring in Yurcich: "You can either coach or you can't."
Mike Yurcich, it appears, can indeed.
Four years removed from that hire, it's now obvious that Gundy read the table right. Barreling toward its showdown with No. 22 West Virginia on Saturday, No. 11 Oklahoma State leads the nation in total offense (585 yards per game) and passing offense (393 yards per game). In some ways, the Cowboys resemble those Shippensburg attacks that were carving up the PSAC not so long ago.
Averaging a snap every 21.8 seconds (12th-fastest in the nation and second-fastest in the Big 12 behind WVU's 21.6 seconds), the OSU offense spreads you out and gets you on your heels with tempo then attacks from all directions.
It starts with an Oklahoma State passing game that's every bit as dynamic as advertised. Mason Rudolph is blessed with a powerful arm and the vision of a stalk-eyed fly. He sees the entire field and can drop a dime on any part of it. If there's a snitch in your coverage, Rudolph will smoke it out.
Then there's Rudolph's vast assortment of trinkets – scattered across the Cowboys' offense like playthings on Andy's floor in "Toy Story." The crown jewel is Sports Illustrated Midseason All-American wide receiver James Washington, the national leader in receiving yardage (131 per game) and the proud owner of a preposterous 20.2 yards per catch average during his four-year career.
On the other side is Marcell Ateman, a rangy 6-foot-4 former all-district basketball player averaging 106 receiving yards per game in the last five outings. Ateman's freakish leaping ability and terrific ball skills make him an inviting target in key situations, as evidenced by his eight catches that have moved the chains on third down for OSU (tied for second-most in the Big 12 behind the 10 such receptions by WVU's Gary Jennings).
In the slot is Jalen McCleskey, one of the fastest players on the Oklahoma State roster and a thorn in West Virginia's side in last year's Mountaineer loss in Stillwater. McCleskey managed a career high 11 catches against WVU including a critical third-and-goal touchdown grab in the final seconds of the first half.
With this trio of playmakers, Oklahoma State is the only team in the nation featuring three different pass catchers with double-digit receptions of 20-plus yards. But OSU's aerial prowess is also complemented by the Big 12's most formidable feature back, Justice Hill, who rolls into Morgantown hotter than a car hood in July.
Hill has posted four consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts and through seven contests he leads the league in rushing (107 yards/game). He's a gifted runner with an amazing jump cut and a unique blend of twitch and brawn that the Cowboys offense hasn't seen at the position since Joseph Randle (All-Big 12 First Team in 2011-12).
Equipped with ample playmakers in the passing game and on the ground, and a signal caller like Rudolph who has mastered the high art of quick decision making, it's not surprising that Oklahoma State's weapon of choice has become the "RPO."
No, that's not a pop band from the 1980s. RPO signifies Run/Pass Option -- a concept that has taken over the college football mainstream in recent years and, yes, has even worked its way into the NFL.
In its most basic sense, an RPO is an offensive scheme designed to isolate a defensive player (a.k.a. a "conflict" defender) who is tasked with run and pass responsibilities. The offense targets that defender then, in effect, simply zigs when he zags with a choice to either – you guessed it – run or pass the football on the same play call.
RPOs mitigate a defense's ability to outnumber you in the running game while dressing the stage for big-play possibilities in the passing game. If executed properly, an RPO can guarantee that the offense is always right. In part, that's why every team that runs tempo is utilizing some form of RPOs these days, including Dana Holgorsen, who has employed these concepts for years.
RPOs helped Clemson blaze a path to the national title last season. Offensive coordinators like Joe Moorhead and Chip Long have used them, respectively, to help return Penn State to national prominence and resurrect the Notre Dame offense. Nearly every team in the country has at least some RPO elements included in their system these days. Oklahoma State is just heavier into the curve.
Bill Connelly wrote a great piece over at SBnation.com recently on Mike Gundy embracing the "basketball on grass" philosophy of RPOs. He concluded that the cerebral role of the quarterback is edging ever closer to that of a point guard and that these new wrinkles are here to stay.
That's hard to dispute.
Watching game tape of Oklahoma State as it executes these RPO concepts can be mesmerizing. You're almost tempted to grab a tub of popcorn and a box of Sno-Caps – until you're stirred back into focus by the unsettling realization that this show is actually coming to Mountaineer Field this weekend.
Early in the second quarter against Baylor, from their own 21-yard line, OSU lined up on the right hash with twins to the boundary and a single receiver to the field. With two backs joining him in the shotgun, Rudolph surveyed the Bears four-down look with two linebackers behind it – a six-man box. On the snap, Rudolph placed the ball in the belly of Justice Hill -- who was crossing his face, right to left. As he did so, Rudolph read the "conflict" defender, outside linebacker Taylor Young, who was aligned over top of the Cowboys two receiver side.
Instead of charging downhill, Young retreated on the snap in reaction to the bubble screen/slant combination that was developing to that side of the formation. Seeing this, Rudolph knew that – without Young crashing toward the box -- OSU had a six-on-six blocking opportunity in the run game, led by fullback Britton Abbott. Rudolph finished the give to Hill, executing the "run" dimension of the RPO.
Hill cut inside the block of left tackle Aaron Cochran then, giving a stiff arm to Baylor safety Taion Sells, burst toward the perimeter and hit the rail. A tenacious open-field block by Ateman sprung him to daylight and he raced 79 yards up the sideline for an OSU score.
Later in the game, during third quarter action from its own 32-yard line, OSU offered up the same look. Again on the right hash, it showed twin receivers to the boundary. This time, however, as Rudolph held the ball in Hill's gut to make his read, the "conflict" player – Bears linebacker Jordan Williams – charged two hard steps downhill in run support.
Just two steps, then he froze. But it was too late.
Williams' indecision allowed Washington to break open behind him on a slant, prompting Rudolph to go with the "Pass" option on this RPO. He caught Williams flat-footed, ripping a perfectly placed throw past him that hit Washington in stride. Washington did the rest, turning on the jets to explode past Baylor safety Rajah Preciado and race 68 yards for a Cowboys touchdown.
Throw in the tape of the Cowboys' trip to Heinz Field last month and you'll see more of the explosive possibilities of Oklahoma State's RPO game – but you'll also see the risks attendant to these packages. Rudolph shredded Pitt with a steady diet of RPOs, finishing with 497 yards in the air, five TDs and a career-best 15.5 yards per attempt.
But this game also revealed the hazards of an RPO concept – an unprotected quarterback.
When watching a team execute an RPO, even a team as adept at it as Oklahoma State, one thing is often conspicuously absent – pass protection. To the offensive line, every RPO is a running play, which logically calls for a run blocking assignment. This sometimes leaves the quarterback compromised.
Ten minutes into the game at Pitt, just moments after scorching the Panthers with a 54-yard touchdown strike that came on an RPO, Rudolph went back to the well again. This time he came out of the play fake to Hill and targeted Washington down the deep middle on a post. Washington had a step on Pitt cornerback Avonte Maddox but Rudolph overshot him. He did so in part because, as he made the throw, he had 575 pounds of Pitt defenders in his face.
Defensive tackles Shane Roy (280 pounds) and Kam Carter (295 pounds) slipped through the cracks of the Cowboys' zone-run scheme to converge on Rudolph, smashing him to the ground with extreme prejudice just as the ball left his hand. At least part of this might have been avoided with traditional pass protection.
Instead of OSU right guard Larry Williams continuing to provide center Brad Lundblade with help on Carter – as he would have in conventional pass pro, absent a blitzing defender – he detached from the double-team and climbed to the second level to seal off linebacker Saleem Brightwell for the inside zone run portion of the RPO. This placed the defensive tackle Carter in a one-on-one matchup with Lundblade that he easily won, knifing upfield into Rudolph's face where he was joined by fellow defensive tackle Roy who overpowered left guard Marcus Keyes.
This demonstrates one of the potential pitfalls of the RPO – a quarterback left in harm's way -- and that's before you even consider the risks tied to unblocked defensive ends on zone read RPOs.
But there's more to the Cowboys than the RPO. In fact, there's more to Oklahoma State than just the "O."
Offense, as the saying goes, sells tickets. But defense wins championships.
A program with Big 12 title aspirations like the Cowboys understands that.
Glenn Spencer's defense knows a thing or two about derailing high-powered attacks. For all the buzz surrounding the Oklahoma State offense, the most intriguing matchup on Saturday might be Will Grier – the nation's leader in touchdown passes with 26 – against a Cowboys defense that has allowed the fewest TD passes in the Big 12 with four (the second-fewest in the country).
For those scoring at home, that's two fewer than Alabama and Wisconsin, three fewer than Georgia, four fewer than Ohio State, five fewer than Clemson and eight fewer than Notre Dame. None of which, you might notice, play defense in the Big 12 Conference – home to four of college football's top seven passing offenses and seven of its top 30.
Some points to ponder:
- Since joining the Big 12, the West Virginia defense has intercepted Oklahoma State quarterbacks eight times – an average 1.6 per game – marking the Mountaineers highest per game average versus any team in the league.
- Seven games into this season, Will Grier is responsible for an average of 24.3 points per game -- No. 1 in the nation. By way of comparison, 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson averaged 23.7 per game; 2014 Heisman winner Marcus Mariota averaged 23.2 per game; and 2013 Heisman winner Jameis Winston averaged 18.7 per game.
- David Sills V leads the country with 15 touchdown catches through seven games, one ahead of the pace Stedman Bailey was on (14) through the seventh game of his school record-setting 2012 campaign. Here's a look at the most TD catches in a single season in FBS history:
2) 26 by Randy Moss of Marshall, 1997
3) 25 by Stedman Bailey of West Virginia, 2012
- Last week at Baylor, Grier became the first Mountaineer quarterback in history to throw five touchdown passes in back-to-back games. Grier also became the first Holgorsen QB with five TD passes in consecutive games since Texas Tech's Graham Harrell in 2007.
- The West Virginia offense leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 9 nationally in red zone touchdown percentage (78.1%). At 57.9%, the Oklahoma State offense ranks No. 8 in the Big 12 in this category.
- Through seven games, linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton is third in the Big 12 in tackles-for-loss with 11.5 (1.64 per contest) – a pace that could see him challenge Johnny Dingle's single season WVU record of 19 TFLs set in 2007.
The last time OSU visited WVU at No. 11 was in 2013. West Virginia was a 21-point underdog but shocked the Big 12 in Clint Trickett's first start as a Mountaineer with a 30-21 upset. Despite averaging just 1.7 yards per carry, West Virginia won by holding the Cowboys to 30 percent on third down and forcing three turnovers, including a 58-yard pick six by Ishmael Banks.
I don't know those details because of my uncanny recall. I know them because I looked them up on the internet.
You can find almost anything on there.
I'll see you at the 50.
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