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Daily Bullets (August 14) – James Washington’s Next Steps, Jumbotron Shines Bright

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6 years ago

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Drain the Swamp

James Washington knows what he needs to do to improve – to get a shot playing with a top-flight quarterback in the NFL.

Washington appears ready for that spotlight. He is still refining his game for NFL standards, but he has shown a knack for making catches in traffic. If Washington can beat cornerbacks downfield and make the contested catch, the Steelers might just have their Martavis Bryant replacement.

Washington has soft hands and strong arms to secure the ball through contact. That’s a good place to start, even if coach Mike Tomlin reminded Washington in a recent practice that his footwork should catch up to his hands ability — in other words, get to the spot quicker so the catch is easier.

“At this level, I’ve realized you have to make combat catches,” Washington said. “Everyone is good at this level. You’re not going to get 10 yards of separation. … It’s all about your hand usage and how good your hands are at the catch point.” [ESPN]

The second-rounder appears to be making some great catches but just needs to make life easier on himself. I think his point about getting such great separation is that he’s adjusting to the athleticism – most likely the increased likelihood to be jammed by stronger corners and being able to blow by anybody he sees.

Distraction Central

An underrated plot point in 2018 Cowboy Football is how opponents are distracted by such a massive on-field TV screen.

“I think that there’s maybe six video boards bigger in college football,” said (Mike) Gundy. “but if you take — and I’m not smart enough to do this — but if you take how close it is to the field, and the size, and get some kind of per-capita, middle-of-the-road, type of measurement off that, it’s by far the biggest in the country. it’s like sitting in your living room in a man cave watching the TV.”

The thing is going to be unlike any other video board in the country. In fact, it’s one that players are going to have to adjust to. You can’t tell me if you were marching down the field in the video board’s direction, you wouldn’t have a hard time being distracted by it.

It’s something Oklahoma State coaches are very aware of, and are preparing for.

“Were going to practice six times in the next three weeks on the field, at different times of the day, with the video board running, just to try to figure out what kind of distraction it is, if any at all, and get adjusted to it,” said Gundy. [CRFF]

Cultural norms be darned in Stillwater where the only (from what I’ve always heard) east-west facing stadium in college football and a big screen hovering in the east end zone behind the goalpost. It’s sort of a no-win for one half of football during afternoon games as the sun shines down from the west and the jumbotron glares from the east.

OSU and NCAA Notes

Brailford on the watch list for college football’s top defensive end….Jenni Carlson had some great points on the NCAA rule changes….Solid preview of the running back depth chart….HCS ranks the home slates for Big 12 football teams in 2018….Wake Forest Basketball coach fatally punched a guy who thought he was an Uber driver (!!!)….Athlon analysts predict OSU’s win-loss record game-by-game….GoPokes takes a stab at the offensive depth chart

He makes it look so easy.

Get yourself a pair of badged Nikes.

Underclassmen Dax with the hops.

Wow. An incredible return by a big man.

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