Daily Bullets (December 20)

Cowboys Defined

Berry Tramel perfectly described this OSU basketball team.

OSU isn’t gifted offensively. Gone are Jawun Evans and Phil Forte. The former was a penetrating point guard, now playing for the Clippers and provider of instant offense when the Cowboys struggled. The latter was a sharpshooter extraordinaire. Besides Jeffrey Carroll, Boynton’s team does not have an above-average offensive player by Big 12 standards.

But the Cowboys play with great effort and guard the dog out of you. [NewsOK]

Offensively rebuilding while defensively reloading seems to say it well.

What-If’s

In a piece detailing the Big 12’s greatest what-if’s of the 2017 football season, some timely offensive line injuries against TCU brought OSU into the fold of biggest questions.

Had Crabtree been healthy for this game, does the line hold up to give Mason Rudolph more time? The Pokes had a meager 10 points by halftime of this game. Then, if OSU ends up winning, and doesn’t put up a stinker against Kansas State (which was clearly a lack of caring after losing to Oklahoma as well), then maybe we get a Bedlam rematch in the Big 12 title game.

I’m not sure it would’ve meant a trip to the College Football Playoff for Oklahoma State, but it sure would’ve been a much better season than the Camping World Bowl appearance they’re ending up with. [Heartland College Sports]

I wouldn’t put as much importance on Mason Rudolph being more protected as how massive a productive ground game would have been. That ten point-first half was only made worse by the quick offensive possessions, Justice Hill running free could have turned the tables.

OSU and NCAA Notes

Berry Tramel dives into Virginia Tech’s football history….Michigan State is owning college basketball with two-point defense….Defensive coordinators make more than offensive coordinators in college football….Lots of challenges with this new early signing day

Herman and Riley effect?

Last year, the Big 12 landed only 1 of the top 10 players in the state of Texas.

This year? The Big 12 already has 16 of the top 25 Texas players committed — with still 6 undecideds.

— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) December 19, 2017

I’m sure things have changed in Florida since the last time the Pokes were there.

The last time @CowboyFB played in a Florida bowl game was 1985. #okstate pic.twitter.com/sL2Kek1tnB

— Kevin Klintworth (@KKlintworth) December 19, 2017

A struggling, one-armed offense is now down it’s greatest asset.

Without Phillips, Sean Savoy (39-454-4) is Virginia Tech's top receiver against #OKState. https://t.co/eAVeYCaoo4

— Mark Cooper (@mark_cooperjr) December 19, 2017

You can say what you want about non-conference schedules but my goodness.

Big 12 … pretty good this year. pic.twitter.com/41P7ARZxNI

— Kyle Boone (@Kyle__Boone) December 19, 2017

It ain’t for the faint of heart folks.

WARNING: GRAPHIC sideline collison if this happen on the streets it would be felony pic.twitter.com/uP9zftq03l

— PFTCommenter (@PFTCommenter) December 19, 2017

What You Missed on PFB

• Five thoughts on OSU’s 71-59 win over Tulsa
• Pokes added another defensive end to the fold yesterday
• …after they lost a defensive tackle to Colorado
• Enjoy Carson’s five takeaways from the 2017 season
• OSU is positioned for one of their best recruiting classes to date

Other Stuff I’m Reading

• Tim Keller writes in the New Yorker on “Can evangelicalism survive Trump and Roy Moore?”
• The woodworker who quit email is a story of hyperbole but a good idea