Daily Bullets (Jan. 6): Great News vs. Good News This Week, Monken’s Got Options

Big Monday tonight! It might be fun but I’m not promising anything.

Big Monday. Big stage. Big game. Get loud and help us extend our win streak against No. 16 West Virginia.

? https://t.co/GlR9dBg6JL#LetsWork I #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/wP6G8BoeJe

— Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) January 6, 2020

Bullets Rundown

• Great news vs. good news this week
• Monken’s (most definitely) got options
• QB battle?

OSU Bullets

• Let’s play a game of the way this week could play out: with bad news or good news.

If (Chuba Hubbard) doesn’t (return), Gundy attempts to reload at running back while taking into 2020 a defense that could be the best he’s ever had. Most of the starters and backups return for a defense that achieved big-time improvement during the second half of the season. [Tulsa World]

That’s not really that bad… right? There’s lots of potential on defense to go with a promising passing attack and a reloaded offensive line. The line rests between “good” and “great” not “good” and “bad”.

Then again…

After a flurry of activity last week, two big-ticket developments are on deck: the Hubbard decision and Gundy’s coordinator hire.

Depending on those results, this OSU offseason could be at an energy level comparable to that of the Weeden-Blackmon winter of 2011. [TulsaWorld]

• Sam Mayes on Todd Monken seems to be a reasonable take – there’s bound to be lots of opportunities for a guy with his resume. Also – a Chamber take I read has it right: the longer this process drags out the better.

Update on Monken. #Okstate is not the only team in the hunt and OC is not the only position on the table. 1 potential suitor I would say is a better HC job than Okstate. @FranchiseOK

— Sam Mayes (@AllmericanMayes) January 4, 2020

• Here’s the thing: are we absolutely sure there won’t be a quarterback battle this spring/fall?

Walk-on Shaun Taylor held the No. 2 job behind (Dru) Brown in the final two games of the regular season, with scholarship freshman Brendan Costello seeing scout team work.

Taylor will go into spring as the most experienced player of the backup group, but incoming freshman Shane Illingworth could be the wild card. His January arrival, accompanied by his rocket right arm, will give him a chance to get in the mix for the No. 2 spot by the time fall rolls around. [NewsOK]

Feel free to roast me when Spencer Sanders is All-Big 12 but I won’t be surprised when Illingworth surprises and makes it a competition this spring (zero intel, just my take). Here’s why: we haven’t seen Gundy’s mythical “15th game” yet where Sanders hits his stride and locks it down.

• Update on the Eddie film from late last week:

Sorry we’ve been away. Here is an UPDATE on our movie…Honestly can’t thank you guys enough for all the support through this process. It’s been a long road. THANK YOU! 2020 is gonna be special. pic.twitter.com/Qc5cRxlqR2

— CoachSuttonFilm (@eddiesuttonfilm) January 3, 2020

• This is spot-on, year-full-of-quarterback-injuries fussy Mike Gundy:

*Mike Gundy’s son*

“dad! my tweet went viral!”

Mike Gundy: pic.twitter.com/15JGCrJQuY

— Mulinardo DiCaprio (@JoeyMulinaro) January 5, 2020

• A couple of Pokes made this all-Big 12 defense team of the decade (apologies to Shaun Lewis who I think was snubbed)

• Let’s just fix all of my problems – Dallas needs to throw the vault at Riley.

Odds to be the next Cowboys head coach (BetOnline):

Lincoln Riley EVEN
Josh McDaniels +700
Mike McCarthy +700
Urban Meyer +700
Matt Rhule +900
Robert Saleh +900
Eric Bienemy +1200
Greg Roman +1200
Jim Harbaugh +1200
Marvin Lewis +1200
Dan Mullen +2500
Gary Kubiak +2500 https://t.co/0PnNtMmr6Y

— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) January 5, 2020

Non-OSU Bullets

• Berry Tramel on Russell Westbrook’s return is fantastic
• Priorities
• Solid faith-based blog post to chew on as we move into the new year