Daily Bullets (May 23)

The More the Scarier

Jim Knowles’ defense takes out one of Glenn Spencer’s linebackers and puts another safety on the field… So who’s that safety going to be?

There’s still some concern here, although the move of Kenneth Edison-McGruder from linebacker to one of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ three safety spots looks like a great fit. New starters will fill the other two spots, with Malcolm Rodriguez, Za’Carrius Green, Thabo Mwaniki, Chance Cook and even Sean Michael Flanagan all in the mix. This remains an area to watch. [Go Poke$]

Plug in McGruder and the sophomore Mwaniki who played a ton last year. There has to be strength in numbers with that crowded defensive backfield. Lots of talent (Flanagan, Mwaniki)  and experience and years on campus (Green, Cook) should lead to a solid two-deep, right?

Tell ya what, OSU could really go for that annual tradition of bringing in a veteran grad transfer on the defensive side of the ball.

A Running Back’s Best Friend

Something not to overlook with starting quarterback candidate Dru Brown is his experience playing alongside another prolific running back.

While Brown will follow Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner Mason Rudolph and will not have the services of Biletnikoff Award winner James Washington, he will have a sexy choice for the Heisman in running back Justice Hill—not to mention a pair of wide receivers who can run 100-yard receiving circles around every team in the Big 12.

Brown threw for 2,785 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Rainbow Warriors in 2017 while riding a running back with similar credentials to Hill. Former Hawaii running back Diocemy Saint Juste rushed for 1,510 yards last season. [Flo Football]

One has to assume that a quarterback’s value is attached to his running back… and vice versa. If Brown was able to torture Mountain West defenses with Saint Juste, can you imagine the recruiting conversation when Mike Gundy discussed the prospects of handing it to Justice Hill, Chuba Hubbard, and co.?

OSU and NCAA Notes

Enjoyed this back and forth on the 2018 college football season….KU fired their athletic director for not winning the Final Four not fixing the football problem….One player to change every Big 12 football team’s season….Why five-star quarterbacks are transferring so much….Neat story about how an OSU Baseball assistant serves the special needs community

Happy 90th to the king Cowboy.

Entering the next decade of my life today thankful for family and friends who have already made this a very special birthday celebration. Proudly hanging these football and basketball uniforms signed by #okstate Coaches Gundy and Boynton in my office. #Boone90 pic.twitter.com/VFAN0ulUEP

— T. Boone Pickens (@boonepickens) May 22, 2018

Rinse, wash, repeat.

Ben Roethlisberger’s first deep ball to James Washington. pic.twitter.com/ofxt1fjgJg

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 22, 2018

Self is the king of the opposite-of-bulletin-board material. An underrated key to 14 back-to-back titles: minimizing venom towards the champs.

Can anyone deny @KUHoops a 15th straight Big 12 title?@CoachBillSelf reveals the biggest challenger in the latest March Madness 365 podcast with @TheAndyKatz!

? https://t.co/gYYaTxZGQI pic.twitter.com/EYXhNY12Ms

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) May 22, 2018

A lonely but deserving Cowboy on the first team.

Congrats to Justice Hill on being a preseason first-team selection to the 2018 @AthlonSports All-Big 12 team! #okstate #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/K7JWZche7J

— Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) May 22, 2018

Good one, coach. Would love to see this guy settle into the 74074 for a good bit.

We closed on our home in Missoula yesterday. I’d like to thank all the helpful people that placed “For Sale” signs in our yard the past 3 years, since we sold it without having to list it!

— Bob Stitt (@CoachBobStitt) May 22, 2018

Top shelf rookie hazing.

#Bucs DT Gerald McCoy said the only rookie duty he has for Vita Vea is that when Vea introduces himself to McCoy’s kids he has to introduce himself as Maui from Moana.

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) May 22, 2018

What You Missed on PFB

• Gundy and others in the OSU family wish Mr. Pickens a happy birthday
• Pokes are making a run at stealing a Colorado linebacker commit
• Assessing the strengths of 2018 commit Maurice Calloo
• Should OSU schedule more marquee non-conference opponents?
• Big Ben says his last Rudolph comments were taken out of context

Other Stuff I’m Reading

• Is it time to put the “Russell Westbrook is selfish” narrative to bed?
• The solution to difficult problems is to “fill your mind” with them
• Enlightening that urban and rural Americans face a lot of the same issues
• How to productively rant about issues seems like it could save somebody’s job