Daily Bullets (Nov. 27): What Other Backs Have Done to OU, Kiper on Chuba’s Draft Stock

A little stale but the Pokes opened as 12 point dogs this weekend – seems a little strong. Ten at most makes sense. 

Bullets Rundown

• What other backs have done to OU
• Kiper on Chuba’s draft stock
• OSU’s allegations vs. KU’s allegations

OSU Bullets

• This was a helpful insight for those trying to estimate the kind of game Chuba Hubbard can have against OU. 

Hubbard can be as elusive as Kansas’ Pooka Williams. He is stronger than Iowa State’s Breece Hall. He is more of a complete package than Kansas State’s James Gilbert.

Williams, Hall and Gilbert all creased the Sooners for over 100 rushing yards earlier this season. [TulsaWorld]

Iowa State is a complete offense with a dynamic passer, experienced line, and prolific running back. It’s understandable for Hall to break the century mark. But after watching Pooka Williams bottled up for 26 yards and Gilbert for 44 against the Pokes, it’s hard to imagine Chuba won’t be able to find serious success against this Sooner run defense.

• ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper talked about Chuba Hubbard’s draft stock.

The third-year sophomore — No. 6 in my most recent running back rankings — is an impressive one-cut runner who is being used as a true workhorse back. He is averaging a whopping 26 rushes per game as well as 6.4 yards per carry.

At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Hubbard has some burst and can break tackles, but I’d like to see him more involved in the passing game; he has just 18 catches this season, seven of which came in the win against West Virginia over the weekend. I have a Day 2 grade on him now, though he still could return to Oklahoma State in 2020. [ESPN+]

That seems a bit odd – being downgraded because he’s an every-down back not catching the ball enough. To Gundy’s point (who stumps for another year consistently), he hasn’t played two full seasons.

To calm Kiper’s mind, surely three games of being featured through the air (West Virginia, OU, and bowl game) will do. OSU has to be creative about how they get the ball into their hands about their premium playmaker and the air is a big part of it.

• OSU has engaged the same firm to help investigate the basketball allegations from the NCAA (Chuck Smrt). To better understand the severity, it’s helpful to compare OSU’s situation to that at the University of Kansas. 

As the Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig explained in his reporting, the NCAA described such activity as having been a “severe breach of conduct.” On the scale of rating violations in college athletics, Level I is the most serious and could result in losses of scholarships.

OSU is alleged to have committed one Level I violation. Two months ago, when Kansas was served its NCAA notice of allegations, there were five Level I basketball charges (including a lack of institutional control). [TulsaWorld]

It’ll be fascinating to see how these punishments shake out, both for the blueblood and the other major schools like OSU. It’ll be hard not to directly compare.

• Chuba Hubbard was named a Doak Walker Award finalist for CFB’s top running back earlier this week (duh)

• Cowboys didn’t move up in the CFP after the WVU win

• Fun story reading about the current Pistol Pete

• It’ll be decades until one last name has this many Bedlam’s to their name, right?

#okstate #Sooners The Gundy name is synonymous with Bedlam. For Mike, this is his 29th Bedlam game as a QB, an assistant and the OSU head coach. For Cale, this is his 26th Bedlam game as a Sooner QB and assistant.

— Bill Haisten ?? (@billhaisten) November 26, 2019

Non-OSU Bullets

• Really good faith-based read on “Purchasing Joy”
• Do what you’re doing – harder than it sounds
• It didn’t make me feel any better but the NFL agreed two calls went against Dallas on Sunday night