Keys to the Game: The Cowboys Map to Victory Against South Alabama

If everything goes to script, Saturday should be another stat-padding week for Oklahoma State.

South Alabama should be more of a test for Mike Gundy and the Cowboys than Missouri State was, but that isn’t saying too much. The Jaguars put up a fight against Louisiana Tech in Week 1, a game that was included seven total turnovers, but the Jaguars should still be no match for the Cowboys.

Here are the Cowboys’ keys to the game for Week 2.

Pound the Rock

Well, this shouldn’t be a problem for the Pokes.

USA gave up 231 rushing yards to La. Tech. The Bulldogs running back, Jaqwis Dancy, had 144 yards on 15 carries (9.6 yards per carry). If the Jaguars had trouble stopping Dancy, then Justice Hill is probably going to dance all over them.

Then there are these other three guys, J.D. King, LD Brown and Chuba Hubbard, that’ll probably have a good time, too.

On Tuesday, Hill said the four running backs’ goal against Missouri State was for them to get 100 yards a piece. Depending on carries and field position, that goal could be met in Week 2.

Cornelius Must Be Ready

There isn’t much about the Jaguars that looks like it will give the Cowboys any trouble, but against Louisiana Tech last week, USA had three interceptions.

Cornelius had excellent numbers in his first start, but it wasn’t a secret to anybody that he missed some throws, one resulting in a pick and a pass that probably should’ve been picked.

This should be a nice step up in competition for Cornelius before things get difficult with Boise State and the Big 12. One thing Cornelius will have going for him that La. Tech quarterback J’Mar Smith didn’t is Cornelius has guys such as Tyron Johnson, Tylan Wallace, Jalen McCleskey and Dillon Stoner to throw to.

On Monday, Mike Gundy mentioned the Jaguars athleticism, so it will be important that Cornelius protects the football and doesn’t give the USA defensive backs any chances to make a play.

Read and React

The USA offense is going to run a lot of motion with receivers that leads to read option plays. It’ll be important that OSU’s defenders stick to their reads and not try to do too much individually.

The read options were successful against Louisiana Tech, as the Jaguars finished with 217 rushing yards, but OSU isn’t Louisiana Tech. The Cowboys will be able to out-athlete USA, so as long as everyone is playing his part and not trying to do too much, it’ll be a long night in BPS for USA.

This also rings true to the quarterback run game, something the Cowboys struggled with against Missouri State.

Evan Orth, one of the three quarterbacks USA used last week, finished with a team-high 74 rushing yards, 59 of which came on one play. In OSU’s game against Missouri State, Bears’ quarterback Peyton Huslig finished with 109 rushing yards, even after being sacked five times, including a 58-yard scamper. The Cowboys will have to need to stick to their keys to shut the read options down, as it is likely the only thing that can save the Jaguar offense.

Corners Must Dominate Line of Scrimmage

USA isn’t going to throw the ball much. Against Louisiana Tech, the Jaguars’ three quarterbacks went a combined 11-of-23 with 91 yards, a touchdown and two picks. Yikes.

When USA does throw, it’s going to throw an assortment of slants and half back flares. The longest completion USA had was 21 yards, but it was just a slant where receiver Jamarius Way was able to drag some LaTech defenders and extra 10 yards.

One way to disrupt the quick passing game, though, is to jam the receiver at the line, something the OSU corners do a lot in Jim Knowles new system. In early August, corner Rodarius Williams said it’s “probably 95 percent” press man.

“Pretty much the whole game, we gonna bump and run,” Williams said.

Williams and other starting corner A.J. Green spent practice last year dealing with James Washington and Marcell Ateman, and this year guys like Johnson and Wallace will probably give OSU’s corners much more trouble than anything USA throws at them.