Notebook: New Starters Settling In, Bloody Brendon Evers, A 14-YearAge Gap

STILLWATER — The Cowboys are rolling into Texas Tech, having beaten their first four opponents by double digits.

Oklahoma State hosts the Red Raiders at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium. But before that game kicks off, OSU players met with reporters Tuesday. Here are three things we learned.

Game Slowing Down for Cobb, Etienne

Mason Cobb has been one of the surprises of the season so far.

Replacing Malcolm Rodriguez and Devin Harper, arguably the best OSU linebacker tandem of the Mike Gundy era, Cobb leads the Cowboys in tackles to this point with 30 through four games, including seven tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

A 6-foot, 230-pound junior from Provo, Utah, Cobb played only 84 defensive snaps in his first two seasons on campus, according to PFF. He has already played 228 this season.

“I guess it’s surprised me how slow the game got for me,” Cobb said. “Freshman and sophomore year, it was real fast. But I feel like I’m playing high school ball again. It’s fun.”

Speed of play is something that has also stood out to Caleb Etienne, OSU’s new starting left tackle. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound behemoth, Etienne joined OSU last season from the junior college ranks. He played 37 offensive snaps last season and has already played 287 this season.

“When I first had played last year, it was going fast for me,” Etienne said. “I really didn’t know what I was doing, but now that I’m on the O-line, I’m starting, getting time, it’s slowing down. I know what I’m doing. I’m going out there playing fast. I’m not just going out there and doing whatever I’m doing. I know where do go. I know what I need to do.”

Bloody Brendon Evers

Blood was all over Brendon Evers’ towel and hands after Tuesday’s practice, and when he turned to face me, the source was revealed.

Evers had a cut on the bridge of his nose, and blood was streaming down his face. It didn’t seem to phase him. He took questions and spoke eloquently all while it looked as if he had a jump start on Halloween props. So, what happened?

“Tuesday practice, baby,” Evers said. “You’re talking about that offensive line — they hit hard, too.”

Mind the Gap

Tom Hutton and Braylin Presley combined for a great play on Saturday, despite the former being 4,984 days older than the latter.

Hutton, 32, is believed to the be oldest player in FBS football this season after coming to Oklahoma State from ProKick Australia. Presley, 18, is a highly touted freshman out of Bixby. Hutton was coming up on his 14th birthday when Brennan Presley’s parents came home with his baby brother.

In the second quarter of Oklahoma State’s 36-25 victory against Baylor this past weekend, Hutton punted from Baylor’s 39, and Presley downed the Bears on their 2-yard line. The next play resulted in a BU safety.

“They’re good kids,” Hutton said. “It sounds weird, me saying ‘good kids,’ but that’s what they are to me.”