Notebook: Smith Brothers INT, Michalski Highest-Graded Center Nationally, Cassity on Fullback

The Cowboys and Mountaineers meet this weekend for a game that is much more highly anticipated now than it was a month ago.

Oklahoma State plays West Virginia at 2:30 p.m. (Central) Saturday in Morgantown. OSU players met with the media after their Monday practice. Here are three storylines that came from those scrums.

Smith Brothers Celebrate INT

It’s cool any time a true freshman makes a play — like when Dylan Smith intercepted a fourth-quarter pass in OSU’s win against the Jayhawks. But it was made all the more sweet by the fact that Cam Smith, Dylan’s brother, was on the field to see it happen.

The Smith boys came to Stillwater out of Braswell High School (TX), where both played both sides of the ball.

Cam was part of OSU’s 2021 recruiting class, choosing the Cowboys over offers from Kansas State, Utah, Boise State and others. Dylan came in the 2023 recruiting class, picking the Pokes over offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Houston, Nebraska, Stanford and others.

The tandem has combined for 11 total tackles and that interception this season. Although Dylan caught the pick, Cam seemed pretty stoked about it.

“I can’t even describe it — it almost felt like I caught the pick,” Cam said. “I was just trying to be the first one over there to get hype with him. It was just fun to see. I was just so happy for him.”

Michalski Was Highest Graded Center Nationally Last Week

Joe Michalski’s Week 7 PFF grade of 85.6 ranked tops among centers this past weekend — and it wasn’t particularly close.

Michalski was 4.4 points higher than second-place Maurice Smith (Florida State). There are three players within 4.4 points behind Smith. In terms of the Big 12, the second-highest-graded center was TCU’s John Lanz at a 63.5 — a casual 22.1-point difference.

Michalski’s run-block grade of 80.4 also led the nation.

According to PFF, Michalski has allowed just three quarterback hurries in 445 snaps this season. For reference, he allowed 16 quarterback hurries in 703 snaps last season and nine quarterback hurries in 423 snaps in 2021.

Where is Michalski trying to get better? Everywhere.

“We always put extra emphasis on effort and finish — just finishing blocks,” Michalski said. “Even if you’re backside cutoff, you might not think it’s important, but you never know when it’s gonna cut back and that’s the touchdown, home run block. So just effort, finish, trying to watch extra film — all the above. Just try to improve in every area that we can.”

The Return of the Fullback

Braden Cassity played just 18 combined snaps against South Alabama and Iowa State, per PFF. The past two weeks, he has played 50.

PFF awarded Cassity his best grade of the season against the Jayhawks. He might not show up on the stat sheet all that often (he has one catch for -3 yards this season), but if recent performances are anything to go off, Cassity is doing well in his transition from Cowboy back to fullback.

“It’s definitely becoming easier,” Cassity said. “Some of the schemes we have in place have been awesome. It allows all of us to play to the fullest potential. I feel like it’s really clicking.”