Notebook: Stoner Finally the Feature, Getting Chuba to 2K and KHP

STILLWATER — After a rough start to the Cowboys’ Big 12 slate, things are starting to look up.

Oklahoma State has a Heisman contender in its backfield, a safety who is starting to get national buzz for his ability to create turnovers and the Pokes have won three straight conference games for the first time since Mason Rudolph was ripping the pigskin around Boone Pickens Stadium.

A few Cowboys met with reporters after their practice Tuesday. Here are some storylines from their meeting with the media.

Dillon Stoner Finally a Featured Pass-Catcher

Dillon Stoner has had to wait his turn, and despite the crummy circumstances, he is finally at the front of the line.

Stoner, a redshirt junior, played in 12 games in 2017, finishing behind James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Jalen McCleskey in catches. Last season with those three gone, Stoner was still behind Tylan Wallace and Tyron Johnson.

Stoner started this year behind Wallace, before the All-American tore his ACL. The injury forced Stoner to move to the outside from the slot position he has played throughout his college career, but the transition has been smooth.

In the two games OSU has played without Wallace this year, Stoner has eight catches for 243 yards and four touchdowns. Stoner hadn’t caught a touchdown all year before the past two games.

And again, the circumstances as to why Stoner is now the Cowboys’ top target aren’t ideal, but he is making good of an unfortunate situation.

“Obviously you gotta make the most of every opportunity you’ve been given,” Stoner said. “I’ve been trying to do that year after year. I’d much rather 2 be out there, but we still got the rest of the season to play, so I’m just gonna do my part.”

OSU’s O-Line Pushing to Get Chuba to 2,000

Only one person in program history has rushed for at least 2,000 yards in a season, and that person won the Heisman.

Chuba Hubbard is just 274 yards away from that magical mark with three games to go, meaning if he can average about 92 yards a game for the rest of the year, he’ll slide in right behind Barry Sanders’ ridiculous 2,850-yard 1988 season.

It’s come with a lot of hype. Hubbard is the nation’s leading rusher, and there are cases being made that he should win the Heisman Trophy or at least be in New York when it’s handed out.

OSU’s offensive line, a group who is also responsible for Hubbard’s success, is trying to pave the nearly 1,500 miles from Stillwater to The Big Apple.

“We love it,” guard Marcus Keyes said. “We’re trying to get that man to 2,000 as fast as possible. We love that. We’re trying to run people over to get him the biggest runs we can for him. It’s great.”

Kolby Harvell-Peel on Being in the Right Place

After the Kansas game, Mike Gundy noted that Kolby Harvell-Peel always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Later Gundy mentioned that’s a sign of a good player, noting that former OSU linebacker Shaun Lewis was similar. Whatever Harvell-Peel’s secret to finding the ball is, it’s working for OSU.

Harvell-Peel has five interceptions, 11 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries this season. He was awarded his second consecutive Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award Monday. It’s the third time this season he has gotten the honor.

“I was just telling all the guys today, they keep coming up and messing with me about being big time and stuff, but I’m glad we got wins the past three weeks,” Harvell-Peel said. “The past two games I’ve won (defensive player of the week), we’ve got wins. That’s more important to me.”

Of his five picks, which is tied for fourth nationally, Harvell-Peel said his favorite was his first. It was one of those right place, right time plays against Texas, where Harvell-Peel caught a Rodarius Williams deflection. Harvell-Peel said Williams joked with him on the sideline Saturday, asking when Harvell-Peel was going to tip one up for him to catch.

“I think it’s more just executing what’s called,” Harvell-Peel said. “Every play, I have a role to play. If everybody on the defense does their role then we’ll play well as a defense. I’m just trying to do my role the best I can. Lately, it’s been paying off.”