Oklahoma State Is about to Have a Jerrod Heard Problem

Somebody yesterday noted the comparison to Trevor Knight. I admit, that might be in play with Jerrod Heard. Maybe last week’s 360-160-yard game was a fluke. History tells me it wasn’t, though. History tells me this dude is a baller.

Since 2000, only three QBs have had 360/160 games and one of them went by the name of Jonathan Football.

Heard’s coaches tell me that as well. Both past and present. J.W. Walsh’s dad John told the Oklahoman Heard’s talent was apparent from the beginning.

“As a seventh grader,” Walsh said, “you just knew.”

Charlie Strong now knows after watching No. 13 post a career day against Cal last week.

“You just don’t know what you’re going to get sometimes,” said Strong sounding a lot like Mike Gundy. “You walk out there at practice, you watch him practice sometimes, it’s like, ‘Wow!’ You throw him out there in the game, the things he does, when he goes back, he knows this, if I can’t find a receiver, I know I can take off with it, make people miss in the open field. He has the athletic ability where he can do it. He won two state championships at the 6A level. For him to be a competitor the way he is, I’m not surprised at all.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__61X67bkbM

“He’s so dynamic, whether he’s throwing the ball or he takes off (on a run play),” Strong continued. “Just to watch how he operated was just amazing. He gets everyone within the team charged up, knowing that when he takes the field, something good is going to happen. We have a chance to drive the ball. He instills so much confidence in the team, just by his playmaking ability.”

As I noted earlier today, dual-threat QBs have traditionally lit up Oklahoma State. Look at Mike Gundy’s losses going back to 2010. Taylor Martinez, Collin Klein, Matt Scott, James Franklin, Jared Barnett and the list goes on. It’s been one of the few warts on an otherwise terrific defense for the last half decade.

“Yeah, you learn a lot because it’s a tremendous test,” said Glenn Spencer. “You’re going against a guy that broke the record for most yardage in a game. He did better than Young and McCoy ever did. It’s a tremendous challenge, we got our hands full. Guys are going to be excited to play against him, but they also know that their hands are full.”

So maybe Heard does turn out to be Trevor Knight II, but I don’t think that will be the case. It really will be a great test for this OSU squad to go down there and try to shut down an offense that seems to have found a spark.

Tre Flowers said it well.

“I watched the Cal game after our UTSA game, and I noticed that they move the ball a lot so that’s one thing we have to stop. The quarterback is really good. It’s going to be a great week.”