Roundtable Wednesday: Midseason Evaluation And Expectations For the Second Half

Other times we riff for 20 minutes on Mike Gundy’s golf game. We’re going to try and do an informal roundtable every Wednesday about whatever is going on this week and post it here.

It’s going to be pretty slangy and GIF-y and not meant to be anything serious. We’re just here to talk about OSU the way we all do in real life. If you need to brush up on any of the contributors, you can do so here.

Kyle Porter (publisher): While we’re all here … let’d bang out a roundtable. I asked this as our poll question on Tuesday, but how do you grade OSU halfway through the season?

Kyle Cox (contributor): I’d go no higher than a C+. The Cowboys should be 6-0 and it’s their own fault they aren’t. I blame the CMU debacle 90 percent on the refs, 30 percent on the Cowboys because there’s more than enough to go around. #math. Losing to Baylor in Waco is not horrible except the way they did it was horrible.

Justin Southwell (chief uniform officer): I wouldn’t mind giving them a B-. I agree that they should be 6-0, but they deserve a lot of credit for the wins that they have. Pitt was tough and they showed resilience through the weather delay, they physically dominated Texas, and they came back to beat Iowa State. There have been flashes of greatness from this team, but there have also been moments that leave you scratching your head wondering what just happened.

Thomas Fleming (Xs and Os): I give them a solid B. Offense is good, not perfect, and defense is average, and sometimes quite good when the secondary plays well. I honestly don’t know what to expect anymore. Right now, I’m just rooting for all the good teams to lose so that OSU might be able to *compete* for a conference title.

Caleb Deck (intern): I tend agree with a B to B-. Flashes of fantastic play and possibly the most explosive offense in the Big 12 but the consistency isn’t there. They can be, and have been, amazing, but the key will be finding consistency in the running game, Rudolph hitting his short-mid range passes, and the defense limiting big plays. All realistic fixes, but are necessary to have any chance at making it through this next half of the schedule.

Carson Cunningham (podcasting): C+, ’bout av-rudge. Loss to CMU was inexcusable coaching (how do you run a play without a WR and not know the grounding rule?) Baylor loss fumbled away. There have been bright spots (D-line, Prez, QB1) but the overall grade is reflected by the W-L results.

Sam Aldrich (Head of Hoops): I’ll go C+. This team plays to their competition’s level, and was fortunate to beat Iowa state last week. I think 8-4 would be a strong finish at this point.

Porter: I’m going + (I almost went A-!) — We can say it’s a fluke that OSU sneaked out wins against Pitt and Iowa State, but we could also say it’s a fluke that CMU won on a one-in-a-million play and Justice Hill fumbled more than Mason Rudolph in a blizzard (can you imagine?) at Baylor. This team is, what, three (two?) plays from being 6-0.

Remember when I used to be the cynical one?

Max Gross (Baseball): I’d say B. Then offense has been pretty much as expected with the Rudolph to Washington connection thriving. Hill has been a pleasant surprise as well. The defense has been suspect at times. Not a fan of 31 points being put up by Iowa State

Porter: Sam already gave his opinion, but what record does everyone see this team ending with after six more games?

Fleming: 8-4, hopefully win bowl game and go 9-4 with heavy optimism headed into next year.

Deck: I also think 8-4 with a “shock” win over TCU, a not-so-shock loss at KState, and another year of bedlam tragedy unfortunately. ?

Fleming: Alamo? Or Cactus.

Aldrich: Or Russell Athletic?

Carson: New meaning to Cardiac Cowboys…

Making the most of the open week as the coaching staff refreshes on CPR training. #okstate pic.twitter.com/3x1OG2uzKx

— Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) October 12, 2016

Porter: I’m trying to figure out a way to get OSU to 10-3, but I can’t do it. I’ll go 9-4 as well with a bowl win. That was probably the floor (ish) for this season (or so we thought coming in). Now it’s going to be a fight to get there.

Carson: Which should be reflected in your midseason grade, @porter ?

Porter:  Don’t logic me @carsoncunningham. I think everything is sort of predicated upon the CMU game. How much better does 5-1 sound than 4-2? But there is no difference between this team whether its record says 5-1 or 4-2. From a win-loss perspective, 9-4 was the floor, but I’m not sure that reflects the actual play of the team thus far.

Aldrich: Just posing a question — is Pitt the only win we’ve got so far over a team that will make a bowl game this year?

Cox: Looking that way.

Porter: Other than Bedlam, which game are you guys most excited about in the second half of the year?

Aldrich: I think Homecoming against West Virginia is gonna be a blast. Lotta points, big crowd (for the first half at least?), and a pretty good WV team. Can’t wait for that one

Cox: TCU will be a big one as well