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With or Without the Ball WR Justin Bowick Sets an Example and Makes an Impact

“When I don’t see the ball come my way, I try to go pick up somebody.”

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[Devin Wilber/PFB]

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STILLWATER — Receiver Justin Bowick’s best play on Saturday night might have come on a play that didn’t see him touch the football at all, and that’s saying a lot because he practically leaped through a defender to haul in a 41-yard touchdown catch with ease that he really has no business making at all.


And, here’s another angle of the same play.

That was an obvious big play, but his sneaky highlight moment came in the third quarter when running back Caleb Hawkins raced 75 yards for a touchdown thanks in very large part to Bowick.

“That should be in our DNA and our culture in what we’re trying to build here is people willing to sacrifice,” coach Eric Morris said. “People know receiver-wise, there’s a bunch of people that aren’t playing as much right now because (of) their unwillingness to go in there and dig out a safety if they need to.

“Not only did he run. I mean, he got the play started by blocking the safety and then turned on the jets and basically blocked three guys on the play.”

Bowick played 74-of-75 snaps on Saturday putting him 14 snaps ahead of the closest receiver during his seven-catch, 124-yard performance that saw him finish with two touchdowns. Only center Tyler Mercer (576 snaps) and quarterback Drew Mestemaker (565) have played more offensive snaps than Bowick’s season-long total of 533. Terrence Lewis is second among receivers with 371.

On rewatch of his big block, it feels like even that praise from Morris somehow shortchanges what Bowick did.

The 6-5 receiver runs inside on a slant, taking the corner with him. Bowick stops before the hash and blocks the corner plus an additional defender simultaneously. One of those guys gets off the block after Hawkins races past.

Bowick catches up to this guy, blocking him out of the play for a second time, then sets another block to secure Hawkins’ score.

“We help out each other like that,” Bowick said. “We’re always talking on the sideline, like, I love when Caleb gets in the end zone. It makes me happy. It makes me want to go make the next play.”

In the process, Bowick has to sorta alternate between outrunning Hawkins and lingering behind him to make sure no defender has a good shot at him just before the goal line.

Bowick finished sixth on the team with a run-blocking grade of 73.4 on Saturday, according to PFF. It was his best blocking grade of the season against an FBS opponent. Two of the guys ahead of him included fellow receivers Chris Barnes (81.6) and Terrence Lewis (74.2).

“My teammates, I wanna see them succeed and get in the end zone, just like I want them to block for me also,” Bowick said. “That’s what comes from practice reps and blocking. When I don’t see the ball come my way, I try to go pick up somebody.”

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