OSU's Blackmon, Weeden Both Returning Next Season

Originally Published: Jan 12, 2011 8:56 AM CDT

More on Oklahoma Sports:
-Chad's Blog: All Systems Go In Orange Country
-John’s Blog: They’re Back-Let the Hype Begin
-John’s Blog: A Hunch About Blackmon and Weeden-Weeden Will Play Second Sport in 2011
-Faith and Football: Blackmon Gives Back
-Weeden Slotted as Robinson’s Replacement
-OSU’s Justin Blackmon Arrested on DUI Complaint
-At Midseason, Justin Blackmon on Record-Setting Pace
-Cowboys' New Quarterback Adjusting to New Role

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Okla. – Both quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon announced in a press conference Wednesday that they will return to Oklahoma State next season.

“After talking to family and a lot of friends and kind of everyone involved, Justin Blackmon’s coming back to Oklahoma State and so am I,” Weeden said.

The tandem of Weeden and Blackmon helped the OSU offense become one of the best in the nation and led the Cowboys to one of their best years in program history. Weeden ranked third in the nation with 329 passing yards per game, and said he wrestled with the decision of whether to declare for the NFL Draft.

“I talk to more people in the last two weeks than I probably have in the last four years,” he said. “I’ve gotten every piece of advice I feel like I needed to make the right decision. I teetered back and forth for two weeks, I’ll be honest. I woke up one morning and thought, ‘You know what? This is the opportunity of a lifetime to play at Oklahoma State.’”

Both players said they wanted to wait until after OSU played in its bowl game – a 36-10 victory over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl – to make their official announcements.

“I waited until after the bowl game to even start thinking about it,” Blackmon said. “I still didn’t want to think about it; it was a tough decision. I just talked to my family and the people close to me, and tried to get as much information as I could.”

Blackmon led the nation with 148.5 receiving yards per game, a full 14 yards more than the closest receiver behind him. He also was second in the nation with 9.25 receptions per game, only .11 behind Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles.

Head coach Mike Gundy said he saw Blackmon was slated to be picked anywhere between the middle of the first round and beginning of the second round in the NFL Draft. Blackmon said his first inclination was to enter the draft, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to stay.

“It was almost pretty much a given that I was leaning the other way (toward the NFL),” Blackmon said. “I think I can stay here one more year with the coaching and the strength conditioning staff we have here can get me better and try to get me to my full potential.”

Blackmon set several school and NCAA records, most notably by becoming the first player to ever gain at least 100 yards and score a touchdown in 12 consecutive games.

He finished third in the nation in scoring – with by far the most points for any player at his position – and received the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best receiver in the nation. Weeden admitted that having his favorite target back made his decision significantly easier.

“Once I knew for certain he was coming back, it was kind of a no-brainer for me,” Weeden said. “You guys all know my age and everything like that would play a factor, but what’s one more year? Especially when you get to play with a guy like, who’s going to make me better and I have a chance to make him better.”

It was widely believed Weeden and Blackmon would consider leaving for the NFL because of the departure of offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. But they instead became two more members on a growing list of players across the nation who have decided to return to school.

The two headlining underclassmen at OU – Broyles and Travis Lewis – each decided to return to school next year. But the biggest surprise came from the announcement of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who was considered the consensus No. 1 overall draft pick.

“When I saw Luck was coming back, I was shocked,” Weeden said. “I did my homework; I knew who was thinking about coming out and who was going to stay. I weighed all my options as far as that goes.”

Gundy said he does not have a timetable for finding Holgorsen’s replacement, but that the return of Weeden and Blackmon gives him something to pitch to potential candidates.

“It makes it easier for me to pursue candidates now, knowing what direction we’re going offensively,” Gundy said. “We want to stay as close to what we’ve done, but I don’t think anyone would question that with Brandon Weeden, if he had left early, we would have looked significantly different on offense.”