Oklahoma State Cowboys Preparing for Tougher Opponent

OSU opens up conference play Thursday against the talented Texas A&M Aggies.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:57 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma State Cowboys Preparing for Tougher Opponent

Originally Published: Sep 23, 2010 5:22 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- After a week off, the Oklahoma State Cowboys are starting preparations for their Thursday-night Big 12 opener against Texas A&M.

Despite the short week and tough opponent, the Cowboys are approaching the week the same way they have every week previous.

“It doesn’t change anything. Our practices stay the same and the times stay the same. We try to get our players to commit to the preparation Sunday through Friday, or in this week’s case Sunday through Wednesday,” said head coach Mike Gundy. “Preparation is just as important as playing on game day.”

The Aggies are a decidedly tougher opponent than what OSU has faced thus far in 2010, providing not only a more physical opponent with their running game, but a dual-threat in the backfield with quarterback Jerrod Johnson.

“I would expect them to try to pound it at us and run the football and keep the ball some,” Gundy said. “They have the capability of doing that.”

In 2009, the Aggies racked up 6,055 total offensive yards, 3,661 yards – or 61 percent – came from the passing game. Through three games in 2010, 890 of Texas A&M’s 1504 offensive yards have come through the air – coming in at 60 percent.

"They are pretty much the same team they have always been. They are going to work hard, they are going to throw the ball,” said cornerback Andrew McGee. “Jerrod Johnson is a big guy and likes to run, so their offense is going to be high-powered and they have a lot of good receivers.”

One player the Cowboys will need a big week out of is wide receiver Justin Blackmon. After catching six passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns, the sophomore from Ardmore, is the nation’s top receiver, but don’t expect anything to change for him.

"I go in and do the same thing I always do. I go to practice, work hard, watch film,” Blackmon said. “I do everything I have always done before; nothing has changed."

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the Cowboys going into the matchup with Texas A&M is outstanding pass rusher Von Miller, who racked up 17 sacks in the 2009 campaign. Oklahoma State was one of just four teams to hold Miller without a sack last season, but instead of first-round pick Russell Okung the duties of corralling Miller falls on the somewhat unproven offensive line.

"[Miller] led the nation in sacks last year. He is going to be the best,” said junior tackle Levy Adcock. “We will just have to be able to pick up the reads and get back and get set faster."

Facing tougher competition is something that comes with starting conference play, especially with a conference as stacked with talent as the Big 12.

"Each week gets harder. That's just the way this game works,” said offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. “We're going to try and be consistent with our offense and be able to compete at a high level."