Brandon Weeden Ready to Move on after Mistakes

The Oklahoma State quarterback struggled against the Troy Trojans, but is hoping for a quick rebound against Tulsa.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:56 am

By: News On 6

Brandon Weeden Ready to Move on after Mistakes

Originally Published: Sep 13, 2010 5:35 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- Saying Oklahoma State struggled against Troy may be an understatement after the Cowboys turned the ball over five times and had to overcome a halftime deficit.

But listening to the coaches, fixing the problems before Saturday’s matchup with yet another high-powered offense is simple.

“We need to limit penalties and do a better job of taking care of the ball,” said head coach Mike Gundy. “Tulsa is very explosive and they get a lot of yards per game and score a lot of points.”

After a big season-opening performance, quarterback Brandon Weeden struggled against the Trojans, accounting for four of OSU’s turnovers. Although many credit his inconsistent play to an injury he suffered late in the opener, Gundy thinks he is still adjusting to his new role and the new system.

“He is going to go through some growing pains. That’s just the way it is,” Gundy said. “I thought his poise and composure Saturday night was very good. When he made a mistake he didn’t hang his head. He got back in there and made the corrections.”

The 27-year-old quarterback was quick to acknowledge his mistakes, but also acknowledged the strides he and his teammates made in the comeback win over Troy.

“I put the ball on the ground. We gave them the chance to get into the game,” Weeden said. “But I think that shows the character of this team to fight and win the game."

The nagging injury was tough throughout the week for Weeden and it showed on the field against Troy. His teammates acknowledge and respect not only his efforts to heal his thumb, but his willingness to play through the pain.

"I think it's huge that he's willing to play through that injury because that's a tough injury,” said center Grant Garner. “You know it's important to him because he's out there giving it his all, doing whatever he can, getting treatment three times a day and doing whatever he can to get on the field."

His teammates rallied around him and collectively were able to overcome late-game adversity against Troy.

For a team with questions about its maturity early in the season, some of the questions may have been answered against the Trojans.

“They certainly took a big step last Saturday night; coming from behind and the defense making big plays at the right time during the game,” Gundy said. “They’ve got a ways to go but I like the way this team practices. I like the way they work together.”