STILLWATER — Third-string OSU quarterback Grant Jordan was the odd quarterback out last Saturday in a 59-0 win against Murray State. This week, he’s playing a key part in OSU’s preparation against West Virginia.
OSU opens Big 12 play Saturday at West Virginia. It’s no secret what the Mountaineers are going to try to do on their home field: Run the ball.
WVU ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 6 nationally with 281.3 rushing yards per game.
Mountaineer running back Cam Cook, who rushed for 1,659 yards with Jacksonville State last season, is a major player in WVU’s offense and so is WVU quarterback (and former Oklahoma Sooner) Michael Hawkins Jr. Hawkins Jr. has passed for 477 yards and rushed for 347 yards this season. He has rushed for more touchdowns (six) than he has thrown for (five).
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That’s where Jordan, a redshirt senior transfer from UMass, comes in. Jordan is the fastest quarterback on the Cowboy roster, so he is leading the scout team.
“Grant Jordan can run a little bit, he’s got some speed, some wheels so put him down there a couple times because he’s able to give them a good look, he’s probably the fastest of our quarterbacks right now, just true speed,” OSU coach Eric Morris said. “Been around it a ton and he’s done some of it, (Freshman) Luke Tepas has done some of it, but it has been good for those guys to see that look with Grant’s speed.’
The Cowboys are simulating the game as best they can, even finishing Tuesday’s practice blaring John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” on repeat, but the key Saturday will simply come down to tackling Hawkins Jr. and Cook.
This season, Cook has forced 24 missed tackles and rushed for 251 yards after contact. Hawkins Jr. has avoided 13 tackles and rushed for 139 yards after contact.
“Get him on the ground, tackling,” Morris said. “That’s easier said than done, right?”
OSU has missed 26 tackles as a team through three games this season: 11 against Tulsa, 11 against Oregon and just four last week against FCS opponent Murray State.
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“We have to do a nice job of communication and whenever we do get a chance to get him on the ground,” Morris said. “Misses will kill you when you’re fitting this run game up. It’s not just Hawkins.
“Cook is a really, really dynamic back there that will punish you as well. So we got to communicate, we got to tackle, we got to all be on the same page, all 11 of us.”
OSU hasn’t faced a run game like WVU’s this season where it’s a requirement to bring another defender down to stop the run.
OSU defensive lineman Enai White said the Cowboys have been practicing against the read option. His goals are to keep Hawkins Jr. in the pocket by maintaining rush lane integrity.
“We’ve really been working on the mesh point, staying on the quarterback’s top shoulder, making sure we keep him contained, because he’s a fast guy,” White said. “He definitely can run. We’re really just focused on keeping him contained, keeping him inside the box and making him uncomfortable.”
KICKOFF: 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia (FS1)
Ben Hutchens covers OSU athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Ben? He can be reached at bhutchens@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ben_hutchens_. Sign up for OSU Sports Minute newsletter to access more coverage of the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Support Ben’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How will Oklahoma State football stop Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia rushing attack?
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