Oklahoma
How Oklahoma State football’s Iman Oates first sack was a sign he had made his mark on DL
STILLWATER — Iman Oates was happy to have put pressure on the quarterback.
The Oklahoma State defensive tackle pulled TCU quarterback Josh Hoover to the ground in the first quarter of what turned out to be a 38-13 Cowboy loss Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Hoover tried to escape the pressure, but Oates dove, grabbing the quarterback and pulling him to the ground.
“I thought he threw the ball away,” Oates said. “Then I got up and Kody Waltersheid was like, ‘Let’s go, Iman!’
“I was like, ‘Oh, it’s a sack.’”
Not just any sack, but Oates’ first of the season, and thus, the first of his OSU career.
Oates added another tackle for loss among his four stops Saturday as the product of Tulsa Edison High School and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M has turned into one of the Cowboys’ more reliable defensive linemen.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Oates redshirted last year, but quickly stepped in on a line full of returning players and made his mark. For the season, he has played 480 snaps, fifth-most on the defense and most among defensive linemen.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Oates should continue to be an impact player on what will be a mostly rebuilt defensive line next season.
Here’s a look at other Cowboys on the move in this week’s stock report:
Oklahoma State stock report
Stock rising
Brennan Presley, receiver: The super-senior receiver became the Cowboys’ all-time leader in pass receptions, surpassing Rashaun Woods’ record of 293. Presley now has 297 for his career and surpassed the 5,000-yard mark in all-purpose yards, becoming the fourth OSU player to do so. In a year that has been hard to watch for Cowboy fans, Presley continues to be a ray of sunshine.
Young players’ development: Particularly on defense, the Cowboys got an extended look at some young players in the primary rotation for the first time. Now, with a week off, coach Mike Gundy said it would be a good time to let those players work their way toward more game snaps when the Pokes host Texas Tech on Nov. 23.
Stock falling
Veterans’ playing time: The flipside of the young players getting more involvement means veterans, especially those who are nearing the end of their careers, will have to share more time. Maybe some young offensive linemen work in with super-senior starters. The same will continue to happen at safety and on the defensive line.
Alan Bowman, quarterback: He’s one of those super-seniors in danger of losing playing time in the final two games. The veteran quarterback deserves a proper senior salute for what he has given the program in a time of need. But the Cowboys need to be forward-thinking about the rest of the season. True freshman Maealiuaki Smith can play in the final two games without burning his redshirt, and it’s rare to have this opportunity to get a rookie QB meaningful snaps without endangering the status of your team.
Oklahoma State redshirt tracker
Da’Wain Lofton looks destined to redshirt in his true senior season.
After transferring from Virginia Tech, Lofton was limited by an injury early in the season, but got on the field for four games.
However, he didn’t make the trip to Fort Worth, Texas, for the TCU game, so it looks like his season is over. Playing in a backup role to slot receiver Brennan Presley, Lofton had 140 receiving yards on six catches.
Lofton has played inside and outside receiver during his college career, and depending on what happens with the OSU roster, he could be in line for a prime role next season.
Also, true freshman safety David Kabongo played in his fifth game of the season, wiping out his redshirt status. No other freshmen are in danger of surpassing the four-game mark over the final two weeks of the season.
And the Pokes debuted an unexpected freshman on Saturday. Linebacker/edge rusher Yamil Talib, a walk-on from Dallas, played five snaps, primarily as a pass rusher. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Talib is the nephew of former Kansas standout and NFL cornerback Aqib Talib.
Here’s a look at the OSU redshirt tracker with two games remaining:
- Played in more than four games: Landyn Cleveland, Fr.; Josh Ford, Fr.; David Kabongo, Fr.
- Played in four games: Gavin Freeman, Jr.; Da’Wain Lofton, Sr.
- Played in three games: None
- Played in two games: Jonathan Agumadu, Fr.; Rodney Fields Jr., Fr.; Collin Oliver, Sr.; Maealiuaki Smith, Fr.
- Played in one game: Yamil Talib, Fr.
- Other non-freshman redshirt candidates: A.J. Green, Sr. (0 games)
Oklahoma
Firefighters respond to commercial fire in Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a commercial fire near the area of NW 10th and N Western Avenue.
OKCFD were at the scene of a commercial fire around 7 p.m. Saturday night, when they arrived there was heavy smoke visible from multiple floors of a boarded up building.
One adult female was found in the building and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
At this time no cause has been reported.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma
Navy Coach Brian Newberry Talks Oklahoma Prep, Going for 10 Wins
NORMAN — Bowl season is a bit unconventional for Navy.
The Midshipmen annually play against Army six days after the bowl schedule is released. That was the case this year, as Navy beat the Black Knights 31-13 on Dec. 14.
Beating Army is always a highlight for the Midshipmen. But the drawback for them is that they have less time than their bowl opponent to prepare for the game.
In this case, that’s Oklahoma. The Sooners will enter the game with more than two weeks of preparation for Navy’s triple-option offense.
“It’s just a little different,” Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters earlier this week. “They’ve known they’re going to play us for a little time now.”
Navy Coach, Oklahoma Native Brian Newberry Grew Up On OU Football
Navy does, however, enter the Armed Forces Bowl with momentum.
The Midshipmen (9-3) eased past Army last week in Landover, MD. They outgained the Black Knights 384-179 and forced Army quarterback Bryson Daily to throw three interceptions.
Navy’s rivalry win was its third in the last four games after the Midshipmen went on a two-game skid in the middle of the season. Newberry cited his team’s physicality in recent games, particularly in the Midshipmen’s drubbing of Army.
“I was so impressed with how our kids handled the moment,” Newberry said. “Army’s a really, really good football team. I thought we physically dominated the game in the way that we blocked, beat blocks, the way we tackled. I thought we outplayed them in all three phases, so I’m really, really proud of that.”
A stark difference between the teams is the number of players that have entered the transfer portal.
The Sooners have seen 25 players from their 2024 team enter the portal. The Midshipmen have suffered only one departure in the winter portal window with defensive back Lorenzo Vitti.
On one hand, that makes Oklahoma preparation tough for Navy.
“It’s interesting,” Newberry said. “We’re going through their two-deep and trying to figure out who’s going to play and who isn’t. It’s a little bit of a challenge in that regard. And it could certainly change with a different quarterback.”
But largely, the Midshipmen’s lack of transfers gives Newberry confidence that his team will be bought in for one more game in 2024.
“The portal can affect us, players can jump in the portal — we’re not getting that,” Newberry said. “It’s challenging to build a culture anywhere in college football right now, one that’s built on a certain level of trust. They know each other really, really well. They’ve fought through adversity. They stay the course, they pay the price and they have an opportunity.”
Navy will also play for more than just another win; the Midshipmen are looking to make history.
Navy has reached the 10-win mark just four times in program history. The Midshipmen did so three times under former coach Ken Niumatalolo from 2009-2019.
Having a shot at history while playing Oklahoma — the state that Newberry hails from — excites the coach.
“It’s the last time that this team gets to play together,” Newberry said. “They want to go out the right way against a storied program like Oklahoma. It’s a great reward to play in a bowl game, but it’s a game we want to win.”
The Midshipmen and Sooners will play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth at 11 a.m. on Dec. 27.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Sees Armed Forces Bowl as Growth Opportunity
As Danny Stutsman departs from Oklahoma, Kip Lewis seems to be the next man up.
A redshirt sophomore linebacker in 2024, Lewis was one of the Sooners’ better defenders. In addition to his 28 solo tackles, Lewis intercepted two passes, running both of them back for touchdowns.
Lewis hopes to be the leader that Stutsman was over his four years at OU. But his goal isn’t to be a Stutsman clone.
“I feel like I’m my own player and my own leader in how I do things,” Lewis said. “Danny’s a great player, great leader. Taught me everything I need to know. I think I’m just my own person. I don’t think I need to step into his role and be the Danny. There’s only one.”
Lewis played and started in all 12 of the Sooners’ games in the 2024 season. It was his second season as a regular on OU’s defense after playing in just two games as a true freshman.
In Oklahoma’s first season as an SEC squad, Lewis and his defensive counterparts saw plenty of offensive stars. Between Garrett Nussmeier at LSU and Quinn Ewers at Texas, there was never really a dull moment for the Sooners during conference play.
Lewis will see a different type of challenge at the Armed Forces Bowl against Navy.
WATCH: Navy HC Brian Newberry Ahead of Armed Forces Bowl vs. Oklahoma
The Midshipmen — like the other service academies — run a triple-option offense. While Navy, Army and Air Force struggle to get the highly-touted recruits that other programs draw, the unconventional offense sets them apart.
Thankfully for Lewis, this style of offense isn’t new.
“I’m a little used to it. So it’s been a minute since I played it, but it brought me back to my roots playing the Wing-T. There’s a team called Pleasant Grove out there in Texas, so they used to give me a run for my money back in the day.”
Navy finished the regular season 9-3. The Midshipmen started the season 6-0 before losing three times in a four-game span.
They ended the season well, though, beating both East Carolina and Army by double digits to end the regular season.
Lewis and multiple of his teammates tuned in as the Midshipmen beat Army in the annual rivalry game.
“They showed a lot of fight, a lot of grit,” Lewis said. “I think that’s an important key into playing football.”
Lewis will play only one more game as an underclassman. Then, he’ll step into the role of other defensive leaders the Sooners have seen recently, whether that’s Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr., Woodi Washington or others.
Games like the Armed Forces Bowl will help him get there.
“Just always having to bring my best effort every day,” Lewis said. “Just bringing everything I’ve got. Just every day, I bring my value into whatever that is, whatever I’ve gotta do for my team. I think it’ll be a big role.”
The Sooners will battle the Midshipmen on Dec. 27 in Fort Worth. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
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