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)
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.
The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.
Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.
Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.
When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.
Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.
“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”
Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.
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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.
“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”
Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.
“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”
The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.
More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.
But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.
“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”
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The Oklahoma baseball team is back in the mix and trending upward.
After a rough few weeks in Southeastern Conference play, the 14th-ranked Sooners have won three of their last four games to get to .500 at just beyond the halfway point of the league slate. Friday’s 9-6 win over Missouri allowed Oklahoma to move to 8-8, tied with three other teams for eighth in the standings.
Friday’s win wasn’t truly that close, even. OU took a 9-3 lead into the ninth before Mizzou made it somewhat interesting with three runs in the frame. Two of them came with two outs, though, and Mason Bixby induced a groundout with the bases empty to hold on.
The large edge came via a home run-happy night. The Sooners popped four over the wall at Kimrey Family Stadium, including three in a four-run seventh inning that gave OU a four-run lead.
Jason Walk, who hit one of the four homers, had the best day at the plate. He went 2 for 5 with the shot, three RBIs and a run. Camden Johnson, who also homered, went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and two runs, and Dasan Harris went 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs. Trey Gambill hit the Sooners’ other jack.
Oklahoma jumped out to a four-run lead in the second behind four hits and a walk. Missouri helped the Sooners out with an error that resulted in a bases-loaded situation and three unearned runs registered to Tigers starter Josh McDevitt.
The runs were more than enough for Oklahoma’s LJ Mercurius, who pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.
Game 2 in the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday and the finale will be played Sunday at 2 p.m., weather permitting.
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