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Depth Chart Dive: CW And OL

Cowboy Back and offensive line hold OSU's biggest questions

John Helsley

Pat Kinnison

Zac Veatch stands as sort of the quintessential Cowboy Back.

Former offensive lineman turned tight end and occasional fullback. Pretty much glorified blocker, although he once cut significant weight and grew his hair, trying to fit in with the “receiver” group.

And that wasn’t automatic, at least not initially.

“Not completely, yet,” receiver Austin Hays said in the spring of 2015, still associating Veatch as one of the hogs. “He's still one of them. He's dropped a bunch of weight though, so he's slowly starting to look like a tight end, I guess.”

Veatch, once a prized O-line recruit out of Broken Arrow, wasn’t sure he wanted to fully cross over, either.

“Nah, offensive linemen are more fun than receivers,” he said jokingly.

Veatch caught a touchdown pass in that year’s Spring Game, and one in a regular season game the following year, his senior season in that forgettable loss to Central Michigan. His career receiving stats: 14 catches, 165 yards. That’s a solid 11.8 yards per catch, likely a sign of the sure surprise by enemy defenses.

And so it continues, with few exceptions at OSU’s hybrid fullback/tight end spot. If I have a complaint about the Cowboys offense, it’s that they haven’t aggressively sought a legit playmaker for the position, which doesn’t seem like it would be all that difficult, especially considering the payoff of such a threat in the middle of the field while elite wideouts demand so much attention out on the edges.

Where have you gone, Alonzo Mayes? Marcellus Rivers? Brandon Pettigrew? OSU hasn’t enjoyed a 100-yard receiving game by a tight end-type since Blake Jackson in 2012.

Instead, coaches have been content transitioning players, often walk-ons, to Cowboy Back. And it’s worked when it comes to blocking for the running game. Yet it seems like a spot that could and should offer more.

Which brings us to 2020, a new season, which looks familiar – unless Jelani Woods, the former quarterback, finally emerges as a regular receiving threat. And that, ironically, depends on improved blocking skills.

If Woods proves more capable as a blocker, he can get on the field more without entering as an obvious receiver. The position combined for 24 catches a year ago, with Woods accounting for 16. There’s belief his production could rise. And that’s not only from within the program, with Woods named to the Preseason Watch List for the Mackey Award, handed out to the nation’s top tight end.

Overall, it’s a solid crew, with Woods, Logan Carter and Dayton Metcalf all in line to play.

The position will be vital to the running game with the offensive line’s loss of depth (more on that in a minute). But will it be exciting?

Offensive Line

The buzz word attached internally to Oklahoma State’s current offensive line: versatile.

And that’s a positive.

But this group better gain a few descriptions, too.

Resilient. Tough. Persevering.

And healthy – No. 1, healthy.

The Cowboys will send out a solid front five, led by left tackle Teven Jenkins, the group’s anchor with 27 career starts. Josh Sills arrives to fill left guard after serving as a two-year starter at West Virginia. Ry Schneider has been a valuable cog for the Cowboys at several spots, and now claims a regular role at center. The right side of the line is talented, but young, with redshirt freshman Cole Birmingham at guard and redshirt sophomore Hunter Anthony at tackle.

Good health seems mandatory, with the second line consisting of sophomores Hunter Woodard and Tyrese Williams and freshmen Taylor Miterko, Preston Wilson and Jake Springfield.

"We'll be okay," position coach Charlie Dickey told Robert Allen. "We'll have them ready to go."

The gap in experience and talent is the result of the loss of three players who were counted on for serious contribution: returning starters Dylan Galloway and Bryce Bray, and Jacob Farrell. Galloway opted out of the season, while Bray and Farrell left for other teams, reportedly after violating team rules.

So it’s imperative for the men up front to stay on the field, only giving way for the kids to gain some needed experience and confidence.

“We have a fantastic coach in coach Dickey, and I have complete faith in him,” Mike Gundy told reporters recently. “He’ll move some guys around and come up with a group. Put it together and get ready to go play.

“We’ve got young players in our program that haven’t competed much on game day, but they have some talent. They’re hungry, aggressive (and) and willing to do what it takes to be successful.”

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John Helsley
JOHN HELSLEY

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