Cowboys Missing Safety Tre Sterling, But Jason Taylor II Has Your Back
BOISE, Idaho – It was announced just before game time at Albertsons Stadium that Oklahoma State would be missing some players again for the first road contest of the season at Boise State. The big name is safety Tre Sterling as the All-Big 12 candidate at the “bandit” safety position suffered an injury that will cause him an undetermined amount of time.
This was first reported by the Cowboy Radio Network.
Sterling (5-11, 205) is a redshirt senior out of Sunnyvale, Texas that has 22 career starts, but missed the start last week against Tulsa because of a second half targeting penalty in the opener against Missouri State. Sterling is one of several players missing out of the starting line-up. The receiver position is again hit hard.
Starting super-senior wide receiver Tay Martin is missing the Boise State game with an ankle injury. He tried to play last week against Tulsa, but only lasted two plays. Martin has six receptions for 107-yards and a touchdown all coming in the opener with Missouri State. Also missing at wide receiver are Langston Anderson (foot) and Braydon Johnson (medical condition) are out. This week added to that roll call in the training room was freshman receiver Jaden Bray of Norman. Bray (foot) came in last week when Martin was out. He has six receptions for 136-yards and a touchdown this season.
Also missing this week is running back Dezmon Jackson (lower leg) but he is expected back soon as is Martin and Bray.
The good news is that for the first time this season starting right guard Hunter Woodard with 10 starts all in 2020 is back and will take his place in the offensive line.
Back to Sterling, he has 154 career tackles, 97 unassisted, 20.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, 12 passes defended, and two fumble recoveries. Sterling had a pick six last season against Texas Tech. The silver lining is he is backed up by, perhaps, the best back-up safety in the country in Jason Taylor II. Taylor II started last week and had a pick six that was called back on a cheap holding penalty on fellow safety Tanner McCalister. Last season, Taylor II had a fumble return for a touchdown that went 84-yards. He also fielded an onside kick against Texas Tech and took it for a score.
The start of this season and the 2020 season have seen a plague of injuries that longtime Oklahoma State football observers can’t remember being a severe in many years. Another silver lining in that time is the Cowboys have a record of 10-3.