Jason Brooks Talks Practice and Run Game Progress

STILLWATER – Some 50 Oklahoma State players were sitting at tables around the OSU Gallagher-Iba auxiliary gymnasium dressed in their Saturday finest, actuall brand new threads with a throwback look but a modern spin and they were feeling good. 

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Gundy s.peaking to the media

The head coach was feeling good. Earlier in the day the defense kind of dominated in the inside drill but in team, and they had extended team periods today Ollie Gordon scored on a zone play. Jaden Nixon scored later on an inside zone that opened like the “orange sea.” The defense had a couple of picks as defensive end Landon Dean swiped a screen pass and Kendal Daniels made a very acrobatic interception. Three different quarterbacks (Garret Rangel, Alan Bowman, and Zane Flores threw for touchdowns. 

“We had a good practice today,” Gundy said. “It was cloudy and we had a nice breeze and that contributed some in my opinion. We had five NFL scouts there and that contributed some in my opinion. We had our Extreme Camp and that contributed, but we had a very good practice, very physical, which is what I feel we need to be a better run football team.”

Like Gundy said, the focus has been on becoming a more consistent and punishing run team. The backs help as do the advent of bringing back true tight ends and fullbacks, but the offensive line is where it starts. Inside drill always comes up early and that is a challenge. Is it frustrating?

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Brooks Jr. looking good in the new jersey.

“No I wouldn’t say that, there hasn’t been (frustration). We’ve been working since after the season and we had a great spring, offseason, and summer,” left guard Jason Brooks Jr. said. “We’ve been working on all the techniques we need. This is day four of practice. The first few days have been really good, but day-by-day we’re learning on stuff we need to get better at. Everything has been good.

“Everything can’t go your way and inside drill is one of those where the defense knows what you are going to do, you’re not passing the ball,” Brooks Jr. added. “Everybody has to lock in and when we get to team it falls in place.”

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Nixon finds a huge hole waiting for him.

It does and it did a couple of times today in team. Brooks Jr. the transfer from Vanderbilt that started part of last season, in fact his move into the line brought immediate improvement in the running game. The focus has been on a variety of run schemes over the first four practices ad they will be repeated over and over throughout fall camp. The hope is with repetition that there will be more plays like the one Jaden Nixon enjoyed so much on Saturday.

“Oh yeah, it opened way up. I know my eyes got really big,” Nixon said. “It was just an inside zone, but it was blocked up well.”

Zone, counter, iso , you name it, block it up well and they are all capable of being pretty.