Fields and Keltner Get National Honors and Cowboys Got Some Damn Good Grades

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State cornerback LaDainian Fields and kicker Sam Keltner both added to their awards tab as the two Big 12 Players of the Week, Fields for defense and Keltner for special teams added national awards. Sam Keltner, who was five-for-five on field goals against Colorado and is a perfect 18-for-18 on the season, is the Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award Star of the Week. Fields, who had two interceptions and leads the Big 12 this season with four picks, was named the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week. 

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Sam Keltner kickinf one of five field goals vs. Colorado.

Keltner made all fice field goal tries including two beyond 40-yards (41, 47). His streak of 18 made field goals to start the season matches Matt Ammendola's school record that spanned the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Keltner's streak has broken the previous OSU single-season record of 17 that was set by NFL legend and former OSU All-American Dan Bailey in 2010. 

Fields had nine tackles to tie linebacker Ethan Wesloski for game honors against Colorado. He also had a tackle-for-loss on a first half slot screen that he read and immediately ruined for a three-yard loss. Of course, his two second half interceptions were the highlight plays of the day.

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Fields celebrates his first of two interceptions against Colorado.

Fields has 29 tackles on the season, 21 of those unassisted. 

Now, there were plenty of Oklahoma State players that stood out in the 57-24 win over Colorado to puch the Pokes to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12 Conference. 

I often look at grades on Pro Football Focus but another outfit that provides base grades for college teams is PFN Impact or Pro Football Network Impact Grades.

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Tyler Mercer (56) celebrates with Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young. 

I was sent their grades for this week and they had Cowboys center Tyler Mercer as their highest graded player in the OSU-Colorado game. Mercer stood out for an offense that graded 82.6 as a unit vs. the Buffaloes. That was the fourth-best grade of any offense in the FBS in week eight of the season. Mercer’s individual grade was his best of the season with a previous high of 85.9. Oklahoma State outgraded the Colorado defense 82.6-to-64.2.

Here’s how Oklahoma State’s Unit Grades came out on PFN Impact Grades: (Ranks are for Big 12)

Offense Overall - 82.6 (1st) - Season Grade: 86.0 (6th)

Defense Overall - 75.9 (7th) - Season Grade: 76.5 (12th)

Offensive Line - 72.7 (5th) - Season Grade: 76.3 (11th)

Defensive Line - 74.5 (7th) - Season Grade: 74.3 (11th)

Secondary - NA - Season Grade: 75.9 (12th)  

Here are the top graded Oklahoma State players at every position in the Colorado game. It is fair to mention that neither PFN Impact Grades or Pro Football Focus grades are exact. Those outfits are grading off base concepts and they do not have the Oklahoma State offensive or defensive playbooks or the game plan for any game including Colorado. Still these are fun to see and discuss.

Again, the grades are not perfect because the graders don’t have the exact playbook and instructions, but they can be graded off base football concepts, individual position technique, and play results.