AZ/OSU Info (good stuff inside)

[Conan]

ARIZONA: The Wildcats are eager to get rid of that bad aftertaste of five straight losses to conclude the 2010 season. The good news is that the top two players of the nation’s 9th-best passing offense (308 YPG) are back in QB Nick Foles (3,191 pass yds, 20 TD, 10 INT) and WR Juron Criner (82 rec, 1,233 yds, 11 TD). The Wildcats are stacked at receiver, with Texas transfer Dan Buckner, David Douglas and David Roberts all strong players. The ground game will miss TB Nic Grigsby, but senior Keola Antolin (team-high 668 rush yds, 4.7 YPC, 9 total TD) can handle more carries. Protecting Foles could be a problem, as Arizona lost its entire offensive line. On the defensive front, UA lost three DEs to the NFL Draft. But DT Justin Washington (6 sacks, 11.5 TFL) is back, as are all three starting linebackers, although the extent of LB Jake Fischer’s (7.5 TFL) knee injury in the spring game is not known. Two reliable safeties, Joseph Perkins and Anthony Wilcox are gone, but sophomore CB Shaquille Richardson (7 PD) has all the tools to be outstanding.

OKLAHOMA ST: Offensive genius Dana Holgorsen left the school, but the multiple spread offense will look pretty much the same under new OC Todd Monken. Senior QB Brandon Weeden (4,277 yds, 34 TD, 13 INT) and junior WR Justin Blackmon (111 rec, 1,782 yds, 20 TD) form one of the best tandems in the country, even if they’re not the best in the state (OU’s Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles). This dynamic duo was the biggest reason the Cowboys ranked second in the nation in passing offense (346 YPG) and third in points (44.2 PPG). They also did nice job rushing the football to protect their many leads, averaging 174 rush YPG on 5.0 yards per carry. All five starters on the offensive line are back, but gone is TB Kendall Hunter and his 1,548 rushing yards and 16 TD. Sophomore Joseph Randle is the top rusher enrolled at the school, as he gained 452 yards on 5.5 YPC as a freshman last year. The defense allowed just 16.5 PPG in their final six victories, but the secondary was lit up for 276 passing YPG on the year, ranking sixth-worst in the nation. Six defensive starters depart including CB Andrew McGee, whose 5 INT led the Big 12 last season, and the team’s leading tackler MLB Orie Lemon. That leaves LB Shaun Lewis (8 TFL, 3 INT, 3 FF) and SS Markelle Martin (3 INT, 10 PD) as the biggest playmakers on defense.

 

[Conan]

More more more


By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer

Arizona (1-0) at No. 14 Oklahoma State (1-0), 8:00 p.m. EDT

It didn't take long for Brandon Weeden and the high-powered Oklahoma State offense to start clicking on all cylinders.

Nick Foles made sure Arizona didn't have much trouble moving the ball in its season opener, either.

The two star quarterbacks look to build on their impressive season debuts as the ninth-ranked Cowboys host the Wildcats on Thursday night in a rematch of last season's Alamo Bowl.

Oklahoma State (1-0), which finished third in the FBS with 520.2 yards per game in 2010, picked up right where it left off under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, totaling an FBS-high 666 yards during Saturday's 61-34 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.

"There were a number of things that the players have confidence in," said Monken, who replaced Dana Holgorsen after he was named coach at West Virginia. "We're going to continue to do what we feel like gives us the best chance to move the ball. ... There's a number of things that they did in the past that I think, as I've said many times, we'd be silly to change."

Joseph Randle rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns, Justin Blackmon - the 2010 Biletnikoff award winner - had 144 yards receiving and Weeden, who set a school record for 4,277 passing yards in his first year as a starter last season, threw for 388 - the second-most in the nation.

While Weeden had three touchdown passes, he was also picked off a career worst-tying three times - two of which were returned for touchdowns.

"He's mature enough to know what was going on," coach Mike Gundy said. "He pressed a little bit...I'm not concerned with him. He'll do just fine. If there's a lesson to be learned, then now is the time...at this time last year, he was fighting for his life and then he's been told how good he is and how great he is for nine months."

Aside from the turnovers, Weeden's performance left little to be desired. Foles, however, was even more impressive.

The senior quarterback led the Wildcats (1-0) to a 41-10 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday, throwing for an FBS-best 412 yards and five touchdowns - tied for most in the country. He also posted a career-best 202.6 passer efficiency rating.

"Nick was terrific," coach Mike Stoops said. "Nick has to do that. Our offense is geared to throw the ball first."

Foles found his favorite target Juron Criner six times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Criner led the Pac-10 with 1,233 receiving yards last season and kicked off his senior year in impressive fashion.

"Foles and Criner are our go-to guys and are very established players, and that is what we expect from those guys every time they step on the field," Stoops said.

Foles and Criner, though, could struggle to put up big numbers against an Oklahoma State defense which saw its starting unit allow just two field goals. Foles threw a career worst-tying three interceptions while Criner managed just 47 yards on nine receptions as the Cowboys defeated Arizona 36-10 in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.

"It's going to be a huge game for us because we had a good score in the bowl game, but it really wasn't indicative of how the game was," Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Bill Young said. "There was a couple of interceptions that turned it and big plays on offense and so forth that sometimes you don't get those, so we have to be ready to play."

The Wildcats, meanwhile, will look to slow down Blackmon, who has an NCAA-record 13 straight 100-yard receiving games.

Since prevailing 21-6 at then-No. 8 Stanford on Oct. 17, 1992, Arizona has dropped 12 straight road games against Top 10 teams by an average of 18.5 points.

 

[douglas]

Just some more info .......bol to all playing tonight !



Two explosive passing offenses square off in Stillwater on Thursday night in a rematch of the 2010 Alamo Bowl, in which Oklahoma State crushed Arizona 36-10.

Cowboys WR Justin Blackmon, who lit up the Wildcats last year with 117 receiving yards and 2 TD, had 144 of OSU’s nation’s-best 458 receiving yards in his team’s 61-34 win over Louisiana-Lafayette last week. Arizona also had a big offensive showing in a 41-10 win over Northern Arizona, but the competition is much stiffer on Thursday night with ninth-ranked Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have lost 12 straight road games to Top-10 teams by an average of 18.5 PPG. They have also not been a strong road team recently, going 6-12 ATS (33%) in the past three seasons away from home. In this same span, OSU is 13-8 ATS (62%) at home and 9-5 ATS (64%) in non-conference games.



OKLAHOMA ST is 16-2 ATS (88.9%, +13.8 Units) after scoring 50 points or more last game since 1992. The average score was OKLAHOMA ST 36.8, OPPONENT 23.1 - (Rating = 4*).



Mike Gundy is 14-0 OVER (+14.0 Units) in home games after gaining 6.25 or more yards/play in their previous game as the coach of OKLAHOMA STATE. The average score was OKLAHOMA ST 44.7, OPPONENT 31.5 - (Rating = 7*).

Wildcats QB Nick Foles, who threw for 3 INT in the Alamo Bowl defeat, was nearly flawless in Week 1, going 34-of-42 for 412 yards, 5 TD and 0 INT in a 41-10 win over Northern Arizona. He found his favorite target Juron Criner six times for 151 yards (25.2 avg) and a touchdown.

Brandon Weeden made some mistakes in the season-opening win over the Ragin’ Cajuns, throwing three picks. But he also threw for 388 yards and was the biggest reason his team led the nation with 666 total yards. Weeden threw for a school-record 4,277 passing yards last year, and will continue to look for Blackmon who is riding a streak of 13 straight 100-yard receiving efforts, the longest such streak in NCAA history.

 

[HawkerJimbo73]

Good info Conan, thanks

 

[asudevil88]

Criner Out

Arizona Wildcats to face No. 9 Oklahoma State without Juron Criner

The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com



TUCSON - Since OklahomaState bowled over Arizona to end 2010 with a 36-10 drubbing in San Antonio, the past 8 1/2 months have been arduous for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats worked some frustration and kinks out Saturday in routing Northern Arizona, but they still have not defeated a Football Bowl Subdivision team since October. Time seemingly has moved like a slow creek for the Wildcats' chance Thursday night, when they will sink or swim on ESPN as they face No. 9 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.

The Wildcats have been itching to give the Cowboys their best shot. Unfortunately for them, they can't. UA's best player, wide receiver Juron Criner, did not travel with the team, and coach Mike Stoops declined comment about it Wednesday.
This week, Stoops said Criner had a medical issue but did not go into details and hoped he would play. But Criner's condition did not allow him to travel.
"Our offense, as you can see from a week ago, is not just one player," Stoops said at the start of the week. "Juron has a big-play knack, but we have other players who can make plays."
So does Oklahoma State. The same quarterback (Brandon Weeden) and receiver (Justin Blackmon) who starred in the Cowboys' Alamo Bowl rout of UA return with the entire offensive line, a stark contrast to UA's all-new line.
Stoops was pleased with how the line handled NAU's frequent blitzes in Saturday's 41-10 victory, but Criner was the star of that game with quarterback Nick Foles. Weeden (388 yards vs. Louisiana-Lafayette) and Foles (412) threw for more yards than any other quarterbacks in the nation's season openers. UA will not change its pass-first, fast-paced style. Five wideouts besides Criner caught passes Saturday.
"Right now, it's hard for us to be good at everything," Stoops said. "We're young up front. We've got to play to our strengths, and we'll continue to play to our strengths."
Stoops' emphasis this week has been that UA was competitive against Oklahoma State, with the exception of a few mental errors. UA blew coverage on a 71-yard touchdown catch by Blackmon, who stayed on Wildcats' minds after showboating with a parallel run along the goal line before scoring. A fumbled UA punt return set up the Cowboys' first score, and Foles had one of his three interceptions returned for a touchdown.
It was an unfamiliar look to Foles, who made poor reads. Now he is expected to be an efficient leader.
"The secondary is looking forward to the challenge of going against that receiver corps, and I look forward to the challenge of going back against their defense," Foles said. "It's a new team. It's a new identity. I'm just going at it as a new year. I'm not worrying about last year. I knowhow it ended. It's made us all stronger players. We're looking forward to laying it all on the line."
The Cowboys posted 666 yards of offense in last week's 61-34 victory against Louisiana-Lafayette, which scored twice on interception returns. Oklahoma State threw for 458 yards with an offense that will be more aggressive than NAU was with its short passing game. The Lumberjacks completed 16 consecutive passes Saturday night at Arizona Stadium with a new quarterback.

​

 

[Bubbles]

first half over 33

 

[bigb1217]

Good info. That over looks good. Thanks

 

[Ketch]

Damn are those titties real?!

ARIZONA: The Wildcats are eager to get rid of that bad aftertaste of five straight losses to conclude the 2010 season. The good news is that the top two players of the nation’s 9th-best passing offense (308 YPG) are back in QB Nick Foles (3,191 pass yds, 20 TD, 10 INT) and WR Juron Criner (82 rec, 1,233 yds, 11 TD). The Wildcats are stacked at receiver, with Texas transfer Dan Buckner, David Douglas and David Roberts all strong players. The ground game will miss TB Nic Grigsby, but senior Keola Antolin (team-high 668 rush yds, 4.7 YPC, 9 total TD) can handle more carries. Protecting Foles could be a problem, as Arizona lost its entire offensive line. On the defensive front, UA lost three DEs to the NFL Draft. But DT Justin Washington (6 sacks, 11.5 TFL) is back, as are all three starting linebackers, although the extent of LB Jake Fischer’s (7.5 TFL) knee injury in the spring game is not known. Two reliable safeties, Joseph Perkins and Anthony Wilcox are gone, but sophomore CB Shaquille Richardson (7 PD) has all the tools to be outstanding.

OKLAHOMA ST: Offensive genius Dana Holgorsen left the school, but the multiple spread offense will look pretty much the same under new OC Todd Monken. Senior QB Brandon Weeden (4,277 yds, 34 TD, 13 INT) and junior WR Justin Blackmon (111 rec, 1,782 yds, 20 TD) form one of the best tandems in the country, even if they’re not the best in the state (OU’s Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles). This dynamic duo was the biggest reason the Cowboys ranked second in the nation in passing offense (346 YPG) and third in points (44.2 PPG). They also did nice job rushing the football to protect their many leads, averaging 174 rush YPG on 5.0 yards per carry. All five starters on the offensive line are back, but gone is TB Kendall Hunter and his 1,548 rushing yards and 16 TD. Sophomore Joseph Randle is the top rusher enrolled at the school, as he gained 452 yards on 5.5 YPC as a freshman last year. The defense allowed just 16.5 PPG in their final six victories, but the secondary was lit up for 276 passing YPG on the year, ranking sixth-worst in the nation. Six defensive starters depart including CB Andrew McGee, whose 5 INT led the Big 12 last season, and the team’s leading tackler MLB Orie Lemon. That leaves LB Shaun Lewis (8 TFL, 3 INT, 3 FF) and SS Markelle Martin (3 INT, 10 PD) as the biggest playmakers on defense.

 

[varkeyboy]

OVER 33 sounds very good to me right now.......