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Oklahoma State Misses Opportunity, Loses Game by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Writer September 24, 2001
Amidst a sea of the patriotic red, white, and blue crowd in College Station, Texas the Oklahoma State Cowboys lost a game 21-7, but an opportunity of much greater proportions. The Pokes missed an opportunity to improve to 2-1 with a game against Northwestern State around the corner that would put them at 3-1 needing just three more victories to qualify for a bowl. With Missouri and Texas Tech still up at home and road bouts against Iowa State and Baylor the opportunity for 7 wins looked good, now, not so much.
To make an average season into one that takes a program to a new level you must have that big win on the road. "Big win" is of course proportionate, Oklahoma State opened with a win on the road at Iowa State in 1997, Oklahoma won at Louisville in 1999, A&M was that game for the 2001 Cowboys.
Oklahoma State can still go bowling, but as Terrance Davis-Bryant put it, "We felt that we could play with A&M. We should have won but we let it slip away. It is frustrating not to win. We know that we are capable, we just have to keep practicing hard and executing and our game will come."
Yes, the wins will come, but when will that opportunity to make the season a turning point for OSU football? Beating Northwestern State or Missouri at home doesn't turn the corner, neither does winning at Baylor. The Pokes could very easily be 3-0 right now with two big wins on the road, instead, they are 1-2 and struggling. What's missing?
What is missing from the offense? Some have suggested that Josh Fields get more play after his solid performance on one possession Saturday, the coaches know that this is not the answer.
At his media luncheon Monday Miles said, "Our best opportunity at victory right now is Aso Pogi. If we are put into an opportunity where we can get Josh (Fields) some snaps, I am sure we will. Pogi is too far ahead for Fields to make up that kind of ground."
Receiver T.D. Bryant agrees, "There is no quarterback controversy among the team. I just want a quarterback that is going to be a leader on the field and move the ball."
Make no mistake about it, that guy is still Aso Pogi. Pogi had an off day, hey, Josh Heupel had an off day in his senior season at A&M last year, it's a tough place to play. Pogi knows numbers like he had Saturday (13-27, 110 yards) will not defeat Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
Pogi can be and will be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12, he is not what's missing. Neither is the rest of the offense, the defense, or the special teams, it's the cohesiveness needed to win big games at the major college level. Dwayne Levels believes that the Pokes will accept that challenge and improve to a winning team.
"We are challenging ourselves to win. If that means that the defense has to work harder we will do that. We will work as a team to do whatever it takes to win. Our offense and defense has yet to put together a full game this year. We will not be satisfied until we have a perfect game," Levels said at Monday's luncheon.
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