Grading Every Oklahoma State Position Group After Week 7 Loss vs. Houston

The Oklahoma State Cowboys suffered their second loss of the season as they fell, 35-32, to the Houston Cougars on Saturday night.

The Cowboys (4-2, 2-1 in Big 12) entered the game No. 18 in the country while Houston (6-1, 3-1) entered the game No. 20 in the country. It was a sluggish first half that turned into a thriller in the second half. But OSU couldn’t get the lead back once it fell behind in the first half.

Here is how each position group grades out after Saturday’s game.

Quarterback: B

Individually Drew Mestemaker had a good game. He made several deep throws that helped get the Cowboys moving and he facilitated the team’s adjustment to a screen game effectively. It’s part of the reason he threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.

It’s hard to pin the interception on him because the intended receiver fell to the ground. But he nearly threw two others and took too many chances early with covered receivers. He ended up with two turnovers, something that can’t happen in close road games. He used his feet effectively, especially in a key moment in the fourth quarter that positioned OSU for a touchdown.

He was under more pressure more often than he had been since the Tulsa game and handled it well, though there were two or three balls he held too long and got away with it.

Running Back: B

I thought going into the game the Cowboys would have at least 125 yards rushing and they ended up with 134 yards. Every yard was tough to get. Caleb Hawkins had 68 yards. Ayo Adeyi had 20 yards and a touchdown. Mestemaker pitched in 34, though he’s not a running back.

The grade goes up because of how Hawkins was utilized as a pass catcher and how it changed the second half. He caught seven passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, a 66-yarder where he broke a simple wheel route. It was his best pass-catching game of the season it should get head coach Eric Morris to consider using him more in that area. Considering how Houston played deploying Hawkins in this way became necessary.

Wide Receiver: B

Remove Hawkins’ numbers and the receivers caught 15 passes. Wyatt Young had five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. Justin Bowick had three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Miles Coleman had three catches for 77 yards. Young and Coleman both had explosives, with Young catching a 54-yarder and Coleman catching a 47-yarder.

Chris Barnes did have a catch and drew Morris’ ire when he fell to the ground on a play that led to the interception. Terrence Lewis only had one catch and got lucky that his fumble happened before he made a football move.

It was an above average game from the unit. They didn’t do anything to lose the game for the Cowboys. But they could have impacted winning a bit more.

Tight End: C

Carson Kolb caught two passes for 28 yards, his first catches since the West Virginia game. Per Pro Football Focus he had the second-worst run blocking grade on the team. Tight ends aren’t going to catch many balls in this offense. It’s important the blocking grades be higher. OSU is starting to mix in Oscar Hammond more. He logged 16 plays but didn’t catch a pass.

Offensive Line: C-

This might be the hardest game to grade for this unit. The Cowboys struggled to run the football in a traditional manner in the first half but made some adjustments in the second half and used the inside run more effectively. The line had trouble with Houston’s blitz packages on third down, but in many cases, it was six defenders on five blockers in empty sets or with a running back by Mestemaker to chip the free blitzer.

Left tackle Shaun Torgeson gave up a sack that led to a fumble, but he ended up recovering it and running for a 3-yard game, one of the contest’s stranger plays. Right tackle Ashton Lepo (45.6) and right guard Joseph Hanson (49.7) had the worst run blocking grades on the team per PFF. Lepo had a false start penalty. That might be enough to get Braydon Nelson back on the field more often.

Defensive Line: C-

The Cowboys defense gave up 505 total yards and five touchdowns, all through the air. Not all of that is on the defensive line. At times, the front four was effective enough at stopping the run to force Houston and quarterback Conner Weigman to go to the air. He was under pressure more than one might think and the one sack was just the sixth Houston’s offensive line allowed this season.

But that sack was early in the game and several times the line lost contain on Weigman on scrambles that led to key plays. Houston still racked up 162 yards on the ground and the key tackles and plays we’re used to seeing this unit make in the second half materialized far less often.

Linebacker: C

Ethan Wesloski had nine tackles and a half-sack. Tate Romney had eight tackles. Isaiah Chisom added four. It was a productive night. But it’s hard to point at one play the trio made that impacted winning. Usually, the unit make several plays like that. Romney missed a few tackles and his PFF tackle grade (51.4) reflects that.

It was an average game from a unit the Cowboys are used to getting above-average games from.

Secondary: D

Early in the game it looked like the Cowboys were going to create chaos in the secondary after the LaDainian Fields interception. Instead, their own performance was chaotic. Giving up 343 passing yards and five touchdowns to Weigman isn’t all on the secondary but there were way too many coverage misses downfield. Two of Weigman’s TD passes were explosive plays in the second half and receivers had at least one step on the corner or safety.

The overall coverage was the worst since the Tulsa game. Nickel back Christian Bodnar committed an inexplicable penalty and there was a pass interference call in the end zone. This unit needed to give the Cowboys one big play in the second half, and it never came. The unit missed safety Mose Phillips III, who didn’t play due to a shoulder injury, more than anyone realized.

Special Teams: C

Braylin Presley returned two kickoffs in his first action with the Cowboys since joining the team right after the bye week. The Cowboys were looking for a little life at that point. OSU returned four kickoffs, more than in any game this season, but didn’t break one. Miles Coleman returned a punt for 18 yards. Sam Keltner made his only field goal attempt. Lacchie Pozzobon had a 42-yard punt. OSU’s special teams coverage didn’t allow Houston to break anything.  

Coaching: C

In hindsight the Cowboys should have taken the points in the red zone in the first quarter instead of attempting to go for the touchdown on fourth down. It ended up being the difference in the game. But it was hard to fault Morris for doing so given how the game had developed to that point. The Cowboys continue to have red zone issues. That is partially on him but it’s more on his players.

He should have moved to the Hawkins adjustment sooner and should have given Braydon Nelson more playing time, especially after Torgeson gave up the sack.

Defensively the Cowboys stuck to their base scheme and just didn't execute consistently. They played better up front in the second half, but I didn’t see major adjustments.

OSU wasn’t unprepared for this game. But it’s inability to close the door in key moments against Houston stuck out repeatedly.