OSU coach hopes
success will follow
By Trevor Parks
Senior Reporter
Bob Simmons wants the Oklahoma
State football program to grow tighter
and not splinter like it has since 1989.
Since 1989 die Cowboys are 18-36
3 overall and have only won seven Big
Eight games.
Oklahoma State also has withstood
NCAA probation for rules violation.
Last year as an assistant at Colo
rado, Simmons won 11 games and six
conference games. Now, he said, he is
hoping to bring some of that success
with him.
“We’ve been talking about being
very positive at Oklahoma State,”
Simmons said. “They know we need to
have a solid foundation, and they are
going to have to believe in one anoth
er.”
That positive talk has started with
the players asking their coach about
going to a bowl game, which hasn’t
happened in Stillwater, Okla., since
Barry Sanders was named most valu
able player in a 62-14 win over Wyo
ming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl.
We have talked about going to a
bowl,” Simmons said. “We’re going
to have to become an excellent road
football team for that to happen.”
The Cowboys have seven games
away from Lewis Field and must win
at least three of those games to have a
chance at that bowl bid. Since 1989,
die Cowboys have won only five games
on the road.
But Oklahoma State does have ex
perienced returners. Twelve players
return with at least one start under their
belt from the 1994 season.
No starter is younger than a junior
ineligibility, and five of those starters
are seniors, which will be important as
the Cowboys change to a 5-2 system.
The defensive line is the strength of
the team. Lorenzo Green, Norman
Williams, Jay Grossfield, Louis Adams
arid Jevon Langford played together
for parts of last season and will start in
James Elliot and Alamu Bailey will
play new roles as the two linebackers.
Bailey and Demetrius Crowder will
split time at one spot.
Trent Fisher, Johnny Jones and
Jeroid Johnson return to die second
ary, where they are joined by newcom
er Kevin Williams.
The Cowboy special teams are also
experienced, featuring All-Big Eight
punter Greg Ivy, who averaged 433
yards per kick, and place-kicker
Lawson Vaughn, who went 9-14 on
field goal attempts in 1994.
A lack of depth and a new offensive
system worries Simmons, but quarter
backTone Jones said the offense should
be more balanced.
“There are multiple formations, and
we will feature die tailback more,”
Jones said. “We have put in the Colo
iado-style option for when the defense
plays man-to-man on the comers.”
Jones is backed up by redshirt fresh
man Craig Strickland.
The Cowboys will be deep at
tailback. David Thompson, Andre
Richardson and Boogie Johnson all
saw playing time in 1994 and account
ed for 1,630 of die Cowboys 2,251
rushing yards.
Simmons said fullback and wide
receiver were the big question marks.
Geoff Griener, who started at times
in 1994, is the starter, backed by fresh
man Brian Aikens.
The Cowboys lost wide receivers
Rafeal Denson and Mark Cheatwood,
who had 60 percent of die Cowboys*
receiving yards and 47 percent of the
receptions last year.
The Cowboys’ top pass-catcher is
Richardson, a running back who had
12 catches for 97 yards. The Cowboys
top three receivers—Kent Luck, Chris
Thompson, Tim McNeal — didn’t
have a reception last year. Tight ends
Roger Pfeffier and Alonzo Mayes each
had one reception.
Scott Waterbury, Derek Leinen and
Bryan Hope started every game on the
offensive line and Calvin Menephee
and Alan Orts started five games each.
OMriftra State Cw*w*
WR20 Kent Luck 5-8 175
LT 64 Derek Leinen 6-4 292
LG 67 Scott Watefbury 6-5 298
C 56 Bryan Hop? 6-4 270
RG 62 Josh Henson 6-2 250
RT 70 Jeremy Offffutt 6-5 260
TE 85 Alonzo Mayes 6-6 252
WR24 Terrance Richardson 5-10190
QB 9 Tone Jones 5-11190
FB 6 Geoff Greiner 6-1 240
TB 25 Andre Richardson 5-9 180
PK 13 Lawson Vaughn 6-1 190
LE 98 Lorenzo Green 6-2 270
NT 90 Norman Wiliams 5-10240
RE 96 Jay Grosffield 6-4 255
OLB 2 Louis Adams 6-1 225
ILB 32 Alamu Bailey 6-2 255
ILB 54 JosIrGreen 6-0 210
OLB 58 Jevon Langford 6-5 260
RC 4 Jeroid Johnson 5-9 185
SS 5 Kevin Williams 6-0 186
FS 15 Trent Fisher 5-10190
CB 3 Johnny Jones 5-9 165
P 7 Greg Ivy 6-0 190
DN graphic
Oklahoma State
AyMuyJkm|||m
_
1995 Schedule
Date: Opponent
Aug. 31 Nebraska
Sept. 9 at Tulsa
Sept. 16 SW Missouri State
Sept. 23 at Wyoming
Sept. 30 at Tennessee
Oct. 14 Kansas State
Oct. 21 at Missouri
Oct. 28 at Iowa State
Nov. 4 Colorado
Nov. 11 at Oklahoma
Nov. 18 Kansas
Dec. 2_Hawaii_
DN graphic
• 4
:i - -■
*'■ ..-a*®* *i i- -*■ : liPF
IA FREE Gift
From FirsTier!
Get a terrific FREE gift when you open any
personal checking account at FirsHer. We
have seven smart checking plans to meet
your needs, including our popular No
Service Charge Personal Checking
Account. Keep a low $100 minimum
balance, and there are:
• No monthly service fees
• No per check charges
• No limit on the number of checks
you write!
And for 24-hour access to your money,
every FirsTier checking account comes
with a FirsTier Teller ATM card. With
FirsTier Account Line, you can do your
banking from any phone, seven days a
week, and your satisfaction is guaranteed
in writing.
FirsTier Student VISA* Card
A credit card with no annual fee. Plus
with approved credit, you'll receive a
minimum $500 line of credit
FirsTier Student Loans
We have federally subsidized and
unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans and
, Federal Parent Loans for Students (PLUS).
For details, call (800) 735-6799.
Unwrap a better checking
account! See FirsTier Today!
FirsTier
You're First Here"
i— WOC