COWBOYS at a GLANCE
LOCATION: Stillwater, Okla.
COACH: Mike Gundy — At OSU and overall: 77-38, 9 years
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike Yurcich
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Glenn Spencer
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: 2011
LAST TIME DIDN’T GO BOWLING: 2005
RETURNING STARTERS: 12; 6 offense, 4 defense, kicker, punter
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB J.W. Walsh, RB Desmond Roland, RB/WR Tyreek Hill, DT James Castleman, DE Jimmy Bean, LB Ryan Simmons, CB Kevin Peterson
PRIMARY STRENGTHS:
Walsh has eight career starts over the previous two seasons and, as a runner, gives the offense some options. Roland didn’t start until Game 7, and he still led Big 12 RBs with 13 TDs. Hill was a Big 12 indoor sprint champion and will have an impact at more than one position.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS:
Experience behind Walsh is nonexistent. The offensive line returns just 34 combined career starts and replaces coach Joe Wickline (now at Texas). The receiver corps is thin and inexperienced. The defense lost impact players at every level and returns only four players with significant starting experience
OFFENSE
Through injuries, ineffective play, questionable coaching decisions and the occasional spectacular performance, quarterbacks in Stillwater the past two seasons were wracked with instability.
Not so in 2014. The job belongs to junior J.W. Walsh for as long as he can handle it.
Walsh had highs and lows in 2012 and 2013, but now he’s the Cowboys’ only experienced quarter- back. Walsh has 2,897 career passing yards, a .629 completion percentage and 22 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He’s also rushed for 584 yards and 10 touchdowns.
With no experience behind him in junior Daxx Garman and true freshman Mason Rudolph, Walsh may run less in 2014.
That means a bigger load for a talented posse of running backs. Senior Desmond Roland came on strong at midseason and finished with 811 yards and 13 touchdowns. Sophomore Rennie Childs contributed some highlights. Junior college transfer and Big 12 sprint champ Tyreek Hill could bring a much needed change of pace.
Hill will contribute primarily at receiver, where the Cowboys need a boost. The entire returning receiving corps, led by Jhajuan Seales and Marcell Ateman, combined for just 82 catches, 1,287 yards and five TDs in 2013.
The offensive line is hurting for experience, too. Only right tackle Daniel Koenig and left guard Chris Grisbhy have any real game action.
DEFENSE
The 2013 Cowboys had their best defense in more than a decade, but they return only four starters and lost significant playmakers on the line (Calvin Barnett), at linebacker (Caleb Lavey, Shaun Lewis) and in the secondary (Justin Gilbert, Daytawion Lowe).
Cornerback Kevin Peterson was a steady contributor opposite Gilbert last year but now will be tested often. Linebacker Ryan Simmons had 67 tackles (nine for loss) and also must adjust without his star teammates. Defensive end Jimmy Bean (9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks) also is back.
The key could be whether defensive tackle James Castleman (33 tackles, five for loss) can step into Barnett’s shoes as an immovable, disruptive force in the middle. Coaches said the spring was produc- tive for defensive linemen Sam Wren, Emmanuel Ogbah, Ofa Hautau and Trace Clark.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker Ben Grogan and punter Kip Smith are back after solid first seasons as starters. Grogan hit 11 of 18 field goal attempts, and Smith was a field position marksman (24 punts inside the 20) while still averaging 39.6 yards per punt.
Return aces Justin Gilbert (six career touch- downs) and Josh Stewart are gone, but speedy Tyreek Hill could take over both kickoffs and punts.
OVERVIEW
Coach Mike Gundy had a staff shuffle again, so continuity could be a problem. There is much on J.W. Walsh’s shoulders. Can he handle it? Now two years removed from the program’s first Big 12 title and coming off 10 wins, expectations seem low going into Gundy’s 10th season.
TOP NEWCOMER
RB/WR Tyreek Hill: After enrolling for the spring semester, Hill (5-10, 185) won the Big 12 indoor 200 and was second in the 60. A five-star recruit out of Pearson, Ga., he played at Garden City C.C. last season, gaining 659 yards rushing and 532 yards receiving.