Now that the last major scrimmage has passed, all that remains for the 2000 edition of the Oklahoma State Cowboys is to wait another nine days and prepare to do battle with Tulsa Sept. 9.
Helping the Cowboys prepare this season are a slew of new coaches, led by two new coordinators, Del Miller on offense, and Mike Cassity on defense.
Cassity takes the role of defensive coordinator over from Rob Ryan, who held the job for three seasons before taking a spot as a coach for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League.
Miller, on the other hand, is totally new to Orange Country. But this region of the country is familiar territory for him. Miller helped ressurrect a lackluster Kansas State program in the early 90s with his philosophy on passing first to set up the running game. He is bringing that same thought pattern to Stillwater.
"I think it’s more of just a change in philosophy, in terms of throwing the ball in order to run the football," Miller said. "A lot of people take it in the reverse order and think you run the football to throw.
"We just think we have to throw effectively to be able to run."
A keyword for Miller would have to be effective. As in, he’s effective wherever he coaches at. After helping Snyder turn around the Wildcats, he moved on to the head coaching position at Southwest Missouri State. He led the Bears to three top-four conference finishes. His 1996 squad ranked 20th in the nation. In each of his last three years at SMS, his team featured a 2,000 yard passer and backs who rushed for more than 1,000 yards.
Even though Miller has been getting most of the attention coming into the season, he makes it a point to spread the credit around.
"It’s a team thing," Miller said. "It depends on the players playing well. We have a number of assistant coaches on the offensive side who are very good. Mike Jacobs, who was offensive coordinator out of Ohio State, has gone to more bowl games than I have. We’ve added a lot of experience, and it’s not just with me." It’s not one person who ever gets it done."
And Miller believes all that experience with his lieutenants is already paying dividends.
"I think that’s shown already with the development of the offensive line with Jacobs and the development of our tight ends with Mike Summers," Miller said. "I think once we get into our second, third, fourth ballgames, when we’re used to working together, it’s surely going to show in game adjustments."
As the offense undergoes a pretty significant change from last year, one thing is for certain is that the defense, for the most part, will remain the same as it was in 1999.
Cassity was the co-defensive coordinator with Ryan last year, and he takes over the reigns with great knowledge of the system in place.
"We’re going to be a pressure-style of defense," Cassity said.. "The tag ‘46′ has been here for three years, but it’s very, very multiple. There has not been really any changes in the structure of being that kind of defense."There’s just no monumental change as to what we’re doing."
With last year’s system still intact, Cassity hopes to make it stronger by making sure this version of the 46 isn’t burned by big pass plays like it has been in the past.
"One of our target areas was to cut down on big plays," Cassity said. "We’re continuing to improve, and we’ve still got a ways to go, but we’ve also still got a week of preparation before the (TU) game."
Stepping into his new role this season, Cassity brings a moving vans’ load of experience. Before arriving in Stillwater last year, he coached at Baylor (1997-98), Wisconsin (95-96), Cincinnati (1994), Georgia Tech (92-93), East Carolina (90-91), as well as four other colleges from 1979 to 1989.
So, in a word, the step up hasn’t added any extra pressure for Cassity.
"I’ve been a coordinator for 17 years at seven different schools, so that’s no big change," he said. "Rob and I worked very closely together last year, but we coached together before. It hasn’t been any big, monumental change in my eyes, and it seems to have gone smoothly with the kids."
And as for the "Manhattan Miracle" man pulling the offensive strings?
"I like the direction we’re going," Miller said. "I think we’ve improved each time out. You can tell that from watching practice. I think this team will grow."But, just like a two-year old boy, don’t expect the growth spurt to happen instantly.
"It won’t just happen overnight," Miller said. "A lot of people think whatever steps out against Tulsa will be some kind a gigantic miracle. We’ll grow steadily and progress and improve every time we go out. A lot of the offense will unveil itself as the season progresses.
"It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you believe in it, you know what you’re doing, and your players believe in it. Then I think you can make almost anything work.
"We’ve just been very fortunate with what we’ve done," he said.
And as for the unquestioned leader of this new offense, Tony Lindsay, Miller believes this style of play will suit No. 10 as well as his shoes fit his feet.
"It’s an easy answer how Tony is good for our system," Miller said. "He’s a very experienced quarterback, throws the ball well, he can run and has a good mind. "On top of that, he’s a good leader. And all of those things make for an awfully good quarterback in our system," he said.
Miller said he believes Lindsay’s ability will excel under this format.
"We can be flexible and work toward his strengths," he said. "It probably makes things a little bit easier for him. "We do a lot of audibling and he can get to the right things at the right times and that gives him a little flexibility and certainly helps us, because we can get to the best possible play by doing that."
As with any new system, something wrong will happen in the early part of the season.
"I think we’ll be ready to play the first game," Miller said. "Obviously, you’re going to make mistakes in that first game you’re hopefully not going to make in your fourth, fifth or sixth.
So, when conference play opens with a road game to Texas at the end of next month,will the wrinkles will be ironed out?
"We sure hope so," he said.
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