Junior running back Beau Johnson rushed for 60 yards for the White team Saturday during OSU’s spring game. The Orange team won 9-7, but Johnson was the White team’s MVP.
When OSU was split up into two equal rosters for the annual Orange-White game Saturday, fans expected to see twice the offensive firepower.
The rosters were equal, but the firepower was not doubled as 20,000 fans were surprised with a 9-7 Orange team victory at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Coach Mike Gundy said the offense should be every bit as talented as the previous season, but splitting a single squad into two can hurt the offensive production.
“I think offensively we don’t have enough depth at the skill positions now that when you split them up they’re not going to play as well as a group,” Gundy said. “But I don’t think they played as well as they could have and the defense is better.”
Quarterback Zac Robinson completed 12 of 21 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in the game.
The Cowboy offense was without running back Keith Toston and All-Big 12 tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who Robinson said plays a huge role in the offense.
“Pettigrew is kind of what glues this offense together,” Robinson said. “He’s an unbelievable player blocking, catching balls and making people miss and breaking tackles.
“So when you have him back and all the tools back it will be a pretty good offense.”
Freshman tight end Wilson Youman replaced Brandon Pettigrew and had three catches for 53 yards and scored the Orange team’s only touchdown of the day.
Youman dropped a couple of passes as well, but Gundy said he will be more valuable in the fall because of his opportunities in Pettigrew’s absence.
“Brandon not working much in the spring has benefited him,” Gundy said. “He’s coming along, and he’ll develop more and be a better player in August because of all the work that he got right now.”
Running backs Kendall Hunter and Beau Johnson were the MVPs on offense.
Johnson started off quickly for the White team, picking up two 12-yard runs and a 16-yard touchdown catch in the first drive of the game.
Johnson finished with 60 yards on 10 carries, while Hunter had 69 rushing yards for the Orange team.
“Both guys are big play backs,” Robinson said. “Kendall Hunter can break it at any moment and Beau Johnson breaks a lot of tackles and then once we get Keith [Toston] back in the mix, with those three it should be just like it was last year.”
Despite production from a number of offensive players, Gundy said the final score was still not quite what he was expecting.
“For the most part I was a little bit surprised, but I’m OK with that,” Gundy said. “I’m confident that when we get going offensively and that we will be able to move the football, and I like to see the improvement in the defense.”
With the defense improving rapidly, another year as one of the top offensive threats in the nation could be a dangerous combination.
Co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer said the low score in the scrimmage was not a cause for concern because it was uncharacteristic of how the offense has been performing all spring.
“We’ve had days where we’ve lit it up that the fans may not have seen because of not being able to get off work and come see us play,” Brewer said. “I don’t think our guys lack any confidence for taking the ball downfield and scoring.”
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