Cowboy defenders Deron Fontenot (left), Jeremiah Price (middle) and T.J. Bell (right) tackle running back Melvin Davis. The Cowboy defense will show its improved depth at Saturday’s spring game.
By Bill Haisten and Jimmie Tramel
(MCT) — Baylor
During a Saturday scrimmage, freshman quarterback Robert Griffin popped the biggest play — a 56-yard touchdown sprint. Griffin is competing with returning starter Blake Szymanski and Kirby Freeman for the No. 1 job. Baylor opens its season with a Thursday, Aug. 28 home game against Wake Forest. Fox Sports Net will televise that contest. The Bears visit Oklahoma State on Oct. 18.
Safeties
The Cowboys are legitimately two-deep at free safety (with senior Quinton Moore and junior-college transfer Lucien Antoine) and at strong safety (where senior starter Ricky Price is backed up by surging senior T.J. Bell).
Bell’s recent play has been “the biggest surprise,” said Joe DeForest, who coaches the safeties. Bell, the brother of former Cowboy tailback Tatum Bell, has never before worked his way into significant playing time.
“I think we’ve got four really solid players back there,” DeForest said. “Ricky Price has been phenomenal.”
Moore and Antoine are two of the bigger hitters in the program. When the season begins, they are expected to play an equal number of snaps.
“That’s huge,” DeForest said. “As much as you run in the back end, against the spread offenses we’re playing, you’re going to need fresh guys out there.”
News and notes
The indoor facility: When Tulsa oilman Sherman Smith donated $20 million toward the construction of OSU’s $50 million indoor practice facility last year, it was thought that the facility might be completed before the start of the 2009 season. That will not be the case.
Because of the recent erratic nature of the stock market, and the effect it has had on the T. Boone Pickens-managed OSU fund, groundbreaking for the facility may not occur this year. When construction does begin, Cowboy athletic director Mike Holder said, it will be a 14- to 16-month project.
“It’s just hard to predict what will happen,” Holder said. “We won’t break ground until we’re comfortable with where we are with our investment.”
The indoor practice facility, bearing Smith’s name, will be located immediately north of Boone Pickens Stadium.
Game times: Each of the Cowboys’ three nonconference home games will start at 6:05 p.m. and none will be televised, an OSU official confirmed. OSU hosts Houston on Sept. 6, Missouri State on Sept. 13 and Troy on Sept. 27.
OSU opens the season at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 against Washington State in Seattle. That game will be televised by Fox Sports Net.
Get to know Quencey Patrick
Entering his sophomore season, the 6-foot-3, 275-pounder should be in the rotation at defensive tackle. He is a native of Columbus, Ga. — also the hometown of former Cowboy running back Dantrell Savage.
If you had a daughter at OSU, is there anyone on the football team you would let her date?
Jared Glover (a linebacker from Bixby).
Why him? Because he was sitting next to you when the question was asked?
More than likely, yes.
If someone were to write your life story, what has to be in it?
All the accidents that I have had. I was a very clumsy child.
Are we talking something serious like car accidents?
I kind of played with the (car) door, going to my brother’s preschool graduation, and almost fell out of the car. Stuff like that.
Can you talk about the first job you ever had?
I was security at a church. It was very, very boring.
The most famous person from your hometown?
(Big-league baseball slugger) Frank Thomas.
Who is the most old-school player on your team?
Tonga Tea, because of the kind of music he listens to. Earth, Wind and Fire and stuff like that.
2008 schedule
Aug. 30: vs. Washington State (in Seattle)
Sept. 6: Houston, 6:05 p.m.
Sept. 13: Missouri State, 6:05 p.m.
Sept. 27: Troy, 6:05 p.m.
Oct. 4: Texas A&M
Oct. 11: at Missouri
Oct. 18: Baylor
Oct. 25: at Texas
Nov. 1: Iowa State
Nov. 8: at Texas Tech
Nov. 15: at Colorado
Nov. 29: Oklahoma
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