Freshmen Smith, Fooks get chance to shine after rash of injuries for No. 14 Oklahoma State

Freshmen shine as No. 14 Cowboys battle injuries

STILLWATER, Okla. — With stars Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant sidelined by injuries, freshmen Jeremy Smith and Dameron Fooks gave No. 14 Oklahoma State a glimpse of its future.

Considering their debut performances, the Cowboys’ newest playmakers could become a bigger part of the present, too.

Smith’s 160 yards rushing were the most by a freshman in his debut at a school that’s had such greats as Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas. Fooks, with four receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns, joins Bryant as the only players on the team with multiple TD catches in a game or to surpass even 65 yards receiving in a game.

“They competed for us, and that’s all we ask them to do,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Sunday. “We just ask them to compete and play hard and if they do that, then they’ll continue to improve. They’re going to make mistakes, which they did, but overall they give us effort and they have a great attitude and there’s a willingness to learn and compete each day.

“As long as we’re doing that, we’re in good shape.”

Gundy pulled Smith out of a potential redshirt season and gave him the bulk of the carries in a 56-6 win against Grambling State of the Football Championship Subdivision on Saturday night. Senior Keith Toston started in place of Hunter and had three first-half touchdown runs, the last coming as he weaved untouched 39 yards along the Cowboys sideline, before getting the second half off.

Beau Johnson, who has been OSU’s third-string tailback, and Travis Miller each got four carries while Smith ran 15 times. He had runs of 69 and 51 yards and scored his only touchdown on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Gundy said the decision to play Smith was based partly on needing an extra back to carry the load while Hunter was out with a sprained right ankle, and partly because injuries to Bryant and cornerback Perrish Cox left OSU short-handed on special teams.

“We have a lot of running backs, and each running back is a little different. Jeremy has a little combination of quickness and a little power,” Toston said. “It was good to see a younger guy go out there and get a chance because I remember when I was in those shoes and I know exactly what it feels like.”

Smith came to Stillwater from Tulsa’s Union High School, where he capped his career by rushing for 242 yards and three touchdowns in the state title game on the same Boone Pickens Stadium field where he made his college debut.

Oklahoma State freshmen are not permitted to speak with reporters.

“It just proves the depth at running back that we have and that it’s not just one or two guys that can handle the load,” offensive tackle Russell Okung said. “We’ve got guys from positions all over the place who can contribute to the team.”

Fooks had played a week ago against Rice but got into the mix more as OSU shuffled in receivers without Bryant, an All-American last year. He made his first catch on a pass that deflected off Grambling State linebacker John Carter’s shoulderpads, then leaped to catch Zac Robinson’s 24-yard touchdown throw two plays later.

He added a 12-yard TD catch from Brandon Weeden in the second half, after another catch in the end zone had been nullified by a penalty for an illegal man downfield.

“Any time we can find more playmakers and guys we can trust to have the ball in their hands to make plays is awesome for our offense,” Robinson said.

Fooks wasn’t part of the Cowboys’ recruiting class on signing day and didn’t join the team until this summer, but he has evidently been a quick study.

“He’s still somewhat new around here and still somewhat learning things,” Robinson said. “He’s really gotten better the last couple weeks. He has the ability. It’s just a matter of getting reps and getting into the game, getting into the flow of the game.”

Oklahoma State has this week off before opening Big 12 play at Texas A&M on Oct. 10. That’ll give players like Bryant, Hunter, Cox and defensive end Jermiah Price chance to heal up and return to the starting lineup.

But if they aren’t ready, Smith and Fooks could figure into the game plan again.

“The future could be against A&M. You never know,” Toston said. “(Smith) went out there and played good. The thing about it is we never know when an injury is going to go down. We never know if I’m going to be down or Beau (Johnson), and Jeremy may have to step in and make plays.”