Cornelius, Gundy hoping film session leads to relaxed play
STILLWATER — During
Taylor Cornelius’ four-plus seasons at Oklahoma State, the majority of his film-study sessions were devoted to watching a different quarterback.
Finally, Cornelius could study himself instead of
Mason Rudolph after throwing for 300 yards and five touchdowns in his first collegiate start last week against Missouri State. Despite the gaudy numbers, Cornelius, coach Mike Gundy and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich all noted a timidness in his play, given that it was the redshirt senior’s first start in nearly five years.
“It wasn't perfect by any means,” Cornelius said. “It's something to improve on, something to look at on tape and move forward.
“After four years of watching Mason (on film) every Sunday, it's a little different. I enjoyed it. … I just have to go throw it and let it rip.”
Gundy has regularly used a baseball analogy of Cornelius being a pitcher who’s warmed up in the bullpen but never been in the late innings of a game. He broke out another for Cornelius’ jittery debut.
“He was an 8-year-old in kid-pitch ball,” Gundy said. “He was just trying to throw a strike instead of throwing the baseball. I think once he gets out of that phase, he’ll back to where he was and what we’ve seen in practice. I’m confident that he’ll improve each week.
“We think that he gives us the best chance to be successful.”
Hubbard, Hill reflect on haircut interview
The story of how an OSU running back ended up in a barber’s chair with Fox cameras surrounding him varies between cutter and client.
Ahead of the Cowboys’ season opener, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt sat down with OSU running backs Justice Hill and Chuba Hubbard for a unique interview; Hill spent the segment cutting Hubbard’s hair.
Hill is the team’s unofficial barber and has been cutting hair since he was in high school at Tulsa Booker T. Washington. When he got a text from OSU assistant communications director Sean Maguire about doing an interview while cutting someone’s hair, Hill was down, but as for how he chose who he would style, that’s where his and Hubbard’s stories split.
“He wanted me,” Hubbard claimed. “He knew I had the best hair, so he was like, ‘Yeah, I need you to be in it.’”
Hill, though, said Hubbard’s involvement came out of convenience after he got Maguire’s text.
“Chuba was right beside me when I read it,” Hill said. “So I just told him, ‘Let me cut you for it,’ and he said, ‘OK.’”
The fresh cut obviously served Hubbard well. In his collegiate debut, he scored a 54-yard receiving touchdown and led OSU in all-purpose yards, earning co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors.
Hill’s Heisman odds double after season opener
Hill’s “Hei5man” campaign seems to be gaining traction.
After rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries — all in the first quarter — of Oklahoma State’s season-opening victory against Missouri State, Hill’s odds of winning the Heisman Trophy more than doubled as the Cowboys prepare to face South Alabama on Saturday.
Per Bovada, Hill had 125-to-1 odds entering the season, but last week’s performance launched him up to 60-to-1 odds. That’s the third-highest among Big 12 players, behind West Virginia quarterback Will Grier (5-to-1) and Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (18-to-1).