Texas will test pass protection Mother of OSU lineman Larry Williams dies
Texas comes to Stillwater with one of the best defenses in the Big 12, ranking second in both rushing yards allowed and pass defense efficiency.
Finding success through the air will be critical for Oklahoma State against a defense that has intercepted eight passes and allowed only nine throwing touchdowns.
It will start with how well the Cowboy offensive line is able to protect quarterback Taylor Cornelius. Coach Mike Gundy was pleased with the line’s pass blocking at Kansas State, a trend that will need to continue.
“There’s been other games when we didn’t protect well at all,” Gundy said. “We have to be careful about trying to get away from what we do and who we are, and just try to get better at it and minimize those packages.
“You’ve got to be balanced on offense. We have to protect (Cornelius). They’re gonna make their plays. We need to be able to make ours.”
Texas defensive end Charle Omenihu is second in the Big 12 in sacks with six through seven games, ranking behind OSU’s Jordan Brailford with eight.
The mother of Oklahoma State senior offensive lineman Larry Williams died Monday at age 62.
Pamela Williams was suffering from kidney and liver failure. She also dealt with arthritis, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which made breathing difficult. Her heart had only 10 percent of its function.
Yet she outlived doctors’ expectations by three years. A resident of Wilmington, North Carolina, she was never able to make the 18-hour drive to Stillwater to watch her son play for OSU.
Larry Williams, a sixth-year senior in his third season at OSU, is the starting right guard. He participated with the team in Tuesday’s practice.
“We let him know when it happened that all of our prayers are with him and his family,” center Johnny Wilson said. “If there’s anything he needed, we’re there for him. We just let it go from there. He’s dealing with it in his own way, and we’ve got his back.”
Quotable
Texas coach Tom Herman heaped praise on Oklahoma State’s offense, particularly its wide receiver talent:
“They’ve done such a great job over the years. It’s a school that’s known for offense, at least in Coach Gundy’s tenure there. They’re very aggressive in everything they do.
“It’s like they’ve got a wide receiver factory somewhere up there in Stillwater. And they’re a notch above at home as well. Those guys play out of their shoes when they’re at home.”