Rudolph rises to No. 1 on all-time passing
Mason Rudolph did what he does Friday night, which is fling footballs with high efficiency and hefty results.
Now four years into doing all that, he stands alone as OSU’s career passing leader.
Rudolph entered the game needing 244 yards to pass Brandon Weeden atop the school passing list. He’d done that before halftime, and finished with 335 yards and three touchdowns, pushing him to 9,352 yards just two games into his senior season.
Rudolph completed 25-of-38 passes and fired a 66-yard touchdown to
James Washington and scoring throws to Marcell Ateman covering 4 and 20 yards.
Injuries leave Pokes LB corps short
The Cowboys dominated on defense, even while shorthanded. Starting linebacker Kenneth Edison-McGruder and backup linebacker Kevin
Henry, both injured during the week, didn’t make the trip to Mobile.
Not that the final score, or the statistics, were any indication, as the defense helped fuel a 44-7 rout of South Alabama.
McGruder was sharing OSU’s outside “star” linebacker spot with Calvin
Bundage, who got the start in his place. Henry had served as the backup to Justin Phillips.
Details had not been released on the injury, but OSU sideline reporter Robert Allen said Edison-McGruder could miss 2-3 weeks.
The two missing linebackers played major roles in the Week 1 win over Tulsa. Edison-McGruder totaled five tackles and a sack and returned a fumble 82 yards for a touchdown. Henry posted six tackles, including one for a loss.
Bundage busted
Bundage didn’t make it to the end, either, although not because of injury.
As if the Cowboys linebacker depth wasn’t already shaky, Bundage was ejected from the game at the outset of the second half after being flagged for targeting.
The play went to review, but the call was confirmed after Bundage led with his helmet while helping to bring down Jaguars running back Tra Minter on the first offensive snap of the period. The targeting penalty will also result in Bundage missing the first half of next week’s game at Pittsburgh.
Overheard
During the TV broadcast, ESPN2 sideline reporter Molly McGrath gave an update, after listening in on a Jaguars defensive huddle. It was revealing. “They’re complaining about the tempo and saying this is the best QB they’ve ever seen,” McGrath said.
Opposing take: South Alabama’s Collier
It’s a long way from Owasso to Mobile. And for Sa’Mory Collier, the route wasn’t easy, either.
Still, the former Owasso High product found his way, spending three years at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, before finding a spot at South Alabama just weeks before preseason camp began last year.
A conversation with Collier:
Q: How does a kid from Owasso get to South Alabama?
A: When I played high school ball, I only really played my senior year, because my junior year I broke my arm and it put me out almost the whole year. So I only had one year to get looks. I had a pretty good season, but it wasn’t enough. So I went juco after that; had some pretty good years in juco. After that, Coach Owens and the staff came along and they wanted me to come down here. I love the city. I love the offense they have down here. I love the location, right in the bay area. Now I’m here.
What bad luck with the broken arm?
It was the third game of the season. It was the first time I ever got the ball in high school — a 50-yard reception.
It must be difficult to get on the map with only one season of high school ball for college teams to look at?
It really was hard. But I fought through it and I got a look through NEO, and that was the spark I needed.
Knowing your story, what was it like to get noticed by South Alabama?
I was thrilled to have a school come along. I knew it was a new program, but I was in love with the school on the spot.
Extra Points
• Justice Hill, Larry
Williams, Chance Cook and DeQuinton Osborne served as the Cowboys captains.
• True freshman Thabo Mwaniki got his first career start as OSU opened with a five-man secondary.
• The Cowboys improved to 16-1 against teams from the Sun Belt Conference. It was their first meeting, and win, over South Alabama, which owes OSU two return trips: next season on Sept. 8 and in 2023, on Oct. 16.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Keondre
Wudtee made his first appearance as a Cowboy, replacing Rudolph in the second half.