'Different schemes and concepts': Creativity sparked Oklahoma State offense against K-State

STILLWATER — On Oklahoma State’s first offensive snap last Saturday against Kansas State, running back Jaylen Warren slipped out of the backfield and caught a pass behind four offensive linemen who had pushed their way to the left side of the field. 

Left guard Josh Sills pancaked a K-State defender. Center Danny Godlevske was still in position to block 40 yards downfield as Warren went for 52 yards on a simple screen pass to kickstart the day for the Cowboy offense. 

OSU ran the play three more times and it went for positive yardage all but once. 

A running back screen pass is nothing new, but the play design was something OSU hadn’t run this season — and thus, something Kansas State had not seen on video. 

Whether it was new formations or new play designs, the No. 18 Cowboys went into Saturday’s game with an advantage because of their offensive innovation. It resulted in the 31-20 victory over K-State last Saturday, and could be a positive trend as the season goes on, starting with this week’s matchup against No. 24 Baylor at 6 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

“We had some different schemes and concepts, alignments and such, based on the front we were seeing,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said Monday, alluding to K-State’s three-man defensive front. “Hopefully we’re learning more as we go through years three and four of what has become the new trend defensively, this three-down. 

“I thought our schemes were good.”

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The Cowboys have faced their battles this season, mainly with injuries that forced them to be a different type of offensive team. The game plan two Saturdays ago at Boise State scrapped the passing game almost entirely and went to a straight dose of Warren in the run game — which worked.

But with injured receivers back in the mix against K-State, it opened the door for a more effective passing attack to go with the newly found run game. 

“It’s extremely difficult to scheme offensively when you have youth and limited weapons at certain spots,” Gundy said. “It’s just difficult. You get where your hands are tied. They’ve done a great job getting to where we are now, to where we get our head back above water. 

“I told the coaches they had really good plans. And sometimes I tell them, ‘Your plans suck.’ I tell them the truth. And sometimes I do. I make mistakes and I tell myself the same thing. But our plans were really good.”

Of course, the offense backslid in the second half against K-State, failing to score and being forced to punt on five consecutive drives, including four three-and-outs. 

But the promise of the first half should outlive the struggles of the second as offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn gets his feet under him with a close-to-full complement of weapons.

“The first half was Cowboy football. That’s what we want to do,” Dunn said. “We definitely want to do more.”

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OSU vs. Baylor

KICKOFF: 6 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater (ESPN2)