CRFF Roundtable: CWS Thoughts, Underwood and Football

Your thoughts on the CWS run. Did this team overachieve or disappoint?

Cade

The CWS run was incredible. I think what we need to remember is that OSU was not supposed to be there in the first place. Yes, it's very disappointing the way it ended, but we would be remissed if we did not mention how incredible it was that OSU was in the situation they were in. Had you told me after the Big 12 Tournament that OSU would make a run in Omaha, I would've thought you were crazy. The team overachieved big time.

Christopher

It was a great run that hurt when it ended, but a disappointing end is not the same as a disappointing team. Every team but one goes home disappointed, and all but three went home long before OSU did.

Phillip

I'm not sure overachieved is fair. They obviously had the pitching talent all along to get them there. The bats showed up for awhile and then the hits dried up, just like during stretches in the regular season. This team got as far as it could with the talent it had. Yes, it surpassed our expectations but not the teams'.

Jake

I think the CWS run brought a historic college baseball program back to life. The excitement from the OSU community was awesome to see.

Robert

Given the struggles offensively, to come within one win of reaching the CWS championship series was definitely an over achievement.

Kyle

How's that Tony Bennett song go? I left my bats in South Carolina. Seriously, though.

I’m going to have say somewhere in the middle. Due to injuries and inconsistent offense (partially due to injuries), there were a wide spectrum of expectations from this team from the preseason to non-con, to the Big 12 Tournament.

I think the more important point is this shouldn’t be a peak year for the Cowboys. With Josh Holliday and Rob Walton staying putting in Stillwater and with the increasing excitement around the program, this should not be the last trip to Omaha the next couple of years. That’s the confidence that was instilled in the players and the fans. It all comes from the top.

Underwood has recruited well and he returns one of the better backcourts in the Big 12. Have your expectations for next season changed over the last couple of months?

Cade

To sum it up quickly; I'm excited for basketball and it's June. Forte being healthy and the addition of Tyrek Coger are going to do wonders for this team. From the film, it looks like Coger can shoot it. Give him a couple months in the training program, and I'll think he'll be a force. His competitive nature shouldn't be understated. The guy told JOHN WALL he would beat him one-on-one ... and he held his own. I think OSU is going dancing in March given the addition of Coger and Forte, combined with Underwood's coaching ability.

Christopher

Not really. I've expected the team to be improved all along because they get Forte back and Evans has a year under his belt and someone other than Travis Ford will be calling plays. My hope for the future has definitely increased, but I think my expectations for this coming season are about what they have been.

Phillip

I'm not sure my expectations have changed, but I'm feeling more hope than I have in a long time.

Jake

My expectations are what they've been since the Underwood hire. I expect we will be better but I'm not expecting to be a top team in the Big 12.

Robert

I commented on a post on PFB that I can't remember the last time I was unreasonably excited about both football and basketball in the same year. Someone brought up 2013, to which I say "Travis Ford."

Kyle

I’d say I have been on an optimistic road that’s hit a steady incline. I like the way Underwood and his staff have attacked the recruiting trail. Not out kicking their coverage while still being aggressive. He’s confident. He didn’t have to offer Brandon Averrette a scholarship at OSU. But he trusts his evaluation of the point guard’s talent knowing all eyes will be on his first recruits that don orange (hopefully with cursive print).

Barring injury, Underwood should return a dynamic backcourt of Evans and Forte, who should have his best chance at open shots since Marcus Smart was doing back flips at the Fog.

What’s the No. 2 thing you want to see improve for the football team in 2016? (I’m going to assume the overall running game is No. 1).

Cade

Besides the running game improving, I'd like to see the defense improve as a whole. I think it's fair to say the defense underwhelmed last year. Giving up 53 to Tech, 45 to Baylor and 56 to OU is not good. You don't win the Big 12 giving up those kinds of numbers. It was a collective effort last year. The defensive line had injury problems, the linebackers were just okay, and the secondary underachieved. If the defense improves as a whole, I think OSU is going to be a better football team (duh).

Christopher

Is bringing back "Grillaroni’s" off the table? Oh you mean on the field? I'd say the return game. OSU was 76th in kickoff return average and 87th in punt return average. Not great. And just the occasional punt being fielded without giving me a heart attack would be great as well.

Phillip

Red Zone offense. It was predicated on J.W. Walsh last season. The team is going to have figure out how to get better scoring inside the 20 without him this season.

Jake

I need to see Mason Rudolph under less pressure this season.

Robert

I want Gundy to get better at taking his mitts off the reins of the offense and stop going "scorched earth" conservative in particular moments. He needs to stop being afraid of losing in the big games.

Kyle

I think the defense as a whole must continue to improve. We can place blame on injuries and lack of ball control on offense (and rightfully so). But their are no qualifiers on the record books. You have to be better.

The 2015 was back at the top of the Big 12 in turnover margin (1.00) after adopting it #WTIB (we’re taking it back) mantra.

That number is great but the Cowboys also finished in the bottom half of the league in scoring defense, passing defense, rushing defense, opponent’s punt returns and opponent’s kickoff returns.

A lot of that had to do with the "Murder’s Row" at the end of the season but let’s not forget Kansas State’s wide receiver stepping in as a QB and torching OSU or Joel Lanning looking like a Kansas State QB in Ames. Or even Central Michigan’s Cooper Rush looking like Johnny Football in the season opener. Well, that's a little bit of a stretch but you get the picture.

The Pokes needed to take care of those teams when they had the chance and a big part of that falls on the defense. While some of those games made for dramatic finishes, the Cowboys could have gotten a lot more young players reps and more importantly saved crucial reps for their starters, had they just taken care of business. So that’s my new mantra idea. Instead of #WTIB, how about #TCB?