Revisiting Phillip’s 2019 Oklahoma State athletics predictions

At the start of 2019 I made five predictions for the year for Oklahoma State athletics. I then followed that up roughly eight months later with 15 predictions for the Cowboy football season.

Today, it’s time to look back on what I got right and what I got wrong.

Josh Henson is the Next Oklahoma State Offensive Coordinator - WRONG

Josh Henson not only was not named the Oklahoma State offensive coordinator, he left to become the offensive line coach for Texas A&M not long after Sean Gleeson was tapped from Princeton. Honestly? I think this worked out pretty well for OSU.

Mike Boynton Lands a 5-Star - CORRECT

Hello Cade Cunningham! Not only did Boynton land a five-star for his 2020 class, he got the No. 2 ranked recruit to sign with Oklahoma State. The class also includes a four-start in Rondel Walker. Boynton’s not done yet with at least two more scholarships available for the class.

Tylan Wallace will NOT win the Biletnikoff - CORRECT

I actually included this one in both of my predictions. Granted, I didn’t expect it to come because of a season-ending ACL injury during practice, but the prediction was still correct. If he’s back next season, I might just have to reverse my prediction.

Oklahoma State Football’s 2020 class will finish top four in the Big 12 - TBD

2020 recruiting class will be ranked lower than 2019 class - TBD

Obviously, we can’t know for sure on these until the late signing period in February rolls around. However, as it stands now with 18 signees, my first prediction is wrong as OSU’s class currently ranks 5th in the Big 12. My second prediction is currently correct as the class ranks 40th nationally, which is two spots lower than the 2019 class.

With OSU still in on four-star running back Kevontre Bradford, I’ll stick with TBD on this one, because he could raise the class’s ranking enough to flip flop which prediction I got right, and which one I got wrong.

Oklahoma State Wins Back-to-Back Golf Championships - WRONG

Well damn. There’s a memory I didn’t want to dredge up. Oklahoma State fell in the second round of match-play to Texas ending one of the best seasons in school history and missing out on back-to-back titles. That said, what a two-year run that Cowboys squad went on. Good grief, that team might never be topped.

Chuba Hubbard runs for 1,500+ yards - CORRECT

He did so, and then some. Chuba finished the season with 2,094 yards this season, the second most in school history. He’s joins Barry Sanders as the only two OSU backs to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.

Throw in the fact that he set a Big 12 single season record with 12 games of 100 rushing yards, and I massively underestimated just how good the Canadian ball-carrier would be this season.

Hubbard goes pro - TBD

The countdown is on. Hubbard announced after the bowl game that he would announce his decision in two weeks.

That would mean we should expect to hear something around January 10th as to whether or not the second best running back in school history will take his talents to the NFL or don America’s Brightest Orange for one more season.

Personally, I full expect to get this one correct, but for now, it remains TBD.

Dru Brown is Week 1 QB starter - WRONG

He was not.

Sanders ends the season as the starter - WRONG

Though in my defense, he would have been if not for thumb surgery.

The Barry Sanders statue debuts - WRONG

What are you waiting on? Just build the damn thing and put it out there!

Jelanie Woods finishes as top-5 pass-catcher - WRONG

I really thought this would be the year of the tight end. While Woods got plenty of snaps, he spent more of the them blocking and helping Chuba have a historic season than serving as a pass catcher. He finished with 15 catches (7th) for 108 yards (7th) and one touchdown (t-6th).

First-team All-Big 12 defensive lineman - WRONG

I went out on a limb here and came up short. Trace Ford and Israel Antwine had some really good seasons — so too did Mike Scott - but no OSU defensive lineman made the first or second team this season.

Upset loss or 2 - CORRECT

Oh. Of course. THIS one I get right. Kind of. By Vegas numbers, Oklahoma State lost two games they were favored in; Texas Tech and Baylor. I’ll argue the Baylor one was simply the fact that it took everyone half a season to realize that the Bears was really good this season. That said, Texas Tech could be argued as the only game that Oklahoma State was truly upset in.

4 true-freshmen defenders burn redshirts - CORRECT

While my predictions on “who” weren’t entirely accurate, the number was. True freshmen Trace Ford, Thomas Harper, Tom Hutton, and Jayden Jernigan all played in enough games to burn their redshirts this season.

Bedlam skid continues - CORRECT

I take no pride or joy in this.

New Jumbotron scare tactic - WRONG

I didn’t make it to a game, and there was no talk on Twitter of any new ghastly images worth discussing. To be honest, this was more a joke than anything, but I’ll go ahead and take the “L” none the less.

OSU scores a punt or kick return TD - WRONG

Went out on a limb again. I think I just need to resign myself to this never happening again at Oklahoma State.

Tom Hutton is Ray Guy finalist - WRONG

I’ll just say this now; I’m going to predict this every year until it either happens or he runs out of eligibility. I will not stand for Hutton slander. Yes, even after the bowl performance.