Oklahoma State football falls short vs Baylor to open post-Mike Gundy era | 5 takeaways

STILLWATER — Well, Oklahoma State fans can’t deny that it was fun.

That’s what newly named interim coach Doug Meacham said was his top desire for the OSU football team he took over Tuesday when Mike Gundy was fired.

Meacham injected the fun himself, adding a slew of trick plays that energized the offense, but the Cowboy defense couldn’t answer the call often enough in a 45-27 loss to Baylor on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

It’s hard to say the jolt of excitement that showed up Saturday can be carried beyond Meacham’s first game as interim coach, but it at least provides reason to think there’s more fun to be had for these Cowboys.

Here are five takeaways from the OSU loss:

Oklahoma State football vs Baylor score: Cowboys fall in first game without Mike Gundy

Sam Jackson V steals show in first half

Recruited to TCU as a quarterback by Meacham, OSU slot receiver Sam Jackson V turned in quite a day with a new role in the offense.

He caught two passes for 5 yards, rushed twice for 9 yards and made his most impact as a wildcat-style quarterback. He took multiple snaps, and also took handoffs or tosses from quarterback Zane Flores that led to Jackson’s passing attempts.

He finished 3 of 4 for 46 yards and a touchdown, but as Baylor adjusted to the trickery, OSU had to get away from Jackson’s play list.

OSU had 349 yards in the first half with Jackson providing the spark. But the Pokes managed just 99 yards in the second half, stagnating without the shock of new play designs.

Concerns remain about OSU defense

While the offense got an energy injection with Meacham’s offensive changes, the defense’s struggles from the first three games continued.

Namely, tackling issues and receivers running free.

Then another issue surfaced in spurts. The OSU secondary was flagged four times for pass interference, with two instances of back-to-back calls on the same possession. Both led to touchdowns.

Baylor inched past the 600-yard mark in the closing minutes, finishing with 393 passing yards and 219 rushing yards.  

Trent Howland, Rodney Fields Jr. show versatile skills

While the run game had been in question during the first couple games, Trent Howland and Rodney Fields Jr. have brought some life in the last two weeks.

Coming off a 113-yard game last week, Fields turned in another triple-digit effort, this time in yards from scrimmage. He rushed for 39 yards on five carries, and added 75 on four receptions, including an impressive diving catch on a deep throw from Zane Flores that went for 47 yards.

Howland’s power running style provided consistent yardage Saturday. He had 86 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. And he showed off his arm as well.

Prior to a 1-yard rush that gave Howland his second TD of the day, he took a handoff on a jet sweep, drifted back a bit and zipped a throw to freshman receiver Royal Capell for a 13-yard gain.

It was the only throw Howland attempted, but he and Jackson combined to go 4 of 5 for 59 yards on trick-play passes.

Flores, the actual quarterback, had a solid day once again, going 23 of 41 for 232 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Baylor’s Okie running back makes big plays

Baylor backup running back Caden Knighten had one bad moment in an otherwise exciting day back in his home state.

Knighten, a freshman from Pauls Valley, had a 39-yard reception in which he adjusted to the throw to get in position for the catch. The ball was ripped free just before he hit the ground, resulting in a fumble.

But the rest of Knighten’s day was positive.

He had 81 yards on just five carries, including a 49-yard rush that set up a Baylor TD in the first half.

Injury update: Parker Robertson exits early, returns

OSU kept injury issues limited Saturday, though starting safety Parker Robertson exited early in the game with an undisclosed injury. After sitting out the rest of the first half, he returned on the first possession of the third quarter.

Running back Freddie Brock IV, who has seen spot duty in each of the first three games, was held out because of injury. Tight end Quinton Stewart, who suffered a lower leg injury at Oregon, made his return in limited action.

A few other players, like defensive ends Jaleel Johnson and Taje McCoy, had to be helped off the field on occasion, but none of the injuries appeared to be significant.

Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

OSU at Arizona

KICKOFF: 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson (TNT)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football opens post-Mike Gundy era with loss vs Baylor