The Oklahoma State football team showed signs of progress on offense, and that is reflected in the stock report
STILLWATER — The Oklahoma State receiver group seems to have a wealth of talented players, but none of them have stepped forward as the go-to guy through four games.
Perhaps some of that is because of all the different fluctuations this offense has battled so far, particularly with a quarterback injury and a coaching change.
But if Saturday is a sign of what’s ahead, keep an eye on Shamar Rigby.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound sophomore led the team in targets with nine and yards with 84. He led receivers in catches with five, matching running back Rodney Fields Jr.
The Cowboy offense looked rejuvenated in the 45-27 loss to Baylor, and a consistent presence at outside receiver will be important going forward, starting this week when OSU visits Arizona for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday in Tucson.
“It was great,” Rigby said of the offense against Baylor. “We've been preparing all week and (interim coach Doug Meacham) was getting us ready for the pass plays. We already knew what we were going to do on the field today. We knew we wanted to air the ball out and it was a fun day today.
"I had a lot of targets and got to see my teammates do things, the ball getting thrown around to different people. It was a great feeling to see."
Oklahoma State football stock report
Stock rising
Shamar Rigby, receiver: With the inconsistency of the outside receivers through the first three games, Rigby seemed to show some reliability in that role.
Trent Howland, running back: He showed strength in flashes last year, and again at Oregon this year before hurting his ankle. But given 16 carries — his most as a Cowboy — Howland showed how his power running style can be effective, and a perfect complement to the smaller, quicker Fields.
Clint Bowen, interim defensive coordinator: A year ago at this time, Bowen was the head coach at Lawrence High School in Kansas. On Sunday, he took over the OSU defense when Todd Grantham was fired. He was hired as an offensive quality control assistant, but will now be calling the defense on gameday.
Stock falling
Defensive backs: The OSU secondary came into the season looking like perhaps the most reliable area of the defense, but they got torched yet again. Baylor threw for 393 yards with defensive backs out of place and receivers running open. Bowen’s first order of business must be figuring out what is going wrong back there.
Kalib Hicks, running back: With Howland and Fields establishing themselves as a bit of a thunder-and-lightning duo, Hicks has been on the outside of the primary running back rotation. He didn’t play at all against Tulsa, and saw the field for just three snaps against Baylor, getting one carry for no gain.
Examining snap counts in the secondary
Dylan Smith is reportedly entering the transfer portal with his season at the four-game mark.
Though the junior from Little Elm, Texas, had a rough day against Baylor, he’s been a consistent presence in the OSU secondary dating back to the 2023 season when he first became a regular.
Through four games this season, he has played the most snaps of any defensive player.
OSU has rotated heavily among defensive backs, with six players having played over half of the 284 defensive snaps this season.
Here’s a look at the snap counts for OSU defensive backs who have been on the field for at least 50 plays so far:
- Safety Dylan Smith, 251
- Cornerback Kale Smith, 211
- Safety Kenneth Harris, 190
- Cornerback Cam Smith, 180
- Cornerback JK Johnson, 170
- Safety Parker Robertson, 157
- Safety David Kabongo, 121
- Safety Landyn Cleveland, 83
Redshirt tracker
The Cowboys have reached the four-game mark, which for many redshirt-eligible players is an important point of the season.
Those who have appeared in four games but would like to maintain their redshirt must make that decision now.
That applies to nine players on the OSU roster, with a few others just one game away from reaching that mark.
With the Pokes going through such uncertainty because of coaching changes, players could start to consider the long-term implications of playing the rest of the season.
Here’s a look at all the redshirt-eligible players who have participated in a game, with the total number of games in parentheses:
Seniors: Linebacker Bryan McCoy Jr. (4)
Juniors: Longsnapper Shea Freibaum (4); tight end Will Monney (4); safety Dylan Smith (4); defensive tackle De’Marion Thomas (4).
Sophomores: Safety Landyn Cleveland (4); defensive end Kyran Duhon (3); tight end Josh Ford (4); safety David Kabongo (4); receiver Shamar Rigby (4).
Freshmen: Receiver Royal Capell (3); cornerback Kobi Foreman (3).
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.
OSU at Arizona
KICKOFF: 2 p.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 4, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson (TNT)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why WR Shamar Rigby is high on Oklahoma State football stock report
Category: General Sports
