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Sun March 16, 2008

OSU notebook

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For his consistent performance, Oklahoma State defensive back Jacob Lacey and four other Cowboys were given black jerseys for the first two weeks for spring practice. BY MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
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Southern Miss series?
There's been talk Oklahoma State might consider a three-year football series with Southern Mississippi, starting as early as 2010 or 2011. OSU would get two home games.

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It would be an interesting matchup since former offensive coordinator Larry Fedora is now head coach at Southern Miss.

"Why not (do it)?” Fedora said. "I don't know if coach (OSU athletic director Mike) Holder is willing to do it, but I wouldn't mind doing it.”

Southern Miss leads the series 2-1, winning in Stillwater in 2000 and in Hattiesburg in 2001. OSU beat Southern Miss in the 2002 Houston Bowl.

•Black shirts: Safety Ricky Price, cornerback Jacob Lacey, linebacker Andre Sexton, defensive tackle Jeray Chatham and defensive end Ugo Chinasa have earned black shirt jerseys the first two weeks of spring practice.

A black shirt is a reward from the defensive staff for consistent production. A player can only be nominated by a defensive assistant that isn't that player's position coach.

"It's someone we feel is playing with great effort and is a team player,” defensive coordinator Tim Beckman said. "Ugo is the last one to get one because we have not seen him loaf during any of the practices, yet. He's done everything we've asked him to do.”

•D-line depth: The pass rush should be improved this season. Young players like redshirt freshman Richetti Jones should provide more quickness off the edge. Another benefit is the D-line could rotate eight to 10 players.

"Without looking at the tape, they looked disruptive,” coach Mike Gundy said following Friday's scrimmage. "That was encouraging. There's no question they're going to improve. How much (they improve) depends on how they mix as a group, the new guys and the veterans.”

Defensive tackle Swanson Miller already is on the second team. The other two juco defensive linemen, Chris Donaldson and Jeremiah Price, have shown promise.

"We really feel good about the guys who came in early,” Gundy said. "They seem to be fairly structured, are mixing into the system and picking everything up on and off the field. That makes a big difference.”

•Good life: Associate head coach Joe DeForest, who coaches special teams and safeties, played a key role in OSU signing eight junior-college players. The group has experienced the challenges and benefits of playing Division I-A football.

"Those guys think they're in heaven,” DeForest said. "They get three square (meals), free clothes. They're treated like a prince around here.

"All the junior-college players are like, ‘Coach, where can I go get a pair of new cleats?' They meant like Wal-Mart. I said, ‘N