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Mon March 24, 2008

Life with no No. 11 for OSU?

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Mike Baldwin
What would Oklahoma State's offense look like if Zac Robinson wasn't the quarterback?



Oregon featured one of the nation's most potent offenses last season, an option-oriented attack similar to Oklahoma State's spread-the-field philosophy.

But the Ducks went from a national title contender to a team that lost three consecutive games after quarterback Dennis Dixon was injured. With Dixon watching from the sideline, Oregon's offense suffered a dramatic drop off.

One of the interesting competitions during OSU's spring practices is who emerges as Robinson's backup — sophomore Alex Cate or redshirt freshman Brandon Weeden.

Finding a No. 2 quarterback this spring might allow the Cowboys to avoid an Oregon-like drop off if Robinson were sidelined.

"If Zac is not in there, some of the stuff we do with him, we wouldn't do with the other guy,” said coach Mike Gundy. "We would have to tweak it some to benefit the guy who ends up playing.”

With Robinson, OSU's offense features a heavy dose of option. Robinson compiled three 100-yard rushing games, rushed for 847 yards and averaged 90.2 yards rushing the final six games.

How much less option would OSU run if Robinson 11 wasn't available?

"There aren't many people who look like Zac running the option,” Gundy said, "but we're still going to run our offense.”

Gundy said it's important for Cate or Weeden to seize the backup job this spring so the offensive staff can devise a "Plan B” this summer.

How much OSU's offense would change is uncertain. Spring practices should provide some answers.

"The other two guys aren't as talented as Zac is running the ball, so we would need to develop other things in our arsenal,” said co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer. "We would play to their strengths. But we first need to see what they're capable of.”

Gundy emphasized the option will always be part of the offense. Cate and Weeden have enough speed that the offense wouldn't suddenly switch to a drop-back passing attack.

"Zac is an average passer,” Gundy said. "He's not a great thrower. But he will improve. He's still young, early in his career. The other two could be more prolific in those areas, throwing slants, those type things. We'd have to see.”

OSU's offense has been ranked in the top 10 nationally the past two seasons. The Cowboys should feature another high-scoring attack this year.

Because he runs a lot, Robinson is more susceptible to an injury. Gundy and his staff wisely are working on a contingency plan just in case Robinson doesn't play all 12 games. The coaches want assurance the offense can remain productive.

"You'd like to have something in place, that's practiced, that if something happened, you could put it in without changing a whole lot,” Gundy said.

The 2006 season was a good example of the spread offense's versatility. Coaches tried to get former quarterback Bobby Reid to run the ball more. Despite Reid's reluctance to run, the Cowboys were the eighth-highest scoring team in the country.

"The other two guys' strengths are more of a thrower than a runner, but we need to find out what they can do,” Brewer said. "You go in open minded. That's what spring is for, 15 days to find out some things.”

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