OSU 56, Grambling State 6: Thoughts and observations

by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com

–The Cowboys offense did exactly what I expected them to do… for the first time this season. True enough it was Grambling State, but that’s how the offense should perform when they have more talent than the opposition.

–The offensive line seems to be coming around but it’s tough to tell when going against an overmatched Tiger front.

–Keith Toston had a good game but that’s what should have been expected of him.

–I wasn’t surprised to see Jeremy Smith’s redshirt pulled. I had been hearing too many good things about him during the preseason, I felt he would play his way out of the redshirt and he did.

–Smith had a great debut– but I wouldn’t get too carried away with it. The large majority of his 160 yards came after the game had been decided with Zac Robinson and other key starters already on the bench.

–I wouldn’t read too much into Smith’s redshirt being pulled in relation to Kendall Hunter’s injury. I think it has as much to do with the fact the Cowboys understand Smith could end up being the man next year if Hunter leaves. And even if he doesn’t Smith had shown enough in preseason and September practices to convince the Cowboys staff that he’s going to be counted on to make plays next year. So why not get him some game experience this season and know that you can count on him next year? He appears to have passed Travis Miller on the depth chart and Kye Staley will be coming off his season-ending knee injury so Smith could easily end up being THE GUY in 2010 and at the very least, see the amount of carries Toston will see this season.