STILLWATER — When Oklahoma State’s spring football practice opens three weeks from today, the team might have to consider selling programs to fans so they can identify who is catching passes.
There’s no hiding the fact that Oklahoma State’s receiving corps took a major hit last week. Or, over the last couple months, for that matter.
Star wideout Dez Bryant underwent minor knee surgery. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew graduated. Damian Davis, William Cole and Jeremy Broadway were dismissed. Bo Bowling was suspended. The team’s No. 1 feel-good story, Artrell Woods, decided to leave the team.
For the moment, let’s assume that Bryant and Bowling, as expected, are unavailable for spring practice. That leaves five receivers or tight ends who have caught a pass for OSU to take part in spring drills. And none who caught a pass before the 2008 season.
But everyone knows what Bryant can do, so maybe the situation is ideal. The young and inexperienced receivers will get extra work, maybe spurring their development on the way to a more prominent role in the fall.
There are some intriguing additions to the receiving group for spring. There are the talented freshmen who redshirted in 2008 — Justin Blackmon, Isaiah Anderson and Adrian Richards — and Dylan Brown, the one-time Florida high school all-state receiver who has played for the OSU baseball team the last two seasons, but decided to try football this year.
