STILLWATER, OKLA. — Oklahoma State backup quarterback Alex Cate will be the starter tonight’s game against visiting Colorado.
Regular starter Zac Robinson, a former Chatfield High standout, was involved in a violent collision while carrying the ball near the end of last Saturday’s home victory over Texas Tech.
On the ESPN pregame broadcast, OSU coach Mike Gundy said Robinson had a shoulder injury.
Cate reportedly took the majority of the snaps in practices.
This is Oklahoma State’s final home game of the season, and the last chance for Robinson and 21 other seniors to play in front of the home crowd. Perhaps, at the very least, Robinson would go in for a ceremonial snap to give Cowboy fans an opportunity to give him a well-deserved sendoff.
Flag follies
In an effort to reduce penalties tonight in Colorado’s Big 12 game at No. 12 Oklahoma State, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins had some members of the program’s operations staff wear striped shirts during practices this week.
Yes, they threw flags.
“I think it helped,” Tyler Hansen said. “But it’s funny, too. They’ll throw a flag and we’ll say, ‘What? Are you kidding me?’ But then coach Hawkins makes us pay for it by making us do up-downs or run.”
Entering this week’s games, Colorado ranked 119th among the 120 NCAA FBS teams. Only Texas Tech had drawn more flags.
Overnight success?
Only the most knowledgeable of CU fans knew much about Arthur Jaffee before the sophomore walk-on from Boulder Fairview began returning kickoffs.
Jaffee chuckled when somebody suggested that he has suddenly become a household name. “It’s great,” Jaffee said. “I hope I can earn this job (permanently).”
Filling the spot vacated by Darrell Scott, Jaffee has returned five kickoffs for an average of 24.6 yards.
Footnotes
Tonight’s game is on ESPN at 5:30 p.m.
… Colorado has lost 10 straight road games. According to research conducted by the Boulder Daily Camera, only Washington (12) and Washington State (11) have longer losing streaks. CU’s last road win was 31-26 at Texas Tech on Oct. 27, 2007.
… While this will be Colorado’s second Thursday night game of the season (including the Oct. 1 loss at West Virginia), Oklahoma State hasn’t played on Thursday since Sept. 8, 2005, a 23-3 win at Florida Atlantic.
… OSU has won two of the past three meetings, and three of six. But before a 1997 win over the Buffs, the Cowboys had lost eight straight in the series.
