STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -Andrew McGee’s black T-shirt with “Ball Hawk” printed on the front is a symbol of accomplishment in Oklahoma State’s defense. And if he’s caught munching on a candy bar, he might just be celebrating a job well done.
Defensive coordinator Bill Young believes takeaways are so important to the Cowboys (3-0) that he’ll hand out rewards to those who create turnovers in games and in practice.
“We’re all about turnovers,” said McGee, who earned his T-shirt with a pick in Oklahoma State’s 65-28 rout of Tulsa. “We want to get turnovers. It’s a good thing. If you ever see one of us with this shirt on, it means we did something good.”
McGee has also earned Butterfinger and Snickers bars for coming up with the ball in practice, as part of the bonus system put in place by Young after he took charge of OSU’s defense before last season.
So far, the gifts are readily doled out. The Cowboys have forced six fumbles and intercepted three passes, an average of three takeaways per game, heading into their Big 12 opener Thursday night against Texas A&M (3-0).
“Obviously, we’d like to have more,” Young said. “Our goal is three per game. It’s something that I can’t imagine anybody emphasizing more than what we do on every single play in practice.”
Coaches won’t blow the whistle until defenders have exhausted every last opportunity to jar the ball loose from the scout team. Turnovers are charted, and a certain number will allow players to avoid some running at the end of practice.
The numbers also go up on a meeting room door, and then there are the prizes that serve as a badge of honor for those who made the takeaway happen.
Young awards T-shirts in defensive meetings after a game.
“He’s made a point of that ever since he’s come in here, and I think the players have bought into that,” coach Mike Gundy said. “I think there’s some carry-over into games.”
On the front of the shirt is the “Ball Hawk” imagery. And on the back, a message: “RIP. STRIP. PICK.” Then the second line: “SCORE!”
So far, that’s about all that hasn’t happened for the Oklahoma State defense. McGee returned his interception 79 yards out of the end zone, but couldn’t make it all the way for the touchdown. He’s still wondering if he’d have earned something beyond the T-shirt for scoring, too.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I will find out hopefully.”
A former offensive coordinator, Gundy had been largely uninvolved with the defense in his first few years in charge at OSU. When the opposing offense had the ball during a game, he’d walk away from the sideline and find a spot where he could work with his offensive coordinator on what to run the next time the Cowboys had the ball.
This year, he has turned the offensive reins over to first-year coordinator Dana Holgorsen and finds himself spending more time working with the defense. Players say he’s frequently hollering, “Strip the ball! Strip the ball!”
“Last year, we’re used to him being down there on offense and not really dealing with us,” defensive tackle Nigel Nicholas said. “But now, he’s really involved with us and he’s doing a good job.”
“It’s paid off on our intensity in practice,” he added. “He’s down there hyping everything up, hyping practice up. When the head coach hypes practice up, you’ve got to get hyped.”
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