The Cowboys are in need of starting pitching entering the 2023 season, and they got a big boon in that department Sunday.

Long Beach State transfer hurler Juaron Watts-Brown announced his commitment to Oklahoma State. Listed as a 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-hander, Watts-Brown threw 73 1/3 innings last season where he had a 3.68 ERA to go with 111 strikeouts. He was listed as a redshirt freshman last season.

Keep Goin #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/4626baZfjx

— Juaron Watts-Brown (@JuaronWatts) July 31, 2022

Watts-Brown boasted a 4-4 record in 15 appearances (12 starts). He threw a no-hitter against UC-Riverside on May 8, where he had one walk and 16 strikeouts. In the month of May, Watts-Brown had double-digit strikeouts in four of his five appearances.

He has spent the summer playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Falmouth Commodores. In eight starts, Watts-Brown has thrown 34 innings where he has a 3.70 ERA and a team-best 45 strikeouts.

Juaron Watts-Brown (2023 Eligible) @FalCommodores @OSUBaseball committed to Oklahoma State today. Last night he went 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Mixed 4 pitches & the secondaries looked strong; FB sat 91-94 T95 mph, CB 80-83 mph w/ depth, SL 81-83 mph, CHG 86-88 mph #BACape22 pic.twitter.com/9uX2tCxWCV

— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) July 31, 2022

Rob Walton will have to rebuild his starting rotation after weekend starters Justin Campbell, Victor Mederos and Bryce Osmond all got taken in this year’s MLB Draft. Campbell and Mederos have since signed with their respective MLB teams. Osmond could still return to Oklahoma State should he choose to.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Mike Gundy and Co. hosted dozens of potential future Cowboys this weekend during OSU’s final mini-camp of the summer, and a couple came away with scholarship offers.

Kelden Ryan and Emile Picarella, two 2025 quarterbacks, each announced OSU offers following his trip to Stillwater.

As each is coming off his freshman season, neither yet has a star ranking, and both have a long way to go in their recruitment. But here’s what we do know about the two prospective passers.

Kelden Ryan

Ryan hails from Keller Central High School (Keller, Texas) where he also runs track. Earning snaps as a freshman last year, Ryan threw for 821 yards and five touchdowns, while completing 63.4 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 418 yards and four scores.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

Grateful to receive an ffer from Oklahoma State University! Thank you @CoachTimRattay, @Eddie__Simpkins, and @coach_walshOSU! #2025QB pic.twitter.com/M9EXvkZWfl

— Kelden Ryan (@KeldenRyan) July 30, 2022

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound dual-threat prospect boasts 10 other offers including the likes of Baylor, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Washington State and Virginia Tech.

---

Emile Picarella

Picarella, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound passer, is entering his second season as QB1 at Saint Joseph Catholic in Madison, Mississippi. OSU’s staff apparently liked what they saw from him in person.

After a great conversation with @CoachTimRattay I’m truly blessed to receive a offer from Oklahoma State University!!! @Eddie__Simpkins @CoachGundy @RivalsCole @BHoward_11 @STJOEBRUINS @StJoeBruinsFB @shayhodge3 @ESPN3ALLDAY @samspiegs @wyattdalton4 pic.twitter.com/r7m7zF73bW

— Emile Picarella (@EmilePicarella) July 30, 2022

OSU represents Picarella’s sixth offer behind in-state schools Ole Miss and Mississippi State, as well as Oregon, Pittsburgh and Akron.

---

It should be noted that it’s extremely early in the recruitment of both Ryan and Picarella, but it’s good to see OSU’s staff identifying talented arms early. OSU also has an offer out to 2025 QB Sawyer Anderson of Parish Episcopal in Dallas.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Thanks for stopping by – here’s your daily dose of Oklahoma State sports news.

---

Three Thoughts

• Mike Boynton continues to play well with native Oklahomans. Four-star guard Kaden Cooper (of Ada) just included the Pokes in his Top 10. [PFB]

OSU’s lone 2023 commit is Del City’s Brandon Garrison.

• George has taken on the challenge of posting an OSU highlight daily until football starts. Saturday he posted one of my favorite plays ever.

Posting one #OKState highlight every day until college football returns.

An unblocked Alex Elkins forces a Landry Jones fumble that falls into the waiting hands of Jamie Blatnick, who rumbles down to the 1-yd line for OSU’s first Big 12 title in 2011. pic.twitter.com/8DJ3I6sjcW

— George McCormick (@geo__mccormick) July 30, 2022

• You could potentially own the piece of turf Collin Oliver crawled across to win Bedlam. But it’ll cost ya. [PFB]

Two Quotes

• Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff continues to throw heaters from the West Coast. Here he is on the Big 12’s attempts to poach some of his schools:

“Doesn’t it feel a little bit like a juvenile kind of attempt to disrupt our conference?… At some point you have to realize no Pac-12 school is joining the Big 12 and you have to focus on making your league successful.”

[PFB]

• With the following clip I was reminded of a memorable hit by Brodrick Brown. I was also reminded that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

“Nah, that’s not helmet-to-helmet.”
…

“Well, that looks helmet-to-helmet to me.”
“Yeah… I like it.”

2011 #3 Oklahoma State vs. #4 Stanford Brodrick Brown gives life back to the OSU sideline with a grown man hit pic.twitter.com/TMpu4mq8Eb

— CowboyRewind (@CowboyRewind) July 30, 2022

One Question

• Who you got?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pistols Firing (@pistolsfiring)

---

Non-OSU Bullets

• It takes more than just trying, but being more present in our daily lives is attainable. [Raptitude]

• Happiness is a mindset that you can cultivate. How to get there, according to science. [Fast Company]

• Let me apologize:

What did Yoda say when he saw himself in 4K?

HDMI

— PUNS (@ThePunnyWorld) July 30, 2022

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

OSU Max is the official content network of Oklahoma State Athletics, featuring hundreds of videos that give you an all-access pass to the Pokes all year long. From behind the scenes to inside the locker room, get closer than you've ever been before.

A former Oklahoma preps standout, Kaden Cooper has seen his stock rise over the spring and summer, and he isn’t counting out the Cowboys quite yet.

Cooper, who is from Ada, released his Top 10 on Saturday: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas, Gonzaga, Texas, LSU, Memphis, Alabama, Kansas State and Georgia Tech. Cooper is listed as a 6-foot-6 guard and 247Sports ranks him 45th in the 2023 class.

1⃣0⃣ @TiptonEdits pic.twitter.com/86yL6hY4wr

— . (@kaden580) July 30, 2022

Cooper now plays his preps ball at The Skill Factory in Georgia, and his stock has taken off this summer with Team Trae Young on Adidas’ 3SSB, where he averaged 10.6 points and 8.5 rebounds a game while shooting 41% from the field.

Oklahoma State offered Cooper way back in 2020, but it wasn’t until this past April when things started to take off. Since April, he has garnered offers from the likes of Kansas, Gonzaga, Illinois, UCLA, UConn and others.

His athleticism stands out most, and it’s showed in his rebounding totals. Despite being a guard, Cooper had five double-digit rebound games in the 3SSB, including a 15-rebound game against Team Rose.

Here are highlights from Team Trae Young’s game against Southeast Elite where Cooper (No. 11) had 18 points, nine rebounds and was 4-for-5 from 3.

Cooper started the year in the 200s of 247Sports rankings before climbing up to his current spot at No. 45. Here is a look at how all the major recruiting services rank Cooper:

247Sports: / No. 45
Composite: / No. 157
On3: / No. 38
Rivals: / No. 36
ESPN:

None of the recruiting services have any predictions for where Cooper will land yet, but he has taken recent visits to Gonzaga and Oklahoma. Cooper told 247Sports’ Travis Branham that he is planning visits to Alabama, Texas and LSO.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff made headlines on Friday in a wild press conference wherein he stuck his chest out for the league, accused the Big 12 of tampering and boldly proclaimed his league — despite losing USC and UCLA to the Big Ten — was in as strong (if not stronger) position than the Big 12.

He then added more to his position Friday in an interview with 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello, calling the Big 12’s attempt to capitalize on Pac-12 turbulence “juvenile” and predicting no member of his league would ultimately cave to the Big 12’s attempts at prying.

“Doesn’t it feel a little bit like a juvenile kind of attempt to disrupt our conference? Listen, in the early days, particularly in the first week, people were running scared, and I understand that and that’s a natural reaction,” Kliavkoff told 247Sports. “At some point you have to realize no Pac-12 school is joining the Big 12 and you have to focus on making your league successful. I think it’s in the best interest of all of college athletics, if the Big 12 is strong, and standalone in the Power Five. Obviously, I feel that way about the Pac-12. And I think the less time we spend with this nonsense going back and forth, the better for everybody.”

It’s clear Kliavkoff has been catching strays from every which way over the last month and has just about had it with the Big 12 trying to add responsibilities to his job. Fair! USC and UCLA leaving for the Big Ten was a catastrophe in itself.

That said, can you blame the Big 12? They’re doing their best to try to survive, too. The Big Ten and SEC continue to gain strength. The Big 12 is still looking to recover from losing OU and Texas to the SEC. Clearly, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark saw an opportunity to potentially capitalize and jumped at it. When he saw the Pac-12 was (and still is!) in a pretty precarious position, it seems the Big 12 wanted to make the most of it in a power play.

No Pac-12 member outside of UCLA and USC has defected as of yet, but that doesn’t mean the Big 12 (or another league) won’t be successful in the future. The Pac-12 is pretty clearly in major trouble. It is actively looking to expand right now but it feels as if it is already playing from behind, especially with its current media rights negotiations ongoing. With its strength declining, collegiality in the college space appears to be dissipating, too.

“The tampering continues,” Kliavkoff added Friday (via 247Sports). “The good news is my presidents and chancellors and athletic directors forward me all those messages. I have a big collection of those messages.”

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Oklahoma State’s new, glorious turf at Boone Pickens Stadium is in — and the old turf could be yours.

For the right price.

OSU is selling some of the old surface online as part of a collectibles series for the crisp price of $89.99. The description is “game-used turf” and comes in various packaging that includes a Mason Rudolph edition, Chuba Hubbard edition or more OSU-themed generally. Each collectible item comes in a 15″ x 17″ frame.

It’s weird to think of some old grass being sold as a collectible, and yet it’s weirdly … cool? I mean, imaging how many touchdowns were scored on that surface. And how many legends roamed that surface. Players like Tyreek Hill, Chuba Hubbard, Justice Hill, Tylan Wallace all traversed that turf. Kinda neat to think about!

This is a #blog and not a #sponsoredadvertisement, of course, so it makes no difference to me if you buy it or not. I will say, though, that the online collectibles in the OSU shop are pretty fire overall. I’ve got my eyes on some golf gear that would definitely add some spice to my bag. (The Pistol Pete head cover is absolutely filth.)

That said, I do still ride for the brand, so an obligatory mention here: PFB has its own store, too! Word on the street is that Marshall’s closet is filled with overflow inventory, so grab a shirt or five or 20 to help support us if you’re into that sort of thing!

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Thanks for stopping by – here’s your daily dose of Oklahoma State sports news.

---

Three Thoughts

• The thing that stuck out about the Pac-12 commissioner’s remarks about the Big 12 was just how fragile he sounded in comparison to what Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark had to say a couple of weeks back:

“George (Kliavkoff) is a great guy,” Yormark said at Big 12 Media Days. “He’s doing a great job with the Pac-12. No different to any other commissioners, we’re vetting out all possibilities and options.”

[PFB]

“Psychologically disadvantaged” might be a couple of words to throw around about the Pac-12.

• It’s a shame OSU couldn’t have started selling pieces of the old turf BEFORE Father’s Day last month – still a fun gift idea for fans

• By the time Brennan Presley is done in Stillwater, we’ll have a near decade of versatile receiver play on the team with Presley closely following Dillon Stoner – Presley made the watchlist for most versatile players in college football. Dillon Stoner played with Chris Carson!

Posting one #OKState highlight every day until college football returns.

In honor of Chris Carson’s retirement today, enjoy Chris truck-sticking two poor TCU defenders in 2016. pic.twitter.com/XAXZk3gcQl

— George McCormick (@geo__mccormick) July 27, 2022

Two Quotes

• For context on the above – here’s some of the context from Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff:

Kliavkoff, the Pac-12’s commissioner, proclaimed he wasn’t sure if he would go shopping for Big 12 schools. He said he has spent the past month defending his league from “grenades” the Big 12 is throwing its way in the dog-eat-dog world of conference realignment.

[PFB]

• Anytime I see someone write that Texas Tech could dominate the new Big 12, this is the scene that comes to my mind:

pic.twitter.com/QgiZ9TPHl0

— No Context OK State (@nocontext_okst) July 27, 2022

One Question

• Does Colorado joining the Big 12 seriously put their brand in question given the “academic standing” of the Big 12?

Most Viewed of the Week

• No. 1 Options to fill the A.J. Ferrari gap

• No. 2 Big Ten reportedly considering further expansion

• No. 3 Meet the Transfer: Deondre Jackson from Texas A&M

• No. 4 Hayden Simpson commits to Oklahoma State

• No. 5 What the Big Ten’s latest realignment ambitions mean to Oklahoma State

---

Non-OSU Bullets

• Youth sports = more grit
• You still need good friends (faith-based)

My weekend homework – being intentionally unproductive (faith-based)

“What do I need to do to be spiritually healthy?”

After a long pause, Dallas (Willard) says, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

John (Ortberg) writes those words down and waits for more wise insights from Dallas. “That’s a good one. Now what else is there?” Dallas’s answer? “There is nothing else.”

[Unhurried Living]

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Carson Cunningham and Colby Powell react to Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff mocking the Big 12 an discuss the future of college football.

You know what helps the show and helps us make more shows? When you rate us on Apple Podcasts or subscribe to our pod: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Overcast

As always, we appreciate our sponsor Chris’ University Spirit.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

On Friday morning, Pac-12 media days was on a channel not included in my cable package and streaming on an app that timed me out after a few minutes. This came roughly a month after it lost two marquee members, USC and UCLA, to the Big Ten. Meanwhile, all of this was taking place during an exclusive media rights negotiation window that ends next week and is unlikely — barring some major miracle — to conclude with a deal.

And yet on Friday, its commissioner, George Kliavkoff stood at the dais and projected strength. What he really did, more specifically, was project.

Of the Big 12, he said they are trying to “destabilize” the Pac-12. (He’s probably not wrong but, you know, the Big Ten is the only league thus far to steal members from the Pac-12.)

Of the Big 12, he said it is “scared.”

“I get why they’re scared,” he added, as his league was actively in trajectory to become a mid-major in short order, particularly if recent reports of Oregon, Stanford, Washington and Cal being potential targets of the Big Ten amount to anything.

Finally, of the Big 12, mind you with his league in the midst of more turmoil than ever, he sarcastically brought up Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark’s recent remarks that the league is open for business.

“I appreciate that,” he said, “but we haven’t decided if we’re going shopping there yet.”

You could see in realtime Kliavkoff racing through at least three stages of grief all within one press conference. First, there was denial. Denial that his league is on the brink.

“We are bullish about the Pac-12’s future and opportunities for long-term growth, stability and success,” he said. (I get it: what’s he supposed to say? But still.)

Then there was anger — aimed primarily at the Big 12.

“I’ve been spending four weeks trying to defend against grenades that have been lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference,” he said. “I understand why they’re doing it. When you look at the relative media value between the two conferences, I get it. I get why they’re scared, why they’re trying to destabilize us. I was just tired of that. That’s probably not the most collegial thing I’ve ever said.”

Then there was bargaining.

“We are actively exploring expansion opportunities,” he said. “We will look at media value, athletic strength, academic and cultural fit, and geography from a recruiting and student-athlete experience standpoint.”

Kliavkoff added there was “significant” inbound interest but declined to name names.

The only step in grief the Pac 12’s new leader appears to have missed and seems determined to skip is the one that is maybe the most important: acceptance.

The Pac-12 projected strength and stability when it has none right now. It projected it has leverage within the market as it negotiates its next media deal when it is clearly tailing the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12, and has very little of it. It projected righteous anger towards the Big 12 and its new commissioner for doing what it thought it needed to survive, when in reality the anger comes from its standing and not toward any deity in particular. (Kliavkoff declined to attack the Big Ten, after all — the league that just stole USC and UCLA — he was so disillusioned.) Ultimately, it seems the Pac-12 is in a much more precarious position than maybe any of us thought.

The Pac-12 may well survive this latest blow in realignment just like the Big 12 may well survive losing OU and Texas, but its future is the shakiest among conferences that fancy themselves in the power structure. The quicker Kliavkoff and the Pac-12 accept their new reality and be realistic about what is ahead, the quicker every party can face head-on the new, ever-changing landscape of realignment.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.