Reid at the center of today's Bedlam buzz Breaking down the Cowboys
By John Rohde
Published: November 25, 2006
STILLWATER — The most affluential person inside Boone Pickens Stadium today, of course, is the man for which the stadium is named.
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The most influential person in the place will be Oklahoma State quarterback Bobby Reid.
Not Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops or coordinators Brent Venables and Kevin Wilson. Not Cowboys coach Mike Gundy or coordinators Larry Fedora or Vance Bedford.
Not Sooners quarterback Paul Thompson, receiver Malcolm Kelly or defensive back/return specialist Reggie Smith. Not OSU receivers Adarius Bowman, running back Dantrell Savage or defensive back/return specialist Perrish Cox.
If OU running back Adrian Peterson were healthy and playing, then he'd be the man for today's 1:30 p.m. kickff.
But Peterson is neither, so that makes Reid the man in the 101st Bedlam meeting.
Running backs, receivers, linebackers and defenders no doubt can take control of a game, but each play doesn't start with them.
Quarterbacks get the ball directly from center. There is no middle man, but the key is not to get stuck in the middle
Sooners coaches simply ask Thompson to make sound decisions, to be adequate. Don't try to beat the opponent with your arm or legs, just put enough points to give the Sooners' defense a chance to seal the deal.
Reid has no such luxury, not with that Cowboys defense.
To give OSU its best chance at victory, Reid must create, flaunt his athleticism, excel.
This is not necessary all the time — see Baylor, and darn near every non-conference opponent the past two years — but it is a minimum requirement more often than not.
In terms of consistency, Thompson has been far superior to Reid.
Reid has had higher peaks and lower valleys.
Not every loss has been his fault. Not every victory has been because of him.
But today is different.
On Friday afternoon, the Sooners found out they're still alive for their 40th conference crown, thanks to Texas A&M upsetting Texas 12-7 in Austin.
If Bedlam didn't mean all that much to OU before, it certainly does now.
Win today, and the Sooners get Nebraska next Saturday in the Big 12 championship game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Win there, and OU is in yet another BCS bowl.
Reid has the ability to shatter all that for the Sooners. If he takes care the ball and delivers the ball, the Cowboys have an outstanding chance of winning today.
If Reid gets a brain freeze, or his feet don't move, or his arm misfires, OU players and coaches can get fitted for rings.
The spotlight has shined upon Reid before, and he has melted.
Texas was the most glaring example this season. OSU could have won in Austin. Instead, Reid never showed up. He hyperventilated early, playing so close to his hometown of Houston. He finally calmed himself, but by then it was too late.
Reid has improved immensely from a year. His stats don't even compare.
Impressive stats are nice, but it means much more to excel in the clutch.
Reid has shown he has the goods. Now it's time to deliver the goods.
No time like the present.
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