What Does Zane Flores' injury Mean for Oklahoma State Against Houston?

Oklahoma State has had plenty of issues this season, and its quarterback’s absence will only cause more problems.

In last week’s matchup at Arizona, OSU quarterback Zane Flores suffered an injury in the second half. While it was hard to tell how severe it was at first, the freshman will be sidelined when OSU kicks off against Houston this Saturday.

With opening starter Hauss Hejny still out of the lineup, OSU interim coach Doug Meacham looks ready to turn to either Sam Jackson V or Banks Bowen. Jackson is a former quarterback turned wide receiver, and Bowen is a true freshman and the son of interim defensive coordinator Clint Bowen.

While the Pokes would certainly rather have Hejny or Flores under center, they still have some interesting options to consider. Although Jackson might be the best choice for the Cowboys to find success on Saturday, the program hasn’t been shy about its focus on the future, and getting a true freshman some Big 12 experience could be beneficial.

With Hejny and Flores both being potential movers this offseason, giving Bowen a look probably isn’t a bad idea. Still, Jackson obviously has more experience and has already shown some intriguing flashes this season.

Gotta Run It!

The Cowboys will be using either a wide receiver or true freshman at quarterback on Saturday in all likelihood. While crazy things happen in college football all the time, that typically isn’t a recipe for success, at least as far as the passing game is concerned.

However, the Pokes might still be able to find some success offensively if they can run the ball effectively. Should Jackson get the nod, he already presents impressive athleticism for the defense to worry about, potentially opening up a bit more of the ground game.

Rodney Fields Jr. and Trent Howland seemed to be the 1-2 punch OSU has been searching for in the rushing game, but after a tough outing in Arizona, that is in question yet again. Fields led the Cowboys in rushing with only 31 yards on nine carries. Meanwhile, Howland’s four carries for -8 yards only left OSU being even less certain about its offense than it was coming into the game.

Ideally, OSU will be able to be much more effective on the ground than it was against Arizona, given that Houston is only ranked 65th in rush defense compared to the Wildcats’ top 25 ranking in that category. In any case, this will be an uphill battle for the Pokes, and getting a boost on the ground will be as critical as ever.