September 5, 2004 in Sports

It’s gotta be the shoes: Morency runs over Bruins

• Print
• Email
• Share

Associated Press photo

Oklahoma State’s Vernand Morency is tackled by UCLA defenders Danny Nelson, left, and Nikola Dragovic (96).
(Full-size photo)

PASADENA, Calif. — Vernand Morency was so worried about making his new football cleats comfortable that he wore them to bed on the eve of the game.

The shoes got quite a workout Saturday, when Morency rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns in Oklahoma State’s 31-20 win over UCLA in both teams’ season-opener.

“Last night, I saw Vernand going to bed with his new spikes on,” Oklahoma State coach Les Miles said. “I’m not kidding.”

He wasn’t.

“It’s true, I slept in my shoes. I just wanted to break them in,” said Morency, who carried 29 times and scored on runs of 22 yards and 1 yard.

With the Cowboys’ ground game clicking, Oklahoma State’s Donovan Woods threw just eight passes in his college debut. The redshirt freshman completed two passes for 23 yards and ran 15 yards for a score.

“The veterans made it easy,” Woods said. “Vernand is a great veteran back and he did what I thought he would do.

“I want to be an all-around player, and throwing will come as the season progresses.”

OSU, facing UCLA for just the second time and winning for the first, did not have a turnover. The Cowboys recovered two Bruins fumbles and intercepted two of Drew Olson’s passes.

The Cowboys’ veteran offensive line consistently overpowered the Bruins’ young defensive front, so Morency often sprinted through gaping holes and was untouched until he was already into the secondary.

Oklahoma State finished with 426 yards rushing.

“Our game plan was to come out and be very, very physical,” said Chris Akin, the Cowboys’ 6-foot-2, 300-pound center. “It’s great to start the season with a 400-yard game.

“We big guys just let the skinny guys through and they ran phenomenal.”

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell noted that some of the Bruins’ defensive linemen were taking a college snap for the first time, adding, “I’m sure they’ll be able to tell some stories about today.”

“Defensively, we have to get our young players ready to go,” he said.

Morency, a 5-foot-10, 215-pound junior, topped 200 yards rushing twice after taking over for the injured Tatum Bell late last season, gaining 269 yards against Kansas and 227 against Baylor.

Manuel White carried 20 times for 145 yards for the Bruins, including touchdown runs of 60 and 4 yards.

Olson completed 16 of 36 for 252 yards, but went just 4 for 11 for 78 yards in the second half.

Jamie Thompson stopped a late UCLA drive when he intercepted a tipped pass deep in Oklahoma State territory, and Vernon Grant made another interception near midfield in the waning moments.

The Bruins’ two interceptions and two lost fumbles were costly.

Oklahoma State held a 28-17 after a busy first half.

No comments on this story so far. Add yours!