Each morning Longhorns Wire will share the top stories from around the Big 12 Conference. For this edition of the Big 12 Morning Rush ESPN, SB Nation and CBS Sports provide the headlines.
Dylan Galloway retires from football
Fifth-year senior and starting left tackle Dylan Galloway of Oklahoma State has retired from football according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. Galloway was going to be tasked with protected Spencer Sanders from being taken down by Joseph Ossai in is new pass rush role. However, injuries were piling up and making life difficult on and off the field for one of the top two tackles in the Big 12.
Galloway told Sports Illustrated in a text message on Wednesday night: “I’m done with football. I was getting hurt so much and I felt like all of my injuries were piling up to where they were effecting me too much on and off the field.”
It remains unclear who will be the front runner to replace Galloway but this is a major blow to their offense. Not only was he one of the top pass blockers but he helped pave the way for Chuba Hubbard to lead the nation in rushing during the 2019 season.
Matt Campbell could make history at Iowa State
According to Burnt Orange Nation (SB Nation), Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell could make history in 2020 with a big season.
Iowa State has yet to finish among the top half of the conference in recruiting since Campbell arrived in Ames. Despite not having the luxury to recruit the same talent as other programs, the Cyclones have emerged as a consistent threat to top-tier Big 12 teams.
Iowa State’s 23-16 (.590) record over the past three seasons marked the program’s best three-year stretch since 2000-2002 (.605), finishing above .500 in conference play in each of those three seasons. Eight wins this season would set a school-record (31) for most wins across a four-year span.
The Cyclones aren’t really known for how well they play football but under Campbell they have made strides in the Big 12. Last year they were able to knock off Texas, and played two top 20 ranked teams down to the wire to lose by a combined two points (Iowa, Oklahoma). In 2020 with quarterback Brock Purdy, this team is poised to play spoiler.
Oklahoma announces 14 players test positive for COVID-19
The Longhorns bitter rivals in Oklahoma were one of the last Big 12 schools to report to campus. During their onboarding process, the Sooners tested their players and came back with double-digit positive cases according to CBS Sports.
Oklahoma announced Wednesday that 14 football players tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the program’s return to voluntary workouts on Wednesday. Two of the players have recovered and 12 cases are still active, according to the data released by the Sooners athletic department.
The program tested 111 players, meaning the team has a 12.6% positivity rate. Two of 72 staff members also tested positive for the coronavirus. Players who tested positive are being quarantined in an on-campus facility and being supplied with medical care, meals and academic services, according to guidelines released by the OU athletic department last week.
Programs around the country have announced players testing positive for COVID-19 as student-athletes have begun reporting back to campuses for voluntary workouts. The prevalence of the sickness among players returning to campuses has cast doubt on whether the season will start on time.