STILLWATER - Justin Bowick made his biggest impression Saturday night in two very different ways: first by hauling in a 41-yard touchdown catch that looked almost impossible, and later by doing the dirty work that helped spring Caleb Hawkins for a 75-yard score.
The catch was the kind of play that jumps off the screen. Bowick climbed over a defender and brought in the ball with ease on a touchdown that had no business looking that clean. But the more revealing moment came later, when he helped turn Hawkins loose in the third quarter.
Coach Eric Morris pointed to that play as the kind of effort he wants built into the program.
“That should be in our DNA and our culture in what we’re trying to build here is people willing to sacrifice,” Morris said. “People know receiver-wise, there’s a bunch of people that aren’t playing as much right now because (of) their unwillingness to go in there and dig out a safety if they need to.
“Not only did he run. I mean, he got the play started by blocking the safety and then turned on the jets and basically blocked three guys on the play.”
Bowick was on the field for 74 of 75 snaps Saturday, 14 more than the next receiver, and his seven catches went for 124 yards with two touchdowns. Only center Tyler Mercer, with 576 snaps, and quarterback Drew Mestemaker, with 565, have played more offensive snaps this season than Bowick’s 533. Terrence Lewis is next among receivers at 371.
The block on Hawkins’ touchdown was every bit as important as it looked. Bowick ran inside on a slant, drew the corner with him, then stopped before the hash and took on the corner and another defender at the same time. When one of those defenders slipped free after Hawkins had already broken away, Bowick chased him down and shut him out of the play again before setting another block to help finish off the score.
Even Bowick’s own description of it sounded like a receiver doing whatever it takes.
“We help out each other like that,” Bowick said. “We’re always talking on the sideline, like, I love when Caleb gets in the end zone.
It makes me happy. It makes me want to go make the next play.”
He also had to keep pace with Hawkins while still staying close enough to make sure no defender had a clean angle near the goal line.
Bowick’s work in the run game showed up in the grades, too. He finished sixth on the team with a 73.4 run-blocking grade from PFF, his best blocking grade of the season against an FBS opponent. Two players ahead of him were fellow receivers Chris Barnes, who posted an 81.6, and Terrence Lewis, who had a 74.2.
“My teammates, I wanna see them succeed and get in the end zone, just like I want them to block for me also,” Bowick said. “That’s what comes from practice reps and blocking. When I don’t see the ball come my way, I try to go pick up somebody.”
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