In 2003 one of the nation’s top high school recruits pretzeled his large frame into an airplane seat and embarked on his official recruiting visit to Oklahoma State. Though several big-time schools were pursuing him intensely, the recruit was intrigued by the Cowboys. The previous year they had appeared in the Houston Bowl — their first postseason game in five seasons and just their second in 14 years — and there was an unmistakable sense of momentum surrounding the program.