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Fer gawds sake, don't mess with the......

weather experts! These wing nuts are sofa king stupid:



According to Rivals

We have 11 players that are 4 stars or better. Has to be the most we’ve ever had on a roster

Bryce Thompson - 5 star
Mousse Cisse - 5 star
Avery Anderson - 4 star
Chris Harris - 4 star
Donovan Williams - 4 star
Woody Newton - 4 star
Tyreke Smith - 4 star
Kalib Boone - 4 star
Rondel Walker - 4 star
MAM - 4 star
Bryce Williams - 4 star
Ice Likekele - 3 star
Bernard Kouma - 3 star
Keylan Boone - 3 star

The significance of what Lincoln Riley has done…

I don’t know if anyone has put it in these terms yet, but what what Lincoln Riley has done is historic in that LR is the first coach to have left the Goons for another college coaching job in 75 years. Every other coach has either retired (Wilkinson, Switzer, and Stoops) or left for the NFL (Chuck Fairbanks).

You have to go back to 1946, when Jim Tatum left OU for Maryland after just one season, to find an OU coach who left OU for another college job. Before that, Biff Jones left OU for Nebraska in 1936 due to - get this - too many dust storms in Oklahoma (players and coaches were often covered with dust after practicing in Jones’ two seasons).

So, for someone to spurn OU for another program the way Riley did is nearly unprecedented.

'Bigger than one man': OSU has kept defensive recruiting class intact after Jim Knowles' departure

'Bigger than one man': OSU has kept defensive recruiting class intact after Jim Knowles' departure​

Scott Wright
Oklahoman

STILLWATER — Officially, Oklahoma State doesn’t have a defensive coordinator or a linebackers coach. But that hasn’t slowed the Cowboys on the recruiting trail the last few days.

On Saturday, OSU added a commitment from a highly regarded junior-college linebacker, Xavier Benson from Tyler (Texas) Junior College, who became the 16th player in the recruiting class and the sixth on the defensive side of the ball.

Equally important, the Cowboy coaching staff, in the aftermath of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles leaving for Ohio State, was able to weather the storm and keep the commitments of the previous five defensive players who had pledged to Oklahoma State.

OSU head coach Mike Gundy and his assistants have been on the road and on the phone, working to make sure those players know where their future stands with the Cowboys.

“When I found out Coach Knowles was leaving, I was a little scared about what was going to happen to the rest of the coaching staff,” said Putnam City North defensive end Jaleel Johnson, who has been committed to the Cowboys since June. “It was disappointing, because I really wanted to play under him.”

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Gundy and defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements visited Johnson at school on Wednesday, then assistant Greg Richmond made an in-home visit to see Johnson on Thursday.

“It’s awesome to know that these coaches care enough about me to come visit my home and my school,” Johnson said. “I really do feel loved at Oklahoma State.”

Defensive graduate assistant Koy McFarland, who helped coach linebackers, has filled in with recruits in Knowles’ absence as well.

“It sucks that (Knowles) left, but I respect his move and understand why,” said Stillwater linebacker Gabe Brown, who has been committed to OSU since September of 2020. “He’s a great guy and I wish I would’ve got to play under him, but the program is bigger than one man. I committed to the Cowboy culture and all of the staff and players there.

“I’ve talked to Coach McFarland about the situation and he basically said that they still wanted me to come play for them and be part of the team, and that’s why he called me first.”

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The other defensive commitments in the class — defensive end Landon Dean, cornerback Cameron Epps and cornerback Dylahn McKinney — have all had in-person visits with Gundy in the past week as well.

“Coach Gundy came and visited me (Wednesday),” said McKinney, from Colleyville, Texas. “And I’m always in touch with my position coach, Coach (Tim) Duffie.

“I’m hoping to have some sort of idea of what the future holds for the defense. I’m an aggressive corner that likes to press and play a lot of man-to-man coverage. It’s one of the reasons I chose Oklahoma State. Coach Duffie reassured me that he has learned everything he could learn from Coach Knowles the past four years, which gives me confidence that we will keep some of those same principles.

“At the end of the day, I trust that Coach Gundy will make the right decision for us as a team.”

Running Back

Who is our running back for next year? The two who played against Baylor are not every down backs. The three freshmen coming in are, well, freshmen and Gordon is not coming til summer. Is the lack of comment because Warren is coming back? His last year of high school was 2016, same as Martin and he redshirted one year, same as Martin.

Some Thoughs

1) Great Season! Tough End. Proud of all!

2) Our interior OL is 6’5 300 and lean they need to be 6’3 315. Huge difference in strength and leverage in those bodies.

3) 4 plays from the 1 yard line. You have to earn it. I’m not upset with the coaches—wish the first 2 plays had more imagination or cowboy backs pushing on a QB sneak. But at the end of the day those 11 players have to come together and earn that 1 yard for a championship.

4) We will be really good next year. Need a portal interior OL and LB.

5) #17 is a starter. Fearless

6) 2023 will be a great recruiting class but I hope they keep the same criteria they use—a lot of good men.

7) Gundy seems motivated and all in—I think he will get us in the playoffs in the next few years. Appreciate him and staff and the way the program runs. Kids graduate, are good citizens, and we aren’t in the news for the wrong reasons.

More honors for Collin Oliver

ESPN Freshmen All-American

Luginbill: Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State

Oliver made the most of his early opportunities, recording five solo tackles (three for loss), two sacks and three hurries in a win over Baylor in his first start. The 10th-rated end in the ESPN 300 tied for seventh in the country with 11.5 sacks and was a disruptive presence off the edge for the Cowboys. His upside is off the charts.

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