'My strength is coming downhill': Running back Ollie Gordon sees like an ideal fit at Oklahoma State
Scott WrightOklahoman
STILLWATER — Ollie Gordon watched Oklahoma State running back Jaylen Warren this season and saw a version of himself.
A very different-looking version of himself.
Warren is 5-foot-8 and 215 pounds, while Gordon is 6-foot-2 and 205.
So they’re not built the same, by any stretch of the imagination. Yet their running styles have some commonality.
“My strength is coming downhill and running through defenders and arm tackles,” said Gordon, a senior at Euless (Texas) Trinity High School who plans to sign with Oklahoma State on Wednesday. “I like the way OSU runs everything. Whenever Warren was in, he ran downhill great, and when they subbed their other backs in, they ran downhill great, too.”
Gordon is one of four OSU commitments who are rated as four-star prospects, and one of two who are ranked in the top 150 of Rivals.com’s player ratings. Edmond Santa Fe receiver Talyn Shettron is No. 78 on the list, with Gordon at 143.
Oklahoma State identified him early in the recruiting process and stuck on him. He has been committed since February, and the coaches’ focus on showing their desire to bring him in was a critical factor in the recruiting process.
“They kept in contact with me,” Gordon said. "They talked to me the majority of the week, almost every week after they offered. They didn’t just offer and ghost.”
Gordon was a dominant force for Trinity, rushing for 2,376 yards and 35 touchdowns on 225 carries over 12 games, with averages of 10.6 yards per carry and 198.0 yards per game. He even played some quarterback, completing 14 of 28 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite his superstar status at Trinity, Gordon remains grounded, which makes him a good fit for the culture at OSU.
“Ollie’s a great kid,” said Trinity running backs coach Damian Norris, who has coached Gordon since seventh grade. “He’s very passionate, very humble. He’s got a good heart. He’s an outstanding student and he works hard. He’s a great kid to be around. He’s fun and real enjoyable. You can have fun with him, but he also knows when it’s time to get serious and get after it. He has no ego. Everything about him is great.
“He has a job. He works. He’s great with the younger kids. You wouldn’t think that he has all this stuff going on with him, because he just seems like an ordinary kid playing football.”
When Gordon gets the football in his hands, he’s anything but ordinary.
“He’s got a lot of football intelligence,” Norris said. “He’s very smart, can pick up things. He’s tough and he has great vision. He can see, and does things that a lot of times, we’re like, ‘Wow, OK, didn’t see that coming.’ But he’s able to do it.
“We moved him around a lot to different positions and he’s able to pick it up and figure it out.”
Before he arrives at OSU next summer, Gordon wants to add some weight to his frame. But for now, he’s just focused on the signing his letter of intent on Wednesday.
“I’m really excited,” Gordon said. “I think I’m just ready to start that next journey.”
