Rashod Owens' versatility is key for OSU football. He needs to 'stop eating the biscuits.'
Jacob UnruhThe Oklahoman
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State wide receiver Rashod Owens likes to joke he can always give the running backs a breather.
Owens did play running back some at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio. At OSU, he’s been a receiver and a tight end.
So, why not?
“It’s actually kind of funny that you brought that up,” Owens said.
That nearly happened.
Ten months ago, Owens was nearly a running back for one game. The redshirt junior practiced as a running back for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to provide depth for a depleted backfield.
“Just in case Ollie (Gordon II) or Jaden Nixon went down,” Owens said with a smile.
It’s certainly not crazy to believe that Owens would be successful carrying the football. This is the redshirt junior who has become the Cowboys’ Swiss Army knife entering Saturday's game against No. 24-ranked Kansas.
He arrived as a receiver and bounced around, moved to Cowboy back last season while bulking up and then moved back to receiver this year while attempting to trim down. And he remains a high-intelligence player with savvy veteran experience.
That was on display in last week’s 29-21 upset of Kansas State when Owens started at receiver for injured De’Zhaun Stribling and caught a season-best five passes for 74 yards, yet again showing his value.
And with Stribling out for the rest of the season, look for Owens to remain a key part of the Cowboys’ improving offense.
“He’s got a lot of experience,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “So, the game doesn’t get too big for him. It hasn’t because he’s been out there and been through it. Experience, I think, is a valuable commodity at any position.”
Owens has played in 31 games with the Cowboys. He’s started nine times.
But there has been no consistent position. Versatility is what defines Owens.
He arrived in Stillwater in 2020 as an outside receiver, playing in the final four games of the season while maintaining his redshirt status.
In 2021, he moved to the slot and played in 10 games — starting five — while catching 17 passes.
Last season, he was tasked with yet another move. And body change.
Early in the season, the Cowboys switched Owens to tight end — then known as a Cowboy back — and asked him to add weight to his 6-foot-2 frame.
“We swole his butt up to 235,” OSU offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn said.
Owens caught just six passes but had a 41-yard reception in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
“Just trying to help the team be as best as we can be and play wherever they need me to play,” Owens said.
This season, that means he’s back at wide receiver, this time trying to cut weight while helping the team.
Owens said he’s down to around 225 pounds. He still eats like a tight end but he works harder to burn the calories and sweat. He just wants to maintain a healthy weight for the position and keep his speed.
But it’s challenging.
“Now, I’m on him to try to stop eating the biscuits and get down to 218,” Dunn said. “But he moves well and I’m really, really happy for the kid.”
Wherever Owens has played, he’s found success. He delivers big plays when needed. He’s reliable.
“He's big, he's fast and he's smart,” OSU receiver Brennan Presley said. “I think people really underestimate how much brain power it really takes. It's not just big guys out there, just running around playing.
“He's smart enough to recognize the rules of the game. He's smart enough to recognize things on the fly in the game. Route-running techniques and how to get open. Little stuff like that. I think his size with his mentality, that's what really separates him, as far as what he can do on the field.”
Owens is up to nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown — which came at Iowa State — this season. He’s really connected with quarterback Alan Bowman, too.
Owens has likely finally settled on a position, at least for the rest of this season. And the numbers might not explode off the page, but they will be important.
“For the percentage of times that we’ve targeted him and asked him to do stuff, he’s been pretty successful,” Gundy said. “He hasn’t gotten a lot of those opportunities … but based on the per capita, for lack of a better term, the times we’ve asked him to do something, he’s been pretty successful.”
Jacob Unruh covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoma
