Why Oklahoma State football players think Cole Birmingham is 'gonna have a big year'
Scott WrightThe Oklahoman
STILLWATER — Cole Birmingham’s rollercoaster career seems to be back on the incline.
Oklahoma State’s redshirt senior offensive lineman emerged as a starter at the beginning of the 2020 season, but was injured before halftime of the opening game, returning only for the bowl game that December.
In 2021, he was back in the starting lineup, eventually settling at left tackle, where he anchored the line during a 12-2 season.
With a strong year behind him, he looked to 2022 as a chance to elevate himself even further, but a torn ACL late in spring practice wiped out any hope of seeing the field last fall.
Now, hoping his injury woes are behind him, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound product of Katy, Texas, is back in contention for a starting job.
Birmingham has extensive knowledge of injury rehabilitation processes, whether it was from the multiple ligaments he tore in his left ankle or the ACL in his right knee. He just hopes he doesn’t have to add any more such knowledge.
“With the ankle, the initial injury when it happened hurt a lot more than the knee, which is so weird,” he said. “But after getting out of surgery, there’s nothing more painful than the knee. I mean, it hurt so bad. But it was good after a few weeks.”
Birmingham’s teammates like what they’ve seen in preseason camp, knowing Birmingham could be the guy asked to protect the blindside of Alan Bowman or Garret Rangel.
“He’s gonna have a big year this year,” said fellow redshirt senior Preston Wilson, who appears to be the Pokes’ likely starter at right guard. “This is gonna be his year to make his comeback and get the comeback he deserves, because nobody wants an injury and you feel for a guy that works hard like he does.
“He’s due for a good year.”
The offensive line two-deep will include all five recruits from the 2019 class, Birmingham, Wilson, Joe Michalski, Taylor Miterko and walk-on Jake Springfield.
Michalski looks settled at center, with Springfield back at his regular spot of right tackle. Miterko and Wilson have been competing at right guard.
But all of them are excited to see Birmingham back with the group.
“He’s been so persistent through that injury,” Miterko said. “I really applaud him for it, because that’s a tough injury to come back from. He’s been a trooper. He does extra therapy at home. He’s doing everything he can to stay healthy.”
Last year, Jason Brooks Jr. became one of the team’s most consistent blockers, particularly in the run game, and will be at left guard next to Birmingham. Despite having not played next to each other in a game, they quickly found common ground when they began to work together in spring.
“It was cool getting to play next to him in the spring,” Brooks said. “I got to learn a whole bunch of stuff he already knew, because he’s run this offense plenty of times and he’s been here way before me. I was still learning from him all spring and it really helped me a lot.”
Birmingham is competing with newcomer Dalton Cooper, the transfer from Texas State, who missed parts of spring because of injury.
At the same time, Birmingham was trying to get back into contact after nearly a full year off.
“I was a little tentative, slow-playing it a little bit, just regaining confidence,” Birmingham said. “Once I got the confidence back, it was solid. It was more in my head than my body.”
Birmingham says he has focused heavily on improving his flexibility, which should improve his agility for the Cowboys’ new blocking schemes that will lean more on traditional power blocking. That will include pull blocks that require the linemen to move quickly to open a hole.
“I like it a lot more,” Birmingham said. “It allows us to play more powerful, more downhill. Pulling, I like pulling, so I love that we have tackle pulls in. That’s fun. But it allows us to play faster football.”
Oklahoma State offensive line depth chart
Name, Class, Ht., Wt., Hometown (Previous school)The starters
- Cole Birmingham, RSr., 6-5, 325, Katy, Texas
- Jason Brooks Jr., RJr., 6-4, 298, Houston (Vanderbilt)
- Joe Michalski, RSr., 6-4, 303, Kansas City, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
- Preston Wilson, RSr., 6-5, 295, Argyle, Texas
- Jake Springfield, RSr., 6-5, 323, Flower Mound, Texas
- Dalton Cooper, RSr., 6-7, 311, Prague (Texas State)
- Davis Dotson, RFr., 6-6, 301, Tulsa (Berryhill)
- Austin Kawecki, RFr., 6-5, 281, Frisco, Texas (Lebanon Trail)
- Taylor Miterko, RSr., 6-6, 296, Carlsbad, New Mexico
- Noah McKinney, RFr., 6-5, 317, Henderson, Nevada (UNLV)
- Calvin Harvey, RFr., 6-8, 345, Houston (Ridge Point)
- Jake Henry, RJr., 6-4, 290, Tulsa (Union)
