Oklahoma State's Fall Camp Key to Avoiding Another Ollie Gordon Situation

2025 marks the start of a new era in Stillwater, but the Cowboys need to avoid repeating a past mistake.

Over the past few years, Oklahoma State football has been in a tricky situation. After winning 12 games in 2021 and having an electric start in 2022, things began to fall apart as injuries piled up for the Pokes.

The Cowboys’ final few weeks in 2022 had few bright spots except for a 136-outing from freshman Ollie Gordon in a loss to West Virginia to cap the regular season. That performance put Gordon on everyone’s radar ahead of 2023, but his opportunities weren’t always guaranteed.

To begin the 2023 season, Gordon competed with fellow running backs Elijah Collins and Jaden Nixon for carries. After a few weeks of solid play but limited opportunities, Gordon simply asked the coaches for a larger role, and he certainly got it.

Throughout the season’s final few months, Gordon not only emerged as OSU’s top back but also the best running back in the entire country. Leading the nation in rushing and winning the Doak Walker Award, Gordon staked his claim as one of the most talented players in the nation.

While coaches acknowledged that Gordon’s abilities were clear from the start of the season, they weren’t ready to give him that huge role. As the Cowboys enter a potentially transformative year in 2025, they can’t be afraid to give big opportunities to anyone they believe could be a star.

As so many players look to break out and prove their worth in Stillwater, there could be various candidates. Still, OSU’s instinct might still be to give everyone a fair chance, which includes splitting game reps. 

However, OSU can’t afford to simply give reps to veterans because they have more experience if it thinks a younger player could be in for a breakout year. Of course, finding another Ollie Gordon is a dream that almost certainly won’t come true.

In any case, OSU coaches shouldn’t doubt themselves if they see some big-time potential in fall camp because, after all, the Cowboys could use as many games from a breakout star as they can get next season.