Connect with us

Football

Two Defensive Line Coaches Already Paying Dividends for Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Published

on

After the NCAA announced a rule change that would allow schools to add an addition 10th assistant, most (myself included) called for Mike Gundy to turn his attention to special teams to hire a full time coordinator for that group which rated historically bad last season.

Instead, Mike Gundy hired another defensive line coach.

It was a bit of a head-scratcher, especially seeing that OSU has Joe Bob Clements, who has done little but recruit and evaluate quality talent to the D-line during his tenure. OSU has seen a defensive lineman received All-Big 12 honors in each of his five years and it’s been the strength of the Cowboy defense most of those years.

But Mike Gundy did hire former Oklahoma State defensive end Greg Richmond this offseason to be a second defensive line coach. And he’s already shown his value according to one Cowboy veteran.

“It’s nice having two sets of eyes,” said senior edge rusher Cole Walterscheid. “Two voices to listen to and two different opinions to learn better and more efficiently. It’s a great addition and Coach (Greg Richmond) is a great guy and a great coach.”

Mike Gundy concurs. To him it’s a numbers game.

“To go five-and-five,” Gundy said. “Five on offense and five on defense. It becomes a numbers game like everything else we do.

“We’ve got four guys playing that position and one guy coaching them. So now, you break it up. Now, Joe Bob (Clements) can get some help with Greg (Richmond). It was to get more eyes on that position on every snap.”

Richmond, a celebrated recruiter in his own right, also brings his own expertise when it comes to getting after opposing QBs – something that will be crucial as part of Jim Knowles’ aggressive defense philosophy.

“He brings an extra level of intensity,” said Walterscheid.” He played in the league for a few years, so he knows a little extra and it’s very helpful. He really knows his stuff as pass rush goes.”

Most Read

Copyright © 2011- 2023 White Maple Media