Five Seniors on Offense OSU is Going to Miss Most in 2018

It’s been a fun ride. Alas, we must say goodbye to 23 Oklahoma State players.

It’s going to be weird next season not to see some of these guys in orange and black when the Cowboys take the field. While most of the seniors on the team have made an impact at some point in their careers, there are a few players the team, and fans, are really going to miss.

Mason Rudolph and James Washington

It’s hard not to put these two together. Ever since they released a video together announcing they would be returning for their senior years, Mason Rudolph and James Washington have been linked as the leaders and heroes of the team.

From the first time the two connected for a touchdown, in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Baylor game, to now, the Cowboy football program has been placed on the backs of these two dynamic players.

They’re as dynamic a duo as Weeden2Blackmon, Robinson2Dez, and Thurman&Barry.

Combined, the two connected on 203 passes, 3,968 yards and 32 touchdowns. Of Rudolph’s career stats, Washington accounted for 22 percent of his completions, 29 percent of his yards, and 34 percent of his touchdown passes.

Mason Rudolph	915 comp	13,618 yds	92 TDs
James Washington	203 rec	3,968 yds	32 TDs
Percentage	22.18%	29.13%	34.8%

I look forward to the career highlight video that comes out after this season.

Best Play

Each had their own bright moments this year.

For Rudolph, it had to be the game winning touchdown he ran (!!!) into the end zone against Texas Tech late in the fourth quarter in Lubbock.

For Washington…

It was the only real bright spot in the loss to TCU this year, but it was a great one.

Brad Lundblade

As much as Washington’s career is linked to Rudolph’s, Brad Lundblade’s is even more so. The center got his first OSU start in the same game as Rudolph; on the road at Baylor in 2014.

Since that day, Lundblade has only missed two games in his career (and he was greatly missed in both). The relationship between a quarterback and center can’t be overstated.

“I don’t think there are very many quarterbacks and centers in college football that have been through as many games together as we have,” Lundblade in an article with The Oklahoman. “It gives us a special bond. We’ve been through a lot together on the field.

The former walk-on anchored a line that showed real improvement each and every season. As great as he was on the field, he’s been even better off of it. Lundblade was an academic All-Big 12 and academic All-American this season, and a Campbell Award finalist.

On the downside, whoever plays QB next year will have to do so without the experience and leadership of Lundblade anchoring the line. On the plus side, they’ll be able to form a new relationship like the one Rudolph and Lundblade enjoyed for the last three-plus years.

Marcel Ateman

In the words of Dorothy Gail, “I’ll miss you most of all scarecrow.”

Seriously, as great as Washington is, and as excited as I am to watch Stoner and Johnson next season, I (and all OSU fans) am going to miss watching Marcell Ateman make GAM  plays on the field for the Cowboys.

He finished the season No. 2 in every receiving category for OSU including receptions, yards, TDs, and yards per catch.

In his final season, Ateman became Rudolph’s go-to guy when the Cowboys absolutely needed a completion on third down.

Best Plays

I would suggest watching this awesome senior highlight video. Ateman made so many amazing plays this season, but there’s one that stands out above the others.

Zachary Crabtree

Crabtree, an All-Big 12 selection this season, and OSU’s starting right tackle, has more than 40 career starts and is the most experienced offensive lineman in the conference.

His playing career started against Florida State in 2014 and ended against a fellow ACC team in Virginia Tech.

He will be sorely missed. Despite the difficulties O-line during his tenure, and playing for four different OL coaches during his career, Crabtree has been the best on the line for the last two seasons. Similar to Lundblade, he was sorely missed in the TCU game earlier this year.

I’d be shocked if was wasn’t at least a late-round NFL draft pick this April.

Other Seniors leaving:

Chris Lacy (WR), Cole McKnight (WR), Dawson Bassett (CW), Larry Williams (OL)*, Zachary Crabtree (OL), Shane Richards (OL), Aaron Cochran (OL)

*Williams missed most of the year after suffering a season-ending injury and may be eligible to request a medical hardship waiver.