How a Former OU Coach Helped Solidify Oklahoma State’s 2017 Defense

Oklahoma State needed a cornerback. Badly. Mike Gundy knew it. Bob Stoops knew it. We all knew it. To start the spring, Gundy even threw it out there publicly.

“We’ve got to get a couple of corners,” said Gundy. “We need to get a couple of guys that we trust that can play. We’re going to play multiple guys, but at some points we need to get a couple of guys in there in key situations that are fresh that you trust because you’ve got to be able to cover a little bit in this league. We’ve got to develop some guys.”

One of the guys Gundy will trust come September is Clemson transfer Adrian Baker. He will be a graduate transfer this fall with eligibility to play right away. We have driven this point into the ground, but snagging Baker from Dabo Swinney’s hands was a massive coup for Gundy as he eyes Big 12 title No. 2 this fall.

But why Oklahoma State for Baker? What was in it for him? As it turns out, a former Oklahoma coach pointed him in the direction of Stillwater because he knew the situation.

“They were completely supportive,” Clemson defensive tackle Scott Pagano who transferred to Oregon told ESPN of their coaching staff. “It really helped the process with them being so supportive.”

“It was very similar to high school,” Baker added to ESPN. “They called, texted. People hit me up on Instagram.”

I’ll let Jake Trotter take it from here as he reveals how former OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables assisted Baker in his efforts.

It was a conversation with Venables, however, that helped Baker narrow his list.

“He told me which schools were good, which would be a good fit,” Baker said. “He said [Oklahoma State] was similar to Clemson, that they treat players the right way, that they believe in the right things, do stuff the right way.

“He also said that they’d win a lot of ball games.” [ESPN]

What a world. If OSU wins the Big 12 this fall, they’ll partly have a former OU coach to thank. Mike Gundy might ask for $10 million a year in his next deal.

How I expect to see Mike Gundy arrive at Big 12 Media days… #okstate pic.twitter.com/RHwJwFcrFh

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) May 1, 2017