From Those Who Know Him and the Position Best, What Makes Ollie Gordon So Special at Running Back

STILLWATER — It’s obvious from the stands, press box and even at home on TV, Ollie Gordon is good at football. Noticing that doesn’t take an expert.

Gordon, Oklahoma State’s running back, returns for the 2024 season as the reigning Doak Walker Award winner, which is given to the best running back in the country. He led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards last season as a sophomore. He was second in the country with 21 rushing touchdowns. On top of winning the Doak Walker, Gordon was also an unanimous All-American and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. And the hype has only carried over as the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He’s also on the preseason watch list to win the Doak Walker again. And he’s on the preseason lists for the Maxwell and Walter Camp player of the year awards.

The numbers, accolades and the eye test show Gordon is a great college running back, if not the best in the country at his position. Although the untrained eye can conclude that, so can those most familiar with Gordon and his position. And they understand what makes Ollie Gordon so special.

“Man, if there’s a play to the play side, like A gap or B gap, if it’s not there, this dude Ollie just always finds some type of crease,” OSU running back Sesi Vailahi said. “He’s just crazy. I’m like, ‘Dang, I wouldn’t have expected that or I wouldn’t have seen that.’ He sees everything on the field. Just like learning that, I definitely want to just watch him — watch what he does and apply it to my game and my play style.”

Vailahi sat behind Gordon last season as a freshman. He played little enough to keep his redshirt but will be competing to help take the load off Gordon this season. OSU also brought in Indiana transfer Trent Howland, who is expected to emerge as Gordon’s No. 2 after leading the Hoosiers in rushing last season.

Like Gordon, Howland is considered large at the position. Gordon is listed at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. Howland comes in at 6-3, 240 pounds. For comparison, Vailahi is 5-9, 200 pounds.

Howland has only been around Gordon briefly since transferring after spring practice. But he witnessed from a distance what Gordon accomplished last season. He was impressed enough to move to Stillwater and back Gordon up for a season to learn from Gordon and coach John Wozniak. And it didn’t take long of being close up to realize what made Gordon stand out at their position.

“We have size on us,” Howland said. “He can run, he knows how to break the tackle. It’s hard to take him down. He’s very good at using his hands, keeping his knees high. His running style is just different from backs out there in the Big 12 already, so it’s difficult to bring him down.”