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Gundy Made the Right Choice in Henson After Much Change at OL Coach

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What is most impressive about Oklahoma State’s newest offensive line coach, Josh Henson, is the deserved praise he’s receiving, despite what he hasn’t done yet for the Cowboys: coached in a game.

Henson was hired in early February, taking over for Greg Adkins, who took over for Bob Connelly, who took over for Joe Wickline. For scope of the turnover the offensive line coach position has had, senior right tackle Zach Crabtree has been at OSU for all four of those coaching stints in Stillwater. Four coaches in five years. That’s a lot.

Finally though, Gundy has hired someone who will work hard, have success and stay. Although the second check box on that list hasn’t been proven, Crabtree endorsed it whole-heartedly.

“His knowledge is unbelievable,” Crabtree said. “I’m learning something new every day I go in there right now.”

Crabtree has been at OSU since 2014 so it’s impressive that he is still learning and perhaps even more impressive that he’s learning from so much from someone as relatively young as Henson is. Henson has the patience needed to deal with a group of twenty-somethings, Crabtree said.

“But at the same time, he has no problem jumping on you if you’re gonna make a mistake and going off on you,” Crabtree said.

Crab said those traits make Henson an ideal coach and “a guy you wanna play for.” That’s when players are at their best, he said. All of that comes more naturally because Henson has been through everything the current Cowboys are going through. He played at OSU, too, from 1994-97.

Because of Henson’s wealth of experience in Stillwater, Crabtree said that “absolutely” brings something different that the previous offensive line coaches did not have.

“When you’ve got a guy that’s done it, no doubt, there’s another sense of pride that he’s been here and now he’s back,” Crabtree said.

That’s only half of the story of Henson’s early success in his newest role at OSU though. His pick ups on the recruiting trail have been fast and furious.

Within the first four months in office, Henson had earned five offensive line commits. In last year’s class, Adkins signed just one.

It’s unlikely Henson keeps up this pace into the 2019 class and beyond, simply because of scholarship distribution. But through his six-month review, he has undoubtedly proven his worth, ability and loyalty to a program and a position that has desperately needed exactly that for years.

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