‘He Was the Best Defensive End Here’: Oliver Aware He Is Chasing Down Leslie O’Neal’s Sack Record

STILLWATER — Collin Oliver started his fourth season of chasing down quarterbacks on Saturday, but he’s also chasing down a record.

Oliver moved ever closer to Leslie O’Neal’s Oklahoma State career sack record in the Cowboys’ 44-20 win against South Dakota State. Oliver sacked SDSU quarterback Mark Gronowski in the third quarter, bringing Oliver’s career sack total to 23.5 in his career — 10.5 away from the record O’Neal set. The record has stood O’Neal finished his college career in 1985.

“Oh yeah — I’m not gonna lie, I was aware of (the record),” Oliver said. “Leslie O’Neal, he’s the GOAT. He was the best defensive end here. His sack record has held for a long time. It’s definitely been on my mind — not too much — but a sack a game will get me there. But at the end of the day, all I wanna do is win. All I want to do is win.”

A cool aspect of this record getting chased down now: the Cowboys are honoring O’Neal next week by putting him in the Ring of Honor. O’Neal will be just the fifth player in OSU’s Ring of Honor (joining Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore and Terry Miller). O’Neal will be the first defensive player in the ring. For those (like myself) who were too young to witness O’Neal’s dominance in the 1980s, he played at OSU from 1982 to 1985, where he was a two-time All-American. The San Diego Chargers took him with the eighth overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL through 1999, wracking up 132.5 pro sacks. He made the Pro Bowl on six occasions.

But O’Neal isn’t the only player Oliver will have to track down to wrangle that record. Emmanuel Ogbah (2012-15), Rodney Harding (1981-84) and Jason Gildon (1990-93) also stand in Oliver’s way.

Oliver would need 11.5 sacks this season to tie O’Neal. That’s a lot of sacks, but it’s a feat Oliver has conquered before. He hit 11.5 exactly as a true freshman during OSU’s Fiesta Bowl-winning 2021 season. Oliver’s sack totals haven’t reached those heights since, recording five in 2022 and six last season, but there is reason to believe this is possible. After spending last season as a linebacker, Oliver is back to playing more of an edge role in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, Oliver spent 55 of his 59 snaps against South Dakota State on the defensive line, where he earned the highest grade of any OSU defender with a 75.8. He was also credited with five quarterback hurries Saturday.

Although Oliver had a great day on the edge, OSU coach Mike Gundy said there could be times this season Oliver returns to linebacker, but the heavy-set looks the Jackrabbits were showing called for Oliver to be where he was. Where he plays doesn’t seem to be too big a concern for Oliver.

“I enjoyed it,” Oliver said. “I enjoyed every minute of it. I’ll enjoy any position I’m playing as long as it’s for the team and it’s good for the team. That’s just my mindset. That’s how I’ve always thought.”

The sack list isn’t the only one Oliver is climbing. His two tackles for loss Saturday moved him up to fourth all time in that stat. Oliver is up to 40.5 tackles for loss in his career. He’ll probably have a tough time catching Gildon’s record of 63, but O’Neal is in second with 47 TFLs — well within Oliver’s grasp.

And with his quintet of quarterback hurries Saturday, Oliver is already the all-time leader in that stat in OSU history. He entered the season tied in first in QB hurries with Ogbah, so Oliver should put some distance between himself and the field as this season rolls on.

Cowboy fans, you’re witnessing who could become the most statistically dominant pass rusher in OSU’s history.