Ollie Gordon Named Offensive Player of the Week, Draws Keith Toston Comparison

Many of Oklahoma State’s running backs over recent seasons have been more of the scatback mold — that doesn’t exactly fit with Ollie Gordon.

Gordon was named the Big 12’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week after his 168 rushing yards, 116 receiving yards and two touchdown day against Kansas. Gordon shares the award with TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, who threw for 439 yards and four touchdowns against BYU.

At 6-foot-1 (some people argue he is taller), 211 pounds, Gordon is quite a bit different than a 5-10 Justice Hill or a blazing speed Chuba Hubbard or a 5-8 Jaylen Warren. OSU coach Mike Gundy said Monday you have to go back to 2009 for a Cowboy comparison for Gordon: Keith Toston.

“He’s a lot like Toston,” Gundy said. “He and Toston play the game very similar. If Ollie continues to develop himself mentally — Keith was a very tough, physical football player, mentally and physically. Ollie has the same advantages if he continues to develop.”

Listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds, Toston played in Stillwater from 2006 to 2009. He ran for 2,725 yards and 27 touchdowns in his OSU career. As a senior, he had 1,218 yards and 11 scores on the way to an All-Big 12 First Team nod. That season rushing total ranks 18th in program history, just ahead of Warren’s 2021 season. The best game in Toston’s career came in Ames, when he rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns in 2009.

Both Gordon and Toston also rocked single-digit jersey numbers, too, with Toston wearing No. 5 and Gordon No. 0.

Gordon is up to 534 rushing yards, 256 receiving yards and five total touchdowns in his true sophomore season. Thus far in his career, Gordon has ran for at least 120 yards in every game he has gotten at least 15 carries.

“He’s developed, he’s growing, he’s unselfish,” Gundy said. “Early in the year, he wasn’t getting the carries that he wanted, and we weren’t run blocking very well for him at that time. Instead of backing off and being selfish, he went the other direction. He continued to lead our team. He worked really hard in practice and let us know, ‘If you give me the ball, I’ll take advantage of it.’ But he did it in a very mature, team-oriented way.

“When young people handle themselves that way, they’ll generally do better as they move forward. His mental approach has been really important to what he’s displayed on the field recently because he’s not worried about things that he can’t control. He can’t block for himself, and he can’t call plays for himself. He just needs to execute when he’s involved in the play, and that’s what he’s done.”

Big 12 Weekly Aways for Oct. 16

Offense: Josh Hoover, TCU, QB, Fr. and Ollie Gordon II, OSU, RB, So.
Defense: Kobe Savage, K-State, S, Sr.
Newcomer: Avery Johnson, K-State, QB, Fr.
Special Teams: Chase Contreraz, ISU, K, Sr.