Player Reactions Include a Conspiracy Theory about 1988 Throwbacks

STILLWATER — On Monday, OSU released the 1988 throwback uniforms the teams will wear Saturday for homecoming, but Tuesday, center Johnny Wilson met the early release with some conspiracy.

It’s not too often OSU releases the uniforms it will wear a full week in advance. Sure, Saturday is a special occasion with 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders being a grand marshal for OSU’s homecoming, but Wilson put on his tinfoil hat and said he thinks something is up.

“You never get to see the uniforms until the day of anyways,” Wilson said. “When I saw them early, I was like, ‘Are you sure we’re going to wear these? Are they gonna be something different?’

“I’m betting that something is different. It’s not those exact ones. There’s no way. I doubt it’s going to be the exact same ones they put on Twitter and stuff. … Mark my words. When we come out here and these things are like white or like black that I was the first one to say that it wasn’t going to be the same jerseys.”

It wouldn’t be the first time a bait-and-switch was pulled on uniforms. In 2016, to Cowboys debuted the paisley helmets after warming up in a different one.

Budding star wide receiver Tylan Wallace said he wasn’t expecting the throwbacks and called them one of the best uniforms OSU has. When Wallace heard about Wilson’s conspiracy, he said he could see something like that happening.

“I think so too, honestly,” Wallace said. “They like to try and hide things until the last minute for us, so I wouldn’t be surprised if something was changed.”

Wilson said he didn’t see pictures of the uniforms until Tuesday despite news OSU releasing the video about them Monday. News circulated about the uniforms throughout the defensive line fairly quickly. Enoch Smith said fellow defensive tackle Brendon Evers sent him a picture of the uniforms Monday morning.

“They’re pretty dope,” Smith said. “I looked at them, I was like, ‘Woah.’ It’s pretty neat.”

OSU quarterback Taylor Cornelius hasn’t seen much of the throwback threads, but Tuesday, placid as ever, Cornelius gave them his seal of approval.

“I like ’em,” Cornelius said. “I heard the number was big on the back of the helmet. I just saw a small picture, but they’re cool.”