Son of Former OU Linebacker Transferring to Oklahoma State

Mike Coats Jr., the son of former University of Oklahoma linebacker Mike Coats Sr., announced he is transferring from Lamar to Oklahoma State. Coats played outside linebacker at Edmond Santa Fe and spent just one season at Lamar but did not play.

He posted the following statement on Twitter.

Most don’t know the whole story, but back in December during Christmas break I went through surgery on my knee for the second time in under 2 months. My family and I believed it was best that I stayed home, not returning to Lamar, to rehab here in the city and transfer to Oklahoma State. I appreciate the Lamar coaching staff, and also thank Mike Gundy and Glenn Spencer for the opportunity they’re giving me to play at OSU.

As a high school prospect, Coats was offered as a preferred walk-on by the OSU coaching staff, but never received a full-ride scholarship to an FBS-level school. Now he will team up again with his hard-hitting high school teammate Calvin Bundage, a rising linebacker in the OSU program.

Because he is transferring from an FCS program to an FBS program, he won’t be required to sit a year as NCAA rules dictate—although his recent surgery history suggests he might require extended time to heal before competing with the Cowboys.