Steve Sarkisian praises Ollie Gordon: 'He can take it the distance'

Ollie Gordon II will be on Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s mind this week. During an appearance on SportsCenter, Sarkisian praised the Oklahoma State running back ahead of his team’s matchup against the Cowboys.

“I love Ollie Gordon,” Sarkisian said. “I love the way that he plays. He’s a big, physical back, and they utilize him out of the pistol and he runs downhill. But, the thing that he also has is big playability. When he gets in the open field, he can take it the distance.”

Gordon’s numbers speak for themselves. The sophomore RB averages 131.7 rushing yards per game, the most in the nation. He isn’t afraid to reward himself for his hard work. Gordon also boasts 20 touchdowns this season, the second-most in the country, trailing only Michigan’s Blake Corum.

Despite Gordon’s outlandish statistics, he will have a chip on his shoulder in the Big 12 Championship. Gordon only rushed for 13 yards on four carries against Texas last season. Sarkisian hopes his team can replicate its success from the 2022 campaign.

Steve Sarkisian details game plan against Ollie Gordon

“We’ve got to do a great job with GAP integrity,” Sarkisian said. “We got to do a really good job on the line of scrimmage. Then, if he does get out, we’ve got to do a good job of tackling in the secondary to get him on the ground.”

Gordon isn’t the only one with an impressive resumé. Texas’ defense has been stellar this season against the ground game. The Longhorns allow just 85 rushing yards per game, ranking No. 4 in the FBS.

Texas’ nearly impenetrable defense is largely due to its dynamic duo upfront: T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy knows for Gordon to see even an inch of open field, his front five must handle Texas’ terrifying pair.

“We can double team them some,” Gundy said on Monday. “Let the widest guy go and double team them, and let that guy try to run and make a tackle. And, we can do what we’ve done the last 15 years, which is block ’em. See, you gotta block a 3-technique, not necessarily a 3-technique that has that uniform on. Go block ’em.”

Gundy’s had success in the past. Oklahoma State has won the last two matchups against Texas, most recently defeating the Longhorns 41-34 last season. With Gordon by his side, he hopes to repeat history. Nonetheless, Sarkisian will be ready.

Texas and Oklahoma State will square off at noon ET on Saturday in the Big 12 Championship. The game will be broadcast on ABC.