Practice Report: Richardson In Charge in Running Back Room

STILLWATER – Just two practices to go with Thursday at 4 p.m. and the open practice, “The Spring Finale”, on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Saturday practice should not go past 3 p.m. and there will be a time for fans to interact with players after the event on the floor of Boone Pickens Stadium. Wednesday’s practice was similar to the others we’ve seen recently. The offense is still having to go seven-on-seven during team period every third rotation. Spencer Sanders had a good day moving the first offense and he had solid completions to Braydon Johnson, John Paul Richardson and Cowboy back Braden Cassity.

The defensive highlight of the day came when defensive end Collin Oliver, who will be Pokes Report’s guest at our gathering at Bad Brad’s on Saturday at 4 p.m., got loose behind Sanders and slapped the ball free, which was recovered by defensive end Tyler Lacy.

Freshman quarterback Garret Rangel threw for a touchdown hitting fellow freshman Talyn Shettron on a crossing route in the back of the end zone. Both Shettrons, Talyn and brother Tabry at Cowboy back have had good spring practices.

It was a solid day for the running backs as well as Jaden Nixon ran and caught a pass for a score in red zone and score zone work. Freshmen Ollie Gordon and CJ Brown had good plays. Up the middle Dominic Richardson had a tough run for a score for the offense.

Earlier this week in practice Dominic Richardson had burst through the line of scrimmage on a zone run play and popped it to the outside where safety Trey Rucker grabbed on to him and wouldn’t let go. He took Richardson to the ground and rolled him up. The junior tailback out of Oklahoma City Bishop McGuinness limped off the field, but after an examination by trainer Scott Parker, Richardson was back out there toting the rock.

Richardson after two seasons and 629-yards rushing on 123 carries, a 4.8-yards per carry, and seven touchdowns is the man. Dominic Richardson is TB1.That may not be as impactful as QB1, but at Oklahoma State it means a lot.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Richardson is the strongest he’s been in his career.

“It’s different for sure, being the leader of the group,” Richardson started. “It’s a big difference and I used to look up to LD, Chuba, Jaylen and learning from them. I learned a lot from them, actually, just about being a leader and right and wrong. Now being a leader to them (the younger backs) that means a lot to me.”

In that running back room Richardson has red-shirt freshman Jaden Nixon and two brand new freshmen in jumbo back Ollie Gordon and speedy C.J. Brown. Red-shirt sophomore Zach Middleton is Richardson’s class and Andre Washington and Asa Osborn are gifted walk-ons. Richardson is the guy and that means doing things right and doing extra.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Left to right, Richardson, Ollie Gordon (0), and Jaden Nixon (23).

“Working hard everyday at practice and getting home and getting homework out of the way, making the extra time to watch film and watch my plays. (I) just do extra work so I know I’m on top of my game, and I can teach them and not have the wrong answer,” explained Richardson of his routine. “Just the extra time at work and making the time for it.”

Offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn used to be all about the dimes and the freaks catching those big balls. I will never forget Dunn’s smile in the locker room at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field Sept. 16, 2017 after four of his receivers had 100-yard plus days in a 59-21 rout of the Panthers. Now as offensive coordinator Dunn is a lot more about that run game. Richardson is a back the Cowboys need.

“He’s a tough kid and he’s going to hit you and run with his pads down,” Dunn said of Richardson. “He’s a violent runner and you just hope he will hold up throughout the year because he runs so hard. Right now he’s playing with confidence because he’s the guy and he showed that at times last year, and now it’s his turn, next man up.”

Dunn said that Richardson compares favorably with the back that carried the Cowboys last season in Jaylen Warren.

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Richardson going to the end zone.

“Very similar, very similar, he’s a really good fit for what we want to do on offense with some of the read-zone game and the mid-zone game,” Dunn said when asked to compare Richardson to Warren. “We want to be multiple running the football and include the quarterback, but have the power game running the football with the tailback.”

Saturday Cowboy fans will see a more mature Richardson and they will be excited as well about the explosion of Nixon and the newness and power of Gordon and the speed of Brown. Just remember Richardson has prepared and knows what is expected of him.

Before that the Cowboys have one more practice on Thursday night and then Saturday will make 15 and finish the spring.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Alex Hale vs. Kansas State 2020.

One other note and that is a congratulations to kicker Alex Hale, who was awarded the male scholar athlete award at the academic athletic awards banquet this week. Hale is an Applied Exercise Science major. The native of Point Fredrick, New South Wales, Australia is a three-time All-Academic Big 12 award winner.