Richardson Toughs Out Ankle and Shows He's Rushing Force
STILLWATER – Okay, Spencer Sanders was fabulous again throwing for 268-yards and two touchdowns and then rushing for 54-yards and another score. The defense came back in a major way in week two, but the Cowboys 34-17 win over Arizona State that on a weird Saturday that helped propel Oklahoma State back into he top 10 in both polls needed something else. Head coach Mike Gundy and offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn had spoke throughout fall camp and right through game one they needed to find that back that would put the hammer down. That means big runs to move the chains in assisting the tempo attack to the end zone and then in the fourth quarter with a lead would allow the Cowboys to run the minutes off the clock to put away wins. The thought was it would be Dominic Richardson, but Saturday night in the rain Richardson gave the answer.
"He did blossom tonight, he really did,” Gundy said of Richardson, who had a career high 27 carries for 131-yards, no lost yards all night. ”That's the type of running back he is, and he averaged 4.9 yards a carry, ran through some tackles, and did a good job of taking care of the football. Dominic played well in the second half particularly."
"He played really well versus TCU last year so that's the guy that every time he takes the field, I expect to see,” added Dunn in speaking to the media. “He's got to be the guy for us."
Speaking to Richardson in front of his locker in the Oklahoma State dressing room, I told him that a lot of people, me included, had been saying that the “bell cow” running back had to reveal himself. The fact that Richardson played the way he did and then did it in the second half where he had 12 carries for 59-yards after being examined and treated for an ankle injury. He toughed it out.
“They just asked me if I was good, and I said I was ready to go,” Richardson said of halftime. “I had to fight through it. It was a little ankle injury and I have to fight through it. I need to be out there for my team and I was ready to go.”
Yes, he was and now Oklahoma State realizes they have another offensive force that can operate and make progress on offense without Sanders having to do anything other than hand Richardson the football.
That is a critical factor and it will impact Oklahoma State opponents throughout the rest of the season. The key will be to keep that duo healthy throughout the season.
“What I do now is make sure we are physically and Mentally tough,” Gundy told me afterwards. “We were tonight (against Arizona State) and a big reason we were was Dominic Richardson.”