Nice Honors for Oklahoma State Asst. Coaches in Joe Bob Clements and John Wozniak
STILLWATER – In the postscript period of the 10-4 season for Oklahoma State in 2023 we are still running across honors for the Cowboys. You know that Mike Gundy was voted the Big 12 Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the Big 12 Conference. It makes sense that some of his staff would get some recognition as well. Linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Joe Bob Clements and running backs coach John Wozniak were both awarded top coach at their postions in the Big 12 Conference by Our Coaching Network, a football coaching community on social media.
Wozniak in season 25 as a college coach and year seven at Oklahoma State was named the Running Backs Coach of the Year in the Big 12. Wozniak coached Ollie Gordon II to be the national rushing leader with 1,732-yards and 21 rushing touchdowns this season. Gordon II earned the Doak Walker Award as the top running back in the nation. He was also a unanimous All-American this season. Wozniak has coached outher outstandin running backs like Jaylen Warren, Chuba Hubbard, and Justice Hill. He has coached in his career at LSU, Montana State, Alabama, Southern Miss, and Oklahoma State among other schools.
Joe Bob Clements was named the Big 12 Linebackers Coach of the Year by Our Coaching Network and the veteran of 25 years of coaching and 11 seasons at Oklahoma State. Clements has spent time coaching the defensive line in addition now to his move to linebackers. This year he mentored the leading tackler in the Big 12 in Nick Martin with 140 tackles, Collin Oliver with73 stops, and Xavier Benson with 65 tackles.
Martin had Oliver both had six sacks each this season. Oliver had four fumbles forced this season to lead the Big 12. In the Texas Bowl win Benson forced a key fumble and Martin recovered that A&M miscue.
Clements, a former walk-on defensive end at Kansas State, has coached players like Emanuel Ogbah, Jordan Brailford, Jimmy Bean, and Calvin Barnett.
Unfortunately, those were the only coaches honored. Offensive line coach Charlie Dickey did a heckuva job as did offensive coordinator and receivers coach Kasey Dunn.
Footballscoop.com also honors coaches with national awards at his position and they did not have any Oklahoma State coaches as finalists at any positions and Clements and Wozniak certainly deserved it.