Owens Had to Wait, Had to be Patient, but His Time has Come

STILLWATER – Sometimes people on the outside don’t always know what happens and why it happens. A football team is absolutely a product of the process. Part of that process is recruiting and how guys get to a certain school and into a certain program. There is the offseason and what happens in the weight room and what happens in the early morning hours on Friday with stadium (step) runs. Certainly, there is practice, lots of practice and how players prove to coaches that their time has come. That part of the process is ongoing as Oklahoma State started week three of spring football on Tuesday, April 9. 

San Antonio Express-News

Owens in track and field in high school.

Rashod Owens has been around a while. The 6-2, 210-pound receiver from Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas ran for over 1,500-yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior. He was primarily a running back. He was more of a receiver as a junior at Roosevelt. He was a big-time basketball player and track and field athlete that had the best triple jump in the state of Texas as a junior, He was the San Antonio Express News Athlete of the Year in the city for 2019-20 prep school year.

Still, Oklahoma State didn’t know what they had. He shuffled from receiver to Cowboy back and then back to receiver. In the 2023 season, the Cowboys figured it out on Owens.

“He had 64 catches, right? Bowl game MVP and played really good, and blocked really well on the perimeter and started the year as a third-team guy,” Gundy profiled Owens 2023 season. “When we took him, basically on signing day four and a half years ago he was not a highly recruited player. We ended up bringing him in and he has developed with repetitions. It is really a good story because if you don’t let him play then you’re never going to know how good he can be.”

On Tuesday before practice Gundy mentioned Owens in a group of veteran players that he has asked to practice as hard as they ever have. He wants them to show the younger players the way. That is not a problem for Owens. Up until last fall that was a necessity and the reason he is the player of stature that he is at Oklahoma State and in college football.

Before the Owens’ breakthrough, I had an opinion, but that’s not my job. Owens had an opinion too, but more than that he had patience.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Owens big catch vs. Houston.

“Not at all, people can think the way that they think, but at the end of the day I’m here to help my teammates and help this team to be successful,” Owens said of his tenure and what trait eventually helped him become “the guy” last season. “I’m going to give max effort no matter what and the team is going to give me the same. They can see the energy that I’m giving and how much effort that I’m giving, and it translates around the whole team.”

“A lot of times at this level sometimes guys never get a chance because somebody will come in with better numbers, running, jumping, things that might be more appealing to the eye than the actual game,” Gundy said. “It’s good that he got his chance because now we know we have a proven player at this level.”

Proven to the point that after his 64 catches for 895-yards and five touchdowns including his 10 receptions for 164-yards and two touchdowns in the 31-23 TaxAct Texas Bowl win over Texas A&M.

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Owens with his MVP trophy in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

“It was just a blessing. It was a fun game and I just love that everybody had trust in me. Everybody played a great game and I’m truly grateful everything went down that way,” Owens said.

That smile and trophy ceremony is etched in my mind forever because it was so fun to see it happen for a guy that worked so hard, so diligently to make it happen. Now, Owens is a guy the younger receivers watch. Tykie Andrews, who is doing well this spring and Cam Heard and Jalen Pope know Owens is a great example of what to do to get on the field.

“Most definitely, they have been open ears and we’ve got guys that have been here a few minutes, there are veterans in the room, and they can watch and learn and critique their game off of me, BP (Presley) or Stribling or anybody,” Owens said as he has felt those eyes watching. “They need to pay attention and learn to help them get themselves on the field.”

Again, just keep watching No. 10 because he is a great example.