Headed for induction?
Former Oklahoma State defensive end Leslie O’Neal and head coach Jimmy Johnson were two of 27 names announced as semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.
Through the middle of the season, Oklahoma State cornerbacks A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams had begun to establish themselves as reliable defenders in their first year as starters.
But both faced struggles in last week’s loss to Kansas State, which could be attributed to a couple of things.
For one, the Cowboys have lost both of their second-string cornerbacks. Madre Harper was kicked off the team and Adrian Baker left the squad.
“We had a couple guys who didn't fall into culture here,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “So if they can't fall into the culture, they can't be here. I don't like that, but that's why we're in the position we're in.”
To boost the depth, the Cowboys moved senior Darius Curry from safety to cornerback, a position he played earlier in his career. Still, Green and Williams were on the field nearly every defensive snap.
“A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams are tired. Tre Flowers is tired, even though he got a little bit of a break Saturday,” Gundy said. “The flip side is that everybody is tired, so they’ve got to find a way to practice, work hard.
“They got caught looking at the backfield Saturday. That was a bigger issue than fatigue, in my opinion.”
Leslie O’Neal, Jimmy Johnson on Hall of Fame list
Former Oklahoma State defensive end Leslie O'Neal and head coach Jimmy Johnson were two of 27 names announced as semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018.
It is the fifth consecutive year that Johnson has been a semifinalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while O'Neal, who has been eligible for induction since 2005, was named a semifinalist for the first time.
Johnson coached at Oklahoma State from 1979-83, and began his pro football coaching career with the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 before going on to win two Super Bowl titles.
O'Neal had a dominant career in Stillwater, setting numerous team records. The Little Rock, Arkansas, native ranks first in Oklahoma State history with 34.0 career sacks and his 14.0 sacks in 1984 remain the best single-season total by a Cowboy.
After leaving OSU, O'Neal was selected eighth overall in the 1986 NFL Draft by the Chargers. In eight seasons with the Chargers, O'Neal finished as the team's career leader with 105.5 sacks.
He would play two with the St. Louis Rams and two with the Kansas City Chiefs to finish his career with 132.5 career sacks.
A list of 15 finalists will be announced in early January, and a selection committee will vote in four to eight new members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Feb. 3, 2018.
Washington a semifinalist for Campbell Award
Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington is a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
Washington has 1,317 receiving yards through 11 games, making him one of only three players in Big 12 history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in three different seasons, along with OSU's Rashaun Woods and Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award is presented annually to college football’s top offensive player who was born in Texas, graduated from a Texas high school or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year university.