Richards’ redshirt year paying off
Oklahoma State senior offensive lineman Shane Richards is competing for a starting job this spring because of his decision to redshirt last season.
STILLWATER — Shane Richards knows the potential of the opportunity could make all the frustration worth it.
And Richards’ shaking head tells you just how much frustration last season brought.
The Oklahoma State offensive lineman was supposed to be entering his final college football season last August when head coach Mike Gundy and offensive line coach Josh Henson came to him with the idea of using the redshirt year he hadn’t yet needed.
It would give Richards another year to fine-tune his body for Big 12 football. Another year of knowledge to be built. Another year of footwork to be perfected.
“Mentally, at the beginning of the season, it messed with me,” Richards said. “I was thinking this should’ve been my last year. But talking to Coach Gundy and Coach Henson always talking about controlling what I can control.
“At first, all I saw was red for a little bit. I didn’t know what to do. I was mad at the world. But I got over it.”
Richards finds himself in competition for a starting job this spring because of his decision to hang around one more year at OSU. He spent last season listed on the depth chart as the backup right tackle behind Zach Crabtree, and practiced like a second-teamer all season.
“Shane had just as many practice reps as anybody who started last year,” Gundy said. “He just didn’t play in the games.”
More importantly for Richards, he attacked the season from a mental perspective.
“The best thing I could do was to understand the playbook more,” he said. “And that’s what I tried to do. I tried to understand the playbook from a center’s point of view, because the center controls everything. So if I understand what the center’s trying to call, I knew it would help my game.
“I just had to make the best out of what felt like a bad situation for me.”
Over his two-plus years at OSU since coming in from New Mexico Military Institute, via Alberta, Canada, Richards has practiced at every position but center.
Early in the spring, he’s practicing at right guard, with third-year sophomore Teven Jenkins working at right tackle. The Cowboys are awaiting the April 18 NCAA vote that could give right guard Larry Williams an additional year of eligibility, so that could lead to some competition if Williams returns. Either way, Richards’ experience — even though he’s only played in a few games in 2016 — makes him a valuable piece of the puzzle up front.
“I was surprised to see Shane at guard,” starting center Johnny Wilson said. “But he’s doing really well, gets the schemes and knows his plays. He’s been here almost as long as I have. He understands everything and studies pretty hard. He’s a perfect fit, as far as I’m concerned, at that position.”