Even while injured, Daniels providing value to Cowboys
STILLWATER — With travel squads limited to 70 players for Big 12 Conference games, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy almost never takes an injured player on the road.
Yet as he came down to the final two or three spots on his list for players who would make the trip to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor last Saturday, he began to consider going against the norm.
The last player or two on the 70-man travel squad aren’t likely to get in the game, so as Gundy determined who might provide the most value to his team in Waco, a name was sticking out to him.
Darrion Daniels. The senior defensive tackle, who was injured for the season after four games, has been one of the Cowboys’ most valuable leaders with his play and his energetic personality since he arrived on campus.
Even though Daniels can’t get on the field, Gundy saw the importance in having Daniels with the team.
“The number of guys like that on this team has been down this year,” Gundy said of his vocal leaders. “Darrion is good for us. He was leading our defense before he got hurt. He’s an experienced player, he’s vocal, he backs up what he says.”
Gundy will have to decide whether he wants to take Daniels on the road to Norman for Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. Bedlam matchup at Oklahoma, but Daniels’ importance makes the decision worth considering.
“We normally don’t do that,” Gundy said of taking injured players on the road. “But we need him now. He knows what’s going on. He can talk to those guys and calm them down, and that’s why we have him there.”
Daniels spoke to the entire team at halftime of the Baylor game, and he’s a regular presence around practice.
That’s good for the Cowboys and for Daniels, who is redshirting this year and can play next season at OSU or another school if he graduates. Keeping him involved with the team might influence his decision to stay in Stillwater, where the Cowboys will have a serious need for defensive tackles next season.
For now, his value remains high even if he can’t strap on the pads.
“He’s still around, making sure everybody’s keeping high energy, making sure everybody’s doing the things they need to do,” senior linebacker Justin Phillips said.
Defensive tackle Enoch Smith Jr., a close friend of Daniels, feels he adds an extra set of eyes on game situations as well.
“Having that leadership and that experience is great,” Smith said. “It shows that he’s still committed to the team, even though he’s not able to play. Him having the ability to travel and give that insight that we’re not able to see, coming from the sideline point of view, it’s great, and it helps us out tremendously.”