Brennan Presley Caps Off Career as a Champion and the Best Player in Oklahoma
Friday night, I watched the best football game I have ever seen in person. During the game, I watched the best player in Oklahoma prove doubters wrong in more ways than one.
The game: Bixby vs Stillwater for the 6A-II State Championship
The player: Brennan Presley, all 5’7 of him
The match up between the two powerhouses was expected to be an exciting one and it did not disappoint. Long time Oklahoma State commit Brennan Presley knew he was going to have to shine, something I believe both teams would agree he succeeded at last night.
Presley posted a ridiculous stat line:
-Rushing: 9 rushes/ 53 yards/ *
-KO Returns: 2 returns/ 136 yards/ 1 TD
* One rushing TD called back
His 308 all-purpose yards led all of the explosive players in the game and every one was important as the game ended 40-36 with the entire game being a back and forth shootout.
Presley now ends his high school career as a three-time state champion and one of the most accomplished players in Oklahoma high school history. He will end this year leading the state in receiving yards and receiving TD’s. There’s a reason that yesterday morning he was named the 2019 Oklahoma Gatorade Athlete of the Year.
I spoke with Presley Friday night after the win and his final game of his prep career.
“I think for my senior year, to go out this way, especially the way we played, I think that was the best possible way to go out. You know, I think that’s the best game I’ve ever been apart of, just going back and forth and coming back late.”
Sometimes with star players who are the MVP of a team and a state championship, you will see an ego present. This is exactly the opposite of Brennan Presley. After the game he gave this quote:
“Coming into this game, we knew they [Stillwater] were a great team but we knew we weren’t playing against them, we were playing for each other… when we got down, we never got too down on ourselves because we knew we had each other’s backs.”
Presley’s premiere play of the game was 98 yard kickoff return touchdown to extend the lead to 10 with about 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter. On the kickoff it was not long into the return that it was clear the only outcome of the play was going to end with him standing in the end zone. I asked him about the return and when he knew he was going to bring it to the house. His answer was very simple.
“As soon as I caught the ball”
He also added that “On the kickoff before, I could have housed it, but someone grabbed my leg so I knew I had to take this one back.”
Oklahoma State fans should be very excited about the future of the program in Stillwater with Brennan Presley coming to town soon. Both Kasey Dunn (Wide Receivers Coach) and Tim Duffie (corner backs coach) were in attendance for the game last night and were able to witness the dominance of Presley. It is not often that an Oklahoma State true freshman ends up with the ball in their hands but if anyone were to do it, it would be Brennan Presley.
Oklahoma State is getting the best player in the state of Oklahoma and a guy that has the potential to be an All-American while in college. Brennan Presley is that good, trust me on that.
