Woodard Doing A Good Job Representing 2018 O-Line Recruiting Class
STILLWATER -- They came in looking strong, in fact, the offensive line coach at Oklahoma State that recruited them Josh Henson, thought that they might someday form the Cowboys starting offensive line from tackle to tackle. Three Oklahoma players in Bixby's Bryce Bray, Tuttle's Hunter Anthony, and Sulphur's Jacob Farrell along with Cypress, Texas center Tyrese Williams, and Tuscola, Ill. product Hunter Woodard. They came in and all redshirted in the 2018 season, but even back then I noticed Oklahoma State center Johnny Wilson and some of the older offensive linemen kind of paid more attention to Woodard.
From left to right, Jacob Farrell, Tyrese Williams, Hunter Woodard, Hunter Anthony, and Bryce Bray from the 2018 recruiting class.
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"He's tough, I really like his toughness for a freshman," Wilson told me in conversation. "The older guys all like him. He never complains and he busts his *** in the weight room and on the practice field."
Hunter Woodard earned a compliment from center Johnny Wilson, shown above.
Pat Kinnison - Pokes Report chief photographer
That is high praise because Wilson is one of those "tell it like it is" kind of guys and he isn't prone to just gush and compliment a young pup offensive lineman unless he really believes it.
"When you said that I didn't know about that compliment, but just thinking that Johnny said that is huge to me," Woodard said with the expression that he really didn't know Wilson hyped him like that. "I love Johnny and he is one of the toughest guys that I have ever played with, no doubt. That means a lot to me."
Woodard wasn't the first to make it on the field as a regular as that honor went to Bryce Bray, who started almost all of his redshirt freshman season and was on his way to a strong career when a violation of team rules led to him leaving in August. He was joined by Farrell, who was also showing promise as a back-up tackle for this season. Bray wound up at Tulsa and Farrell at North Texas. Hunter Anthony started five games, four last season and the opener against Tulsa before an injury knocked him out on one of the final plays of the first half against the Golden Hurricane. That leaves Woodard and Tyrese Williams. Woodard came in during the first half for the injured Cole Birmingham at guard. Williams has played some as a backup at center.
"Those first couple of drives (against Tulsa) I slipped up a little, but then when Josh (Sills) got into me (at halftime) and picked me back up I realized that I just had to slow it down and trust them (his technique and his teammates)," explained Woodard.
Woodard (70) has improved each game since moving into the starting line-up at right guard.
Pat Kinnison - Pokes Report chief photographer
The performance of Woodard and the Cowboys offensive line and offense in total has picked up since Tulsa in the wins over West Virginia and Kansas. Woodard admits the team is a little edgy with the Baylor postponement and can't wait to play Iowa State (Oct. 24).
"I think we're kind of itchy, especially after having a bye week and then we're supposed to play Baylor and we want to get after it," Woodard agreed. "We're ready (to hit somebody else)."
Slightly undersized at 6-5, 295-pounds, Woodard is tough and that comes from playing at a tough high school. Tuscola won 45 games in his time playing there right next to the cornfields on the outskirts of town.
"Most high school stadiums in rural Illinois are next to field with corn or beans planted and growing there," Woodard said.
He chose Oklahoma State over schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and North Carolina. This was a perfect fit he told me.
Woodard has proven to be a survivor. It'd be great to have that 2018 class still intact; Anthony will be back and Williams will be contributing more and more. He had a really strong fall camp but senior Ry Schneider is holding that spot down well.
For now it is Woodard representing that class in the starting offensive line and he is doing a good job.
