Oklahoma State Looking to Find Success With New-Look Rushing Attack

The Cowboys will have a different look in the backfield next season.

Nov 2, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Trent Howland (24) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Cowboys will look much different next season, but the running back position will be as important as ever.

Oklahoma State is looking to bounce back from a 3-9 campaign that resulted in coaching changes nearly across the board. One of the remaining coaches is, of course, head coach Mike Gundy, who is entering his 21st season in that position.

One of his most important tasks going into next season is to ensure a robust rushing attack, which is something the Cowboys struggled with last season. Although there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut No. 1 in the backfield, that hasn’t concerned OSU’s coach.

“They've been pretty impressive as a group,” Gundy said. “(Kalib) Hicks has come in, he's experienced. Sesi (Vailahi) has had reps, (Trent Howland) has had reps. Rodney (Fields Jr.) has not had a lot of game reps but he had a lot of practice reps last year."

While Ollie Gordon has dominated the rushing game in Stillwater for the past two seasons, his departure opens up plenty of opportunities for others. Three running backs who saw action last season are back for the 2025 campaign, with Trent Howland being the leading returning rusher at 230 yards.

While he is OSU’s leading returning rusher, he has looked to diversify his game to be much more than just a rushing threat. After making just three catches for seven yards last season, he is looking to make a leap in that area.

"I feel like they emphasize working on our hands,” Howland said. “As a running back, you've got to be able to catch out of the backfield, so that's one thing I've been emphasizing since the summer.”

With the added emphasis on catching out of the backfield, Howland’s approach could be indicative of what’s to come this fall. With Doug Meacham taking over as offensive coordinator, running backs could be a key part of the passing game.

While the only thing Meacham will ultimately be judged on is the offense’s in-game performance, just about every player has seemed happy with the new offense.

"I like the offense that he's bringing in,” Howland said. “I like the enthusiasm that he brings with us… He wants to make sure that we're understanding the offense and that we're executing it to the highest level that we can."

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