It's Likely McEndoo Winds up a Cowboy in 2021

Luke McEndoo looks trimmed up for his final high school season in Stillwater because he is the only Pioneer going both ways full-time.

NORMAN -- Luke McEndoo makes the blue and gold of Stillwater work with the orange and black of Oklahoma State about as smoothly as last season's All-State quarterback at Stillwater in Gunnar Gundy.

Gundy went through the paces of recruiting, although many schools did not jump in on the talented quarterback because of his dad being Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy. Now Gunnar Gundy is a part-time student waiting to join the OSU program as a walk-on in January. I don't know about the time table, but Luke McEndoo is heading down a similar path. 

He is a ferocious and enthusiastic football player that has made recruiting trips. Arkansas and Montana State among others have had him on their campus. His father, Jason, is the cowboy backs coach for OSU. It is obvious that schools have paid a lot of attention to that connection.

"I really do want to play for my dad," McEndoo has told me. 

These days as he begins his senior season, he is rolling with it. Before the Pioneers beat Norman in a scrimmage on Aug. 27, McEndoo, while doing an interview with us, was wearing the team issue gaiter mask from Oklahoma State.   

What is obvious about McEndoo is he is trimmed up and in really good shape. He still lists at 6-2, 235 pounds, but there is no belly and he is more muscular and little or no fat. 

"Having my dad at home (during the pandemic) and make me run around all the time," McEndoo said of his fitness. "That and being in shape to help my team all the time going both ways."

So, he is going to continue being the lone "iron man" on the Stillwater Pioneers?

"Both ways, all of it," confirmed McEndoo of his assignment and that was the way it went down in the scrimmage with Norman. "I'm cool with it and that is one of the things that I like about being a high school football player, that I can play both ways. I've been doing it since my sophomore year."

Last season he had 56 tackles and five quarterback sacks on defense and then on offense caught 10 passes for 128-yards and two touchdowns. Most of all on offense, he blew up targets that allowed Gundy, running back Qwontrel Walker and others to have success. He is a ferocious blocker. His play on both sides of the football were noticed in the scrimmage with Norman.

Football is important to McEndoo and that is why all the concerns with COVID-19 have his attention. He really wants to play football.

"Pretty crazy, between summer workouts and now last week they cancelled (in-person classes) school, so kind of scary," McEndoo confessed. "Lucky that we've had practice the last few days and really looking forward to being our here for this (scrimmage)."

Stillwater has lots of talent returning and has a chance to battle two-time defending champion Bixby for the State Championship in 6A-II, but they have had lots of missed practice due to school cancellations and pauses in activities.

"I think we'll have some kinks to work out, but I think by next week we'll be ready," McEndoo said of the season opener in Stillwater on Sept. 4 against one of the Class 6A-I favorites in Edmond Santa Fe. "For me, I'm ready to hit somebody. It's been too long."

He got plenty in on Thursday at Norman and now he will prepare to throw blocks and make tackles for real against some of the best teams in the state. Stillwater's first half of the schedule is one of the toughest in Oklahoma.

"Santa Fe, Mustang, Bixby week three, and then Del City, so we have all those in our first five games," confirmed McEndoo of the challenging schedule for the Pioneers. "We've got some really good opponents, so I'm excited for it."

McEndoo is just excited about football and Oklahoma State fans can be excited that the Pokes will add another really talented walk-on with a family connection for next season. Call it a recruiting bonus.