Two Running Backs in State Go Crazy and Oklahoma State Needs to Decide
STILLWATER -- The two favorites to meet again for the third time for the Class 6A-II State Championship were playing last Friday night roughly five miles from each other, both playing against stout opponents. When the evening finished and the final horn was sounded in the Mid-Del School District, Bixby and Stillwater were both still unbeaten and both on that collision course to see each other again. A big reason is the primary explosive running backs that help keep the scoreboard rolling like a slot machine.
Bixby has won the last two Class 6A-II State Championships over Stillwater, but Pioneers running back Qwontrel Walker, who earlier this season eclipsed the 6,000-yard mark wants another shot at the Spartans.
Walker is listed at 5'9" and 200-pounds, but is likely closer to 5'8" but that doesn't really matter. Nor does his 40-time, which I'm not sure what it is, but I have heard somewhere north of 4.6. All I know is that when he runs away from fast defenders, guys I know are in the 4.5 range, he not only runs away, but he usually distances them. Last Friday Walker and Stillwater beat district rival and likely runner-up in the league race, Del City, 48-27. That's about as close as Stillwater games get these days.
Walker carried the ball 29 times for 272-yards and three touchdowns including an opening scoring salvo of 56-yards. That coming against an Eagles defense that I know is as solid as it gets in 6A-II.
“Qwontrel Walker is good,” Stillwater head coach Tucker Barnard told The Oklahoman after the game. “I don’t know if that’s the headline or what, but that dude can absolutely play.”
Just about five miles east on I-40 and a little north on Post Road at Carl Albert High School, the king of Class 5A, was hosting the power of 6A-II in Bixby. The hasty arranged showdown came as a result of losing opponents to COVID-19. The Titans got to see what they've been missing in the Presley brothers. Brennan is a freshman that has played in all three of the Cowboys games.
Braylin, who is listed at 5'9" and 165-pounds, but is likely 5'7" is a blur on the field and he carried the ball 25 times for 302-yards and six of those carries finished in the end zone.
“It was impressive,” said Presley after the game to Mike Brown of The Tulsa World. Presley wasn't being cocky or necessarily complimenting himself on the touchdowns of 11, 15, 1, 36, 68 and 55-yards. His comment was aimed at his offensive line.
“I couldn’t have done any of that tonight without my line,” Presley added. “They blocked it up and got it done.”
On the season the two running backs, that will graduate and headline their respective classes, Walker in this current 2021 class and Presley in the 2022 recruiting class, may have some questions but they seemingly have answered them all. In a league, the Big 12, that features a freshman that is 5'5" in Kansas State's electric Deuce Vaughn, I can't see how either of these guys would not make things work for them.
Academics have been a potential issue for Walker, but all reports are he has worked to get them in order and looks to qualify. The NCAA is no longer requiring the ACT or SAT tests because of COVID-19 and core GPA is the ticket to get qualified.
Oklahoma State has one of Walker's former teammates at Oklahoma State as quarterback Gunnar Gundy will join the program in January. Thoughts are the Luke McEndoo, son of assistant coach Jason McEndoo will do the same next year. Stillwater linebacker (2022) Gabe Brown is a recent commitment to the Cowboys.
Walker (1) earlier this season scoring against Edmond Santa Fe.
Marshall Levenson - Pokes Report Director of Recruiting
“I hope OSU will offer me eventually,” Walker told The Tulsa World. “(Cowboys coaches) come to all of the and have multiple kids on the team, so I know they know what I can do.”
Walker currently has 991-yards and 15 touchdowns rushing in just four games. He is averaging 10.3-yards per carry.
Presley has 635-yards and 13 touchdowns on just 65 carries for a 9.8-yards per carry average. Like his brother, Braylin told our Marshall Levenson at Pokes Report that he would prefer to be a Cowboy.
“I love OSU”, Presley said earlier this fall. “I grew up a Pokes fan, my whole family went there, I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, it's just a great place to be around.”
Presley and Walker could make it an even greater place to be around. They sure made the Mid-Del area more exciting last Friday.