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Barry Sanders · The Heisman Hopefuls Podcast

0:00
SPEAKER_08: Welcome to the official Heisman Trophy Podcast.
0:31
SPEAKER_07: And the winner is, here's your host, Chris Houston.
0:35
SPEAKER_01: Happy Thanksgiving, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of the official Heisman Trophy Podcast.
0:40
SPEAKER_01: If you're listening to this while you're heading home for the holiday, we hope that your travels are safe and uncomplicated.
0:45
SPEAKER_01: It's hard to believe, but we've come to the last two weeks of the college football season.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: We've got some tasty rivalry games coming up, and then the conference championship games.
0:54
SPEAKER_01: And then guess what?
0:55
SPEAKER_01: On November 27th, that's a Monday, the 928 members of the Heisman electorate will receive their Heisman ballots.
1:01
SPEAKER_01: And these voters will have a week to assess the candidates and make their final decision.
1:05
SPEAKER_01: And then on December 4th, the Heisman Trust will announce four Heisman finalists to go to New York for the ceremony, which will be held on December 9th.
1:13
SPEAKER_01: Who will those four finalists be?
1:15
SPEAKER_01: I think we're starting to see it shape up a bit.
1:17
SPEAKER_01: And there's no doubt in my mind these will be four outstanding finalists, but of course, the goal here is to find the most outstanding.
1:23
SPEAKER_01: And I just want to remind everyone that just because someone doesn't win the Heisman, it doesn't mean they weren't Heisman worthy.
1:29
SPEAKER_01: It just means that one player was deemed the most Heisman worthy.
1:33
SPEAKER_01: It's just not an easy task to figure out who is the most outstanding player.
1:36
SPEAKER_01: And that's why we rely on the wisdom of crowds.
1:39
SPEAKER_01: 870 of our voters are evenly distributed in six geographic regions around the country, and they are the people who are the most plugged in to what's going on with college football.
1:48
SPEAKER_01: And then we have 57 past winners who will lend their extensive experience and knowledge of the game to the equation.
1:54
SPEAKER_01: The voters will choose three names, with the first place vote getting three points, the second place two points, and the third place one point.
2:00
SPEAKER_01: And then we'll tally up all the votes, and voila, we will have our Heisman Trophy winner for 2023.
2:06
SPEAKER_01: Okay, now that we have that Heisman voting refresh out of the way, let's get on with the rest of the show.
2:10
SPEAKER_01: The first guest on today's show is the great Barry Sanders, the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma State.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: Of course, Barry also went on to an NFL Hall of Fame career with the Lions before retiring rather abruptly.
2:21
SPEAKER_01: And he's here today to promote a new show that's on Amazon, a documentary about why he retired.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: It's called Bye Bye Barry, and it's streaming right now on Amazon Prime.
2:30
SPEAKER_01: We also have a quick chat with one of the best running backs of the country, also out of Oklahoma State, Ollie Gordon.
2:35
SPEAKER_01: But before we talk to these guys, let's check in on the latest in the Heisman race.
2:39
SPEAKER_08: It's the Heisman Roundup.
2:42
SPEAKER_08: Week 12.
2:47
SPEAKER_01: In this week's roundup, we're really drilling down to what appears to be the four leading Heisman Trophy candidates this year at Wonelli.
2:54
SPEAKER_01: These guys are gonna make it extremely hard on voters.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: In just one half of action, Oregon quarterback Bo Knicks made another huge Heisman statement, leading the Ducks to a 49-13 victory at Arizona State.
3:05
SPEAKER_01: Nicks, who boasts a 35-2 touchdown to interception ratio and a Nation leading 78% completion percentage, threw for 404 yards and a career-high six touchdowns as Oregon raced to a 42-0 lead at halftime.
3:18
SPEAKER_01: In a game in which each passing touchdown was 16 yards or more, it was hard to nail down the best of them.
3:24
SPEAKER_01: But how about this 71-yard touchdown pass to Gary Bryan Jr.
3:49
SPEAKER_01: And then there was LSU quarterback Jaden Daniels, who held up 509 yards of offense and accounted for a school record tying eight touchdowns to the Tigers' 56-14 victory over Georgia State.
3:59
SPEAKER_01: Daniels threw for 413 yards on 25-30 passing with six touchdowns, and also rushed for 96 yards on 10 carries with two more scores.
4:08
SPEAKER_01: The senior leads the country with 36 passing touchdowns, 46 total touchdowns, and his current pass and efficiency rating of 208.3 is well above the NCAA record.
4:17
SPEAKER_01: The game was still close early in the second quarter when Daniels broke a 14-14 tie with three straight touchdown passes, including this 27-yard strike to Kyron Lacey.
4:26
SPEAKER_08: Out of the timeout second in short, Daniels fires another strike.
4:34
SPEAKER_08: And the Tigers back in front.
4:45
SPEAKER_01: Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
4:48
SPEAKER_01: had the toughest matchup of top Tisman contenders, leading the Huskies to a hard-fought 22-20 road win over number 10 Oregon State and a constant downpour in Corvallis.
4:57
SPEAKER_01: In a game that was gritty but not pretty, Penix Jr.
5:00
SPEAKER_01: accounted for all three Washington touchdowns, throwing two through the air in addition to a five-yard scoring run.
5:05
SPEAKER_01: And despite passing for only 162 yards, he still leads the country in passing yards per game.
5:11
SPEAKER_01: It was this 32-yard touchdown pass to Roma Dunce late in the first half that gave Washington his final score, and the Huskies made it stand up.
5:42
SPEAKER_01: Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
5:45
SPEAKER_01: added another touchdown catch to his resume in Ohio State's crazy 37-3 win over Minnesota.
5:50
SPEAKER_01: Harrison Jr.'s got three passes and less than three-quarters of the world.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: His 13th of the season to get the bucket as a 27-0 lead in the third quarter.
6:17
SPEAKER_01: Finally, a special nod to 1992 Heisman winner Gino Toretta and 2013 Heisman winner James Winston, who had their respective collegiate numbers retired on Saturday.
6:27
SPEAKER_01: Early Saturday in Miami, Toretta's number 13 became the fifth hurricane player to have his number retired, which also includes Heisman winner Vinny Testaverdi.
6:35
SPEAKER_01: Later in the day in Tallahassee, Winston's number five was retired by Florida State, where he joined 11 other Seminole players whose jerseys have been retired, including Heisman winners Charlie Ward and Chris Wink.com to purchase tickets and witness Heisman history.
7:26
SPEAKER_01: Take an even deeper dive into Heisman lore by going to Heisman.com, home to all things Heisman, including news, bios, and the latest on all the winners, plus updates on the Heisman Trophy Trust and its charitable mission.
7:37
SPEAKER_01: It's the A to Z for Everything Heisman, from Alan Amici to Danny Werfel.
7:41
SPEAKER_01: We really need a Heisman winner whose name begins with Z.
7:44
SPEAKER_07: This is Ty Detmer, 1990 Heisman Trophy winner from Brigham Young University, and you're listening to the official Heisman Trophy podcast.
7:53
SPEAKER_01: Our first guest today won Oklahoma State's first Heisman following what was arguably the greatest season in the trophy's history.
8:00
SPEAKER_01: At just 5'8 and 200 pounds, he set 34 NCAA records in 1988 on his way to college football immortality.
8:08
SPEAKER_01: He rushed for 2,628 yards, an average of 238.9 yards per game with 37 rushing touchdowns.
8:17
SPEAKER_01: He also added a punt return touchdown and a kickoff return touchdown to bring his regular season touchdown total to 39.
8:24
SPEAKER_01: He produced a record 3,250 all-purpose yards and averaged 8.3 yards per play as Oklahoma State finished 9-2 and ranked 12th in the polls.
8:33
SPEAKER_01: He was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the third pick of the 1989 NFL draft.
8:38
SPEAKER_01: He continued to dazzle and mesmerize defenses in the NFL and was named the 1989 Rookie of the Year, the 1991 and 1994 NFC Most Valuable Player, and 1994 NFL Performer of the Year.
8:50
SPEAKER_01: He was the NFL MVP in 1997, becoming the fifth running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
8:56
SPEAKER_01: He was a 10-time Pro Bowl player and an eight-time All-NFL selection.
9:00
SPEAKER_01: His brand new documentary titled Bye Bye Barry debuted on Amazon Prime on Tuesday night.
9:06
SPEAKER_01: That's November 21st.
9:08
SPEAKER_01: And here's the trailer.
9:33
SPEAKER_08: Notable joints don't move the way Barry Sanders joints move.
9:36
SPEAKER_08: I'm sorry.
9:37
SPEAKER_07: How do you juke people, get to the end zone, and just give the bomb to the red?
9:42
SPEAKER_08: He's so humble.
9:43
SPEAKER_08: And it's real.
9:44
SPEAKER_08: He just wanted to play football.
9:47
SPEAKER_05: Scotty did something special every single Sunday.
9:51
SPEAKER_02: He gave Detroit a sense of hope that the city desperately needed It's a privilege to be one of the players that will help restore the rule.
9:59
SPEAKER_07: We had the greatest running back that ever played the game.
10:02
SPEAKER_07: But then something happened.
10:05
SPEAKER_05: Shocking announcement has thousands of fans feeling flustered.
10:09
SPEAKER_07: Barry Sanders will retire, not with the press conference, but with the statement at least in the fact.
10:15
SPEAKER_09: Everybody's trying to figure out why.
10:17
SPEAKER_09: What the Free D.
10:20
SPEAKER_07: What's Barry frustrated playing for a losing team?
10:23
SPEAKER_07: Is this a bargaining toy?
10:25
SPEAKER_07: My dad was opinionated.
10:26
SPEAKER_06: It was tough to experience that.
10:28
SPEAKER_07: He would tell Barry will never be better than Jim Brown.
10:30
SPEAKER_07: He was affected by guys who got hurt when his teammates suffer serious injuries.
10:36
SPEAKER_07: Nobody walks away at the peak of their powers like this.
10:41
SPEAKER_07: There has to be something else.
10:44
SPEAKER_00: Marker.
10:50
SPEAKER_01: Okay, Barry Sanders, 1988 Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma State University.
10:55
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for coming on the official Heisman Trophy podcast.
10:58
SPEAKER_05: Great to be here.
10:59
SPEAKER_05: Thanks for having me.
11:01
SPEAKER_01: Bye bye Barry is a brand new documentary that explains the mystery behind your retirement from the NFL.
11:07
SPEAKER_01: It premiered on November 21st on Amazon.
11:09
SPEAKER_01: How did this project come about and why did you want to tell this story?
11:14
SPEAKER_06: It came about um just from um, you know, we had been approached and and been talking about it for a while.
11:22
SPEAKER_06: Um and really just now is the right time.
11:25
SPEAKER_06: Um I felt like I was uh you know, in one place long enough um and and really ready to to sit down and with family and friends and others and really tell the story.
11:37
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, fans often come up to me, you know, ask me different questions, uh, you know, and and um and so uh just felt like there was certainly a demand uh for something like this.
11:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
11:49
SPEAKER_01: You've never been one to seek out the spotlight, obviously.
11:51
SPEAKER_01: Was it hard to shoot this documentary to have a camera on you and to speak about all these topics?
11:57
SPEAKER_06: I would say I would say I certainly had to um get used to it, that part of it.
12:02
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, that's not something that's natural for me.
12:06
SPEAKER_06: Um but um yeah, so so um but after a while I I think, you know, looking at it from the other side of just being able to kind of take my time, um, and you know, every pretty much everything I I you know am able to pro approve of, um, but take my time, share the story, uh really reflect, um, you know, and and cover the story in a certain way, then uh that's kind of what made it make sense for me.
12:34
SPEAKER_01: What kind of lessons and insights might a football fan who watches Bye Bye Barry uh gather from the documentary?
12:42
SPEAKER_06: You know, I think for me some of the lessons are you know, just um one, it's just a great game and and I always just try to be a great teammate.
12:52
SPEAKER_06: Um and um and really never um you know, I I always wanted to to make sure I never cheated the game um with you know with my effort and the way I practiced and just showing up every day and being dependable and and um you know and those kind of things and also understanding that you know it's a game that you know the game really can't promise you anything.
13:16
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and um but you know if you under understand those things, I I think you realize that that uh it's a great thing to be a part of.
13:26
SPEAKER_06: Um and you know, just you know, so some of those things are I think what fans will take away from it.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: Well everyone at the Heisman Trust is very excited uh that this documentary is coming out because it's always great to hear more about you and and about your exploits.
13:40
SPEAKER_01: But I want to go back to the beginning, Wichita, Kansas, where it all began.
13:45
SPEAKER_01: When did you realize that you were pretty good at football?
13:49
SPEAKER_06: You know, that's always a tough question because I was always I was always trying to prove that I could be pretty good.
13:56
SPEAKER_06: Um I don't know when I in my mind um when those words or that realization happened.
14:04
SPEAKER_06: Um because for me, I I always had that chip on my shoulder, like, you know, I need I need to prove this, I need to prove that.
14:11
SPEAKER_06: Um and um, you know, really really trying to get noticed.
14:15
SPEAKER_06: Um so it's hard for me to pinpoint.
14:18
SPEAKER_06: Um I do know that you know, I do know that uh part way through my senior year, the coach moved me to running back, um, you know, and and that really kind of changed the trajectory, you know, of sort of m you know my football path.
14:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
14:34
SPEAKER_01: What I'm really curious about is your running style, the the change of direction, the ability to start and stop on a dime, to accelerate at weird angles.
14:42
SPEAKER_01: Where did that come from?
14:43
SPEAKER_01: Did you always have this ability or instinct, or did it change over time, sort of maybe as you needed to adjust to what you were going through?
14:53
SPEAKER_06: I feel like a lot of the guys that first drew my attention, that that's kind of kind of how they ran.
15:00
SPEAKER_06: I mean, other than um, you know, I was a big Raiders fan, and and um, you know, guys like Pete Banizak, uh Mark Van Egan, uh I you know, um Jim Brown.
15:14
SPEAKER_06: I knew I wasn't that kind of runner.
15:15
SPEAKER_06: Right.
15:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:17
SPEAKER_06: Um so but the guys that I gravitated toward mostly, you know, they they kind of had that shifty sort of style, and so I just thought that's that's the way you do it.
15:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
15:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, like you mentioned, you didn't start at running back until I think your fourth game of your senior season at Wichita North, and that was after there, I think the player ahead of you got suspended.
15:35
SPEAKER_01: Why did it take so long, do you think, for you to get more playing time?
15:37
SPEAKER_01: Did it take you a long time to develop, and so maybe it wasn't as obvious how good you were, or were you just a kind of a diamond in the rough and you needed more playing time?
15:45
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, I think it almost goes back to your previous question, but I I think that I was always um or during that period of time, you know, sort of I was becoming a good, really good player.
15:57
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
15:58
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and uh I wasn't quite there when I first entered high school, you know, and and you know, I was always um I was always eager to you know to lift weights or to go run and and uh work out, you know, to try to improve my speed and strength and quickness and things like that.
16:17
SPEAKER_06: Um and I certainly, you know, coming in high school as a sophomore, um, you know, I just physically I just wasn't there yet.
16:26
SPEAKER_06: Um but but you know in two years, a year and a half, two years time, you know, I I eventually got there.
16:34
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, so I think I think um I just sort of grew into uh eventually being that kind of a player.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it seems like you were underestimated at every point along the way, but especially coming out of high school, you received just four scholarship offers.
16:50
SPEAKER_01: What was the recruiting process like for you?
16:52
SPEAKER_01: Was it a was it just an extra motivation for you to prove people wrong, to show that that you belonged uh, you know, at a high level?
16:59
SPEAKER_06: Well, I was excited to be recruited.
17:02
SPEAKER_06: I was excited to receive um just offers in general.
17:07
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, because I didn't I didn't hear from anyone until really the middle or end of my senior year when when there were other kids that I was playing with, you know, that uh that had her from colleges and other other kids that I had played against and things like that.
17:24
SPEAKER_06: I knew they were um receiving interest from other schools.
17:27
SPEAKER_06: So for me, yeah, it was I was interested.
17:30
SPEAKER_06: I I was excited that I had um you know received attention from received attention from Oklahoma State and University of Tulsa and Iowa State and a few schools like that.
17:42
SPEAKER_01: Did you almost go somewhere else or was it just clearly Oklahoma State the whole time?
17:47
SPEAKER_06: Well, I thought I thought pretty hard and long about Iowa State and Tulsa.
17:54
SPEAKER_06: Um I think Oklahoma State was always the front runner.
17:58
SPEAKER_06: I love the fact that um they had a running back there that I could easily identify with.
18:03
SPEAKER_06: I knew who he was, I followed him.
18:06
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and um among other things, but but um I would say Oklahoma State was always the front runner.
18:13
SPEAKER_01: Of course, you're talking about the great Thurman Thomas, who you sp you backed up for the first two years at Oklahoma State.
18:18
SPEAKER_01: Uh looking at the tape, you made a noticeable improvement from your freshman to your sophomore years.
18:23
SPEAKER_01: I thought you were quicker, uh more decisive.
18:25
SPEAKER_01: Did it help your development being in the same running back room with someone like Thurman Thomas?
18:31
SPEAKER_06: Oh, absolutely.
18:31
SPEAKER_06: It just it helped my development being with Thurman and really just practicing in in those uh in that setting every day.
18:39
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and going against you know, first team defense, um, you know, and things like that.
18:46
SPEAKER_06: And then again, continuing you know, continuing to do what I had always done, what I what I had started doing in my bedroom as a middle schooler with the little weight um bar that I had.
18:57
SPEAKER_01: Uh what was that what was that routine?
18:59
SPEAKER_01: Was it was it a special routine you did?
19:01
SPEAKER_06: It was just I I just whatever.
19:03
SPEAKER_06: It was power cleans, it was um bench press.
19:06
SPEAKER_06: Uh it was kind of mixeshift because makeshift because it wasn't really a real weight bar, it was just uh it was just um some bar that had some weights taped to the end of it.
19:17
SPEAKER_06: But um but um anyways, so I sort of just continued that and and and at Oklahoma State.
19:23
SPEAKER_06: I was I was excited to get there and and um you know and and work in that uh in that um system that they had.
19:31
SPEAKER_06: And and um we had a great strength coach there, a guy named uh John Stuckey, um, you know, who um I felt it was it was a perfect fit for just getting getting there and just being excited to work, excited to try to earn some playing time.
19:46
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, there were there were so many guys between me and Thurman when I first got there that that uh you know I mean now looking back, you know, you I I say I was backing up Thurman, but yeah, right.
20:00
SPEAKER_06: He was Thurman and a list of other guys.
20:02
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
20:03
SPEAKER_06: Um but eventually I just caught my way up the depth chart.
20:06
SPEAKER_06: Uh and by my sophomore year, I I was definitely, you know, firmly entrenched as sort of Thurman's backup.
20:13
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then you also made a name on kickoff returns.
20:15
SPEAKER_01: You led the nation in kickoff returns as a sophomore.
20:18
SPEAKER_01: You returned the opening kickoff of the season as a sophomore, and then again as a junior.
20:23
SPEAKER_01: It's funny because looking at your style, you you had this lateral style uh uh and stop and start style, and that doesn't, you know, just at first glance doesn't seem to be best suited for kickoff returns, but you figured it out.
20:35
SPEAKER_01: How did you figure it out kickoff returns and and did you enjoy returning kicks?
20:39
SPEAKER_06: No, I really did.
20:40
SPEAKER_06: I really did enjoy it.
20:42
SPEAKER_06: Um I felt like it really suited me.
20:45
SPEAKER_06: Um I liked the fact that um the field is so much more open on punt returns and kickoff returns.
20:51
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
20:51
SPEAKER_06: And so the opportunity to make a big play was um was there, uh even even more so than from the backfield.
20:59
SPEAKER_06: Um and I think um, and really for me, that's where I was really kind of able to get a lot of reps my first uh year or two.
21:10
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, you know, when I wasn't um, you know, because I wasn't playing running back that much there, and so, and so that's how I was able to earn playing time.
21:17
SPEAKER_06: Right to get onto the field was uh was returning points and kickoffs.
21:21
SPEAKER_01: So it helps you get acclimated to to the moment and everything like that.
21:24
SPEAKER_06: College football, absolutely, yeah.
21:25
SPEAKER_06: So for me, I I loved it, I enjoyed it, and and um, and so that was my thinking.
21:31
SPEAKER_01: And you know, you were the backup as a sophomore, but the people who really knew uh the big eight football at the time knew that you were going to be a able replacement for Thurman Thomas.
21:40
SPEAKER_01: Barry Switzer knew exactly uh how good you were, but I don't think anyone could have imagined uh the kind of year that you actually ended up having.
21:47
SPEAKER_01: 2,628 rushing yards and 11 games, 37 rushing touchdowns.
21:52
SPEAKER_01: As good as you were going into the year, there wasn't much before 1988 to indicate that you were going to have that kind of year.
21:59
SPEAKER_01: So My question is, how did that happen?
22:03
SPEAKER_01: What were the main factors that contributed to this remarkable explosion in production as a junior?
22:09
SPEAKER_06: Oh, well, I th I think I had several things going for me.
22:13
SPEAKER_06: Um, I again I just continued to grind away and work and really enjoy that atmosphere of being able to be a a student athlete on that level.
22:24
SPEAKER_06: Um and and even in just the little bit of success that I had enjoyed and tasted, um, you know, I um, you know, really, really got me even more excited just to be there and and and to try to see what else I could do.
22:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
22:40
SPEAKER_06: I think uh it definitely, you know, the fact that I had five fifth-year senior offensive linemen and a fifth-year senior fullback.
22:48
SPEAKER_06: Um there was a receiver, Hartley Dykes, who um before that season, he would have been, he would have been the guy who would have been the shoe-in first-round draft pick on that team.
22:59
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, that and so um, and so, yeah, and then, you know, it was it was uh the type of game that we played, obviously, was, you know, you're gonna you're gonna get the ball um handed to you 20, 25 times a game.
23:13
SPEAKER_06: Um, and so, and so for me, it was just, you know, um a lot of uh a lot of the right things just came together that year.
23:22
SPEAKER_06: Um I was I was just so excited uh just to be sort of um you know in that setting with that opportunity to be Thurman's replacement and starting in the big A conference, starting running back.
23:37
SPEAKER_06: I mean, I would I would have never imagined that coming out of high school.
23:41
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and so the time was right.
23:44
SPEAKER_06: I I was uh I was eager to take the opportunity.
23:47
SPEAKER_06: Um as you as we talked about before, I was um I was a kick return, a pump return guy before that.
23:54
SPEAKER_06: Um and two consecutive years, return to opening, kickoff of the season for a touchdown.
24:01
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, unheard of.
24:03
SPEAKER_01: As a little as a little side note, our uh musical introduction to the podcast uh includes the the radio call uh of your 1988.
24:12
SPEAKER_01: So it is it's really the foundation because it's really like kicking off such an epic season that you had.
24:17
SPEAKER_01: And I think it's it's really symbolic of just what the Heisman's all about, just the excellence from beginning to end.
24:24
SPEAKER_06: Um Yeah, and you know, I mean, I feel like going into that first game, I don't I don't know if Coach Jones would admit to this, but I feel like going into that first game, you know, I was definitely the kick return punt return guy, but I feel like he left it up in the air where, you know, whether or not me and Mitch Nash would start or play most of the game, you know, because Mitch Mitch Nash was the other running back there, and he wasn't sure who was actually going to replace them.
24:50
SPEAKER_06: And maybe that was just like head games for me.
24:53
SPEAKER_06: It's amazing to keep me motivated.
24:56
SPEAKER_01: Even at that late stage, there was still a little bit of doubt.
24:59
SPEAKER_01: It's incredible.
25:00
SPEAKER_01: Sure, for sure.
25:01
SPEAKER_06: Because I mean Mitch was a good player.
25:02
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and obviously there was no reason to believe that I would have that kind of a year.
25:06
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, but from that opening kickoff, uh it just the the yards just kept coming.
25:12
SPEAKER_06: Um it just never stopped, uh, you know, game after game.
25:16
SPEAKER_06: You know, and and a lot of people um I forgot I forget who we who we started with.
25:21
SPEAKER_06: I don't know if it was Miami of Ohio or some team like that.
25:25
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, and I think the fourth game of that year, we go to, I believe it, I believe it was the fourth game, we go to Colorado, and that was going to be our our first real test to see how good we were.
25:36
SPEAKER_06: Um and um they had, you know, they had several guys who were you know definitely headed to the NFL.
25:43
SPEAKER_06: Um and so I think going to Boulder, winning that game, um, really kind of set the table for us that, you know, we could be really good.
25:52
SPEAKER_06: Um the offensive line, the fifth year, you know, the guys who are fifth-year seniors, um they wanted you know, 2,000 yards, um, and they started talking about it, you know, earlier than anyone else.
26:04
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and I was just saying, hey, look, I'm glad to be the starter.
26:09
SPEAKER_06: Uh let me just kind of hold on to hold on to this position that as being a starter.
26:14
SPEAKER_06: Uh 2,000 yards.
26:15
SPEAKER_06: I'm not I'm not quite there yet.
26:16
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
26:17
SPEAKER_06: But I but I do remember Marcus Allen running for 2,000 when I would have been, you know, middle school or so.
26:24
SPEAKER_00: Right.
26:24
SPEAKER_06: Um, and I loved, you know, there's a whole list of USC running backs that I remember watching just growing up.
26:30
SPEAKER_06: Right.
26:31
SPEAKER_06: Um, and so I understood, you know, that that was that was a major undertaking and a major accomplishment um to be even be in a position to run for 2,000 yards.
26:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that was the holy grail of running backs, and probably still is, actually.
26:44
SPEAKER_01: So you got up to a great start that season.
26:46
SPEAKER_01: Even after six games, though, you only had 967 yards.
26:50
SPEAKER_01: But it was the last five games of the year where you just really went crazy.
26:53
SPEAKER_01: Let me just read it.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: 320 yards against Kansas State, 215 yards against Oklahoma, 312 against Kansas, 293 against Iowa State, and 332 against Texas Tech.
27:04
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's ridiculous numbers.
27:06
SPEAKER_01: You were clearly in the zone.
27:08
SPEAKER_01: As a player, what's it like to experience that zone where where you're just reeling off run after run, and and it would seem like you're you're not even you can't even be touched at that point.
27:22
SPEAKER_06: Well, for me, I I was just so locked in and and it was um, you know, I think whenever you put up those kind of gaudy numbers, you know, I think you have to you have to um look at, you know, um what's going on around that individual.
27:37
SPEAKER_06: And obviously the fact that all the linemen pretty much stayed healthy, the fullback stayed healthy.
27:43
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, it was just, you know, the offense was clicking on all cylinders.
27:48
SPEAKER_06: You know, we um, you know, I think we went from uh you know, I think we went from from being a team that that really no one knew about.
27:57
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, to now to now we were starting to gain, you know, some attention.
28:01
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
28:01
SPEAKER_06: Um the the uh you know for for so long, you know, for so long the big eight was considered, you know, the big two little six.
28:09
SPEAKER_05: Right.
28:10
SPEAKER_06: Um and I and I think that that year um we definitely showed we could play with anyone in that conference.
28:16
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and um, but yeah, I mean it was just, you know, though those type of numbers, I mean, it's it's not something you can you can um expect to do going into a game, but I just think, you know, the the timing was right.
28:31
SPEAKER_06: I know for me, I was extra motivated just being um just being in that in that situation and having that opportunity um to go out um you know and and make our mark in the in the big eight um and you know go to a nice bowl game, you know, and and that at a certain point, obviously I started being mentioned in the Heisman conversation.
28:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
28:56
SPEAKER_06: Um which the first time I would have heard that would have been after the Colorado game, um, which at that point I would have thought, you know, it's nice, you know.
29:05
SPEAKER_06: I mean, maybe those are overzealous fans.
29:08
SPEAKER_06: Uh you know, let's let's win a few more games, let's see what we do, you know, going on down the line.
29:15
SPEAKER_06: But it was definitely a nice compliment.
29:17
SPEAKER_06: I didn't I didn't think much of it, you know.
29:19
SPEAKER_06: I really tried to downplay it.
29:21
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, and uh I knew that going into that year that's you know, um, you know, Rodney Pete and and uh and Trey Aikman were the favorites.
29:30
SPEAKER_01: Uh well they were um they were definitely more talked about.
29:34
SPEAKER_01: There was campaigns for them.
29:35
SPEAKER_01: Rodney Pete had the the famous measles game against UCLA, but your play on the field and just the sheer force of your statistics were your campaign, and they really helped you win going away.
29:46
SPEAKER_01: When did you realize, at what point did it hit you that, hey, I think I'm gonna win this Heisman?
29:51
SPEAKER_06: Well, it would have been it would have been pretty late.
29:54
SPEAKER_06: I even even even you know, as I'm going into the ceremony um and um and I'm on camera, you know, and and uh I'm there with you know the downtown athletic club and yeah you know, and Rodney and Troy, and I think Major Harris are in New York and I'm in Japan.
30:14
SPEAKER_01: Right.
30:15
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, I I I don't know if it's because I'm you know in a in a completely different twelve time zone halfway around the world, and I'm thinking about my game, um, you know, and those things, but uh I will I still wasn't sure who was gonna win.
30:32
SPEAKER_06: Um, and there was so much going through my mind.
30:35
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, but um yeah, so I would have to say it would it would have been pretty late before I realized that that, you know, maybe I was the front runner and I would possibly win.
30:46
SPEAKER_01: Well, one thing that's interesting is your 332-yard game against Texas Tech came after the votes had already come in, so that wasn't even accounted for uh in your in the final ballots.
30:55
SPEAKER_01: But like you said, you won the trophy via satellite in Tokyo.
30:59
SPEAKER_01: Uh, what was your trip to New York for the banquet like?
31:01
SPEAKER_01: And and which Heisman winner did you enjoy meeting the most when you went out there?
31:06
SPEAKER_06: Well, my my trip to New York for the banquet, um, it was quite an experience.
31:11
SPEAKER_06: Um, and it was just an eye-opener uh just being in New York City for the first time and being at at the downtown athletic club uh celebrating the Heisman, I think would have happened maybe a week or so after I won the award.
31:27
SPEAKER_06: Um, and um oh man, I mean, who did I enjoy meeting?
31:32
SPEAKER_06: I um I would probably say Earl Campbell.
31:36
SPEAKER_06: I'd probably say Earl Campbell um just because for some reason we had a chance to actually chat.
31:44
SPEAKER_06: Um he was just finishing his NFL career.
31:47
SPEAKER_06: Right.
31:49
SPEAKER_06: And um, and I wasn't, I don't even think I had decided at that point whether I hadn't decided.
31:56
SPEAKER_06: I in fact, in my mind, I was coming back to school at that point.
32:00
SPEAKER_06: But I know Earl um, you know, somehow he took me aside and he was just talking to me about the NFL and stuff I should look out for, um, and that kind of thing.
32:09
SPEAKER_06: And uh, and so in in in fact, I was actually in this room and and we were having this conversation.
32:14
SPEAKER_06: Um, so I I'll never forget that.
32:17
SPEAKER_01: They say winning the Heisman changes your life.
32:19
SPEAKER_01: Was that true for you?
32:21
SPEAKER_06: Yes, absolutely.
32:23
SPEAKER_06: Absolutely.
32:23
SPEAKER_06: That definitely changed my life.
32:25
SPEAKER_06: Um yeah, it's it just uh Yeah, I mean, just so many more people uh recognized me and and um you know, there's so many more demands on my time there in Stillwater.
32:39
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and and so um yeah, in a major way, it it just changed so much.
32:45
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, I I remember one of the first uh one of the first flights that I took after winning the Heisman, you know, the the pilot um comes on to the intercom system and and says, you know, ladies and gentlemen, we have the Heisman Trophy winner on the flight, you know, just stuff like that.
33:01
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, that's awesome.
33:02
SPEAKER_06: Just blew my mind.
33:03
SPEAKER_06: Uh so yeah, a lot of things changed after that.
33:06
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, every running back we talk to on the show cites you as an influence, as an idol.
33:11
SPEAKER_01: A lot of the Heisman winners we talk to when we ask them, you know, who's who's the greatest Heisman winner of all time.
33:16
SPEAKER_01: A lot of people say your name.
33:17
SPEAKER_01: Uh, but are there any running backs out there currently playing that that you admire?
33:21
SPEAKER_01: And and also, what do you think about the diminishing role of running backs in the NFL?
33:27
SPEAKER_06: Oh, yeah, well, there's definitely some out there that that um catch my attention.
33:32
SPEAKER_06: You know, uh, you know, this guy didn't win the Heisman.
33:36
SPEAKER_06: I think he came pretty close, uh, Chris McCaffrey.
33:38
SPEAKER_06: Uh I know he was I know he was in the running uh for Heisman.
33:43
SPEAKER_06: Um and uh and you know, one of his colleagues that he uh that's in the in the league, um, you know, who's obviously made a lot of noise, Derek Henry, uh who is a Heisman trophy winner.
33:55
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and there's you know, there's a lot of guys that I think are really solid running backs.
34:00
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, the Josh Jacobs kids for the Raiders, uh, you know, uh the Taylor kid, Jonathan Taylor.
34:08
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
34:08
SPEAKER_06: I mean, there's a there's a lot you know, we got a young one here in Detroit, Jameer Gibbs.
34:12
SPEAKER_06: Um, I I still think, you know, as I mentioned, the guys that I I just did, um, I think I think, you know, they still are valuable assets to any offense.
34:22
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, and I think it just depends on the team, but but um it is more of a passing-oriented league.
34:30
SPEAKER_06: Uh it's more centered around the quarterback.
34:32
SPEAKER_06: You know, the game always evolves, uh, but I but I think you're always gonna have those guys from the running back position um that show up that um that you can give the ball to 20, 25 times a game.
34:45
SPEAKER_06: I think uh I don't I don't think that the verdict is I think the verdict is still out whether or not as an example um Minnesota's gonna be better off without Dalvin Cook.
34:55
SPEAKER_06: Right.
34:55
SPEAKER_06: You know, um we we saw what happened this offseason with Saquon Barkley uh you know and having to take you know sort of a lesser deal with the Giants.
35:04
SPEAKER_06: You know, I don't I don't know that the Giants are better off without Saquon.
35:07
SPEAKER_06: I mean, um you see what he did last year.
35:09
SPEAKER_06: I think he was a valuable part of them making to the pla to the playoffs um and a big part of what they did on offense, you know.
35:15
SPEAKER_06: So um so I think, you know, I think uh I mean we'll probably be having this debate for a while, but I think that a lot of teams um have made you know sort of um that calculation that that um you know it's more important to invest in other parts of the team.
35:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
35:32
SPEAKER_01: You've been getting more involved with Heisman activities, including doing the Nissan Heisman House, for example.
35:37
SPEAKER_01: We talked earlier about how you don't like the limelight, but do you feel more comfortable now at this point in your life playing the part of Barry Sanders Heisman Trophy winner?
35:47
SPEAKER_06: I think so.
35:48
SPEAKER_06: I mean, if you think about it, that's a pretty neat gig to be able to do, you know, um the Heisman House and and um and just being able to kind of be around, you know, a lot of the the younger guys and even some of the older guys.
36:02
SPEAKER_06: Um just such a great um fraternity of players and and um and really sort of um you know there's such uh great history there um of college football when you talk about you know the Heisman Trophy winners and being able to kind of rub shoulders with those guys and really just the whole concept that Nissan has put together with the Heisman House.
36:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
36:26
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, so to answer your question, yeah, I'm I think I'm much more comfortable now.
36:30
SPEAKER_06: Um I guess I I get a lot more time to to work on my acting skills these days, you know.
36:35
SPEAKER_06: So so I guess that does help.
36:37
SPEAKER_01: And then also you get to know some of the some of these younger Heisman winners involved in the house as well.
36:42
SPEAKER_01: Would you have any good stories or memories about hanging out with these guys?
36:46
SPEAKER_06: Well, I mean it's it's mostly you know, it's mostly work.
36:50
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, right.
36:51
SPEAKER_06: Uh it's mostly work, but it was kind of funny.
36:54
SPEAKER_06: Uh it was kind of funny this year, you know, how um, you know, we were we were there at the Heisman House and happened to be there with Robert Griffith and and Tim Tebow, a lot of those guys.
37:06
SPEAKER_06: Um, and um and it was a little bit of a you know, a little bit of a firestorm because I'm I'm in the background dozing off sleeping, and I think it was Robert Griffin that that caught me um, you know, as I was like, you know, I don't I don't know, I'm not gonna say I was snoring, but I was definitely definitely having a nice nap.
37:24
SPEAKER_06: Um but for some reason a lot of people were amused at that.
37:27
SPEAKER_06: Um but it's all it's always a very light sort of atmosphere.
37:32
SPEAKER_06: Um you know, because for me, like, you know, the benefit, you know, you get the benefit of being around younger guys like, you know, Caleb, um, you know, Caleb Williams, um, you know, and and uh those guys like that.
37:46
SPEAKER_06: And then for me, looking being around like Tony Dorsett or being around George Rogers, you know, I remember being 12, 13 years old and George W Rogers went in the Heisman, so so uh Billy Sims, you know, so so for me it's it's really just a treat um for so many reasons.
38:02
SPEAKER_06: Uh but uh just it's just great camaraderie with those guys.
38:06
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think fans of the Heisman are really excited to see you out there with these other guys.
38:10
SPEAKER_01: Quick series of Heisman questions.
38:11
SPEAKER_01: What's your favorite Heisman moment by someone else?
38:16
SPEAKER_06: I think I think I would say Tony Dorsett.
38:24
SPEAKER_06: Um Tony Dorset uh 76, was it?
38:28
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, 76.
38:29
SPEAKER_06: Um that was my you know that was my formative years, man, of really starting to enjoy the game and follow the game.
38:38
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
38:38
SPEAKER_06: Um and I, you know, and I was I was always that kid who was, you know, smaller of stature, I guess you could say.
38:46
SPEAKER_06: I didn't know how big Tony was, but I knew he wasn't very big.
38:48
SPEAKER_06: As a nine-year-old, I was like, man, that guy, he doesn't look very big, and and look what he's doing out there.
38:53
SPEAKER_06: You know, so that gave me a lot of hope.
38:55
SPEAKER_01: Where do you keep your Heisman trophy?
38:58
SPEAKER_06: It is at my mom's house in Kansas in the trophy room.
39:04
SPEAKER_01: All right.
39:05
SPEAKER_01: Describe to me your Heisman moment or your signature play that you think best epitomizes your Heisman trophy season.
39:14
SPEAKER_06: The play?
39:15
SPEAKER_06: Oh wow.
39:17
SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's so many to choose from, but maybe maybe yeah.
39:20
SPEAKER_06: Maybe looking back, maybe it's the opening kickoff of the season.
39:25
SPEAKER_06: Right.
39:25
SPEAKER_01: I think that's as good as any.
39:28
SPEAKER_06: You know, being that it was um, you know, the second consecutive season of of returning uh kickoff or touchdown, and then everything that followed.
39:38
SPEAKER_06: So the opening kickoff of of that 88 season.
39:42
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
39:42
SPEAKER_01: Who's the greatest Heisman trophy winner of them all?
39:46
SPEAKER_06: Wow.
39:49
SPEAKER_06: The greatest Heisman.
39:51
SPEAKER_06: Well, I mean, maybe you have to say Archie Griffin because he has two of them.
39:55
SPEAKER_01: Pretty good answer.
39:57
SPEAKER_01: Who do you think should have won the Heisman that didn't?
40:00
SPEAKER_01: I don't mean to take a Heisman away from anybody, but if you can give out an extra Heisman to someone who didn't win it, who do you think should have been that person?
40:09
SPEAKER_06: I feel like I don't know if this answers your question.
40:12
SPEAKER_06: I I feel like I was thinking Peyton Manning would definitely win.
40:17
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, I'm not I'm not sure who won his senior year.
40:21
SPEAKER_01: That was Charles Woodson.
40:22
SPEAKER_06: Um yeah.
40:23
SPEAKER_06: Well what about his junior year?
40:25
SPEAKER_01: His junior year was Danny Werfel.
40:27
SPEAKER_06: Oh, that's why, okay.
40:28
SPEAKER_06: So that's what I was thinking.
40:29
SPEAKER_06: That's so so so maybe not take it from Woodson, but I and without without taking it from either one of them, I just felt like I felt like Peyton Manning was definitely gonna win a Heisman.
40:38
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, if I were to choose, yeah, if I were to choose one year, uh one person, I would say that.
40:44
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
40:44
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
40:45
SPEAKER_01: Who's the toughest player you ever played against and why?
40:48
SPEAKER_06: The toughest player?
40:49
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
40:50
SPEAKER_06: Probably either um probably Lawrence Taylor.
40:55
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
40:56
SPEAKER_06: Probably the best, toughest player.
40:58
SPEAKER_01: And then what would you be doing if you never played college football?
41:03
SPEAKER_06: If I never played college football, wow.
41:07
SPEAKER_06: I don't know, maybe coaching uh or something, you know, uh, or maybe um, you know, always, always uh, you know, like that my dad did kind of carpenter work, rehab work, so may you know, maybe some kind of a contractor or something.
41:26
SPEAKER_01: All right, Barry Sanders, 1988 Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Hall of Famer.
41:31
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for coming on the show.
41:32
SPEAKER_01: Everyone needs to go watch Bye Bye Barry on Amazon.
41:35
SPEAKER_01: Great documentary.
41:36
SPEAKER_01: It debuted last night.
41:38
SPEAKER_01: Happy Thanksgiving, best of health, and we'll see you down in the room.
41:41
SPEAKER_05: Thanks for having me, and we're gonna be able to do that.
42:01
SPEAKER_01: He is sophomore running back Ollie Gordon.
42:04
SPEAKER_01: He is tied for the nation's lead in rushing at 129 yards per game.
42:10
SPEAKER_01: He had some incredible games earlier in the year, 282 yards against West Virginia, 271 yards against Cincinnati, back-to-back games, like our guest last week, Jalen Milrow out of Alabama, someone who could be a factor in the Heisman race down the road.
42:26
SPEAKER_01: All right, Ollie Gordon, running back Oklahoma State.
42:28
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for coming on the official Heisman Trophy Podcast.
42:31
SPEAKER_03: Yes, sir.
42:32
SPEAKER_03: Thank you for having me.
42:33
SPEAKER_01: So, Ollie, you've been on a bit of a tear this year.
42:35
SPEAKER_01: 1,414 yards rushing so far, 15 touchdowns, but you didn't really get going until the fourth game of the season.
42:43
SPEAKER_01: Where you are right now, leading the nation and rushing, is this something you could have imagined happening when the season started?
42:49
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it was always the thought about getting the charges playing, you know.
42:55
SPEAKER_03: But and to put these numbers up and uh think about this back in August, I don't think I would have thought this would have happened.
43:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
43:01
SPEAKER_01: You've uh kind of always been kind of a uh uh workhorse as a running back, has kind of been your calling card since high school days.
43:08
SPEAKER_01: As a high school junior, you once rushed 49 times in a playoff victory.
43:12
SPEAKER_01: You had 455 yards and six touchdowns at uh against Ewlis.
43:17
SPEAKER_01: Uh, where does that motor come from?
43:19
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it's just really the mindset thing.
43:23
SPEAKER_03: It's either you eat or you be eaten out there on the field, and I'd rather eat than be eaten.
43:29
SPEAKER_01: Were you surprised at your uh kind of amazing back-to-back games?
43:33
SPEAKER_01: 282 yards against West Virginia, 271 against Cincinnati.
43:38
SPEAKER_01: Did you see that coming, or was it just you felt you kind of felt it those days?
43:42
SPEAKER_03: Well, I felt it those days, you know, our line, my other my uh my line was out there handling business.
43:47
SPEAKER_03: It was always a hat on a hat each play.
43:49
SPEAKER_03: You know, our receivers are blocking great on the perimeter, our quarterback making great reads, you know.
43:55
SPEAKER_03: So it was really just uh I feel like we were all feeling it that day.
43:59
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:00
SPEAKER_01: And then you guys had the huge Oklahoma win.
44:02
SPEAKER_01: Where does that win over OU rate among your football memories?
44:05
SPEAKER_03: Uh it would have to be number one.
44:07
SPEAKER_03: It was my first bedlam dub, so it'd have to be at the top.
44:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:10
SPEAKER_01: Uh after the bedlam win over Oklahoma, you the fans were rushing the field and you were trying to find your mom on the field.
44:16
SPEAKER_01: What was that experience like?
44:18
SPEAKER_03: Oh, it was a lot.
44:19
SPEAKER_03: Everybody was just asking for pictures, you know, just yelling, screaming.
44:23
SPEAKER_03: I think everybody was super excited.
44:25
SPEAKER_03: I think they were more excited than we were.
44:27
SPEAKER_01: I heard your mom is one of your key inspirations and she's made a lot of sacrifices for you.
44:31
SPEAKER_01: She's a track star who had Olympic aspirations, is that right?
44:34
SPEAKER_03: Yes, sir.
44:35
SPEAKER_01: Uh did she give you any advice on uh keeping your speed up?
44:40
SPEAKER_03: You know, she'll try to give me some advice, like telling me things, I keep my knees up, you know, just stuff like that.
44:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:47
SPEAKER_01: Coming to Oklahoma State, how aware were you of just this great legacy of running backs?
44:52
SPEAKER_01: Not only the great Barry Sanders, but also Thurman Thomas uh and some other great backs.
44:58
SPEAKER_03: I was very familiar with it.
45:00
SPEAKER_03: You know, whenever you commit to a college, you look back into the history of the school and if they produce the position you play.
45:06
SPEAKER_03: And Oklahoma State always produces a running back, so that played a huge part.
45:10
SPEAKER_03: You know, that was it was it was huge.
45:12
SPEAKER_01: Who else were you considering uh attending, or what other schools were you looking at coming out of high school?
45:17
SPEAKER_03: Uh I really I thought about TCU because it was at home, but you know, Oklahoma State was the only school I took a visit to.
45:28
SPEAKER_03: And the only ones that really had my eye.
45:30
SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
45:31
SPEAKER_01: How is your experience at Oklahoma State kind of influenced your development as a player?
45:35
SPEAKER_01: What makes playing for this team so unique?
45:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it's it's unique because you have your coaches, but they also help you, they help you grow as a person, not just as a football player.
45:48
SPEAKER_03: So I feel, you know, and like everybody in the building in the stadium may help us, not just our coaches, everybody.
45:54
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's just a huge family-oriented program.
45:56
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
45:58
SPEAKER_01: Uh when you started out on your journey in football uh back in Texas, when did you start playing?
46:02
SPEAKER_01: What motivate what motivated you to pursue it so uh seriously?
46:07
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, I really I was too aggressive for basketball.
46:12
SPEAKER_03: And then I was kind of getting too big for track, so I just went and stuck with football.
46:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
46:17
SPEAKER_03: And I was like, yeah, I might I'm I really like playing football as far, so I might take the series.
46:22
SPEAKER_01: You're uh pretty tall for a running back.
46:24
SPEAKER_01: Uh what are some of the uh the running backs you'd compare your styles to?
46:28
SPEAKER_03: Uh I would say Derrick Henry, Le'Veon Bell.
46:31
SPEAKER_03: Those are two big backs.
46:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
46:34
SPEAKER_01: Um who are your role models in football and how they influenced your approach to the game?
46:39
SPEAKER_03: I would say Ray Lewis.
46:41
SPEAKER_03: You know, he always he just like when you watch his videos now, he just always he never let anybody judge him and he didn't care what people really thought about him, but long as they thought about him as a man, you know?
46:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
46:52
SPEAKER_03: So I would say him.
46:54
SPEAKER_01: And then having that linebacker mentality when you're running running up the holes has got to help you as well, right?
46:59
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, sir.
47:00
SPEAKER_03: You know, you gotta be aggressive, gotta be gotta run angry, gotta run through the smoke.
47:04
SPEAKER_01: Have you been able to meet uh Barry Sanders or talk to him since you've been at Oklahoma State?
47:09
SPEAKER_01: No, sir, I have not met him yet.
47:10
SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, uh, we're gonna have Barry Sanders on this episode uh that you're on.
47:16
SPEAKER_01: Um, so if you were gonna ask Barry Sanders a question, what would you ask him?
47:21
SPEAKER_03: I just asked him, how was he so great?
47:23
SPEAKER_03: Like what made him, you know, what made him want it so bad?
47:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
47:26
SPEAKER_01: Away from football, what are some of your interests or hobbies and how do they influence your life as an athlete?
47:32
SPEAKER_03: I like hanging out with friends, you know, I like making new friends, like just meeting new people.
47:37
SPEAKER_03: And I say with football, that helps because you know, uh, normally people don't know everybody on the team, but me, I would sit there and talk to anybody on the team.
47:46
SPEAKER_01: Uh, what advice would you give to young athletes who want to play uh at the col college level, especially as a running back?
47:53
SPEAKER_03: Uh sometimes, you know, it might get hard.
47:55
SPEAKER_03: Just don't give up.
47:56
SPEAKER_03: Just keep working.
47:57
SPEAKER_03: Don't let nobody tell you you're not good enough or you're not working.
48:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
48:02
SPEAKER_01: And then looking forward, what are some of your aspirations both within football and in your life outside the sport?
48:07
SPEAKER_01: What do you what do you want to do with your life?
48:10
SPEAKER_03: Uh after football, I want to be some sort of coach.
48:14
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
48:15
SPEAKER_01: What what do you like about coaching?
48:17
SPEAKER_01: What appeals to you?
48:18
SPEAKER_03: Just working with the kids.
48:19
SPEAKER_03: You know, I'm a huge people person.
48:21
SPEAKER_03: So working with the kids is is fine.
48:23
SPEAKER_03: You know, always seeing them with smiles on their faces.
48:26
SPEAKER_03: That's a good thing.
48:27
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
48:28
SPEAKER_01: Have you always liked that?
48:29
SPEAKER_01: Have you always been uh, you know, drawn to coaching?
48:33
SPEAKER_03: Yes, sir.
48:34
SPEAKER_01: Have you ever done any like uh coaching of of uh youths or done any camps?
48:38
SPEAKER_01: Uh yes, sir.
48:40
SPEAKER_03: I've done a couple since I've been here.
48:42
SPEAKER_01: What does your routine look like on game day?
48:44
SPEAKER_01: How do you prepare mentally and physically uh before a game?
48:48
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, we wake up in the morning, I take my morning shower, and I just blare my music real loud.
48:55
SPEAKER_01: What music do you what music are you listening to uh as you're getting ready?
48:59
SPEAKER_03: Uh most likely NBA Youngboy.
49:01
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
49:02
SPEAKER_01: All right.
49:02
SPEAKER_01: And then uh do you have like any rituals or routines, like do anything you do uh to kind of get you fired up or to get you mentally uh ready for for what you're about to go through?
49:11
SPEAKER_03: Always text my mom and aunt right before we walk out for the game that I love them and thank you.
49:16
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's pretty nice.
49:17
SPEAKER_01: All right.
49:18
SPEAKER_01: Ollie Gordon, we really appreciate you taking the time uh for come to come on the official Heisman Trophy Podcast.
49:23
SPEAKER_01: We're excited about your big breakout season and and hopefully uh one day, either sooner or later, uh you can make it out to New York City as a Heisman finalist.
49:32
SPEAKER_03: Yes, sir.
49:33
SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
49:34
SPEAKER_01: All right, thank you very much.
49:35
SPEAKER_01: Good luck this weekend.
49:36
SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
49:37
SPEAKER_01: And that'll do it for this week's show.
49:38
SPEAKER_01: I hope you enjoyed the All Oklahoma State episode.
49:41
SPEAKER_01: Gino Toretta, the 1992 Heisman Trophy winner, will be on next week's show, and he'll also be joined by Neil Everett, former ESPN Anchor, who is going to host this year's Heisman Dinner Gala on December 10th in New York.
49:54
SPEAKER_01: On behalf of the Heisman Trust, everyone here at the show wishes you and your loved ones a very special and happy Thanksgiving.
50:02
SPEAKER_01: The official Heisman Trophy podcast streams every Wednesday during the college football season and is hosted, co-produced, edited, and engineered by Chris Houston.
50:10
SPEAKER_01: Paul Goldberg is the executive producer and editor.
50:13
SPEAKER_01: Special shout out to Isaac Lollencron, and big thanks to the Heisman Trophy Trust and its executive director, Rob Whalen, and Associate Director Tim Henning.
50:20
SPEAKER_01: The official Heisman Trophy podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and anywhere you listen to your favorite podcast.
50:26
SPEAKER_01: You can also find clips of our show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
50:30
SPEAKER_01: Just go to Heisman Trophy.