Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II doesn't hide from arrest questions at Big 12 Media Days
Scott WrightThe Oklahoman
LAS VEGAS — He could’ve stayed home.
He could’ve dodged the cameras and sidestepped the questions until they finally stopped coming.
But Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II saw the value in showing up, sitting in front of those cameras and answering virtually every question that was offered on Tuesday during Big 12 Football Media Days at Allegiant Stadium.
Gordon was arrested nine days earlier for suspicion of driving under the influence, transporting an open container, speeding and other offenses.
As the best running back in the country last year, with dreams of bigger awards this season, Gordon faced the media with humility for a dangerously bad decision that he hopes to quickly put behind him.
“I apologize for my actions, the mistakes I made,” Gordon said. “It wasn’t good. Every action has a consequence. I just need to apologize to my family and my team for my actions. I just hope that I can get back on a good track and good terms with all of them.”
OSU coach Mike Gundy said Tuesday that he will not suspend Gordon from any games because of the incident, which aligns with how Gundy has handled similar situations in recent years.
Gordon was stopped by Oklahoma Highway Patrol in the early morning hours of June 30 for swerving between lanes and speeding, leading to his arrest. He was charged Monday in Cleveland County District Court in Norman, where he faces two misdemeanor counts — driving under the influence by a person under 21 and transporting an open container of alcohol.
Gordon only avoided questions about specifics from the night of his arrest, citing legal reasons.
But everything else, he addressed — and that was the most important reason for his presence Tuesday.
The questions were going to be asked, whether he was there or not. But it would have been his teammates answering them had Gordon opted to avoid the media spotlight.
“I talked to Coach Gundy and it was my decision if I wanted to come or not,” Gordon said. “I felt like I should come because it wouldn’t be fair to my teammates, leaving them up here answering questions when I could.”
Gordon rushed for 1,732 yards and scored 21 total touchdowns last season, winning the Doak Walker Award. That, coupled with his effervescent personality and happy-to-be-here demeanor, has taken him to incredible heights of college football stardom.
With that, he has reaped the rewards of name, image and likeness deals that are bringing in money and other benefits as he enters what could be his final season of college football.
Some of that could be in jeopardy, though it likely won’t become publicly known.
Gundy, who was at the lake when he got the call about Gordon’s arrest, spoke with the running back the next day, and several times since then.
“What I need to know is that you understand how serious this situation is and how lucky you are, and that you’re going to work as hard as you can to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Gundy told him in the first conversation. “I wanted to hear what he had to say. For himself, for his family and for the team, he’s embarrassed.
“Is that enough punishment? I don’t know. But that’s almost more than running him or — you can’t really financially punish him.”
Gordon stood tall on Tuesday, answering the questions with the appropriate emotions, and with his genuine personality. Despite the fact that much of his six hours at Allegiant Stadium was spent answering the same questions over and over, he maintained the proper tone and never showed frustration at the day’s repetitive nature.
“He made a terrible mistake and he got off lightly because nobody got hurt,” Gundy said. “The reason I brought him here today — and he made the decision to come — was so he could answer that question, because you need to get it from him.
“He’s a great young man that made a decision that he’d love to have back.”
