Oklahoma State Football: The All-Time Dream Special Teams

Posted on June 16, 2021

NCAA Football: Camping World Bowl-Oklahoma State vs Virginia Tech

I have so far compiled my personal Oklahoma State football dream offense and defense, and now we cap it off with special teams. There aren’t that many notable positions on special teams as other groups, but OSU historically fills them very well. These positions will include kicker, punter, kick returner and punt returner (sorry long snappers, I don’t know what to base you on!).

As I mentioned in my last two pieces, these decisions are based simply on who I believe is the best at each position. Numbers and awards will play a key role, as well as post-college success.

I also won’t be including guys who I have already mentioned in my offensive and defensive lists, so you won’t be seeing Barry Sanders or R.W. McQuarters as returners today.

Kicker: Dan Bailey

Dan the man with the bright orange cleats may be the best to ever touch their foot to a football at Oklahoma State. The only Cowboy to receive the Lou Groza award for the nation’s best kicker, Bailey knocked through 57 field goals and 199 out of 201 extra points in four years, capping it off with an All-America selection and Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year award in 2010.

He broke the school record for points scored with 370, a record that stood until Ben Grogan broke it in 2016. A highlight of Bailey’s career in Stillwater was hitting a game-winning 40-yard field goal to beat Texas A&M in 2010.

Bailey is also one of OSU’s most successful pros, making the 2011 NFL All-Rookie team and a Pro Bowl nod in 2015 as a part of the Dallas Cowboys. He currently kicks for the Minnesota Vikings and is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history.

Punter: Matt Fodge

The one and only Oklahoma State player to receive the Ray Guy award for the nation’s best punter, Matt Fodge amassed 8,545 total punt yards on 202 punts through his four years at OSU from 2005 to 2008.

Fodge beat out West Virginia punter turned podcast host and wrestling commentator Pat McAfee for the Guy award in 2008, despite only totaling 31 punts that regular season, with 17 of those landing inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. He also averaged 42.3 yards per punt throughout his career.

As much as it pains me to not have Quinn Sharp at either position, I can’t deny Fodge’s Ray Guy trophy. To make up for it, he can be the backup at both spots, as well as the placeholder for giggles.

Kick Returners: Josh Stewart & Perrish Cox

As I said before, I’m not including guys I’ve already mentioned in my previous offensive and defensive entries. Despite this, OSU still has some elite kick returners to choose from.

Josh Stewart was must-watch TV whenever he fielded a kick. A deadly receiver in his own right, he manned one of the most efficient special teams in OSU history. He did most of his work returning punts, leading the Big 12 in total punt return yards, punt return touchdowns and average punt return yards per return.

Stewart was signed to then waived by the Tennessee Titans in 2014.

Perrish Cox was a lockdown corner for the Cowboys from 2006 to 2009, and also one of the nation’s deadliest kick returners. Cox totaled 2,804 kick return yards and 694 punt return yards in his career with six touchdowns between the two. Those 2,804 yards are the most in Big 12 history.

Cox was drafted in 2010 to the Denver Broncos where he returned a handful of kicks but was not utilized in the special teams game as much as he was in Stillwater.

Punt Returner: Tyreek Hill

The first guy that popped into my head when thinking of return specialists, Tyreek Hill could have been placed on either return team, as he scored kick-sixes for both during his lone season in 2014. I ultimately went with punt return because, well, Oklahoma State fans already know why.

The Cheetah doubled as both a running back and a wide receiver in Stillwater, but the return game is where he shined. He brought two kickoffs to the house against Kansas and Iowa State, averaging 24 yards per return, and the one punt return in Bedlam that potentially saved Oklahoma State’s season.

Some off the field issues caused Hill to leave OSU after one season, but he found his way to the NFL by way of a fifth round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, where he has earned five Pro Bowl’s and three All-Pro First Team selections.

Here is the now completed Oklahoma State dream team depth chart. Feel free to let us know your thoughts or who you would choose for your all-time team.

Oklahoma State All-Time Team Depth Chart

QB: Brandon Weeden Backup: Mason Rudolph

RB: Barry Sanders Backup: Terry Miller
RB: Thurman Thomas Backup: Kendal Hunter

WR: Justin Blackmon        Backup: Rashaun Woods
WR: Dez Bryant        Backup: Hart Lee Dykes
WR: James Washington    Backup: Tylan Wallace

TE: Brandon Pettigrew Backup: Alonzo Mayes

OL: Russell Okung        Backup: Lane Taylor
OL: Derrel Gofourth        Backup: Jon Kolb
OL: John Ward        Backup: Brad Lundblade
OL: Levy Adcock        Backup: Zachary Crabtree
OL: Teven Jenkins        Backup: Grant Garner

DL: Leslie O’Neal        Backup: Kevin Williams
DL: Jason Gildon        Backup: James White
DL: Emmanuel Obgah    Backup: Gary Lewis
DL: Phillip Dokes        Backup: Jordan Brailford

LB: John Corker        Backup: Ricky Young
LB: Cleveland Vann        Backup: Shaun Lewis

S: Mark Moore        Backup: Alvin Brown
S: Rod Brown            Backup: Harry Cheatwood
CB: Justin Gilbert        Backup: Perrish Cox
CB: R.W. McQuarters    Backup: Broderick Brown
CB: Darrent Williams        Backup: Kevin Peterson