Cowboys Pick Up All-Big 12 Grad Transfer in Sills
STILLWATER -- This past season was way too eventful for West Virginia offensive guard Josh Sills as he battled shoulder issues in the first two games and then was out for the season after game three and had season ending shoulder surgery. Sills then entered the NCAA transfer portal on Dec. 18. Sills has now announced he will head to Stillwater to finish his collegiate career. The 6-6, 326-pound made that public on Monday and part of the reason was to let running back Chuba Hubbard he was heading to Oklahoma State to help block for him next season should he decide to stay and play one more season in Stillwater rather than head to the NFL.
Sills is a red-shirt senior, but because of his injury, could petition for another season of eligibility. The native of Meadowbrook High School in Sarahsville, Ohio was a multiple All-Ohio prep player and chose West Virginia over mainly MAC offers from the likes of Toledo, Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Miami of Ohio.
He red-shirted his first year, but started his next two seasons and played in over 671 plays as a red-shirt freshman and 970 plays as a red-shirt sophomore.
His sophomore season, Sills was named second-team All-Big 12 by the league's coaches. Before the 2018 season, and before this past season in 2019, he was named a preseason All-Big 12 first-team offensive lineman in almost every preseason publication. Sills even was moving to center from right guard in order to help solidify the Mountaineers offensive line. He has the ability to play either guard position or center. That means he could either jump in and help at center where senior Johnny Wilson graduates or at left guard where senior Marcus Keyes just finished up an All-Big 12 season.
This really helps Oklahoma State even more as there were already 10 returning starters coming back, including offensive linemen who started a majority of games this season. Tackles Teven Jenkins, Dylan Galloway, guard Bryce Bray and guard/center Ry Schneider are all returning. Sills means the starting group will all be players with Big 12 experience.
Sills is the first player that the Cowboys have pulled off the NCAA Transfer Portal this school year, but I would expect that he would not be the last. You could see some defensive help come off the portal for the Pokes.
