Collin Oliver Talks About Oklahoma State Pledge
EDMOND -- The voice on the other end of the phone was kind of surprised when asked if we could catch up with him and videotape and interview. Then when Collin Oliver answered the door of his families home there was a big smile. Judging from his facial expression throughout the interview, the smile may have been there all day since he released his Twitter message and video declaring his commitment to Oklahoma State to play football and continue his education with the Pokes.
The first thing I noticed is that while he is listed at 6-2, 220 pounds, he looks taller. He told me he is right at 6-2, maybe a little taller and then mentioned the hair might make him seem a little taller. I wrote in the recruiting commitment story that I feel he will get a little taller and certainly bigger.
One comparison going in would be Jordan Brailford. Physically, he reminds you a little of Brailford when he arrived in Stillwater.
We started out with the obvious, why Oklahoma State? Oliver jumped into the answer.
"The feel was right, everything from the coaches to the players to the academic facilities," Oliver started his list. "You now the athletic complex and all that stuff and it was only an hour away. Everything is right there, all you need and it just an hour from home. You can't pass up on that."
Yes, it definitely helped that Santa Fe had a pipeline going to Oklahoma State. I mentioned Trace Ford coming off that strong freshman season last fall, but Oliver, even though he is compared to Ford and will likely play that role on defense, paid homage to the first Santa Fe player in this run, Calvin Bundage.
"I'll start with Calvin, and obviously, he was an impact player at State," Oliver explained. "Then Trace and the position I was playing in our high school system is similar to Trace and that only drove OSU further up in the rankings for me."
You hear in the video that Oliver talks a lot about playing that hybrid position on the defensive front and is okay with his hand on the ground and also moving around.
Now, don't think that Oliver is simply going to Stillwater to play football. He is a good student and a smart young man with a plan.
"I definitely want to major in Environmental Science," Oliver said when I was confused and asked him about business. "I was also looking at Oklahoma State's Agricultural Communications degrees and marketing, so that will all figure itself out."
Finally, I asked if he had talked to the coaches of all the other schools that had been recruiting him?
"Yeah, I had to keep it classy," Oliver answered. "I talked to all of them and let them know I was done."
We said this is a good fit, and honestly, after meeting Oliver and his family the fit seems even better and the smile is still on his face.
