Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Oklahoma State University
Making History: Cowboy Trio Seeks Accomplishment Unseen by OSU Since 1985
December 07, 2023 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - Since 2000, only one pair of Oklahoma State football defenders have reached 100 tackles in the same season.
Malcolm Rodriguez led the team with 103 tackles and Amen Ogbongbemiga accounted for 100 in 2019. A feat such as this displays prominence in defensive standings, and one OSU has grown accustomed to. Since tackles became an official stat in 1964, OSU has produced over 50 defenders with at least 100 tackles in a season, with 10 of them coming since 2000.
While it's rare to see two players reach this career milestone in the same season, it's even rarer for three players to accomplish it.
Nickolas Martin, Kendal Daniels and Trey Rucker have an opportunity to become the first trio of OSU defenders to reach 100 tackles each in 38 years.
In 1985, James Ham, Leslie O'Neal and Mark Moore each put up over 100 tackles. Ham led the team with 134 tackles at the linebacker spot, currently sitting at No. 10 all-time in single season performances by any OSU defender. It was the first time in his career that he reached over 100 tackles and propelled him to the eighth spot in the career list by the time he graduated.
O'Neal led in the trenches and recorded his third straight 100-plus tackles season with 112. He led the team in sacks and tackles for loss that season with seven and 15, respectively. His 393 career tackles put him in the top five on the OSU leaderboard. O'Neal was a unanimous All-American that season and went on to have a successful career in the NFL.
In the secondary, Moore picked up 101 tackles and led the team that season with 62 solo stops. Moore was also outstanding in coverage, securing seven interceptions and a school record 176 yards returned. Of the 1985 trio, Moore was the only junior who returned to OSU after that season.
In the 38 years since this remarkable defensive feat, only twice has OSU produced two 100-plus tacklers in a single season.
Entering 2023's bowl season, OSU is the only Power Five team with three players at 90 or more tackles.
Martin headed the charge and has had one of the most impressive defensive seasons by any Cowboy since the turn of the century. He leads the Big 12 in tackles with 133 and has the most tackles of any Cowboy since Orie Lemon had the same amount in 2010.
In the TexAct Texas Bowl against Texas A&M, he will need just one tackle to break into the top 10 on OSU's single season leaderboard. Should he reach that milestone, it would be the first time in the 21st century that a Cowboy defender reached the top 10 in the season tackles category. Martin averages just over 10 tackles per game, and if he reaches that total in the bowl game, he'll be in the top six all-time in program history.
Behind Martin are Daniels and Rucker, who sit at 98 and 94 tackles, respectively.
Daniels earned the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year last season after putting up 71 tackles at the rover position. He's built off that momentum to turn into one of the most consistent tacklers on OSU's defense. Additionally, he's recorded an interception and his first two fumble recoveries in his career this season.
Rucker emerged as a prominent defensive force for the Cowboys this year after taking a redshirt season last year. He only appeared in one game for OSU last year, which was in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Wisconsin. He made the most of his opportunity and recorded three tackles, a clutch pass breakup and an interception. This year, he added another interception, as well as two fumble recoveries. One of those recoveries came against BYU in the second overtime after he stripped the ball away from the carrier and recovered it to send OSU to the Big 12 Title game.
Entering the bowl game against Texas A&M, Daniels and Rucker are two and six tackles away from 100, respectively. This season, they both average over seven tackles a game, making this well within the realm of possibility. Daniels has recorded four or more tackles in every game this season and reached a high of 11 twice. It's the same story for Rucker, who also recorded 11 tackles against Kansas State.
With Martin having already made history as another 100-plus tackler and seeking a top-10 all-time finish, it's up to Daniels and Rucker to make this achievement a reality. OSU takes on Texas A&M on December 27 at 8 p.m.
Malcolm Rodriguez led the team with 103 tackles and Amen Ogbongbemiga accounted for 100 in 2019. A feat such as this displays prominence in defensive standings, and one OSU has grown accustomed to. Since tackles became an official stat in 1964, OSU has produced over 50 defenders with at least 100 tackles in a season, with 10 of them coming since 2000.
While it's rare to see two players reach this career milestone in the same season, it's even rarer for three players to accomplish it.
Nickolas Martin, Kendal Daniels and Trey Rucker have an opportunity to become the first trio of OSU defenders to reach 100 tackles each in 38 years.
In 1985, James Ham, Leslie O'Neal and Mark Moore each put up over 100 tackles. Ham led the team with 134 tackles at the linebacker spot, currently sitting at No. 10 all-time in single season performances by any OSU defender. It was the first time in his career that he reached over 100 tackles and propelled him to the eighth spot in the career list by the time he graduated.
O'Neal led in the trenches and recorded his third straight 100-plus tackles season with 112. He led the team in sacks and tackles for loss that season with seven and 15, respectively. His 393 career tackles put him in the top five on the OSU leaderboard. O'Neal was a unanimous All-American that season and went on to have a successful career in the NFL.
In the secondary, Moore picked up 101 tackles and led the team that season with 62 solo stops. Moore was also outstanding in coverage, securing seven interceptions and a school record 176 yards returned. Of the 1985 trio, Moore was the only junior who returned to OSU after that season.
In the 38 years since this remarkable defensive feat, only twice has OSU produced two 100-plus tacklers in a single season.
Entering 2023's bowl season, OSU is the only Power Five team with three players at 90 or more tackles.
Martin headed the charge and has had one of the most impressive defensive seasons by any Cowboy since the turn of the century. He leads the Big 12 in tackles with 133 and has the most tackles of any Cowboy since Orie Lemon had the same amount in 2010.
In the TexAct Texas Bowl against Texas A&M, he will need just one tackle to break into the top 10 on OSU's single season leaderboard. Should he reach that milestone, it would be the first time in the 21st century that a Cowboy defender reached the top 10 in the season tackles category. Martin averages just over 10 tackles per game, and if he reaches that total in the bowl game, he'll be in the top six all-time in program history.
Behind Martin are Daniels and Rucker, who sit at 98 and 94 tackles, respectively.
Daniels earned the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year last season after putting up 71 tackles at the rover position. He's built off that momentum to turn into one of the most consistent tacklers on OSU's defense. Additionally, he's recorded an interception and his first two fumble recoveries in his career this season.
Rucker emerged as a prominent defensive force for the Cowboys this year after taking a redshirt season last year. He only appeared in one game for OSU last year, which was in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Wisconsin. He made the most of his opportunity and recorded three tackles, a clutch pass breakup and an interception. This year, he added another interception, as well as two fumble recoveries. One of those recoveries came against BYU in the second overtime after he stripped the ball away from the carrier and recovered it to send OSU to the Big 12 Title game.
Entering the bowl game against Texas A&M, Daniels and Rucker are two and six tackles away from 100, respectively. This season, they both average over seven tackles a game, making this well within the realm of possibility. Daniels has recorded four or more tackles in every game this season and reached a high of 11 twice. It's the same story for Rucker, who also recorded 11 tackles against Kansas State.
With Martin having already made history as another 100-plus tackler and seeking a top-10 all-time finish, it's up to Daniels and Rucker to make this achievement a reality. OSU takes on Texas A&M on December 27 at 8 p.m.
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