Oklahoma State won't suspend star RB Gordon after DUI arrest
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy announced Tuesday that star running back Ollie Gordon II won't miss any playing time after his recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
"He's going to play," Gundy said, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. "I'm going to do what we think is best for Oklahoma State football. And I think it's best for Ollie to play. If there's any punishment, it's making him carry the ball 50 times in the first game."
Gundy added that Gordon will face internal punishment, per The Athletic's Chris Vannini.
Gordon was arrested June 30 on suspicion of DUI. An Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer pulled Gordon over after he drove 82 mph in a 65-mph zone while swerving through traffic, notes Vannini, who added that the officer found open bottles of vodka and tequila in Gordon's car during the traffic stop.
Gordon was booked on charges of DUI under 21 years of age, having an open alcohol container, failure to maintain a single driving lane, and speeding. He was later released on bond.
"He's very fortunate that somebody didn't get injured," Gundy said, according to Vannini. "That's way more important than any embarrassment for him and his family. I'm not going to shelter him and not make him face the music for his actions. I've had a lot of conversations with him and we'll continue to have more over the next month. He needs to understand the seriousness of this. It's going to cost him a lot of money in attorney fees and so forth, but it could have cost him his life or someone else's life."
"He's on a shorter leash right now, unfortunately," the sideline boss added, per Thamel.
Gordon led FBS with 1,732 rushing yards last season and claimed the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. The All-American tailback also rushed for 20 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry in 2023.
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