**STILLWATER, Okla.** — One of Oklahoma State’s offseason transfers is expected to have a minimal impact in 2024.
Running back AJ Green, who joined from Arkansas in January, will miss most of the 2024 season due to a lower leg injury sustained in spring camp, Mike Gundy told 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello last week.
“He’s injured,” Gundy said. “I’m not expecting him to do much this year. He had an injury. I don’t expect him to do much over the first few months.”
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In the initial practices open to the media, Green appeared strong and agile. Oklahoma State brought him in as a backup to Ollie Gordon II.
Here’s Arkansas transfer RB AJ Green showing off his quickness. Gundy spoke highly of him today. pic.twitter.com/DwlM18iCp7
— McClain (@McclainBaxley) April 2, 2024
Before his injury, Gundy and the Cowboys expected Green to help ease the workload of their Doak Walker Award-winning back. Green arrived in Stillwater with three years of Power 4 experience.
“What we need him to do is bring a physical, mature presence that allows our younger backs to develop,” Gundy said of Green in April. “I feel good about our depth at that position, but those guys can go down fast. We needed a mature guy, and he brings that to the table. So far, he’s done really well.”
Last season, as the Razorbacks’ most productive running back, Green rushed for 312 yards and two touchdowns and caught six passes for 25 yards and a touchdown.
With Green out, Oklahoma State will turn to Indiana transfer Trent Howland, who they picked up in April, and sophomore Sesi Vailahi.
“We’ve got Sesi (Vailahi), who played quite a bit for us last year as a freshman, and he’ll give us some depth,” Gundy said. “And then we have young players arriving in June, so we’ll need one of those guys to step up and be able to function in a down-the-line role.”
The primary role of these backup running backs is to give Gordon rest. Of the 449 carries Oklahoma State had as a team in 2023, Gordon had 285 of those carries. The rest of the team rushed for just 442 yards.
“(Gordon) carried the ball too much last year,” Gundy said. “We’ve got to do a better job of protecting him for this season and his future. He wants the ball, he likes that, but that was a lot of carries last year. We jumped on his back last year, and he had to do it, but I would prefer that not to happen this year.”
