How 'rubber ball' Brennan Presley is writing his name in Oklahoma State football history

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy almost never tosses out comparisons to legendary Cowboy Barry Sanders, and rightfully so, considering Sanders is essentially an incomparable talent.

But Gundy offered a Sanders comp on Monday with an unexpected twist.

Asked about senior receiver Brennan Presley’s ability to absorb big hits and constantly bounce back up unharmed, Gundy pointed to the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner.

“He’s like a rubber ball, and honestly, that’s the way Barry Sanders was,” Gundy said. “He took so many hits and we all worried about it, and he just gets up. Brennan’s the same way. Brennan took four or five hits in that game that were legitimate, big-time hits.

“He practices that way. He practices hard every day. He’s just a different little man, I guess.”

The game Gundy referenced was Saturday’s 43-30 win at Houston in which Presley had career highs of 189 receiving yards on 15 catches. Thirteen of those receptions resulted in a first down as the Cowboys rallied from a 14-point deficit.

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And Presley could be in line for a similar workload when the Cowboys host BYU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium for OSU’s senior day, which Presley will be part of, even though he has an additional year of eligibility remaining should he choose to use it.

Whether or not he comes back next year, Presley has earned himself a high spot in the illustrious annals of Oklahoma State’s greatest receivers.

Presley’s 189 yards at Houston boosted him into OSU’s all-time top 10 list for career receiving yards with 2,213, moving ahead of Josh Stewart and 165 yards behind ninth-place Dillon Stoner.

Presley and Stoner are tied for sixth with 191 career receptions. Presley’s 15 touchdowns are two away from a top-10 spot there. And he’s on a few of the top-10 lists for his work in the return game as well.

“He just keeps making plays,” Gundy said. “He just keeps getting up. I’m glad he’s on our team.

“We always want to get him the ball. That’s not a secret. It’s not always easy to get it to him.”

Gundy and offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn have orchestrated a variety of new looks and added heavy use of pre-snap motion to help get Presley free for more targets in the passing game. And they’ve handed him the ball 10 times this season.

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After Saturday, he jumped into the lead in receiving yards this season with 656. He already led the team in receptions and touchdown catches, now with 67 and five, respectively.

Presley was an under-recruited prospect, primarily because of his size, when he came out of Bixby High School in the class of 2020. He was a clear playmaker, but his game needed work.

“When he first came in, he wasn’t a true, natural receiver, but the guy works at it a ton,” Dunn said. “When you see him catch the football now, it’s really fluid and natural. But he’s worked at it, and that’s what happens when you work at it like that.

“He’s out there catching balls every damn day. He works and grinds and he takes ownership in it. It hurts him if he drops a ball.”

Presley has three dropped passes in 95 targets this season, according to Pro Football Focus analytics.

Dunn also compliments Presley’s route-running, whether it’s a specific route or if he’s adjusting to coverage and looking for open space.

“He brings plays to life,” Dunn said.

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Yet years from now, one of the biggest imprints he will have left in memories of teammates, coaches and fans alike will be that rubber-ball rebound from all the big hits his 5-foot-8, 175-pound body absorbs.

Presley takes pride in being told he plays bigger than his size, and his first thought after a big hit is to always get up before the defender does.

“I take hits all the time,” Presley said. “It’s something I’m kinda used to.

“If (Dunn) trusts me enough to put me in this position, that’s the utmost respect to me. The plays aren’t gonna make themselves. He says it all the time. The players make the plays. So when they call my number, it’s even more for me to be like, hey, they trust me to make this play, so you gotta go out there and do it.”

While some of the hits Presley takes lift him off his feet or helicopter him around like a ragdoll, he never seems affected. And those who have watched him every day are no longer shocked to see him bounce back up.

“I learned quickly what type of guy he is and what type of talent he has and what type of work ethic he has,” said tight end Josiah Johnson, who is in his lone OSU season after transferring from UMass. “He’s a tough son of a gun. He’s a small, explosive package. He’ll lay hits and he’ll take ‘em.

“The shock factor is more just how impressive it is, but it doesn’t surprise us anymore.”

Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Brennan Presley is writing his name in Oklahoma State football history