Why Oklahoma State football's Kody Walterscheid called returning 'an easy decision'

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State football fans can settle in for an 11th straight year trying to pronounce the name Walterscheid.

If you’re still struggling with it after a decade, here’s a hint: it rhymes with hide.

For a while last December, it looked like the Walterschied name might be at the end of its run on the OSU roster. But defensive end Kody Walterscheid ultimately elected to return for his super-senior year, thanks to the NCAA granting an additional year of eligibility to players who participated during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season.

So Walterscheid is back in orange and black for his sixth year, having initially enrolled immediately after his brother, Cole, finished up his five seasons as a Cowboy from 2014-18.

“I think my parents can count on one hand how many games they’ve missed,” Kody said. “They’ve been to a lot of games. They do a great job.”

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Family legacy aside, Walterscheid’s return to the OSU defensive line is even more valuable on the field. Defensive end looked to be a position of need with the graduation of Anthony Goodlow and Nathan Latu after last season.

With several other OSU players choosing to take advantage of their sixth seasons, Walterscheid felt the pull to stick around as well.

“A lot of my buddies staying made it an easier decision,” he said. “Some of the O-linemen, a couple D-linemen, a lot of people coming back, so it made it easy for me.”

Walterscheid played the second-most snaps at defensive end, on the field for 482 in all, behind Goodlow’s 568.

Without him, the Cowboys would have been thin on experience and bodies. But with the 6-foot-7, 275-pound Walterscheid back, it limits the amount of fire the young players have to be thrown into.

Here’s a look at OSU’s defensive end position in spring:

Season rewind

Defensive end play was solid, but still left room for more. Goodlow and Latu combined for 983 snaps, and were the two highest-graded players at the position, according to Pro Football Focus.

Xavier Ross got over 200 snaps in his first season playing the position after moving from defensive tackle. And youngsters DeSean Brown and Jaleel Johnson saw quality time in the rotation as well.

But after the season, coach Mike Gundy made a change, replacing defensive line coach Greg Richmond with veteran Paul Randolph.

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Roster management

Who’s in: Obi Ezeigbo, RSr.*; Armstrong Nnodim, Fr.; Luke Webb, Fr. (will enroll in June)

Who’s out: Anthony Goodlow, Nathan Latu, Israel Isuman-Hundley

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The take

The Cowboys had 27 sacks as a team last season, and defensive linemen accounted for roughly one-third of them.

The ability to get pressure without sending extra blitzers will be an important development at the position this season, and that’ll be Randolph’s most important task between now and September.

Ezeigbo remains a wild card in this mix, considering he’s on the smaller side at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, and he’s making the jump from Division II Gannon University.

But early returns have been promising.

“Obi’s doing great,” Walterscheid said. “He’s a strong, fast, athletic kid and he’s picking up everything in the schemes real good. I think he’s gonna do great for us.”

Walterscheid, Ross and Eziegbo provide a veteran presence, yet this season will also be crucial in the development of Brown, Johnson and other young players. All three of the veterans are super-seniors, so the workload will fall on the youth in 2025.

That means players like redshirt sophomore Landon Dean and redshirt freshman Jaedon Foreman could be in the mix for some action at the back end of the rotation, which should help their growth going forward.

Depth chart

The starters

• Kody Walterscheid, RSr.*, 6-7, 275

• Xavier Ross, RSr.*, 6-4, 285

The reserves

• Obi Ezeigbo, RSr.*, 6-2, 245

• DeSean Brown, RSo., 6-2, 250

• Jaleel Johnson, RSo., 6-5, 260

• Landon Dean, RSo., 6-5, 270

• Jaedon Foreman, RFr., 6-2, 280

• Armstrong Nnodim, Fr., 6-2, 270

• Patrick Ojo, RSo., 6-2, 215

• Kaden Jones, RFr., 6-3, 225

*Super-senior

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: For Oklahoma State's Kody Walterscheid, returning 'an easy decision'