STILLWATER RESIDENTS REFLECT ON BREAKOUT MOMENTS AS 1970s COWBOY FOOTBALL STARS
DERREL GOFOURTH , TERRY MILLER & ROBERT TURNER he three men sat in orange plastic chairs in the Gallagher-Iba Arena interview room , engaging in witty banter and rattling off names of college teammates .
Just outside the room , they could explore Heritage Hall , a time capsule preserving Oklahoma State ’ s sports history in glass cases and inscribed plaques that line the walls . In the other direction , down a short corridor and through double doors , they could step onto a walkway overlooking the field at Boone Pickens Stadium , where new turf would soon glisten under the floodlights .
One way led to the past , the other to the future of Cowboy football .
Terry Miller , Robert Turner and Derrel Gofourth were at the intersection , their hearty laughs filling the previously silent space .
“ Nearly 50 years ago , well , all of us , we set foot in Stillwater , Oklahoma , and we ’ re all still here ,” remarked Miller , a soon-to-be College Football Hall of Fame inductee . “ We ’ ve been places , but this seems to be the place .”
Miller – the two-time All-American who stands alone in the Cowboy record books with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons – sat in the middle , speaking with a compelling combination of clever quips and heartfelt emotions . All-American offensive lineman Gofourth and fullback Robert Turner , trusty teammates who blocked for Miller in the 1970s , settled in on either side of him and shared their stories .
All three reached the NFL . The Miami Dolphins drafted Turner in 1977 . Gofourth spent a combined nine years with the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers , while Miller played primarily for the Buffalo Bills before spending a season with the Seattle Seahawks .
OSU strength and conditioning assistant Gary Calcagno grinned and referred to the former Cowboys as “ royalty ” when he passed them in Gallagher-Iba Arena , but they didn ’ t carry themselves with the bravado of local celebrities .
Life has led them back to Stillwater , where they quietly reside like many others in the community . They spend time with family , follow OSU football and take care of ordinary summer chores - Turner arrived at the interview room dressed for the weather , donning a bucket hat and floral button-up shirt , after delivering some branches he had pruned .
They ’ re living in their cozy college town because of a chance they each took in the 1970s , arriving from southern Oklahoma , Kansas and Colorado to play the sport they loved . Nearly five decades later , in
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