Here are 16 things we learned about Oklahoma State football this week

With the first week of spring ball almost in the books, I thought it would be a good time to look back at what we learned over the last few days.

Other than the end of spring practices in April, this week will probably be more informative about where OSU is headed than any other this offseason.

On Tuesday, Clint Davison did a great job grabbing quotes and throwing in some commentary on both Mike Gundy’s press conference as well as the four new assistants.

You should read both if you haven’t.

With that, let’s take a look at 16 things we learned this week about Oklahoma State football.

1. Daxx Garman…gone

No surprise….although where I’ve heard he’s going will be.

A big one.

(I’m efforting, ok?)

2. Mason Rudolph is basically a tank

Wait, QB1 is now 6’4 and 240 lbs.? (Sources: It’s actually 230 lbs…Gundy might think he was talking about kilograms?) Did Kye Staley move in with him?

Davison had a great note on this from Gundy’s presser when Gundy said there would be a JW package for the things Rudolph is not built for:

At 6’4”, 240, what exactly is Mason “not built for”?

3. Todd Mays as a poor man’s Antwaan Randle El?

Gundy said the JUCO transfer will get reps at QB and RB.

I do like the versatile QB3. And now you don’t have to burn John Kolar’s redshirt after QB1 and QB2 go down in the first seven quarters, as is an inevitability when it comes to Oklahoma State quarterbacks.

4. Wait, Blake Webb is gone?

Spring roster out and no Garman, Blake Webb, Matt Kellerman, and Devin Davis. Not surprised.

— Robert Allen (@RAllenGoPokes) March 9, 2015

Did I miss something here?

I actually am kind of surprised that Blake Webb is not on the spring roster.

5. It’s all about trust

I loved some of Gundy’s comments about Rudolph. He has a chance to be such a star.

It’s interesting to me that Gundy talked about how he needs to improve at some of the more nuanced stuff. That tells me he has Gundy’s full trust already (and I suppose he would have to if it’s March and Gundy is not playing coy with QBs).

Stuff like this:

“Brandon Weeden and Zac Robinson did a great job of saying, ‘OK, we’re going to run the football.’ Want to see that from him.”

It’s not every day you talk about handing the keys to a true sophomore like that. Also, can I get some hands in the air on who thinks he would more capable than the actual OC?

6. Gundy has a new cell number

If you’ve ever exchanged texts with Gundy, you might want to update your contact info. Gundy said so many coaches tried to contact him, he had to change his number.

Vegas has 8-1 odds he got a RAZR on eBay.[1. Or had someone buy it for him on eBay.]

7. The RB split will be 2-1-1

This was intriguing: “We need a guy who can carry it 2o times and a couple others who can carry it 10 and 10.” I don’t think anyone actually knows who’s going to get it 20 times, but I’d put my money on Chris Carson.

8. Say no to mid-week nonconference games

We learned that OSU is thinking about moving its game with Central Michigan to a Thursday. HAVE WE LEARNED ZERO LESSONS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS?

9. Coach can’t gamble

Speaking of money, this was the best part of Gundy’s presser. He was asked if he’d communicated with Central Michigan about moving the game:

“I went to Vegas and since then we hadn’t…I lost so much money I hadn’t got back on track yet.”

10. It’s not just fans who care how seasons end

New DBs coach Dan Hammerschmidt dropped this jewel about Houston’s bowl win over Pitt (he coached UH last season):

“Then we ended up pulling out that crazy bowl game and you run off the field like you’re national champs thinking, wait a minute. We only won eight games.”

Houston won on this two-point conversion after scoring 29 in the 4th quarter.

https://vine.co/v/OdZbrztvZ9v

11. Gundy’s give-a-crap meter has never seen these heights

Is that a purple Nike hoodie with an ironed-on Oklahoma State helmet?[1. Props to Cassidy Roach for spotting this.]

I think it is.

12. Holder is back on Gundy’s Christmas card list

Ok, maybe not Christmas list. If Kristen has an Easter list or 4th of July list, Holder might be on that one. Why?

Gundy said he opened up the coffers for OSU’s new coaches.

“I couldn’t have done it without Coach Holder.”

Of course, that might be laced with enough sarcasm for another season of Parks & Rec. But at least he’s changed his Facebook relationship status with Holder off of “separated.”

13. Literally zero people know how the NCAA works

Gundy had no idea whether JW Walsh could get a medical redshirt for last season. Now, maybe that’s Gundy being Gundy (or playing Gundy) but it seems like something you should be able to know at this point.

I’m pretty sure he qualifies based on the NCAA’s guidelines…but maybe not. Here are those guidelines:

• May not have participated in more than two contests or dates of competition or 20 percent of the team’s completed contests/dates of competition.

• The injury or illness must occur prior to the completion of the first half of the season.

• The injury or illness does not have to occur during practice/competition, but it must be incapacitating.

• Appropriate medical documentation must exist and be provided.

Check, check, check (?) and check (?)

14. We’re gonna use a tight end, y’all

New TE and FB coach Jason McEndoo: “We have our own meeting room now. We need to build an identity.”

This is probably why (dropped):

But really, I like this for multiple reasons. The first is that OSU has a couple of good tight ends. The second is that having tight end packages can be a good formula for closing out games.

15. Marcus Arroyo is here to make fans

“I mean, this is tailback U. Those 2,000-yard categories and 35-touchdowns, that’s where we’re headed,” he said.

He might as well have rode into the press room on Barry Sanders’ back, clutching his Heisman, double-fisting Cuban cigars.

16. Gundy knows spreads (just not craps)

Coach said this to David Ubben at the end of last week.

“Anytime you win a Bedlam game as a three-touchdown underdog or whatever we were and then go in and win as an underdog in the bowl game…..”

Or whatever we were.

Nope, I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what we were.

Are we excited for football season yet?