Five Thoughts from OSU’s Football Media Day on QB Race, Receiver Depth and More

STILLWATER, Okla. — Entering fall camp on Thursday, redshirt senior Taylor Cornelius was the presumptive favorite to win OSU’s starting quarterback job. Mike Gundy went so far Saturday as to say that the only starting job at QB that remains open is the role of QB2 and who will start the season behind Cornelius.

“I mentioned to our offensive staff that we need some information around the end of the third week of camp to get a feel for who we think can play there behind Taylor (Cornelius) and come up with a plan,” said Gundy, referencing how he may — or may not — make use of the redshirt rule at the QB spot.

“Whether it’s a freshman or a player that’s already used his eligibility and is not in the same category … We just have to see how it goes.”

Let’s get to five thoughts on that and more from Saturday.

1. Confidence in wide receivers is high

Losing James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Chris Lacy — who combined to amass nearly 3,000 yards receiving in 2017 — spells doom for most teams who would hope to complete forward passes the following season. Mike Gundy, though, is not only optimistic about the bunch filling their shoes, but confident.

“Everybody’s used to the other guys,” said Gundy, “so [observers] are kind of seeing them as what’s left. I think those guys can make plays.”

Swaggy T™ and OSU’s group of receivers, including Dillon Stoner, Jalen McCleskey, Patrick McKaufman, have all proven themselves to be productive in some capacity or another. Tyron in Bedlam, for example. McKaufman in practice. Stoner anywhere in the middle of the field. McCleskey down the seam.

A larger sample size suggests that production will only increase with opportunity, despite a new QB in the backfield. And despite boasting a running back position group that would lead most Big 12 teams to go full Wisconsin 2014.

OSU doesn’t have any plans of going full Wisconsin anything. Nonetheless, OSU’s running backs will produce yards as quickly as a Tiger Woods four-iron stinger. That should open up opportunities down the field for OSU’s up-and-coming receivers corps.

“The running game opens up the passing game,” said Tyron Johnson on Saturday. “If you can run it well, you have a good chance of getting a one-on-one on the outside.”

2. Opportunities abound for backup LB’s

Mike Gundy began his Saturday press conference with a bit of a downer: Patrick Macon, a former junior college All-American from Western Arizona who is entering his second season at OSU, sustained a foot injury and could miss the entirety of the 2018 season.

Macon didn’t project to be a starter for OSU this season after spending last season on the sidelines acclimating to the next level, but he could have been a key rotation piece behind Justin Phillips on the interior of the OSU defense.

With Macon likely facing several months on the sidelines, though, opportunities abound for players who may not have otherwise had such a clear path to a major role. Look for Amen Ogbongbemiga to emerge as a potential backup to Phillips in the middle, and Kevin Henry, who injured himself last season, to also have a shot at stealing some big run time at linebacker.

3. Uphill battle for non-Taylor Cornelius challengers

It would take a monumentally grand fall camp from one of Sanders, Brown or Wudtee to unseat the Oil Baron, Taylor Cornelius, at QB1. Not only because of his strong spring, but also simply from a logistical standpoint, as Gundy explained Saturday.

“It’s really difficult from a standpoint of reps [to see Cornelius being unseated],” said Gundy. “The ones can only go on the field so many times. Because of the way that reps are distributed in practice, that’s why Taylor’s our guy. He’s proven to us that he understands and that we can win with him and be successful.”

Gundy noted that the contenders at the QB position at this time have had mostly limited reps. Any of them could still win the starting job, but for now, it’s Cornelius. The goal now is determining who will be his backup.

“When you have Wudtee and Dru and Spencer come in, their reps at this time are limited. Could it happen? Sure,” Gundy said. “You could have a guy come in and just takeover. Then you have to try to find a way to make it work for two people. That’s not something we would want to do. Unless it’s a goal line, short yardage situation. But if somebody earned that right then you’d certainly have to facilitate it. It could happen, but it’s not likely to happen early in the season until we give the other guy his opportunity and he’s earned his stripes from being here.”

4. Gundy on how Urban Meyer/Ohio State situation relates to OSU’s processes

A nugget from Saturday that wasn’t discussed much — but definitely should have been — was Gundy’s answer when asked how the ongoing Ohio State situation with Urban Meyer and fired receivers coach Zach Smith related to Oklahoma State’s handling of similar situations.

Here’s a transcription of what he said and the steps they’ve taken in recent years to educate themselves more on the handling of delicate situations such as this one.

“I don’t think there is any question that times are changing, people are more aware of what’s going around for all the right reasons. Over the last two, three, four years, we’ve had a lot of education from people on campus, attorneys, different resources to educate us on what to do. I think it’s just a matter of really saying, we need to get whatever could be to the proper channels. When, forever with coaches, that just wasn’t a procedure. I think that’s what’s most important for us, at Oklahoma State. That’s what we’ve been told to do. We have athletic department meetings with not just coaches but everybody, because any bit of information that gets to someone that needs to be forwarded to, for a lack of better term, the proper authorities. We will let them do the job, and then for us here as coaches, we remove ourselves. Essentially we don’t have any say-so in anything that’s going on and for the most part that’s a good thing. That way you can’t be influenced one way or the other.

“When I started running into certain issues, not particularly domestic, just issues that coaches have. I had a coach tell me the first year that when you have something happen that’s an issue, he recommended the first thing you do, you sit down at your desk and you say ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ And you come up with an answer and then you act on it. You don’t sit down and say ‘How are we going to win a game without this guy?’ Because he might not be playing when it’s the right thing to do because you won’t make the right decision. That’s the principle I try to live by here and I’m not saying it’s easy but that’s what we’ve done here. So for us in the department, we’ve had a lot of education to get things to the proper channels and let other people do their job. I think that’s the right way to do it, so certain people aren’t influenced one way or the other. I think it’s important that we know nobody knows what’s going on anywhere, there is almost more to every story. But that’s what we do here and it’s worked out good for us.”

5. Za’Carrius Green stands out

Ask any player on OSU’s defense who stands out among the others, and you’re likely to get a different answer. Some point to Kenneth Edison-McGruder, who is moving back to safety from linebacker. Others to Justin Phillips. But if you ask about Za’Carrius Green, there’s a consensus: he’s going to make a big impact as noticeable as his orangeish-red head of hair.

“I’ve always been an understudy [at OSU],” said Green. “I’ve been able to step up and be myself, be more enthusiastic, and I’m just letting the leadership in me come out.”

Green was eager to talk about OSU’s new 4-2-5 scheme on defense under Jim Knowles, and lit up when asked what the biggest change was from last year to this year.

“Being aggressive. Being aggressive,” Green said. “I love being aggressive. All our safeties are tremendously aggressive. It’s fun getting hits on guys.”