Eight Enrollees Start Their Time in OSU Football Program This Week

There is much anticipation around Oklahoma State football right now. So much so that a handful of high school seniors and other transfers are entering the program a semester early.

This isn’t unusual of course, but it does give players a better handle on what to expect going into Year 1 playing for the Pokes. One great lingering what-if I have right now is what if Spencer Sanders had entered school in January instead of later in the summer after his senior year. Would have have even more experience going into his redshirt sophomore season? Would it have mattered at all? We’ll never know.

Anyway, here’s the list of eight players who enrolled early.

Collin Clay (DL) — So. (Transfer from Arkansas)
Shane Illingworth (QB) — Fr.
Tyren Irby (DE) — Jr. (Transfer from NW Miss. C.C.)
Monroe Mills (OL) — Fr.
Eli Russ (OL) — Fr.
Nick Session (S) — Fr.
Josh Sills (OL) — RSr. (Transfer from WVU)
Quinton Stewart (CW) — Fr.

Sills should be eligible to play and may even get a redshirt for last year when he was injured for the majority of the season, which would mean he gets two years as a Cowboy. Irby could get some time next year with Mike Scott departing. And it’s unknown whether Clay will receive a waiver to play right away. Given that Arkansas just got a new coach and he’s moving back closer to home, I think it’s reasonable to presume that he could.

The crown jewel is obviously Illingworth, who could [triple-checks roster] be QB2 on a team favored to get to the Big 12 title game. Who knows how it shakes out, but that would be a pretty intriguing sub-subplot going into what should be one of the more interesting seasons in several years.

The 2⃣0⃣2⃣0⃣ season starts now! #GoPokes #okstate pic.twitter.com/byWSJAMMc1

— Cowboy Football ??? (@CowboyFB) January 15, 2020