Quarterback to Back: Tulsa Is Also Dealing with Questions, Injuries at QB

It was a not-fun trip to Eugene for all of the Cowboys, but Zane Flores had a rough go in his first start.

Flores went just 7-for-19 for 67 yards and two interceptions in the Pokes’ a lot-to-a little loss at Oregon. He’s still yet to throw his first collegiate touchdown.

The Cowboys started their quarterbacking on a high note. TCU transfer Hauss Hejny led the Pokes on a pair of touchdown drives to start the season but then promptly broke his foot. Flores came in and was a little less effective, and less mobile, but OSU got the win.

But after running into a buzzsaw of a defense at Oregon, not to mention some movement around an offensive line that still trying to find its footing, the quarterback questions are as big and daunting as they’ve been the last three years in Stillwater.

The question is whether or not that glimmer in those first two drives against an FCS defense was fool’s gold, or whether the coaching staff can facilitate progress for Flores and Hejny, when he’s available. Might as well hope for the real for thing.

The Golden Hurricane has had its own QB Qs the last couple of weeks. Week 1 starter Kirk Francis was held out of last Saturday’s game against Navy leaving East Tennessee State transfer Baylor Hayes to take the reins. Now it could be either (or both) that take snaps when Tulsa shows up in Stillwater on Friday night.

Here’s how the three potential QBs stack up thus far this season.

Hayes is familiar with Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb, having followed him over in the move from East Tennessee State, and produced mixed results in his time on the field. At the time of writing, we’re unsure of who will be taking the first snap for Tulsa, though the week before their last game, Lamb called Francis the starter if he’s healthy. But this week, he said it’s up in the air.

“Whoever moves the ball the most will get the most reps on Wednesday, and then we’ll decide on a starter probably Thursday in the walkthrough,” said Lamb.

Their numbers are pretty comparable, with both Hayes and Francis actually having attempted the same number of throws. It’s a very small sample size but what we know about the way the two stack up stylistically, as Lamb expressed in this week’s media availability, Francis is considered the more polished passer while Hayes has got the better wheels. He’s already picked up a couple of rushing TDs this season.

Lamb left it open that both of his passers could play in Stillwater on Friday night, but regardless of who is taking snaps for Tulsa, OSU’s staff needs to figure out a way to allow Zane Flores to move the ball.

Mike Gundy and Co. will definitely try to make that easier on him, but he warned that there’s no short-cutting experience, especially at that position.

“Every play that he is in is going to help him down the line,” said Gundy. “Every game that he’s in, every practice he’s in is going to help him moving forward. I said this for years, I’ll say it again: There’s no fast forward button, in my opinion, with a young quarterback. It takes time and experience. Our job is to put them in the position to have the best shot at success.”

The Cowboys need to find some kind of success, if only to try to get rid of that leftover Duck taste that’s been stuck in their mouths the last two weeks. There are still a lot of things in front of the Pokes, potentially, but in order to ignite a little hope, it would be nice if OSU can inspire some confidence in the QB position.