Recent Walk-On Carson Kolb Emerges as Unlikely Starter Following ‘Minor Injuries’ at Tight End

STILLWATER — On Tuesday, Eric Morris announced Oklahoma State had a new starting tight end in Carson Kolb.

​“If we played a game tomorrow, I mean, there’s a good chance he’s our starting tight end right now too, and so someone that’s improved so much,” Morris said.

​To say this was a shocking development would be an understatement considering the 6-4, 235-pound redshirt sophomore wasn’t put on scholarship until June 19th.

“I mean, I came in here as a walk-on, so I really wasn’t expecting to play much this year, except on special teams,” Kolb said. “And I mean, that’s kind of just what I’ve been doing is special teams so far. But I mean, a few unfortunate minor injuries and stuff like that, and now I’m playing. So it’s just kind of a dream come true to start literally from the bottom, work my way up.”

​Those unnamed injuries would include expected starting tight end Donovan Green, who has worked on the side without pads twice during media viewing sessions in the last week, and Oscar Hammond, who was also seen without pads on Tuesday morning.

The way Morris and Kolb spoke on Tuesday, it sounds like there’s a possibility that one or both of those guys could return to the lineup before the trip to Tulsa on Sept. 5, but for now Kolb appears to be competing for starting duties, which isn’t what he or Morris expected.

“Has to continue to work on ball skills and just catching it with people around him,” Morris said of Kolb. “But you know, it’s someone that thinks fast. He’s able to do multiple things out there. He’s been really good blocking in the core with some toughness for us, and so he just continues to be a guy that gets noticed around here in every camp. And that’s a, even though he’s not a freshman, but somebody that we brought in that we didn’t foresee this kid possibly being a starting tight end when we started this thing, but he’s earned it and continues to move his way up and get more and more reps.”

Before anyone hits the panic button too quickly, Morris isn’t just hyping up Kolb now that he might have to use him. It sounds like he was very much in the mix for some time at tight end back on Aug. 8.

“Kolb is a guy that walked on that we ended up putting on scholarship because he’s provided such experience, especially on special teams,” Morris said on Aug. 8. “A guy that’s going to start on all four special teams, and then do some spot stuff for us at tight end.”

According to Pro Football Focus records, Kolb played nine snaps of offense last season, all as a run-blocker. He played 98 snaps on special teams across all four return and coverage units and seven snaps on defense, mostly at Tulsa.

“I mean special memories, I got to play linebacker again, that is the biggest thing,” Kolb said of his last trip to TU. “I got to make two tackles at linebacker, so that was sweet. Brought me back to my high school days, got to be amped one more time on the defensive side.”

The football team shared a video back in June that shows Morris announcing three scholarships, including Kolb’s. In the video, there’s a great moment where Kolb’s jaw drops as he looks left, then right, then leaps into the air before his teammates completely swarm him.

Scholarship. Earned. 🤩@CooperLai4 @HarrisonD2003 @CarsonKolb3 #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/V4FlVdlPyf

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) June 19, 2026

“Honestly, it felt just surreal,” Kolb said when asked to relive that moment on Tuesday. “Like I couldn’t even believe it. It was such a dream come true, knowing that I had started as a walk-on at Oregon State and at Oklahoma State, and I knew I was good enough to be a scholarship player.

“And it was just getting that scholarship moment. It was the dream come true. It felt like a movie.”

Of course, we now know that wasn’t the last time OSU coaches would stun Kolb. Recently, tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Drew Svoboda let Kolb know about his promotion.

“We’re getting out of our position meetings, and he goes, ‘Hey, you’re now running with the ones today,’” Kolb said. “And I was like, ‘All right, sweet.’ I mean, I’ve been kind of rotating with everyone as spring goes on, so I mean, it’s not a huge pressure on my back right now, but I mean, just kind of staying healthy is my main priority.”

Oh, and that video OSU posted on X back in June, the very first reply posted just two minutes after the video went live came from Kolb’s account. It was a simple “Thank you God!” and echoed the mentality he showed throughout his interview session on Tuesday.

“Just keeping a positive attitude helps,” Kolb said when asked about the grind of fall camp. “You know, I thank God every day for waking me up and keeping me healthy this whole time. So, I mean, yeah, I give all grace to Him.”