Cornelius Keeps Head Down after Being Tabbed Starter: ‘Nobody is Locked in’

Mike Gundy has made it as clear as he can that Taylor Cornelius is his guy.

Throughout the summer, the talk surrounding Oklahoma State replacing record-setting quarterback Mason Rudolph has been about three guys: Cornelius, freshman Spencer Sanders and graduate transfer Dru Brown.

The early reports from the Cowboys’ coaches have all pointed to Cornelius, a fifth-year senior, starting behind center for OSU, but still, the talks continue. After Oklahoma State’s first day of fall camp, Cornelius said he knows he isn’t going to be able to coast into the season as a starter.

“You see that stuff out there, but you still gotta show every day and work,” Cornelius said. “… You start screwing up, it’s next man up. Nobody is locked in.”

Cornelius is a man of few words in media skirmishes, but redshirt junior offensive lineman Marcus Keyes said Cornelius is plenty vocal on the field getting new guys in the right position.

Keyes backed Cornelius and said he’s good and has done what he has needed to, but he said it doesn’t matter to him who starts at quarterback, as long as that person gets the job done.

“I know it’s a big change, but we have to deal with it,” Keyes said. “We have to focus on what we have to do to get better as a team because we lost some really valuable players. We still have to get better and just replace. The next man has to step up.”

Cornelius said he and Brown haven’t gotten to be around each other too much thus far. Brown has only been in Stillwater for about a week, but Cornelius said he and Sanders have bonded throughout the summer whether that be in meetings or workouts.

Despite being in competition with the other quarterbacks, Cornelius said he he’s willing to help teach the guys who are new to the program (cc: Ben Roethlisberger).

“We’re all family,” Cornelius said. “We’re all in there in the same meetings together. We’re all going to help each other. They’re going to help me, too.”

Despite all the questions surrounding him, Cornelius was able to enter as a walk-on, stick around five years on a Power Five football team, and he has a pretty good shot to start his first game in 28 days.

“It’s unbelievable,” Cornelius said. “This is what you dream of. Just to come here and be able to play, even last year just a few downs. It’s been an unbelievable journey and well worth it.”