Despite Incoming Talent, QB Competition Still a Priority for OSU This Spring

Mike Gundy met with the media before OSU’s fifth spring practice on Wednesday and made it clear what his top two priorities were before the April 28 spring game. Step 1 is installing Jim Knowles’ defense and getting all of his new coaches up to speed.

Step 2 involves a position battle that most don’t think will really get revved up until fall camp with Hawaii transfer Dru Brown and incoming freshman Spencer Sanders not yet on campus.

But don’t tell that to Mike Gundy.

“Secondly, we’re going to have to establish who we feel like gives us the best chance going into August to be our quarterback,” said Gundy. “Our offense is going to be the same. We’re not going to change what we do or change what we’ve done for a number of years.”

The QB depth chart has thinned quite a bit since bowl season. Mason Rudolph is gone. He packed up his three dozen or so school records and headed off to try his arm at the NFL.

And depth pieces Tracin Wallace and Jelani Woods have both moved elsewhere on the roster in search of playing time, Wallace to wide receiver and Woods to Cowboy Back.

That leaves the current QB list at Taylor Cornelius, Keondre Wudtee, John Kolar and Ryan Sherry. That list probably mirrors the pecking order of the group.

“Taylor (Cornelius) is the same as he’s been,” Gundy said. “You guys have seen him for years. Now he goes out there with the first group. (Keondre) Wudtee is getting the twos.”

Experience in that system is one thing that could give Cornelius, and to a lesser degree Wudtee, an arm up on the competition come fall camp.

“We run the same plays,” Gundy said. “We don’t do much of anything different. Obviously, Taylor is what we think could be a more effective runner than what Mason was, but you won’t see a lot of different schemes than what we’ve done over the last four or five years.”

With both Sanders and Brown expected to be competing for OSU’s starting spot this fall, this current group of QBs has the next three weeks to further build their case for consideration.