Notebook: Braydon Johnson’s Growth, Calvin Bundage and Johnson vs. Hubbard

STILLWATER — The Cowboys are over the halfway mark in their conference slate heading into their game against TCU this weekend.

After Mike Gundy’s media luncheon Monday, Oklahoma State players met with reporters after their Tuesday practice. Here are a few of the topics discussed in those meetings.

Braydon Johnson Talks Growth

Speed has been a topic surrounding Braydon Johnson since he got to Stillwater, and now he is getting a chance to show it off.

On Monday, OSU coach Mike Gundy said college was a culture shock for Johnson when he got to Stillwater. Gundy said Johnson didn’t know if he wanted to do it with the accountability, structure, discipline and hard work it took to be a part of Kasey Dunn’s position group.

“It’s been a grind really,” Johnson said Tuesday. “To be honest, it’s just keeping my head straight and just coming out every day to work. Just keep getting better every day for my coaches and for my team really. Yeah, it’s really been a grind.

“I’d say the toughest part is mentally just being able to stay focused with all the distractions. Everybody’s here physically when you get to this level, but it’s just the mental aspect of it. Just being able to stay focused and just come out and even when you’re having a bad day being able to push through it.”

Johnson had only two catches for seven yards last season as a redshirt freshman. Just a season later, he is the Cowboys’ third-leading receiver with 221 yards on just 10 catches.

He has two touchdown receptions this season, and both showed off his big-play ability. For his first collegiate score, Johnson was on the end of a pass from Dru Brown that went 69 yards against McNeese.

His second score of the season came Saturday, when Johnson took a wide receiver screen and ran 50 yards in Ames.

Johnson had the best game of his young career against Iowa State. He finished with a career-high three catches, 66 yards and the score.

“He’s turning the corner now,” Gundy said. “He has a lot of ability, and he is just now starting to obtain the most important thing for a player, which is called confidence. He believes in himself now, and you’re starting to see the results. He’s really fast. I’m excited about him because he’s a success story.

“I’ve enjoyed watching him struggle and struggle and struggle and struggle and struggle and start to do a little better, and now he’s doing quite a bit better. And so he’s like, ‘This is pretty cool. I’m having a good time here.’ That’s what it’s all about. I’m enjoying watching him do that.”

Gundy Talks Calvin Bundage

On Saturday, Bill Haisten reported that the plan was for Calvin Bundage to redshirt in 2019 but come back to OSU in 2020.

On Monday, Gundy said Bundage has been doing physical therapy on the injured back that has kept him out all season, but he is supposed to return to practice next Tuesday. With that said, Bundage is still a ways out from being ready to play upon his return, but Gundy didn’t fully rule out Bundage playing in 2019.

“He could still actually play, but in my opinion, it’s not really beneficial for him because when you have an injury like his, which is a back injury, which nobody knows how to tell how that’s gonna recover,” Gundy said. “Nobody knows that. You can take him to the best doctors there are, and they’ll say, ‘A month from now, we don’t know how you’re gonna handle being a college football player.’

“So, I don’t think it’s beneficial for him to (play this season), but obviously he and his family, his dad, they’ll have to make that decision on their own. Then we’ll follow.”

Bundage is a true senior, meaning he could play in up to four games this season while still retaining a redshirt. Gundy said there is a possibility for that, but he doesn’t see the benefit of doing so if Bundage were to try to rush back just to be met with a setback.

“I was told a week ago that he felt considerably better, which is encouraging, and we’re all happy for him,” Gundy said. “But, we have to see once he comes back and starts training again because you have to train to play. I’m hoping that he’ll feel a lot better, and he’ll be able to rally back and play next year. That’s my opinion on it.

“I just don’t see a guy jumping in. He hasn’t done anything since June. He’s two weeks out, at least, conditioning-wise, and that’s saying that he’s a really good athlete. Most guys are a month away. So, I don’t really see that happening.”

Hubbard vs. Johnson Speed Debate Continues

Last season Dillon Stoner told me he would back Braydon Johnson in a race against Chuba Hubbard.

Gundy got in on it in the spring, saying he would take Johnson in a 40 but Hubbard in a 100.

The answer as to who is the fasted Poke is still unknown.

The two both humbly decline to declare themselves faster than the other. Johnson said they are “about the same.” Hubbard said he doesn’t know who is faster, but Johnson is definitely fast.

Johnson said he and Hubbard have “raced a little bit in workout, but nothing serious.” When I asked Johnson how those races went:

“I think I won the first one,” Johnson said. “He might’ve won the one at the end. I’ll leave it at that.”

So, I took that info over to Chuba.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ll just confirm what he said there,” Hubbard said. “I’ll just confirm that. He’s fast. He’s fast. I’ma give him that. He’s fast. He’s real fast.”