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OSU Football: Starters Whose Roles Are in Danger in 2019

A couple of OSU starters’ roles might change next season.

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As Oklahoma State heads into the 2019 season, everyone wants to know who will be slotted into the QB1 spot. Will it be Spencer Sanders or Dru Brown? We’ll likely have to wait a while to find out. However, for this post I wanted to discuss a slightly different topic related to the Cowboys’ depth chart.

What starters from the 2018 season could be at risk of losing their spot or be facing a reduction in reps from a season ago?

The Cowboys lost a lot on the defensive line, so I tried to avoid any positions like that. I stayed away from the receiver spots as there are so many guys competing, and I’m sure we will see a lot of different players split out wide for the Pokes in 2019. So, below I’ll discuss two former starters who could be in for some stiff competition .

Dylan Galloway (Left Tackle) | Possible Replacement: Bryce Bray

Dylan Galloway started five games for the Cowboys last season. Arlington Hambright, who started the season at the left tackle spot for OSU went down with an injury against Kansas, after that right tackle Teven Jenkins moved to that side and Shane Richards took Jenkins’ spot.

Not long after this Richards went down with injury himself, causing Jenkins to move back to right tackle and Galloway to assume the role on the left side of the line. Galloway struggled at times last season, and I don’t think he’s the physical type of blocker that new offensive line coach Charlie Dickey is looking for. He’s also been injured this spring and has had prior injury concerns in his time with the Pokes.

I do know one guy who has the physical mentality that Dickey looks for in his offensive linemen… redshirt freshman Bryce Bray.  The Bixby native saw some action in 2018 but was still able to redshirt and keep a year of eligibility. At 6-5, 300 pounds, Bray is extremely strong and uses his strength well in the running game. He has room to grow as a pass-blocker, but uses his length to his advantage and does a great job of quickly getting his hands on defenders. Although I think Galloway is talented, I believe he will at least split reps with Bray this season.

See Bray’s high school highlights below.

Calvin Bundage (Linebacker) | Possible Replacement: Devin Harper

Heading into Week 1 last year, Calvin Bundage was listed ahead of Devin Harper on the Cowboys’ depth chart. Bundage has been one of the best players on this OSU defense at times, but he has also hurt the Pokes with penalties, missed tackles and bad angles in pursuit. He is one of the most athletic linebackers I have ever seen wear a Cowboy uniform, but the mistakes sometimes outweigh the positives with Bundage.

Harper showed time and time again last season that he is capable of making plays, similar to the one shown below.


He just has far too much talent to be sitting on the sideline. Harper is a sure tackler, who also possesses the athleticism and speed to excel at this position in Jim Knowles’ defense. The only problem now is, can the 6-1, 235-pound redshirt junior get healthy, as he’s missed most of the spring with a foot injury?

 

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