OSU Football: What The Cowboys *Don’t* Need to Solve in Spring Training Camp

The to-do list for OSU and Mike Gundy this spring is a long one. Ingratiate new OC Sean Gleeson into the #culture (ditto for new OL coach Charlie Dickey.) Figure out who your starting QB is. Decide how long you want to grow the mullet.

It goes on.

But what does OSU not need to work on? What can the coaching staff and players put on the backburner as they prepare for the 2019 season? Here are three things that seem to be pretty rock solid (for now) ahead of the upcoming season.

1. Secondary

The OSU defense took its lumps often in Jim Knowles’ first season calling the defense, but things are looking up. With three returning starters at safety — Malcolm Rodriguez, Jarrick Bernard and Kolby Peel — all returning, the expectations are unusually high. (It helps that Bernard and Peel looked like future All-Big 12 performers as true freshmen last year.)

Add in the return of two-year starting corners AJ Green and Rodarius Williams, and it’s not crazy to think the secondary should actually be pretty reliable next season, which would be a stark contrast to last season. If the depth can be built up at safety with Tanner McCalister, Sean Michael Flanagan and Kanion Williams, and at corner with Kemah Siverand and JayVeon Cardwell, the chances the secondary goes from meh to muah increase ten-fold.

2. Receiving corps

OSU’s pass-catchers have been a non-problem for, what, a decade? It remains a non-issue going into 2019, thanks to Kasey Dunn’s recruiting and development efforts.

Even with the loss of Tyron Johnson, the Pokes still have returning All-Big 12 performer Tylan Wallace, steady-handed veteran Dillon Stoner, and inside receiver Landon Wolf. They will need to figure out what they have in Braydon Johnson, CJ Moore, Patrick McKaufman, Jonathan Shepherd and Langston Anderson to potentially plug holes, but if you’ve got the Big 12’s leading pass catcher returning and above average ancillary pieces around him, then Hakuna Matata. Dunn’s going to have a relaxing couple months knowing this guy is back.

3. Running back

OSU needs to figure out who will be the yin to Chuba Hubbard’s yang, yes. So the battle for the backup is going to be fascinating at running back, with junior college transfer Dezmon Jackson, redshirt freshman Jahmyl Jeter and true freshman Deondrick Glass vying for spots. But is anyone actually worried about what transpires here? Worst case scenario, OSU has to trot out a true freshman in Glass who rushed for 5,000 yards and scored 81 touchdowns in three seasons on varsity at Katy High School.

Best case scenario, Glass is a second fiddle to Heisman contending Chuba Hubbard. (Talk me off the ledge!)

Even with a potential injury, OSU still has LD Brown as a viable backup. The depth with this group is as strong as it’s been in years, and the top-end talent — Chuba and Glass — is Carson-Hill levels of elite.