Quarterback to Back: Cowboys’ QB Consistency a Testament to Mike Gundy’s Leadership, Coaching Cache

The Cowboys are in an enviable position when it comes to quarterbacking and have been so for the last few years. So it makes sense if they spark envy.

Let’s preview the quarterback matchup for this weekend’s tilt between Oklahoma State and Tulsa. But instead of focusing on a clash of styles, let’s look at two programs that are miles apart in the terms of the level of continuity at the position, what that means for their head coaches and just how impressive Mike Gundy has been at handling his QBs over the years.

First off, the numbers and a quick side-by-side.

OSU’s Alan Bowman and Tulsa’s Kirk Francis are on opposite ends of the spectrum career-wise. You probably know Bowman’s story. The promising start at Texas Tech, the injuries, the transfer to Michigan, the transfer to OSU in the wake of Spencer Sanders’ departure. Finding a landing spot at OSU to finally finish off his COVID-and injury-lengthened career.

In a not so cryptic remark, Tulsa head coach Kevin Wilson said this week that he doesn’t know if he’s “into” seventh-year players, but given a truth serum, I think Wilson would admit that an established veteran with that much experience sounds pretty enticing.

His QB, Francis is a Tulsa native who had no DI offers before joining TU’s program as a true freshman walk-on in 2023. After impressing Wilson on the scout team, Francis worked his way up the depth chart, started the final two games of the year and earned a scholarship. Then he entered 2024 as the Golden Hurricane’s QB1. You couldn’t script a better heart-stringer tugger set in the T-Town if you were S.E. Hinton. Francis might hope last weekend’s game doesn’t leave him in the role of the Outsider.

After setting an FCS defense ablaze in Week 1, Francis and the Golden Hurricane struggled against Arkansas State. He completed just 57% of his passes, threw for 199 yards, a score and an interception in a loss. Going into the year, Wilson said Francis would go out first among a trio of quarterbacks but that Francis wasn’t necessarily the starter. TU also has returner Cardell Williams and Utah State transfer Cooper Legas on the roster. Those two have combined for 22 snaps through the Golden Hurricane’s first two games to Francis’ 113.

“Kirk is playing well, but we gotta take care of him,” Wilson said. “He’s a really good player, but he’s really good when we’re really good. This week it’s gonna be hard to be good because they got a great defense. When we can block and stay on schedule and protect, he’s awesome. The other guys can run around a little bit. …

“I do like the way the other guys continue to practice and play. I like the way Kirk’s playing. They’re all really good, they just have different strengths. Last game played out where Kirk got the majority (of snaps). We’ll see how this week goes.”

It’s an unenviable position for any head coach. Quarterback play is the single biggest determining factor in wins and losses in college football, and winning and losing is the single biggest determining factor in a coach staying out of the hot seat. It’s a catch 22.

Some coaches get trigger happy. Let me restart. All coaches get trigger happy with their QBs from time to time. It would be hard not to, and not just to avoid filling up the wrong side of the win-loss column for your tenure. In college football, every game matters. They can make the difference between bowl eligibility, in conference standings, playoff berths, seasons, sometimes careers.

Mike Gundy has been through plenty of those frustrating moments and tough decisions over the past 20 years, but thanks to a combination of good fortune, sound CEO-ing and the cache his own coaching success has provided, he’s been able to navigate those waters relatively unscathed.

Since Mason Rudolph knocked OSU off the QB carousel in late 2014, the Cowboys have enjoyed the type of continuity and consistency that most head coaches could only dream of. OSU has, essentially, had five quarterbacks in 11 years. That’s including Taylor Cornelius who was a one-year stop gap, but he had been with the program five years. The Cowboys did go through a mini version of the carousel at the start of 2024, but that turned out about as well as could be expected once Big 12 play got underway.

Continuity doesn’t guarantee consistency. Bowman has had his wild swings. He followed up maybe his best statistical games as a Cowboy against South Dakota State before a much tougher game against Arkansas. But over time, an established QB traditionally lends itself to sustained on-field success.

Wilson had four different quarterbacks play multiple games last season. QB turnover is a big reason he went 4-8 in his first season at Tulsa, and it’s one of the reasons his team is fighting to stay above .500 before the start of conference play. So, I guess I don’t blame Wilson if he’s not visibly charmed about facing a QB who’s gone to enough college to perform his next physical.