Sean Gleeson Lays Out Potential Timeline for Quarterback Battle in Fall Camp

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State’s first football practice of the fall will take place on Thursday, and barring some wild turn of events between now and then, the Great Quarterback Battle of 2019 will begin in earnest.

As Mike Gundy said at Big 12 Media Days — and as Sean Gleeson reiterated Monday at OSU’s pre-camp media outing — both Spencer Sanders and Dru Brown are in a dead even race at the position going into the week. Officially: fall camp will be when the job is won or lost.

“Coach Gundy is not playing the media or being evasive,” said Gleeson, alluding to Gundy’s Big 12 Media Days performance in which he stopped well short of naming a starter and suggested both could play if neither separates themself. “This is an even race.”

Sanders and Brown split reps this spring, and both seemingly formed a bond. OSU posted a video of the two serving as each other’s hype man earlier this week, and Gleeson told a story Monday of the two hanging together at his house and riding in the same truck on the way home to illustrate their bond. A very gentlemanly story, indeed.

But Gleeson is ready to kick that gentleman-like business and get into it. Like really get into it.

“There’s a scrimmage 10 practices in. I would guess both kids would have enough opportunity after a spring where we kind of rotated and gave them equal opportunity,” he said. “Those 10 practices, I’m hoping they’re very competitive and less gentlemanly than the spring. Once we get there, we’ll either have an answer [at QB] or we won’t, but if not, it’s not because we’re playing games.”

After Sanders likened Brown to Drew Brees and Brown likened Sanders to Aaron Rodgers, the hype machine (for both!) is already in full motion. And while the old adage that if you have two quarterbacks then you actually have none may be applicable in some cases, in Stillwater, that certainly doesn’t feel like the case.

“Whoever ends up leading us this year,” said Gleeson, “I think we’ll be in great shape.”