Sean Gleeson on the Three-Letter Acronym That Will Decide the QB Battle

STILLWATER — Sean Gleeson is a new offensive coordinator in the Power 5 ranks prepping for his first season at Oklahoma State, but he’s already got the lingo nailed down like a decades-long vet.

As we talked with him Monday for the first time since his hire earlier this year, he harped on teaching principles, about physicality and playing fast — all the coach-speak you’d expect from someone facing their first jumbo media scrum. But then, out of nowhere, he dropped a bomb.

He’s looking for someone in the C.I.A.

*Checks notes*

Actually, he said he’s looking for a quarterback with C.I.A. traits — C.I.A. being the three-letter acronym that could determine who ultimately wins the starting job in 2019.

“We’re looking for a quarterback who can be competitive, intelligent and accurate — C.I.A,” he said. “That’s what I think are the three most important things about quarterback play. We need a guy who can lead our players, who can be intelligent enough to run this no-huddle. There’s all different shapes and sizes of quarterbacks, but the thing we all understand is that accuracy matters. Whether you throw it hard or fast or big or small, accuracy is really important.”

Gleeson was forthcoming about the major talking point of Monday at OSU’s media golf outing, the quarterback race. He emphasized what Mike Gundy said at Big 12 Media Days — that no one player has emerged in the battle and both are on an equal playing field — adding that pedigree and history (and yes, even recruiting background) won’t play into the staff’s decision this fall on who will start.

“This is an even race. We’re searching for a quarterback. Each kid has their own story, but it’s about the team,” said Gleeson. “When we know the starter, we’re going to name him.”