Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy plans to play 'multiple' QBs to open season

STILLWATER — Nine days ahead of Oklahoma State’s season opener, Mike Gundy is not ready to name a starting quarterback.

In fact, he expects to play “multiple” quarterbacks against Central Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 2, inside Boone Pickens Stadium. Then multiple quarterbacks at Arizona State a week later. Maybe even multiple quarterbacks against South Alabama on Sept. 16.

“We will play multiple quarterbacks,” Gundy said to open his news conference Thursday, “maybe for quite a while.

“I think the fair thing is to let them play, put guys in games and see what they do. If we didn’t feel like that they gave us an opportunity to win, we wouldn't do it.”

Expect to see veteran transfer Alan Bowman, redshirt freshman Garret Rangel and even perhaps redshirt sophomore Gunnar Gundy take snaps to begin the season.

Though, Mike Gundy was asked how many “multiple” meant.

“It’ll be more than one,” Gundy said, “and it could very well be three.

“I can’t say for sure because I don’t know how the game is going to go. You would like to have a format but I reserve the right to change the format during the process if it’s something I think we need to do for whatever reason.”

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Gundy did say this would be the gameplan against a Power Five opponent.

Bowman transferred from Michigan, where he rarely played the past two seasons after having success at Texas Tech. Rangel played in four games and started three a year ago with mixed results. Gunnar Gundy played in four games a year ago and started against Iowa State. But he’s also coming off elbow surgery.

Mike Gundy said there is little separation in practice to this point.

But he does like where the competition has left the position entering the season.

“It’s definitely an advantage because last year we went into the season with a very experienced player and not any experience behind him,” Gundy said. “And we were not very good at running the football, we had to play young quarterbacks, it was on their shoulders, they struggled because we couldn’t rush the football. Hopefully, now that’s not an issue.

“That is one advantage of the situation. You’ll get it from different sides. People will say your team doesn't know who your leader is, your team doesn’t know who the quarterback is, it creates confusion. I don’t believe that at all. Maybe I would have bought that two or three years ago, but I don’t believe that at all.”

Here is a look at what else Gundy had to say Thursday:

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Cowboys are ‘in’ should super conference be formed

Gundy recently said he believes college football realignment is heading toward the formation of a super conference.

Think 30 teams from across the country. And in the next few years.

Gundy openly said at the time he’s not a huge fan of the idea, but he understands why it would happen.

Finances. Television.

But what would the Cowboys need to do to secure a spot?

“OSU’s in,” Gundy said. “OSU’s leadership, our history of winning over the last 18 years, we sell out, I would be shocked if it happened in three years if we’re not in.

“We’re getting ready to build a new facility. So, we’ll have another top-of-the-line facility, we’ll have a winning program, we have viewership, we have history, we have fan support, so OSU will be in great position if that ever happens.

“I think eventually it will because all of the geography we’re dealing with is going to be more of an issue than what people think.”

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Depth chart released

Don’t look, Adam Schefter. But there were 15 “or” on OSU’s initial depth chart.

Here are a few observations:

• OSU has a running back committee to begin the season with Ollie Gordon II, Jaden Nixon and Elijah Collins all listed as possible starters.

• Linebackers Nick Martin and Justin Wright have the “or” between them at middle linebacker. Martin has been a bright spot in camp and earned a chance to split reps with the Tulsa transfer.

• Texas State transfer and former Prague star Dalton Cooper is listed as the backup left tackle behind Cole Birmingham. Cooper missed most of spring practice due to an injury.

• Western Kentucky transfer Wes Pahl is listed as the starting punter over Australian freshman Hudson Kaak. Pahl only appeared as a holder in three seasons at Western Kentucky.

Zane Flores not on depth chart

Noticeably absent from the depth chart was freshman quarterback Zane Flores.

Gundy had a simple explanation for the absence of the three-star prospect from Gretna, Nebraska.

“Zane has done great and he’s got a tremendous future ahead of him here,” Gundy said, “but he’s not ready. There shouldn’t be a freshman quarterback in most cases.

“Had there been some that have done it? Sure. Can it be done? Sure. We haven’t had a lot of success with it and at times it can be difficult with the style of defenses that we see nowadays. The game has changed considerably. There are so many things for a quarterback to see going on at one time.

“I don’t have anything against it. I just know physically their bodies aren’t really ready for it and then mentally it can be a challenge.”

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OSU’s offense circling back

Gundy watched former Iowa State star Brock Purdy take over for the San Francisco 49ers late last season and thrive while not having to take on too much as a rookie.

That’s what Gundy hopes offensive changes lead to in Stillwater.

“We’re circling back,” Gundy said. “Some of the stuff we’re doing you would have seen in 2007-2008. I felt we were behind when we had to play young quarterbacks last year and we didn’t give ourselves as good of a chance as we needed to because we couldn’t run the ball and take the pressure off of them.”

What Mike Gundy expects from Bryan Nardo’s defense

Gundy was asked what he wants to see from new defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo’s defense in the opener.

“I want to see great effort because we’ll play a lot of guys on defense,” “No matter who we were playing the first game, we’ve got a lot of guys that have earned the right to play.

“And then minimal mistakes. Be in the right spots, alignment, understand their assignment, running, hitting, tackle and play with good effort.”

Dangerous heat expected in opener

With temperatures soaring across the state, it’s going to be even hotter on the Boone Pickens Stadium turf when the Cowboys take the field for the opener.

“It’ll be between 150 and 160 up to 5 feet tall,” Gundy said.

That’s a dangerous temperature, so the Cowboys will adjust accordingly.

“We have to play multiple players,” Gundy said. “It’s 160 on the field, so it’s almost somewhat impossible to think that a guy is going to go out and play 75 plays. The strategy behind it for us is we know we’re going to have to play multiple guys.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy plans to play 'multiple' QBs