Backup QB battle could take time
STILLWATER — The Cowboys are set with Mason Rudolph at quarterback. And (that sound you hear is knocking on wood) they hope it stays that way.
Still, history shows that backups are frequently needed.
Rudolph was the third quarterback used by Oklahoma State in 2014, due to injuries, and he missed most of the Bedlam game in 2016 with an injured foot. He started all 13 games a year ago but played with a broken rib through the middle portion of the schedule.
So, who’s OSU’s No. 2? To be determined.
The Cowboys exited spring drills with no clear backup to Rudolph, although junior Taylor Cornelius and redshirt freshman Keondre Wudtee separated from others in the competition. Those two will carry on their battle this preseason, with no set deadline to determine a No. 2.
“You would like to do it within two weeks, but I don’t think a timetable really fits in this criteria, because it has to be the right guy,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “They’re all going to get a lot of reps.
“Each of them will get a lot of work, and somebody is going to have to go out and make some plays, because once we get into the final 10 practices before the (first) game, there is not enough reps to share at that position.”
Quotable
Gundy on his initial impressions of Cal grad transfer and 6-foot-8, 332-pound offensive tackle Aaron Cochran:
“He is a really big, goodlooking athlete.”
Mark The Calendar
Key upcoming dates for the Cowboys:
Saturday: Fan Appreciation Day, scheduled for 2:30-4:30 p.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. Players and coaches from football and women’s soccer are available for autographs on the concourse level.
Aug. 14: Tulsa Cowboy Caravan, 6 p.m., Hard Rock Hotel, Catoosa.
Aug. 17: Oklahoma City Cowboy Caravan, 6 p.m., Farmer’s Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave.
Aug. 31: Season opener, vs. Tulsa, 6:30 p.m., Boone Pickens Stadium.
OSU among favorites for Millwood’s Antwine
Oklahoma State will be in the thick of the recruiting battle for Millwood defensive lineman Israel Antwine, who officially de-committed from Mississippi on Sunday night.
Antwine, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior, has the versatility to play either end or tackle in college. He was a first-team selection on The Oklahoman’s All-State team and was No. 8 on the most recent Super 30 recruit rankings for Oklahoma’s 2018 class.
He had 65 tackles and six sacks as a junior, helping Millwood to the Class 2A state championship.
His de-commitment could also pull in more pursuit from other programs. Texas offered Antwine a scholarship just a few days after Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze resigned. The Longhorns, along with the likes of Colorado and Arkansas, will be among the programs competing with OSU for Antwine’s services.
OSU is also one of eight programs in the running for Justin, Texas, offensive tackle Darrell Simpson, a 6-7, 310-pound senior. Simpson posted on Twitter Sunday that he will announce his commitment on Aug. 12 — which happens to be Gundy’s 50th birthday.
JOHN HELSLEY AND SCOTT WRIGHT, STAFF WRITERS