Mike Gundy names Dru Brown as Cowboys’ backup QB

STILLWATER — In Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy’s eyes, the choice of who the Cowboys’ backup quarterback would be came down to experience.

Gundy has long called fifth-year senior Taylor Cornelius the Cowboys’ “guy” to replace Mason Rudolph, but the order of those behind him remained a mystery. After Sunday’s practice, Gundy named Hawaii graduate transfer Dru Brown OSU’s backup quarterback, followed by freshman Spencer Sanders and redshirt sophomore Keondre Wudtee.

“Dru’s the backup,” Gundy said. “Spencer is just a little bit behind him due to maturity.”

Brown started for the past two seasons at Hawaii, playing in 25 games and throwing for more than 5,000 yards with 37 touchdown passes. He arrived on campus days before the Cowboys began fall camp.

“He’s had a lot of reps,” Gundy said. “Experience is very important, and he’s much more comfortable just being out into the speed of the game.”

Gundy has made not in recent weeks of how quickly Brown and Sanders have learned and adapted to OSU’s offense. As first-year members of the team, Brown and Sanders are not made available to the media per team rules, but senior receiver Jalen McCleskey said both have made early impressions.

“The quarterback, they’ve gotta think about a lot,” McCleskey said. “Seeing them being able to adapt and get everything down, get the plays to us and then be able to read the coverages and go through their reads is really impressive.”

Brown and Sanders have also both benefited from being around Cornelius, who spent the past four seasons in the Cowboys’ quarterback room with Rudolph and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.

“That’s a very knowledgeable room,” Gundy said. “Obviously, Mike’s very intelligent and does a good job of getting the information to the guys. They can learn even more than they think they can just being in that room and just watching the tape and listening and staying together.

“Taylor knows this offense as well as anybody that’s ever been here, so he’s a valuable asset to guys like Dru and Spencer.”