Gundy sees freshman Presley `being a factor'
STILLWATER — The depth chart ahead of Brennan Presley isn't necessarily favorable for a true freshman to come in and play at Oklahoma State's inside receiver position.
Dillon Stoner has been a reliable player with flashes of star power for four years. Behind him is Landon Wolf, a former walk-on who has been cemented in a valuable role going on three seasons now.
Snaps for slot receivers occasionally get shared with tight ends and, in rare cases, running backs, so the space to get to No. 3 on the depth chart — where Presley presumably sits — is hard to fathom.
Yet there sat Mike Gundy at his computer on Monday in his weekly Zoom press conference explaining exactly what he saw in Presley's future.
“I would anticipate throughout the season him being a f actor offensively and on special teams,” Gundy said. “He's a young player that is a little further along than other freshmen, because he competes. He goes out every day. He's not concerned with total number of reps. You could give him 200 reps, and he's gonna continue to fight and compete.
“He likes to play the game of football and he has a tremendous attitude. Those are really key ingredients in a freshman being able to compete early in their career.”
Listed at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, his size was what kept some colleges away from the Bixby standout, despite dynamic on-field results.
He finished his senior season with 1,515 yards and 24 touchdowns on 98 receptions, plus seven interceptions on defense. In the Class 6A-II championship game, he returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, and that could be his first avenue to playing time at Oklahoma State.
The limited appearances of Chuba Hubbard aside, the Cowboys' kickoff return game has been average the last couple of seasons, and Presley could become an instant factor.
But he's got a chance to play offense as well, and there's no reason not to give him at least a little bit of playing time. The NCAA ruled last month that no player will lose a year of eligibility for participating in the fall, so that operates as a free season for a player like Presley with no concern about burning his redshirt status.
I n early August, offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn was already excited about Presley's potential.
“Brennan i s obviously a
special player,” Dunn said .“He's going to be a special player for Oklahoma State for a long time, but he's got to wait his turn.”
Now, maybe that final thought from Dunn is changing direction. Maybe Presley is too talented to keep off the field all together, similar to Ty la nW all ace in his true freshman season, when the Cowboys found ways to get him involved even though he was planted behind James Washington on the depth chart.
“I see a lot of potential ,” junior receiver Braydon Johnson said of Presley. “He's very quick, very versatile. I think he'll be a big player here, for sure.”