Healthy and ready
Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph is nearing 100 percent heading into spring practice after suffering a foot injury late last season that required surgery.
STILLWATER — The Oklahoma State football team walked on to the turf at Boone Pickens Stadium about 6 a.m. on any given Friday this winter often wearing full sweats, knits hats and gloves.
Among the gauntlet of Rob Glass workouts, few packed the same punch of stadium runs. The Cowboys sometimes ran as many as 18. All the way up and down counted as one.
“You’ve got to be mind-strong to do those,” receiver James Washington said.
Meanwhile, some 300 miles south in Fort Worth, Texas, the Cowboy who once led so many of those offseason workouts wore a purple TCU polo as the Horned Frogs’ newest graduate assistant. J. W. Walsh’s void left a key position of leadership vacant at OSU. However, there’s no questioning which player stepped in his place this offseason as the Cowboys kicked off spring practice on Monday: quarterback Mason Rudolph.
“I think he’s very hungry to be the guy,” offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said.
Following November surgery to repair a cracked bone in his right foot, Rudolph says he’s “pretty close to 100 percent, if not 100 percent.” His offseason habits reflected such, according to teammates and coaches.
“Coming in after hours,” Yurcich said, “seeing him sneak in to the facility and watch film on his own.”
Said safety Jordan Sterns: “He brings receivers together on days that aren’t scheduled to run routes.”
Then there’s the weight room. Rudolph arrived on campus in 2014 at about 215 pounds. He was listed in the spring media guide at 235.
“When we’re lifting heavy, he’s yelling at guys getting them ready for the weight,” Washington said. “Not only is he getting us ready, he’s doing the weight with us.”
Prior to Bedlam last season, Rudolph was playing his best football in an OSU uniform. Over three games against TCU, Iowa State, and Baylor, he completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,019 yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Barring the potential for redshirt freshman John Kolar or incoming freshman Keondre Wudtee to emerge as a needed secondary option, Rudolph enters this season without the two-quarterback system that limited his individual production a year ago.
He is also joined by nine returning starters on offense.
It all has Rudolph optimistic that 2016 will be another banner year for the Cowboys. The season begins Sept. 3 against Southeastern Louisiana.
“I’m going to continue to do a good job of stepping in and being that voice to fill in that leadership,” Rudolph said. “And I think there are a lot of other guys that are up here, guys down in that locker room who know how to lead by example.”