Gundy: OSU using transfer portal to seek players
STILLWATER — After signing 20 players during the first day of the early signing period Wednesday, Oklahoma State has three spots left in its 2019 recruiting class, given that graduate transfers Dru Brown and Kemah Siverand count toward this year’s 25-signee limit, as well.
It’s possible other transfers will soon join them. OSU coach Mike Gundy has been critical of the modern state of transferring throughout the year but said Wednesday the Cowboys are using the new transfer portal to seek potential players. The portal is an NCAA site that universities are required to enter players' information into when they request to transfer so other schools can look at them.
“I think right now there's 1,200 kids on the portal, and I think after the bowl game, that number could push to 1,500 really fast, so you have to start working that now,” Gundy said. “Probably have to hire another recruiting service and office just for portal recruiting."
Gundy's most interesting quotes on signees
On three-star quarterback Brendan Costello, a California native, and why OSU’s recruiting pursuits of quarterbacks seem to be nationwide: “We go after every six-star and eight-star and four-star and every star in the world we can get around here, and they all go to other schools at this point, so we go get whatever else is out there, try to find the very best one that fits our system."
On what he likes about defensive end Trace Ford, a multi-sport athlete at Edmond Santa Fe: “I went and watched him play high school baseball last year, and I saw him run a fly ball down in left field and dive and catch it and steal two bases at 225 pounds.”
On Australian punter Tom Hutton: “He's 28, think he's getting ready to turn 29, married, works at a paper mill five or six days a week, 10 hours a day. So essentially, a lunch-pail guy."
Gundy wants expanded playoff
Gundy hears the nationwide talk about an expanded College Football Playoff, and he wonders why people haven't been listening to him.
Gundy is aboard the hype train for an eight-team playoff that is consistently gaining steam, even claiming to have been its conductor ever since the four-team format was introduced in 2014.
"Nobody ever listens to me," Gundy said. "They need to go to eight.
"It's just a matter of time that someone's going to follow order and do like I said five years ago."
His model lines up with many of the suggestions out there: The eight teams who make up the playoff should be the champions of the Power 5 conferences, one Group of 5 team and two wild cards.