Springfield confident he can follow Jenkins
Springfield confident he can follow Jenkins at right tackle
STILLWATER — Last season, the right side of the Oklahoma State offensive line was hit hardest by injuries.
Cole Birmingham and Hunter Anthony, the starters at right guard and right tackle, respectively, were out for the season before halftime of the first game.
But last year’s pain is this year’s gain. The right side of the offensive line is stacked with experienced players who the Cowboy coaches already know they can trust in game situations.
Anchoring the right side is tackle Jake Springfield, who started most of the season at left tackle a year ago. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound sophomore and former walk-on was thrown into the fire when Anthony was injured.
That triggered the first “musical
chairs” moment of the year, with Teven Jenkins shifting from left to right tackle, and Springfield entering on the left.
Now, Springfield has shifted to the right side, where he feels more comfortable.
And he has gotten some tips from Jenkins, his close friend who is now with the Chicago Bears.
“We’ve been talking,” Springfield said. “I’m trying to just be like him. But it feels a lot better being on the right side. I’m more confident.”
That confidence was born out of last year’s experience, because Springfield knew better what to expect and how to prepare himself during and after the offseason.
“I have more confidence this fall. I had a lot more time to prepare myself mentally, and now I have more feel for the playbook,” he said. “I have a good feel for what I can do and how I can contribute.”
Most importantly, Springfield feels good about the depth around him, so if the injury bug builds a home on the offensive line once again, the group is better prepared to handle it.
“I feel good about the depth,” Springfield said. “Everyone got a lot of experience to play, so everyone kind of knows what it’s like. If we need that next man up, we can be one of those teams able to do it and be successful.”
One of the players who filled the next-man-up role last season was Hunter Woodard, now slotted in as the starting right guard after coming off the bench to fill in because of injuries. With Danny Godlevske, the senior Miami of Ohio transfer, at center, and another senior, Josh Sills, at left guard, only one spot is left to be settled on the offensive line.
The left tackle competition has been intense all throughout preseason camp between redshirt sophomores Taylor Miterko and Caleb Etienne.
“(Etienne) is doing good,” head coach Mike Gundy said. “He’s still a couple weeks away. But he’s being force-fed. Miterko’s young, too. Miterko’s just a baby. So both of them are young and inexperienced from that standpoint, but we’re force-feeding them and we’re rolling with them.
“I’m pretty comfortable with what we’re doing up front, with all of ‘em.”