Gundy ‘hoping’ Sanders returns vs. Tulsa
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy expects redshirt junior quarterback Spencer Sanders back on the field Saturday.
There is just no guarantee.
Two days after Sanders missed the Cowboys’ season-opening win against Missouri State due to COVID-19 protocols, Gundy said he thinks Sanders will play this weekend when OSU hosts Tulsa at Boone Pickens Stadium.
“At this time, we’re hoping that he’ll be back,” Gundy said. “I think he’ll be fine.”
But Gundy stopped short of guaranteeing Sanders’ return. Sanders had not been medically cleared by Monday’s media luncheon with Gundy.
That could come at some point this week.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” Gundy said. “I think he’s going to be back. I just can’t say that, because we have a very strenuous introduction back into our team from that. Sometimes they say he’s not ready and sometimes they say he’s ready.
“And that’s not me making that decision.”
Sophomore Shane Illingworth started in Sanders’ place against Missouri State, completing 22 of 40 passes for 315 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
It was Illingworth’s sixth career game.
Interestingly, Gundy did say that redshirt senior Ethan Bullock was Illingworth’s backup Saturday. Had both been unable to play, true freshman Gunnar Gundy was the third-string option.
Cowboy backs impress Gundy
Gundy was surprised by one position group after watching film from Saturday — the Cowboy backs.
OSU’s tight ends were inexperienced with veteran Logan Carter out due to an injury. That left Braden Cassity — a former defensive end — and junior college transfer Austin Jarrard to primarily handle the duties.
Neither player was targeted as a receiver. They were primarily used as blockers.
“They played pretty good, to be honest with you,” Gundy said. “For guys that haven’t played at all, I was pleased with the way they played. Now, the competition is going to get better every week, guys are going to get more physical, so the challenge will be greater for them.
“But for players that really hadn’t played much in a competitive situation, I thought they played pretty well.”
Miterko leads LT battle
Gundy isn’t ready to name a winner in the battle for left tackle between redshirt sophomore Taylor Miterko and junior college transfer Caleb Etienne.
But Miterko is clearly the frontrunner.
“They played pretty good,” Gundy said. “Miterko graded out better than Caleb did, which I thought was going to happen. I had a pretty good feel for that because Caleb hadn’t played in a game in, I don’t know, a long time. He’s trying to figure it out and he’s trying to figure it out at a high level right now.
“So, he played OK, and I expect him to get better. Miterko played good.”
Gundy hopes Etienne will improve each week, but with limited practices compared to preseason camp, the process could be slow.
“We’re just trying to get him ready as fast as we can based on him learning everything and not playing in a year and a half,” Gundy said.
Taylor could get chance in Sterling’s absence
The Cowboys will be without star safety Tre Sterling for the first half of Saturday’s game after he was ejected due to a targeting penalty in the fourth quarter.
When Sterling left, former Carl Albert star Jason Taylor II entered the game.
That could be the case Saturday to open the game.
“Jason comes in in certain packages for him,” Gundy said. “We have other guys that rotate in in those positions, so there will be times that he could be in there.”
Taylor, who was named the team’s Special Teams Player of the Week, did not record a tackle Saturday. Last season, he had two big highlight plays with an 85-yard fumble return for a score against Kansas State and a 48-yard onside-kick return TD against TCU.
This also wouldn’t be the first time Taylor started in place of Sterling due to a targeting ejection. Taylor started in the Texas Bowl against Texas A&M in the 2019 season. Taylor had eight tackles — seven solo — and a tackle for loss.
“I’m good with him,” Gundy said. “We trust him. He plays hard. He competes. I’m good with him.”