Revisiting Todd Monken’s pre-spring comments about his expectations for Wes Lunt
It’s been a little more than a week since true freshman Wes Lunt was named Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback. I thought it would be interesting to revisit a pre-spring conversation with Cowboy offensive coordinator Todd Monken, where he addressed the QB situation before practices began.
How far we’ve come in less than two months. Actually, how far Lunt has come.
Monken was asked how if there was a chance Lunt would come in and really impress (“light it up” was the phrase used). Here’s Monken’s response:
“He won’t. Not with our skill guys. There’s no way he can. Could he be better if he came in last year? Yeah, maybe, because you have Black (Justin Blackmon) and Coop (Josh Cooper) and Hubert (Anyiam) and everything looks better if you put him with the 1s. But the reality is that we’re not going to make those two-a-day, three-a-day, once-a-game, twice-a-game, bail-you-out kind of plays that a Ryan Broyles makes, that a Blackmon makes, that those guys make. They bail you out. They make plays that nobody else can. Quarterback aside, you can throw a slant to them and they run for 50 yards.
“I’ll be stunned if he’s our starter. No out of skill set, but just out of he’s got to learn. I’m hopeful. But the moment he goes out there, it’s not like we send in a runner to him, he gets the play and he verbalizes it back. We signal it to him, he has to get the signal and it’s a different verbiage and signal to our other guys…he has to tell the O-Line what to do, he has to tell everybody else what to do and then he has to be confident in what he has to do.
“I think where you’ll know is if after a couple weeks, how’s he throwing in 7-on-7? Because if he’s doing that and he has a clue, there’s less to do and the team’s not around, at least you have something to kind of go by. But the team thing, he’s going to struggle, just like J.W. did last year. Forget even just your skill set. It’s just getting everybody lined up.
“The reality is (with) Wes, we’re giving him an opportunity because the other guys haven’t shown anything yet. So you say that with, ‘OK, he’s going to get the equal reps. And that’s the problem. You try to figure out if and when do you pull back? Who has the measurable skill set that’s going to keep improving?”
Now look at Monken’s comments after the spring finale nearly two weeks ago. He was right in that Lunt didn’t “light it up” right away. But he picked things up quickly, and clearly answered the call of being able to get all the pre-snap stuff figured out in a short amount of time. That impressed Monken, and ultimately led to him being named the starter.
“Wes has continually, which you would expect, gotten better. He’s throwing more confidently, he’s grasped things…all the signaling, all the processing, getting guys lined up, those things, in such a short time. Once he got through about the first week, he’s been steady throughout.
“What’s interesting is you never know until a guy gets here. You think you know, but how much time do you really get, when a kid decides to commit, that you understand a guy’s poise and calm demeanor and the way he handles being in meetings and the players and all of that? That was probably the most impressive of anything. Through me dog-cussing the crap out of him and screwing stuff up, he was able to function without basically just going in the tank and quitting…His body language doesn’t change. It’s so similar to Brandon in that regard that it’s just everything just kind of goes. When he gets excited, you hardly even know it.
“By middle of the spring, it started to be apparent that there was a possibility he could be our starter.”
Here are some other quotes from that March conversation about the quarterbacks that I thought would be interesting to look at again. Some have shown up in previous stories, while others were left on the cutting room floor.
On what he expected from the quarterbacks at the beginning of spring:
“Chelf’s at an advantage because he played more, so he’s going to be more efficient in what he does. I don’t know if, at any point, are you going to in 15 practices say you know for sure that J.W. or Wes Lunt is better than Clint? You’re probably going to have to guess some, because it’s not like we’re in contact (drills).
“We try to do this at every position — (find out) what’s their dominant trait? You either better be a damn good runner at quarterback or a damn good thrower. If you’re just kind of OK at everything, do we have enough other good skill guys around to make you look better? No, probably not. So how do you change the game with a certain skill set? With J.W., it might be running. It might be his ‘it’ factor. He has that. Wes might be with his throwing, but he was just playing for Rochester High School, and that wasn’t even the highest level of football against the highest level of competition.”
On the likelihood of naming a starter at the end of spring practice:
“We definitely have to have it down to two. You definitely, at that moment, would have to say ‘OK, here’s where we’re at, here’s what we’re going with.’ You may not say that to the guys, but you definitely would have to have it somewhat pared down.
“No one has three quarterbacks that they really like. I don’t give a (expletive) what anybody says. You might have two that you think are pretty damn good. You might have a third that’s a backup. You could never go (into fall camp) and say, ‘Guess what? We’re going to go ahead and give everybody equal reps.’ There’s just no way. So by (the end of spring ball), somehow, you would have had to evaluate everything and say ‘OK, Wes isn’t ready’ (or) ‘Wes we think is somewhat ready.’ But someone’s got to be able to be the third and take the third reps and hope that it works out.”
Some more on the quarterbacks’ traits:
“If you don’t separate yourself (if you’re Chelf), the guy with the ‘it’ factor you have to go with. That’s the reality of it. The guy I know right now that has the it factor is J.W. He works harder than anyone else he has, he’s always out front, he’s got it. Now, there’s kids that play Division III football that have it, but they don’t have the skill set to play higher.”
“Clint’s a good kid. He throws it pretty good. He’s gotten a lot better. He understands what we’re doing. Does he have a moxie? Does he completely believe in himself? Does he take the field and it just shows? No. It doesn’t. And you’re talking to him about it and whatnot, but can you teach that? I think you can polish it, but I’m not sure, I don’t think it’s teachable.”
“Clint, to me, is going to have to come out and really play well early. Because he’s going to keep getting better, but it’s not going to grow like the other two will. He’s been here…if he’s not measurably better you’re going to have to say, these guys are eventually going to pass him.”
Another random note: Monken mentioned Charlie Moore twice as a receiver that would really need to step up and that had done well during winter workouts. He sure was right about that.
Weeden on Lunt: The Offense Fits Him Well
Wes Lunt's popularity is only going to rise in the coming months.
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
Brandon Weeden was caught up in the wild emotions of his big day, which culminated in a celebration of a first round draft selection, the No. 22 pick overall of the Cleveland Browns.
But even Weeden found himself fascinated by the word out ofStillwater, where Wes Lunt – literally still fresh out of high school – was tagged as his successor at quarterback.
Weeden wasn’t stunned, as much as intrigued.
“I can’t say I’m surprised, because I was kind of out of the loop. (Former Cowboy lineman) Andrew Mitchell kept me in the loop, but I mean, from what I was hearing, it was an even race throughout. J.W. would look good. And then Wes. Then Clint. It kind of evened itself out.”
And as we all know now, Lunt pulled ahead.
And with the Cowboys committed to sticking with an offensive approach that earned them their first Big 12 title and a Fiesta Bowl championship, Lunt always figured to be “the guy” at some point.
That point just came earlier than anyone expected. And Mike Gundy and Todd Monken pulled the trigger.
“The kid’s big, with a big arm,” Weeden said. “This offense fits him well. He can sit back and make the throws.”
That being said, Weeden cautions Cowboys fans to be patient.
“It’s tough, he’s still supposed to be in high school,” Weeden said. “I think the expectations don’t need to be through the roof. He’s going to come in, there’s going to be aches and pains. He knows that. They know that. The kid can play. Coach Monken has always said good things about him. And they saw something. And they’re obviously good at evaluating talent.
“What Coach Gundy likes now is a guy who can sit back and throw it. He feels good about that. And (Lunt) obviously did what he could to take the job.”
J.W. Walsh transferring? “Heck no,” says his father
OSU's J.W. Walsh scrambles during Oklahoma State's spring football game at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, April 21, 2012. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Whenever a quarterback competition is settled by naming a starter, speculation immediately starts swirling about the other contenders transferring. There’s (usually) only one guy who gets to throw the football, after all.
That’s already happened with J.W. Walsh–and to a lesser extent, Clint Chelf–after OSU announced Thursday that true freshman early enrollee Wes Lunt had earned the starting job.
But Walsh’s father, John, who is also the head coach at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, told the Denton Record-Chronicle that Walsh is not considering transferring right now.
“Heck no,” John said.
“Just talking to him, he’s disappointed but he still loves Oklahoma State football and he’s fired up about going to work. Knowing J.W., this will probably turn his work ethic up a couple of notches.
“I know how he’ll respond. I feel bad for him because of how he’s feeling, but I’m still excited about what’s in store for 2012.”
John said he spoke to J.W. shortly after the announcement was made Thursday and that coaches told his son he would still have an opportunity to play. I’ve said before that I fully expect a package to be built for J.W. with both running plays and passing plays. The coaches think too highly of J.W.’s athleticism to leave him on the sideline.
“His initial feeling was disappointment, and probably a little ticked off,” John said. “But in the same breath, he was talking really logically. There’s going to be lots of disappointments before he graduates and it’s how you react that determines your success.”
What’s most interesting to me is to see how this decision affects the Guyer-OSU pipeline that has been developed over the past couple years.
J.W., wide receiver Josh Stewart and defensive end Jimmy Bean are all from the school, and “athlete” Dominic Ramacher is a 2012 signee that will arrive in Stillwater in the fall. On display in John’s office at Dention High School are framed 8×10 photos of J.W., Stewart and Bean in orange OSU jerseys.
Guyer has two 2013 recruits rated three-star prospects by Rivals in offensive lineman Patrick Morris (committed to TCU) and wide receiver Ellis Jefferson. Oklahoma State is not listed as a school Jefferson is interested in or that has offered him.
So no sour grapes from J.W. or John. And Mike Gundy can’t run his program based on who somebody’s father is or the fear that player will transfer. He’s got to play the best guys. But it’s something still worth monitoring.
Oklahoma State football: belated post-spring thoughts
Apologize for the delay on one of these types of blogs, folks. I’ve been a little slammed with draft preview coverage.
We covered a ton of angles from the OSU spring finale in Sunday’s and Monday’s papers, but here are some additional random observations that I had from the game, and from the spring in general, that weren’t noted or explained thoroughly in previous stories.
Not shocked we didn’t get a starting quarterback announcement today. It sounds like it might come Thursday. If that’s the case, can I request it happen in the morning? Some of us are covering Justin Blackmon, and possibly Brandon Weeden, getting drafted Thursday night.
J.W. Walsh told me that he didn’t know the finale/game/whatever was going to be “live” (as in tackling) until Saturday morning. “We didn’t know what (the spring finale) was.” None of us did, really. I was under the impression that it was going to be another “thud” scrimmage. Granted, the quarterbacks didn’t get hit unless they took off running, and running plays were often blown dead early. But there was definitely more hitting than I expected.
Have a day, Charlie Moore. As I mentioned in my Monday Insider, I certainly did not expect him to explode for nine catches, 243 yards and three touchdowns. But I was not surprised to see him become a solid target and make some really athletic plays. One of the best plays of the entire spring was a connection between him and Lunt on a 40-50-yardish deep ball in a scrimmage about two weeks ago. Moore ran either a wheel route or a go route down the far sideline. Lunt slightly overthrew the ball, and Moore made a remarkable diving catch in the end zone. I’ve also seen him out-jump defenders on more than one occasion and use his size to snag the ball. I was surprised, however, at his speed on that first touchdown grab. He split the defense and outran a quick secondary on his way to the house. Spring stars don’t always become fall stars, and I still expect Tracy Moore and Josh Stewart to be the Cowboys’ go-to receivers in 2012. But “Chuck” definitely showed this spring that he can contribute.
The defensive linemen have been really good at tipping balls at the line of scrimmage. Part of that could be on the quarterbacks, but you’ve got to have solid awareness and athleticism to get a hand up.
Staying with the defensive line, I thought one overlooked player was Ryan Robinson. He had three tackles (two for loss) and one sack. He’s quick off the edge. Mike Gundy has praised Robinson throughout the spring, saying he’s in so much better shape now and has finally “gotten it” after transferring from junior college a year ago.
I thought we’d see more of Herschel Sims. Running backs coach Jemal Singleton was extremely high on Sims’ development when I spoke to him a couple weeks ago. He had really started to show up in recent scrimmages, displaying some speed to get to the outside and then cut up the sideline. That said, it was a positive sign to see Desmond Roland rip off a big 30-yard run run. OSU is pretty stacked at running back, which will be a big help to whoever wins the starting quarterback job.
Cowboy fans better hope that David Glidden can catch a punt.
One of the most entertaining moments happened after the game. While I was in the middle of a media group around Joseph Randle, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that a couple reporters were talking to new tight end/inside receiver Blake Jackson. Interviews are a big no-no for first-year players—yes, even junior college transfers. It took a couple minutes before an OSU media relations staffer noticed this madness, grabbed Jackson and pushed him away. I think this is a silly rule with how much these kids talk to the press during the recruiting process, but it’s something Gundy is pretty adamant about. This means if Wes Lunt wins the starting QB job, you won’t hear from him all season unless the rule is changed or an exception is made.
Once this starting quarterback decision is made—or the decision is made that they will not yet decide on a starter (see what I did there?)—we’ll head into some down time in the summer months. I might even take a vacation…eventually =)
But until some QB news breaks…
Oklahoma State QB decision may not come Wednesday
Following Oklahoma State’s spring finale on Saturday afternoon, coach Mike Gundy told us about this magical meeting between him and the offensive staff taking place on Wednesday. The topic: quarterbacks. The goal: name a starter going into the summer.
Tonight, Oklahoma State sent out a press release saying this:
“We just want to give you a heads-up that it is not necessarily a given that Oklahoma State will have an update on its quarterbacks tomorrow. If we have something, we will certainly share it with you, but please don’t view it as an absolute that an announcement is coming tomorrow.”
This is something that my partner, John Helsley, and I have heard some rumblings about the last couple days. That certainly doesn’t mean that a starter will not be named tomorrow. And the possibility has always existed that a starter would not be named after the meeting. People change their minds. That statement could also simply mean that an announcement could come, say, Friday instead of Wednesday.
I know Gundy wants to name a starter in the very near future. He said it before practices began last month. He said it at every media availability throughout the spring. He said it Saturday multiple times.
I also know offensive coordinator Todd Monken was more hesitant about this when I spoke to him before the spring began. He didn’t come out and say that the Cowboys weren’t ready to name a starter after the spring finale, but I can’t imagine his feelings have changed much, based on how close this race has been. He did say in March that he for sure wanted to narrow it down to two quarterbacks before fall camp, however.
We’ll have a story in Wednesday’s Oklahoman breaking down what it would mean for the Cowboys if Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh or Wes Lunt won the job. Or the alternative–if OSU continues the competition into fall camp.
Oklahoma State defense “dominates” first spring scrimmage
In the words of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, the defense “dominated” the Cowboys’ first scrimmage of the spring on Monday evening at Boone Pickens Stadium.
The line was active throughout, whether it was getting a hand up to swat a pass away or getting into the backfield for a “sack.” The linebackers were quick running horizontally, highlighted by an athletic 90-plus-yard interception return for a touchdown by sophomore Lyndell Johnson when he jumped in front of on a J.W. Walsh bubble screen pass near the goal line. That all aided the play of the defensive backs, as well.
“The defense really ran to the ball well,” Gundy said. “Our second-level defenders really went sideways and eliminated some speed on the perimeter, whether it was a quick throw or a running play. And then our defensive line controlled the scrimmage, which forced the quarterback to make decisions quicker than what they needed to. You’ve got three quarterbacks that haven’t played much.
“And so you tie all that together, and the defense dominates the scrimmage.”
All three starting quarterback contenders — Walsh, junior Clint Chelf and true freshman Wes Lunt — alternated between running the first-team and second-team offense during the scrimmage.
And it doesn’t appear we’re any closer to Gundy naming a starter, though he maintains he would like to by the end of spring practice.
“Not one of the three quarterbacks played any better than the other,” Gundy said. “One, because they played very average. And two, because the defense controlled the scrimmage. That’s really what happened.
“Just standing there watching … nobody did anything to impress me. Part of it was self-inflicted, and part of it wasn’t.”
Here are some other comments from Gundy following the scrimmage.
On the rest of the offense’s performance:
“The running backs ran well. There just really wasn’t anywhere for them to go. Tracy Moore played well. Josh Stewart didn’t touch the ball very much. (Torrance) Carr made a couple catches. Blake Jackson realized it wasn’t junior college. Things like that. Typical things.”
On Lyndell Johnson’s interception return for a touchdown:
“Him and Joe Mitchell and Shaun (Lewis) and Alex (Elkins) and those guys are range-y and long, and that’s exciting for me. That (play) looked like what you see in the NFL. (Johnson’s) not an NFL player, I’m not saying that. But when he took off running, nobody was going to catch him. He’s taking two steps every five yards. He gained about 3 1/2 yards a step. That’s an encouraging and exciting thing for me, because in order for us to maintain a high level of play here for a number of years, we have to play like that on defense, and then we have to get our offense up and going.”
On if he’s discouraged that not one of the three starting quarterback contenders has distanced himself from the other two with 10 spring practices completed:
“I didn’t really expect them to. The second part of what’s happening out here is we’ve gone through some practices out here in the spring with (Brandon) Weeden and not scored. They’ve seen this for 10 (sessions) now and they know the offensive line calls. That’s not an excuse, but it’s going to be slower, and then it’s going to be even (slower) because (the quarterbacks) don’t have experience. Am I discouraged? No. Do I wish we would have played better on offense? Yes. We won’t change our (quarterback) reps for Wednesday’s practice, but we just have to keep going. Ultimately, at the end of the spring, I would like to name a starting quarterback.”
On the saying that if you have three quarterbacks, you really don’t have one:
“I think there’s some truth to that, (but) not now. Honestly, our quarterbacks need to train all summer and then 29 practices in the fall. We don’t have anybody that can just call it off. They need a lot of work. But when it comes time to play, we’ll have somebody ready. And then all the other areas that we’ve talked about need to help those guys along. … They’re a little more vulnerable at this stage and at this point than what we would normally be, because we’re just opening the (playbook) up and letting them play. Let them make all their mistakes and correct them.
On Wes Lunt’s development:
“He’s doing fine. He made some plays out here today. And what you have to remember is he’s supposed to be getting out (of his senior year of high school) at 11:30 a.m. and going to hang out with some girl and going to baseball practice or something. And he’s out here trying to figure all this out. He’s pretty far along for a guy that’s not been out here very long. He’ll be better next week than he is now. I think the summer’s huge for him. The development that he gets — the three or four months that he’ll in the weight room and then the reps that he’ll get out here mentally. You’ll see a considerable development with him, just from understanding what’s going on. He doesn’t throw with enough velocity on the ball at times right now. Part of that is because he can’t formulate and think fast enough to know where to go, so he’s just hesitant.
J.W. Walsh’s “right-hand man”: Josh Stewart
One thing J.W. Walsh has consistently mentioned to reporters during spring football is the importance of “building relationships” with his teammates. That means on-field chemistry and friendships off the field, which can all be difficult to establish when you’re not getting reps while redshirting.
But one receiver Walsh hasn’t had to worry about building a relationship with is Josh Stewart, his teammate at Denton Guyer High School and the guy Walsh calls his best friend. And it’s been a big help for Walsh during this quarterback competition.
“That’s always a good thing to have, to know that you’ve got your best friend on the field with you,” he said. “That’s been for us for a long time now. We’re used to the chemistry that we have on the field, and it’s just always a good feeling to know that you have your right-hand man out there with you.”
Stewart has earned tons of high praise during the spring as one of the Cowboys who has progressed the most from last season to now. It could be argued that the OSU offense has looked its best when running through Stewart—no matter who the quarterback is.
Stewart also made an impact in fall camp last year, which is why he played as a true freshman and finished 2011 with 19 catches for 291 yards and two touchdowns.
Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until fall camp to talk to Stewart himself because of the one-year media ban on first-year players. But here are some additional comments from Walsh, which touch on his mood during this quarterback competition, what he learned from Brandon Weeden and why he wears No. 4.
How is your mood changed from last spring, when you knew Brandon Weeden was the starting quarterback, to this spring, when you’re competing for the job?
The mood is completely different. You want to come out here and perform at your best every day. You start tying up your cleats and putting on your pads, and you’re like, ‘Alright, it’s time to get ready to go.’ You think about practice, and you go, ‘Oh, practice,’ but you can’t do that. If you do that, you’re missing out on a day and you’re taking steps back. You can’t take steps back.
Is it intimidating thinking about trying to replace Weeden?
Oh, yeah. If you think about it, ‘Brandon Weeden and you’ve got to fill his shoes,’ then yeah, that is intimidating. But all of us (quarterbacks) are different than Brandon. We all bring different things to the table than Brandon did. We try not to look at it that way and we try to just think that, ‘Hey, we’re going to go be the quarterback (for) the team.’ It’s going to be a different team this year, so we’re going to (have) a new quarterback and a new season.
What’s the biggest thing Weeden taught you about leadership?
Just to make sure you’ve got these guys, they trust you and they feel you. They have an understanding of what you’re going to do on the field, and that goes both ways. That way you know what they’re going to do and you’re always on the same page and you’ve got a good relationship with these guys.
How have you progressed from the first spring practice until now?
Just being able to make decisions quickly. That came from getting reps and getting experience under my belt and being able to have relationships with these guys. Now that you’ve kind of figured out what kind of relationships you’re going to have with these guys on and off the field, things start clicking a lot faster for you.
Is it nerve-wracking at all being in this type of quarterback battle?
It is nerve-wracking, but at the same time, we’re out here playing the game we love. If you let the nerves get to you, then you’re messing up, because you’ve got an opportunity to come out here that most guys don’t. So you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity.
How long have you worn No. 4?
Since my sophomore year of high school. I don’t really think there’s any special (meaning). It’s just what I wore.
Brandon Weeden “wouldn’t even bet on” who wins Oklahoma State QB competition
Here’s my general rule on Brandon Weeden: You chat with him any chance you get. I’ve never left an interview with that guy without learning something. And, of course, he’s one of the most talked-about prospects in the NFL Draft.
So I made my first trip to Chickasha Saturday afternoon to visit with the former Cowboy QB while he was signing autographs and taking pictures with fans at Byford Buick/GMC. I used some of the material I gathered at that interview for my Insider piece in Monday’s Oklahoman.
But I also asked him about the quarterback competition at OSU, since, besides Todd Monken and Mike Gundy, probably no one has seen more of Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh over the past year or so than Weeden. Or better knows what it will take to play quarterback in the Cowboys’ spread offense.
Does Weeden have a hunch on who will replace him as the Cowboys’ starter?
“I’m not a betting man, but if I was a betting man, I wouldn’t even bet on it,” Weeden said. “I have no idea who’s going to take that job. I think these first few weeks of spring ball, (someone’s) going to have to take it and run with it. I think that’s what coaches want to see. I think, either way, we’ve got a chance to win a lot a games.”
Side note: Gundy used the exact same “take it and run with it” comment during his press conference last Monday. Some took that as alluding to that Walsh would be the starter, because he can make a lot of plays with his legs. But both Weeden and Gundy just meant that someone needs to seize that job and keep it. But still, kind of funny that both guys used identical words. I guess that’s why they call that phrase a cliche.
Here’s Weeden’s assessment of Chelf and Walsh:
“Clint obviously has the most experience. He’s probably got a better grasp of what we do offensively, so he’s going to function better. He’s a smart kid and he can adapt and do a lot of different things. I think he’s got a chance to be a good player.
“J.W., same deal. He doesn’t have as much experience, doesn’t understand what we do quite as much as Clint, because he hasn’t gotten the reps. He’s sat there and watched and gotten mental reps. But J.W.’s athletic, can do a lot of things with his feet, run around a little bit and make the throws. From what I’ve heard, so far in (spring ball) he’s had a pretty good two or three practices.”
I’ll post the rest of our Q&A later in the week. Some topics we covered were his feelings at this point in the pre-draft process, why he compares private workouts to a game of poker, how often his age gets brought up in meetings with NFL teams and his visit with Jon Gruden for his “QB Camp” show. Stay tuned.
Vanderbilt, Penn State, Wisconsin likely landing spots for QB transfer Danny O’Brien
Lots of news coming down during the past few days about Danny O’Brien, the former Maryland quarterback who will transfer from the school after graduating this spring.
Vanderbilt announced Wednesday that it has completed its internal investigation regarding its actions of members of the coaching staff regarding O’Brien and have forwarded the report to the SEC. Maryland had filed a tampering complaint to the ACC, which was forwarded to the SEC, against Vanderbilt coach James Franklin, who was the Terps’ offensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting under Ralph Friedgen and had a strong relationship with O’Brien.
Penn State has also surfaced as a possible destination for O’Brien, according to this report from the State College News.
Wisconsin is another potential landing spot, the Sporting News reported last week. The Badgers had great success with Russell Wilson a year ago, who played his final year of eligibility in 2011 after graduating from NC State.
Why does this matter to Oklahoma State fans?
A very good source told me recently that O’Brien has indeed contacted OSU. No one at the school can publicly comment on a player looking to transfer — he is, essentially, a recruit. The source said O’Brien will visit schools during spring practices, though the specific destinations were not known.
But O’Brien’s high school coach, Todd Willert, told the State College News that O’Brien is looking for a school that runs a pro-style offense. If that’s a deal-breaker, that would take OSU out of the equation, since the Cowboys run a spread attack.
OSU is currently in the midst of a three-man competition for the starting quarterback spot between Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt. Coach Mike Gundy has said he wants to name a starter by the end of spring practice.
Willert said O’Brien, who was the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2010, plans to make a final decision on where he’ll play the next two years by mid-April. It looks like Vanderbilt, Wisconsin or Penn State, and not OSU, will get his services.
QB Danny O’Brien to Oklahoma State?
Pat Jones mentioned on The Sports Animal today that former Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien has interest in transferring to Oklahoma State.
O’Brien’s announcement earlier this month that he would leave Maryland created some buzz because of Terps coach Randy Edsall’s initial restrictions barring O’Brien from transferring to 16 schools, which has since been lifted. Since O’Brien, a redshirt sophomore in 2011, graduates this spring, he would be able to play right away at his new school as long as he enrolled in a graduate program not offered at Maryland. He would have two years of eligibility left.
This Washington Post piece reports that people close to O’Brien say “at least a dozen well-recognized programs have expressed strong interest, including multiple schools that played in BCS games the past two seasons and perennial contenders from the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten.”
OSU certainly fits that description, with the Cowboys winning 41 games during the past four seasons and capturing their first Big 12 title and a Fiesta Bowl victory last season.
OSU runs a high-powered, pass-happy spread offense and is searching for its next quarterback after the departure of superstar Brandon Weeden. It makes complete sense that OSU would be an attractive option. I thought the same thing when rumors surfaced that former Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler was considering using the “Russell Wilson rule” to transfer for his final year of eligibility before instead opting to declare for the NFL Draft.
O’Brien was the 2010 ACC Freshman of the Year (2,438 yards, 22 touchdowns, eight interceptions) and threw for 1,648 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine games last season. That would obviously make him the most experienced quarterback in Stillwater, since Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and West Lunt have a combined zero collegiate starts. O’Brien on campus would create a whole new layer to an already interesting quarterback competition, and would likely cause one of the other three signal-callers to transfer.
I don’t think it’s very likely that O’Brien comes to OSU. But I understand why he’d at least give the Cowboys a look.
