Gundy, OSU Placing Value On Non-Traditional Recruits

Both of the Oklahoma State football team’s two glaring holes coming into the 2017 season were filled in exactly 13 hours.

ESPN’s Jake Trotter reported at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday that Adrian Baker, former Clemson cornerback and graduate transfer, had committed his final year of eligibility to the Cowboys. Then at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday, he reported that Aaron Cochran, fellow grad transfer and former Cal offensive tackle, decided on Stillwater, too.

Had neither chose OSU, freshmen Rodarius Williams (corner) and Dylan Galloway (tackle) would have probably been the projected starters in 2017.

With recent non-traditional commits such as Baker, Cochran and Tyron Johnson, who is eligible this season, coach Mike Gundy and his staff have clearly placed added emphasis on using diversity in their recruiting to bolster or fill spots on the depth chart.

It not easy though, he said; graduate transfers are smart. They know what they want, and they know what they are looking for in a program, he said. Some, probably like Cochran, are looking for more wins and a bowl game. Others, probably like Baker, are after more playing time, especially after tearing his ACL last year.

“It’s a completely different world in so-called recruiting them than a high school player – because they know, and they know exactly what they’re looking for,” said Gundy.

Gundy has clearly figured out how to live in that world. Here is a list of the non-traditional proven standouts on the OSU roster for the past three seasons as a reference:

• Larry Williams (Transferred from East Carolina/Hutchinson CC)
• Chad Whitener (Transferred from Cal)
• Tralund Webber (Transferred from Blinn College)
• DeQuinton Osborne (Transferred from Kilgore JC)
• Barry J. Sanders (Grad transfer from Stanford)
• Lenzy Pipkins (Grad transfer from Louisiana-Monroe)
• Jordan Burton (Transferred from Kilgore JC)
• Chris Carson (Transferred from Butler CC)
• Derrick Moncrief (Transferred from Auburn)
• Devante Averette (Transferred from Ellsworth CC)
• Victor Salako (Transferred from UAB)
• Motekiai Maile (Transferred from Tyler JC)
• Michael Hunter (Grad transfer from Indiana)

This doesn’t even include Johnson (LSU) and Patrick Macon (Arizona Western), both of whom could factor into OSU’s rotation this season. Of course if the right voice leads the way, preferably a player, that school is going to have a better chance at landing him. But that means an honest voice, not a PR-type one.

Gundy said he tells recruits to visit with as many current players as possible on their visits because they are the ones who can give the most accurate representation of the school and what it has to offer athletically. Again, that’s not to say if you talk to enough people, eventually one is going to say the right thing.

“We’re not and the players probably aren’t smart enough to program them into saying what we want them to say,” Gundy said. “They’re gonna tell it like it is.”

Senior safety Tre Flowers is one of those guys. He said he hosted Baker on his visit before he committed Tuesday. He was as honest as he could be, he said. He tells recruits, especially Baker, that the coaches are bringing them to Stillwater for a reason, and it’s not to ride the bench. He said that’s why he is at OSU.

“(My hosts) told me it was a family atmosphere,” Flowers said. “I wouldn’t want to build anything off any lies.”

He said he feels like the culture at OSU provides recruits the best opportunity, “in the big picture,” which is why the Cowboys have signed so many fifth-year players.

The first relationship is always the most important. Gundy said for visits, he pairs graduate transfers, and all other recruits for that matter, with players from the team based on hometown, position and background. With an emphasis on the third item in that list.

If the Cowboys have a two-year player who has made the adjustment, he will likely be called to show another potential two-year player or graduate transfer around.

“You’re coming into a new culture, and a lot has to happen in a short amount of time for a fifth-year guy to adjust and play and have success,” Gundy said. “He only has two months to get used to it.”