Gundy Says Two Position Groups Won’t Be as Deep as Last Year

Mike Gundy addressed the media on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming spring game on April 16, and also talked about some of the dings the team has suffered through spring camp that has hindered their depth.

When asked, depth wise if there are any concerns this year, Gundy was pretty straight forward with his answer.

“We’re not going to be as deep in the secondary as we were last year, and certainly we’re not going to be as deep on the defensive line. But we should be better off on the offensive line, wideouts should be okay, running backs should be okay, so … those positions I mentioned are of concern. But the others are somewhat similar to what we’ve had in recent years.”

Oklahoma State loses arguably the most disruptive defensive end tandem in the Big 12 from last year in Jimmy Bean and Emmanuel Ogbah. So replacing that production may be more of a committee approach. Look for youngsters Jarrell Owens and Jordan Brailford to step up into big-time roles, with Cole Walterscheid and even Tralund Webber figuring in the mix in a rotation. They have big shoes to fill but both Brailford and Owens, two I suspect may start, have big upside and were big-time recruits coming out of high school. They may not have the experience, but the talent is definitely there.

At cornerback is where I figure the depth concerns really lie. OSU loses all Big 12 cornerback Kevin Peterson and veteran Michael Hunter. In a pass happy league like the Big 12, veteran experience is invaluable – and replacing that will be tough. Ashton Lampkin is the most grizzled veteran of the group, and Ramon Richards seems to be developing nicely. But the real challenge is preparing the young cornerbacks for playing time, who could mean meaningful rotation time early. True freshman Madre Harper is on campus already, so he has a chance to jump in the mix and grab a role. Look for sophomore Bryce Balous and even junior college transfer Malik Kearse to claim a rotation spot too. There’s definitely cause for concern with the depth, but they still have a few more weeks in spring camp and all of fall camp to help prepare the younger guys for bigger roles in 2016.