The Keys to the Kingdom

Are now in the hands of an 18-year old who was, yes, born in 1993.

1993!

Mike Gundy handed them over to a kid who will make history as the first true freshman to start a season opener since 19 on Thursday morning saying:

We had to make a decision based on what we thought was best for our offense to score points and then give us the best chance to win football games.

And I really don’t think the call was all that difficult. You’re going to take your lumps in the Big 12 with a true frosh at the helm (7-5 isn’t out of the question) but if he progresses as Todd Monken quarterbacks do, the 2013 Big 12 title race will be squarely in OSU’s sights.

Lunt spoke to the media (kind of) (for the last time?) on Thursday as well:

I’m overwhelmed. It’s such a humbling experience. I’m a quiet kid. I lead by example. I’m going to need to become more vocal.

That he is. I talked to Travis Haney and David Ubben the other day and both thought Walsh would be named the starter if only because he had that “it” thing that coaches fall over themselves for. That thing that drives coeds wild, wins respect from teammates, and makes for great summer workouts.

What they forgot is that Big 12 football games are played in the fall (not the summer) and JW’s (much improved but still unspectacular) noodle of a right arm wasn’t going to work in OSU’s “we’re going to throw it 55 times a game and we don’t give a crap who you are” offense.

Lunt’s does. (see 2:44 mark here)

So don’t expect 11-1 again, OSU fans, and please don’t buy into the hype that he’s Weeden 2.0 (though it’s not a stretch to think he can hold every record in OSU history by the time he’s done), just be excited that the program is set and we get four spectacular years to watch it grow.

Be excited that today while our history scrolls rapidly across ESPN’s bottom line, the future is running sprints at BPS or throwing weights around or studying his playbook or something. Because as we cross over into a new era of OSU football, the heir to the throne is preparing for another run at the top.

It’s going to be a blast.