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For many high school seniors, the transition from high school football to the college game can be a challenge that takes years.
But for some of Oklahoma State’s recruits, the transition might need to happen much earlier.
With 16 starters gone after last season, coach Mike Gundy said the door is wide open for new players to compete for and earn playing time.
Defensively, the Cowboys will replace nine starters from last season but regain the play of injured senior linebacker Orie Lemon.
“There’s a number of positions where we’re gonna need some depth early in the season,” Gundy said. “If they can come in here in August and win the job, that’s great. A lot of the time that doesn’t happen ... But there will be a number of players that we’re gonna expect to compete next year and obviously play in the first game.”
In Wednesday’s recruiting press conference, Gundy also said those early contributors are likely to come from the skill positions rather than the offensive or defensive lines.
Caleb Lavey and Shaun Lewis highlight the group of defensive signees for the Cowboys. The two highly rated linebackers should provide much-needed depth at the position.
Lewis recorded 19 tackles for loss as a senior, was featured in the Under Armour All-America Game and finished the year rated as the No. 4 outside linebacker in the country, according to Scout.
Lavey notched more than 400 tackles in his high school career and turned down offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma to play for the Cowboys.
Gundy said with a strong showing in pre-season practices, both Lewis and Lavey are likely to see a significant amount of playing time in 2010.
Traditionally, the likelihood of a freshman player contributing offensively or defensively is slim as they adjust to the physicality of NCAA football, Gundy said some freshman Cowboys may find that chance this fall on special teams.
Signees such as Joseph Randle, Chris Dinkins and Justin Gilbert may get that opportunity returning kickoffs and punts. With the departure of elite returners Perrish Cox and Dez Bryant from the return game, Gundy said a freshman could potentially fill that void.
Gilbert, whose 40-yard dash time is listed in the sub-4.4 second range, has the physical tools to possibly replace one of the two All-Americans.
While the Cowboys were rounding up their 2010 recruiting class, they also added offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen from the University of Houston.
Holgorsen said he wasn’t concerned with recruiting because he arrived at Oklahoma State so late in the process and he still doesn’t know too much about the Cowboys’ 2010 class.
He said he has spent his first few weeks on the job focused on familiarizing himself with the players who are already in Stillwater.
“I’m a little more worried about what’s on campus now,” he said. “I haven’t been able to evaluate them yet, but I’m happy with the guys that are here.”
Gundy said how quickly the players, whether new or old, transition and mesh together next season will be crucial to OSU’s ability to return to prominence.
Whether a player is an 18-year-old freshman or a 26-year-old junior, Gundy said every player on the roster will be expected to contribute.
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