STILLWATER — Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy remained noncommittal on his starting quarterback for the Cowboys ’ Friday night game at BYU .
“We’re working all of our guys, getting them good quality work,” Gundy said Monday in his weekly news conference, which was held via an audio-only Zoom call. “I told the coaches we needed to make a decision by Thursday after practice.”
The Cowboys are set to face BYU at 9:15 p.m. Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, televised by ESPN.
OSU (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) has been unsettled at quarterback during its current three-game losing streak. Alan Bowman , who has started all six games, was benched twice in those three games in favor of redshirt sophomore backup Garret Rangel .
Asked specifically about redshirt freshman Zane Flores , who has not appeared in a game this year while rumors swirled about his health status, Gundy said Flores is practicing and "getting work like the others are," but did not elaborate further.
Rangel seems to be the most likely candidate to get an extended look at the starting job this week. Though he has been up and down, Rangel completed 4 of 5 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown against West Virginia two weeks ago.
“He graded out and played much better in this last outing,” Gundy said.
The Cowboys have four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, with Bowman, Rangel, Flores and true freshman Maealiuaki Smith, plus walk-on Garret Wilson, also a true freshman.
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Asked about the health of running back Ollie Gordon II and receiver Brennan Presley, both of whom missed portions of the second half of OSU’s loss to West Virginia two weeks ago, Gundy declined to comment on any injuries.
He did elaborate on linebacker Justin Wright’s potential return from an injury that has kept him out all season. The super-senior has appeared in just two games over the last two seasons after transferring from Tulsa.
With starting middle linebacker Nick Martin out for an extended period of time, Wright could help add depth at the position that was taken over by Jeff Roberson.
“Justin’s been practicing and is getting some work,” Gundy said. “How far he’ll come along in the six-to-eight practices that he’s had, it’s hard to tell. He is back out there practicing with us.”
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With a week off to focus on themselves, the Pokes began with a simple shift back to basics.
“Work the fundamentals in all three phases,” Gundy said. “We had really good practices last week, and then we had a good workout last night.”
Gundy called the use of the bye week “very similar” to how OSU approached its open week last year, when it came in at 2-2, adjusted the offense to better fit its personnel and won five straight games.
“Every year is different, we all know that,” Gundy said. “But the plan was very similar to what it was a year ago.
“We stressed the things that we feel we need to get accomplished. We need to be a better run-fit defense, minimize a few of the big plays, and continue to work offensively in rushing the football and being good at our basic play-action passes, which we’ve worked on since Day 1. So there wasn’t any big mystery or any big secret to what we tried to get accomplished, just good, quality work.”
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Asked about the specifics of the coaching philosophy during the bye week, Gundy said he isn’t unhappy with the motives and strategy of his staff.
“I don’t really have an issue with what we’re trying to get accomplished,” he said. “I feel like it’s the right things. I’ve been very honest over the last month-and-a-half. There’s times that I didn’t agree with game plans and we’ve looked at that, made adjustments.
“There’s times that we need to be in better position as players. So we tried to get all of that balled up in one and get as much as we could get accomplished last week.”
OSU at BYU
KICKOFF: 9:15 p.m. Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah (ESPN)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy noncommittal about starting QB vs. BYU
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