Coach Mike Gundy was pleased with the rebuilding of his team as they wrapped up spring drills with the Spring Finale Saturday as part of Orange Power Weekend.

OSU had a two-hour full-contact team scrimmage period, two-minute drills, individual position work, a 7-on-7 period, inside drill, special teams drills and ball security drills.

Just after they finished, coaches and players met with fans on the field for 30 minutes.

“We had a good day,” Gundy said. “We got a lot of plays in and got some good work. A lot of the young players who needed quality time on that field in front of the crowd got some quality work. So, I felt like we had a great day. We had a good spring, as I said earlier. Today is normally a game, which is not much for us practice-wise, but we got to do a practice, so it worked out well for us. We got quality work and I was excited about seeing the guys play today.”

Quarterback depth is a concern after backup QB Shane Illingworth transferred to Nevada. Spencer Saunders is the returning starter.

Gundy has been progress in his quarterback room.

“I thought they played well,” Gundy said. “I see most of it, but some of it I don’t see, and then obviously it looks different when I see it on tape. I thought that they played well, they competed, and handled the offense well. They get the summer to train and all through August and then hopefully if we need one at that position it’s when we’re ahead, so they can get some actual game experience. I thought they performed pretty well today.”

OSU had one of the top defenses in the nation last season but many players are gone and while the replacements are talented, they don’t have great game experience.

Which group made the most progress this spring?

“I think the cornerbacks have, the linebackers and the offensive line have,” Gundy said. “We have just been down a bunch of numbers on the offensive line so they have had lots and lots of reps, but I think they have improved. We have had a really good spring overall, but I’d say those groups with the youth have improved.”

Gundy is pleased overall but he sees the need for a lot more work. There were some limitations in the spring because of a lack of offensive line depth which will get better in the fall.

“I always want more practices, Gundy said. “We have to make up some ground in August in the scenarios that we didn’t get this spring without having a second or a third offensive line. We can account for that in our preparation in August when we will have 25 offensive linemen, so we will be able to practice three groups at full speed. I keep track of all that, the analytical part of what we miss, so we’ll make up for that in August. My thinking is we will have to get into more contact 11-on-11 a week earlier than we did this spring because of what we lost based on not having enough guys this spring.”

OSU running back Dominic Richardson has high hopes for the fall.

“It’s great, I just got to keep my head on straight,” Richardson said. “I have to continue to learn as an older running back for the younger guys behind me, just keep working my butt off, work on pass protection and all that.:

“When I came in, I was a younger guy I looked up to Chuba Hubbard, Jaylen Warren and all them, so I learned from them, carry that on and now they’re gone so I got younger guys behind me so have to teach them the same thing that I know. That’s what it’s all about.”

He has worked on improving his pass protection.

“I just train my eyes,” Richardson said. “Since the ball is snapped, I need to know where my eyes need to be. The cornerbacks, the safeties, linebackers, just train that to make sure I’m protecting my quarterback the right way and make sure I’m on the same pass protection as my O-line and the same protection as my quarterback.”

Defensive end Collin Oliver saw more cohesion in the defense this spring.

“I think we did a good job adjusting to all of our missing pieces, filling pieces back in and especially on the defensive side, but offense too,” Oliver said. “Just filling in and we did what we needed to, but I feel like we did a good job adjusting.”

The run defense looks stout.

“That is what we pride ourselves on, stopping the run so we can be able to rush the passer,” Oliver said.

What does new defensive coordinator Derek Mason think of his OSU players?

“They’re smart. They’re physical,” Mason said. “The discipline and toughness that Coach Gundy talks about is omnipresent and there everyday. A standard, it’s just about meeting the standard.”

“The coaching staff that I’ve been with over the last two and a half months, all these guys can be coordinators. They’re all extremely bright. For me, I think it’s about giving these guys the opportunity from scripting to calling things in practice, allowing all these guys to grow. I think it’s made us all closer. I want to be in a room with a bunch of smart guys, not be the smartest guy in the room. I think here at Oklahoma State that’s what I have.”