STILLWATER – Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has his team practicing as more answers are forthcoming about the fall season.

“I think the lack of direction has been the most difficult thing for the players,” Gundy said. “As coaches we have to adjust and play the hand we have been dealt. Once the Big 12 said we are playing football, it changed the overall state of the program because we had direction. We have had to make adjustments over and over again, but now everybody is in a great frame of mind. We have had great practices and it feels normal, which is a good feeling to have.”

 An interesting development for the team at the start fall drills was having an ESPN crew following them around the facilities as they begin practice under unique circumstances for the ESPN+ documentary series, Our Time: Oklahoma State Football.

“It’s been fun having those guys around,” Gundy said of the ESPN crew. ” I think it’s good for our players, good for our staff and good for people to see the inside of Cowboy football and our culture here. They have an inside look as they’re involved with everything. It’s not the easiest thing for coaches because we try to stay the course when it comes to working on football all the time, but you have to make certain exceptions when you have a crew following you around like ESPN is doing with us this year.”

While Oklahoma State returns three of the most talented playmakers in the nation on the offensive side of the ball, the defense returns 10 of 11 starters from last season’s squad. Coaches are anxious to see how they will perform.

“I’m really excited about our defense,” Gundy said. “Their attitude, the way they are flying around, their encouragement and enthusiasm has been fantastic. We have a number of guys who have a lot of snaps on that side of the ball and that is the way it should be in practice. I like our schemes and the attitudes of our players.  I’m looking forward to the next two weeks of practice then watching them play in a game.”

OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles thinks his defense is underrated.

“I’m on defense in the Big 12 so I don’t get much time with the ESPN cameras,” Knowles said.

OSU’s defense only surrendered 23 points per game in the last six games of 2019.

“I thought we had a great finish to last year to help the team win some games,” Knowles said. “We have a shot to have everybody healthy, so I see veteran players who know what to do and have a lot of speed. I see more depth than ever and a chance to be a well-rounded unit.”

There is a renewed attitude in the Cowboy defense. “As a unit this fall camp we have been locked in with a different type of swagger and mindset going in,” defensive tackle Cam Murray said. “A lot of time the offense does get more credit when it comes to those type of things, but I feel our defense this year is going to be really good. As a unit, I think camp is showing how good we can be in the future.”

 Linebackers Malcom Rodriguez and Amen Ogbonghemiga each had 100-tackle seasons last year and will play behind a defensive line that includes newcomer Trace Ford.

Calvin Bundage is back from an injury.

“Him getting back and seeing him move around in fall camp is a great sight to see,” Murray said. “You can tell he is in shape now and moving around fluidly. It makes our defense better with him on the field. Calvin brings a different type of mentality to the defense and it makes a big difference for us.”

The secondary, led by All-Big 12 selection Kolby Harvell-Peel, has four of the top six leading tacklers returning.  Former nickelback Jarrick Bernard-Converse and graduate transfer Christian Holmes are battling to start at cornerback.

“Both of those guys are quality players, quality individuals and football guys who are going to be fine,” Knowles said. “A.J. is a significant loss, but to be able to replace him with a guy who has two years’ worth of starts and bring in a transfer who is everything you could ever want as a kid in terms of his ability, focus and want to be a part of the team, I feel great about the position.”

The Cowboys open the season at home against in-state opponent, Tulsa, on September 12.

Tulsa started classes on Aug. 24. The Golden Hurricane announced on August 17 that they had paused after eight players tested positive for the coronavirus.  Tulsa resumed practice on Friday.  All those athletes eligible to practice tested negative twice in the last seven days.

Bryce Bray transfers from OSU to TU

Former Bixby offensive lineman Bryce Bray will transfer  to Tulsa. Bray was in the NCAA’s transfer portal for less than one week. He was dropped from OSU after a violation of a team policy.

Bray started 10 games for OSU in 2019 as a redshirt freshman. He was on three state-title teams at Bixby and was a three-star recruit. Bray will likely have to sit out the 2020 season unless he gets a waiver.