ESPN Projects TCU Transfer as Oklahoma State Starting QB in 2025
![Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5766,h_3243,x_0,y_416/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_pokes/01jhxgxggf9k7gbv9y10.jpg)
Oklahoma State will have an interesting quarterback situation next season.
As OSU’s starter for the past two years, Alan Bowman, ended his college career, there was no shortage of uncertainty at the quarterback position moving forward. While Bowman was benched in the second half of his final season, his replacements had varied results.
Garret Rangel played well throughout the first half against BYU before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Maealiuaki Smith had an impressive starting debut against Texas Tech before having a horrendous outing in the season finale at Colorado. Meanwhile, Zane Flores will be entering his third season in Stillwater still yet to play a snap for the Cowboys.
Entering the offseason, OSU expected all three to stick around and not go into the transfer portal. OSU coach Mike Gundy was correct about that, but the team added another quarterback to compete for the starting role. Former four-star prospect Hauss Hejny transferred to OSU after redshirting in his first season at TCU in 2024.
In a recent article projecting the starting quarterback for every power conference team, ESPN gave Hejny the nod for the Cowboys. His selection is unsurprising, considering what the Cowboys’ quarterback situation looked like last season.
Although OSU got some solid looks at its quarterbacks and potential options for 2025, no one stood out enough to secure the job going into the year. Before Hejny’s arrival, Rangel looked like the obvious choice simply because of his time with the program. Rangel will still get an opportunity to compete for the starting job, but after falling to Bowman in the 2023 battle and an injury stifling his chance to stand out last season, he is still a bit of an unknown.
Considering that every option under center for 2025 has seen limited reps in games, Hejny’s existing connection with the new offensive coordinator, Doug Meacham, could give him an edge. The two worked together at TCU last season, and amid the many changes this offseason, having some continuity in a quarterback-coordinator relationship could be massive.
The quarterback battle could push into the regular season as it did in 2023, but considering the disastrous start OSU had that season, Gundy would be wise to find his guy before the season opener, and Hejny might be exactly what the Cowboys are looking for.
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