Mike Gundy to Consider More Snaps for Freshman Quarterback
The ship is slowly sinking for the Oklahoma State Cowboys in 2024. They have dropped six straight Big 12 Conference games and are limping into their final three game stretch of the season. The Cowboys hopes of a bowl game in 2024 are but a glimmer in the distance with three games left in the regular season.
The fans of Cowboy football received a bit of promising news during a recent press conference. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy praised the play of true freshman Maealiuaki Smith who logged his first minutes late in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 42-21 loss to Arizona State.
Maealiuaki Smith (@maealiuaki) provided a big spark for #OKState leading a touchdown drive against Arizona State in his first action. Mike Gundy says they'll "look at" giving him more action in games. pic.twitter.com/9NQ7avhfgT
— Dylan Buckingham (@DylanBuckingham) November 4, 2024
Gundy mentioned that they would look at giving Smith more action in games. With Smith having secured his redshirt season in 2024, the question remains. Why not start the freshman gunslinger for the remainder of the season?
In NCAA football, players can play up to four regular-season games and still redshirt for the year. The NCAA recently updated the rule to exempt all postseason games from counting toward the four-game limit.
With the recent rule update, Smith could start the remaining three games of the regular season and still be eligible to play in a bowl game if the Cowboys can somehow run the table to become bowl eligible in 2024.
Every snap of Maealiuaki Smith’s first drive as a Cowboy. Do we see him again this week? #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/NDGBx4t0bO
— BuffalOKstate (@BuffalOKstate) November 4, 2024
Smith’s numbers on Saturday against Arizona State weren’t explosive but he made things happen on the field. Smith completed his first collegiate pass for 11 yards and also added another 5 yards on the ground. With Smith on the field, the Cowboys have the RPO quarterback they need to potentially help get Oklahoma State their first Big 12 Conference victory of the season.
We all saw the success of Garret Rangel on the ground before his injury and how much better the Cowboys’ offense looked with a versatile quarterback in the backfield. Smith may be a better running option at quarterback, and with him on the field, Oklahoma State instantly becomes a threatening offensive unit again.
Only time will tell if Smith eventually gets the start at quarterback this season over the veteran Alan Bowman. One thing is for certain, we are likely to see more of the freshman moving forward this season.
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Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.