Offensive Line Starts Spring in Good Shape and Squared Away/Spring Recruiting:
STILLWATER -- Same old thing down in the northeast corner of the Sherman Smith Training Center as offensive line coach Charlie Dickey is barking out instructions for his drills and making sure his offensive linemen, veterans and younger linemen alike are doing those drills letter perfect. In just one season the Cowboys offensive linemen have become very attached to Dickey. It makes sense with Chuba Hubbard leading the nation in rushing last season and the offensive line allowing just 26 sacks last season.
"Going good, we went out there today and just did some simple drills," returning starter at both center and guard Ry Schneider said as Dickey starts his second season coaching at OSU. "I hope with the way we improved last year and everything, that we were going to have another full year with him and that we'd get even better."
Everybody knows Oklahoma State has returning top skill talent in Hubbard, wide receivers Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner, and others, and a returning starting quarterback in Spencer Sanders, but the Cowboys return four offensive linemen that have full season or significant starting experience and a transfer in Josh Sills of West Virginia that has started two plus seasons for the Mountaineers at guard.
Schneider, who has played both says he will focus on center for next season.
"Yes, I've been a guard and a center, but this year I think I will be more center."Sills is not only a solid 6-6, 338 pounds, but also has a better mullet than head coach Mike Gundy.
"For sure," agreed Schneider.
The mullet is just a part of it. Sills also has a big-time beard like Schneider and has already shown he looks good in orange and fits right in with this offensive line.
"Johnny (Wilson) and Marcus (Keyes) have left and now everybody has to step up," Schneider said. "I'm going to try to step up and fill Johnny's shoes. Josh has come in and we've kind of hit it off right off the bat and everything and hopefully he is going to take up Marcus' shoes. He looks really good in orange and we are really glad he is here."
Wednesday was the second day of spring practice and after Thursday's practice the team will break up for spring break and with all that is going on in the world with the COVID-19 virus that in itself is a concern.
Today's practice saw some good action both ways. Spencer Sanders had a touchdown pass to red-shirt freshman Langston Anderson, but there was also plenty of good plays on the part of the defense, one of the more impressive was a pass break up by corner Thomas Harper that had he held on to it would have been a pick six off a back-up quarterback.
Another strong play was a fade route for a touchdown from Shaun Taylor to wide receiver Gabe Simpson. Simpson made a spectacular catch on the play. Newcomers Cale Fulsom, a transfer from Arkansas Tech caught a deep pass for a score from freshman Shane Illingworth.
Oklahoma State also hosted a really outstanding receiver prospect in-state with Norman High School product Jaden Bray there with his parents. Bray is a 6-3, 190-pound athlete that caught 40 passes for 936-yards and 11 touchdowns.
He has offers from Oklahoma State, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, North Texas, and SMU.
Back to grooming, Schneider has that strong beard, but he cut off his long locks.
"It was too much work with the beard and the hair, so I had to cut the hair off and try something different," the Cowboys center said. It will be a good plan as spring turns to summer and the temperature heats up.
