Following 2018’s disappointing 7-6 mark, Oklahoma State football enters spring practice with some serious questions. What stands out?
Reports surfaced recently that the players were handed offseason workout shirts with all six teams that OSU lost to last season listed: Texas Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Baylor, and TCU, all Big 12 foes.
The 2018 season was a significant step back for a proud program that powered through three consecutive 10-win seasons with star quarterback Mason Rudolph at the helm between 2015 and 2017. Though the season was punctuated by wins against Top 25 foes such as Boise State, Texas, and West Virginia, mediocre losses to Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech made OSU a .500 squad before its season-ending bowl game win against Missouri.
OSU fans are eager to see improvement and a return to these high standards to begin the 2019 season. The slate doesn’t appear to pose much of a challenge until a Week 4 road trip to Texas: opponents include Oregon State, McNeese State of the FCS, and Tulsa, who combined for a paltry 11-25 last season. So, it’s entirely possible that we won’t know much about the Cowboys until Big 12 play starts.
Spring practices may provide some revealing answers during this offseason about the Pokes and about the state of the program. Here’s what to watch for.