After offseason of change, Oklahoma State football's Mike Gundy still learning new team

STILLWATER — Members of the media asked questions on Tuesday afternoon, and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy offered answers.

But many of them could have just as easily come from a Magic 8 Ball, the famed toy that answered all of life’s most critical questions for children of the 1990s.

Ask again later.

The phrase was a common 8 Ball response, but more common from Gundy on Tuesday when asked about his players and his team.

“We’ll know more after six practices in pads,” Gundy said time and again.

That’s not a knock on Gundy. Entering his 21st season, he has an entirely new staff of offensive and defensive assistants, including coordinators, plus 32 new players on a roster of 104.

Of the 72 who are returning, few were even on the two-deep last season, and Gundy can count on one hand the number who are returning starters.

He shouldn’t know anything about what kind of team he has yet. When he spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon, he’d seen three practices without pads, plus some offseason drills.

If he was trying to tell you anything of significance about this team, he’d be guessing. Or just making something up.

“I’m excited about the next two weeks,” Gundy said before his team took the field at the Sherman Smith Training Center for its first practice in full pads. “I feel like after we have a couple weeks in pads, we’ll get an idea where we are.”

But there are a few things that won’t directly lead to wins and losses in the fall that Gundy can gauge now — and so far, he’s pleased.

“The enthusiasm’s good. The coaches’ enthusiasm is good,” Gundy said. “All that’s a plus. Guys are buying in. Academic reports are good. Attendance is good. All the things that we need to move in the right direction are happening.

“But we’ll see what happens when we get in pads for six practices.”

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Jaden Allen-Hendrix (25) of Irmo warms up before the Yellowjackets’ game against the visiting Seahawks in Irmo on Friday, November 10, 2023.

RB Jaden Allen-Hendrix suffers lower-body injury

Through the first three practices of the spring, Gundy says the Cowboys’ health remained good, with one exception.

Running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound redshirt freshman from Columbia, South Carolina, suffered a lower-body injury, though Gundy offered no further details as to the severity.

However, the Cowboys have already been exploring options to add running back depth in the past few days.

On Monday, Georgia State running back Freddie Brock reported an OSU offer. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Brock is set to be a super-senior in the fall. He began his career at Maine before spending the last two seasons at Georgia State.

While redshirting in 2023, Brock rushed for 276 yards on 24 carries in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He followed that up with 819 yards on 151 carries in 2024, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.

Brock also has reported offers from UTEP, Sam Houston, Liberty, Temple and others.

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Quarterback update

Here’s what Gundy said when asked if any of the quarterbacks have distinguished themselves in early practices:

“Not really. They’re not getting hit. Really, they’re not getting pushed around much because no pads. That’s gonna change over the next couple weeks. We should start to see what plays they can make and how productive they can be in pressure situations.”

The first part of his answer begs one important question: Will the quarterbacks be hit?

“Yeah, they’ll get hit some this spring,” Gundy said.

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