Sanders Not Thinking Fiesta, But Future and Feeling Good
STILLWATER – What a busy weekend for Oklahoma State football! Head coach Mike Gundy had his new contract terms announced on Friday as the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents approved the terms. Over the weekend the Cowboys added some proven offensive line help from the NCAA Transfer Portal. I overheard offensive line coach Charlie Dickey telling another coach that he thinks he got a potential starting tackle, a potential starting guard, and lots of depth. One of the hosts for the recruiting weekend with the transfer offensive linemen was quarterback Spencer Sanders. Hey, nobody has more interest in a solid offensive line than the quarterback.
It's like Gundy told the media last Tuesday on the first day of spring practice: if you protect Spencer Sanders, he is an All-Big 12 talent and capable of the moon. He was protected by his line, his athletic ability and by the use of tempo, even turbo speed with the way the offense was run in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and look what happened.
It was an MVP performance with 34-of-51 passing for 371-yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Sanders did have a fumble, barely as he ran for 125-yards on 17 carries. The potent Irish defense couldn’t stop him.
“It was a good game, but it is out the window now and my main focus is on this team, trying to come together as one and trying to do the same thing,” answered Sanders when asked if he thinks about the game, one of the best ever by an OSU quarterback.
“That game was just a little glimpse of what he is really capable of,” slot receiver Brennan Presley said. “Now, I think he is more in the stage of - I can do that every game. We all know it and he is going to go out and prove it this year. I’m excited not only for the team, but I’m excited for him because I know what he can do, and I know what he is going to do.”
Sanders will hopefully have a stout offensive line. I know the additions will help and tackle Caleb Etienne looks like he is ready to be what many of us thought he could at 6-7 and a trim 325-pounds. He has young and talented receivers plus a good backfield with new young talent that is impressive.
Asked Sanders how it feels this spring, a real open-ended question because he seems to respond better. You see, Sanders’ favorite part of football is not standing around and chatting it up with the media, so you never quite know if he is serious or if he is messing around. I asked him about how he feels this spring.
“I mean, yeah, it’s always a blessing to be out here,” Sanders started and leaving you wondering a bit. “You know a lot of people don’t get the luxury to come out here and practice every day and get cleats provided for them, scholarships provided to them, tutors for them. It’s just a blessing to be out here and there are not a lot of people that can do this, so you have to take advantage of it. For me to be in these shoes, I’m blessed and excited to take it as far as I can.”
Sanders has to be told to sit back at practice and so far in the first four practices he has had equal reps with Gunnar Gundy and freshman Garret Rangel as the coaches have to see that duo and make a decision on the backup behind Sanders. Even when he is not in for the rep, Sanders is looking, analyzing, and working to understand the offense to an extra level. He truly is a football “gym rat.”
He ran for a touchdown and had a spectacular throw for a score to receiver Rashod Owens on Monday. He also hit Presley for several big plays. The offense moves and Sanders is a main reason. Now the defense had its moments too. Sean Michael Flanagan had a pick for the defense and the defense also had a fumble recovery. The give and take is there, but as Presley told the media after the practice, Sanders has so much confidence in his crew and what they can do.
“That’s your quarterback and that’s your guy saying he has faith in you, and he has faith in his team,” Sanders added. “If you don’t have faith in yourself then nobody is going to. Him having the belief in us and in himself that is contagious especially with him being who he is.”
He’s an All-Big 12 quarterback and a New Year’s Six bowl winning MVP and he admitted last week that he may have two more years to build on that at Oklahoma State. We could only be so lucky.