Gundy Talks About Back-Up Quarterbacks
STILLWATER – Monday’s practice was a fast-paced two hours and 15 minutes with close to an hour and a half of that dedicated to 11-vs.-11 team work in different situations. Overall, the defense may have had the better day and the highlight for the first team defense came with a pick against the first team offense and defensive end Ben Kopenski got his hands on a pass as he dropped into short coverage.
The offenses had their moments too as the quarterbacks found passing lanes more friendly over the middle and Brayden Johnson, Brennan Presley, and Langston Anderson made significant catches. One of the highlights on the outside was a catch made by freshman Talyn Shettron.
The head coach likes this time of the spring when the defense is virtually in midseason form in knowing their responsibilities and they are able to really make it hard on the offense and, in particular, the quarterbacks. One of the necessary decisions that needs to start being made this spring is who will back up starting quarterback Spencer Sanders.
The candidates are freshman Garret Rangel and red-shirt freshman Gunnar Gundy. The son of the head coach is a left-hander that has worked very hard on improving his strength and speed. Gundy looks more like a linebacker with his shirt off and weighs a solid 200-pounds. He can run a 4.7 now in the 40-yard-dash.
Rangel is a “gym-rat” for football like Gundy and has grasped he offense quickly. At 6-2 and 184-pounds, he can run some and the ball really explodes off his hand.
Both Rangel (Frisco Lone Star in Texas) and Gundy (Stillwater) were starting quarterbacks by their sophomore season in high school. Both led their teams to long playoff runs, but this isn’t high school.
“I think they’re doing fine, they’re learning,” Gundy said of the two young quarterbacks. “Our offense takes time for quarterbacks to learn. The only way to learn it is to put them in live drills like we do at practice and for them to make mistakes and see it. (Then) plan to fix it and put that into place and I think those guys are doing a good job with that at this time.”
It is safe to say that at this point, no decision has been made. Gundy runs more second team reps and Rangel more with the third team. There is competition and you need there to be. The press if for both of them to improve.
“I feel like both of them are competing on the same level,” answered the oldest wide receiver for the Cowboys in Braydon Johnson. “They both have an arm, they both are accurate, Gunnar and Garret they both can run. They are both solid and by the time the season comes around I will be excited to see their progression.”
One thing for certain is the ball looks different coming off a left-hander, so is that a problem?
“It’s good for me, no problem,” Johnson added.
The best part of this aspect of the spring is that the Cowboys do so much 11-vs.-11 work and they don’t put any restrictions on the defense, except they can’t hit the quarterbacks. It is a challenge for Gundy and Rangel. It needs to be. If one of them has to come in next season at Baylor and take the offense for a series, a quarter, or the rest of the game it won’t be easy.
“It’s more difficult to play quarterback at this level than it ever has been, that’s first,” Gundy said in discussing the progression. “Second, I think our defense is good at what they do and they create confusion for our quarterbacks, so we see that on game days, but we also see that everyday in practice the structure of the defense that we use on a daily basis.”
Hopefully, those two will have plenty of Saturdays wearing a baseball cap and taking in the view from the sidelines for the next two years (Sanders has two-years of eligibility with a COVID year). However, if the need arises, may the best man be ready.