Gundy Addresses Etienne Departure

STILLWATER – Lots of moving parts to the Caleb Etienne departure as the offensive tackle that started all 13 games last season at left tackle, but struggled enough that Oklahoma State went into the transfer portal back in December looking for a replacement. They brought in Dalton Cooper, a two-time All-Sun Belt honoree in Pro Football Focus from Texas State and originally from Prague, Okla. The competition went on this spring and even though Cooper was injured and will miss the remainder of spring. he had made an impression. 

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Mike Gundy addressed Etienne’s leaving with the media on Monday.

Caleb Etienne announced on Friday that he was leaving and going in the NCAA transfer portal. His name went in when the portal period opened on Saturday morning.

“Caleb felt like he got beat out (for the starting job), so he left, but that’s his choice,” Gundy said when asked about it during his media availability. “He didn’t feel like he was going to start here and he was going to lose his job, so he wanted to go somewhere else.”

Cole Birmingham has taken over the left tackle position in practice with Cooper injured. True freshman Jack Endean from Tucson, Ariz. has come in and had a strong performance this spring.

Shortly after Gundy addressed the departure, Etienne announced his new school. 

Brayden Kearsley, who was the offensive line graduate assistant at Oklahoma State last season left for BYU, so the question begs did Kearsley recommend that BYU take Etienne?

Trinity Valley C.C.

Jarrett Henry No. 65

The other interesting aspect to the situation was the very player that will take over the scholarship Etienne was on stood there with his parents watching practice on Monday. Jarrett Henry is a 6-6. 310-pound starter from Trinity Valley C.C. and Palestine High School in Texas. Henry has four years to play three seasons after starting at left tackle for the Cardinals 8-3 bowl team this season as a true freshman. 

Henry drew All-SWJCFC honors from the coaches. Oklahoma State offered him and he committed on Saturday afternoon. Henry was also recruited by Syracuse, Houston, UTSA, and Colorado among others.