Coming This Week on Pokes Report - Taking Stock on the Future of Cowboy Football

STILLWATER – Next to Mike Gundy, that man is the most important to the future or Oklahoma State football. Head coach Mike Gundy hired former Oklahoma State and NFL linebacker Kenyatta Wright to be the Director of Finance for Oklahoma State football.. That job title could also be general manager or personnel director. Director of recruiting Todd Bradford has a role in all of this as do others in the West End Zone. Starting December with the early signing day in recruiting followed immediately by the transfer portal window opening we are all about the see the biggest change in rosters in the history of college football, honestly, in the history of sports. 

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Next season the roster will look very different.

The spring official settlement of the House vs. NCAA class-action suit and the soon-to-be enforced roster limit (105) and revenue sharing as laid out in the House vs. NCAA settlement. That would allow universities to establish pools of up to approximately $21.5 million in the first year to distribute to athletes through a revenue-sharing plan. 

The $21.5 million reflects 22% of the average revenue that Power 5 schools generate through media rights, tickets and other sources related to athletics. The total and the equation that brings the total will be reevaluated every 10 years, and athletes can still make NIL deals with outside groups in addition to being directly compensated. 

Oklahoma State, like msot schools, will continue to build some of its’ football roster through recruiting high school and junior college athletes, but likely a lot fewer as most of the roster will come through transfer portal athletes. This December is expected to be, by a huge amount, the most football athletes ever in the portal including many at blue blood and successful programs. The reason, simple, athletes will be checking out what their value is. 

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Much of the offensive line starters from this season will exhaust eligiblity.

Most schools have been preparing for this by evaluating and placing value and need on players across the NCAA and at all levels from FBS, FCS, to even Division II. Remember, in the 2023-24 portal cycle and window Oklahoma State found wide receiver Leon Johnson II from Division III. 

Pokes Report will be looking over the Oklahoma State roster and speculating what changes could occur. There are 25 players that will leave the program through exhausted eligibility, but there will likely be more as Oklahoma State currently has a roster of approximately 140 and will need to meet the 105 limit for next school year.

Come along as we try to anticpate what is going to happen in this upcoming massive transition.