Newbie Hejny and Returning Quarterbacks Speak With Media on OSU Spring Football Day One

STILLWATER – I’ve written about how wild this is, how a college football team, and I bet a high school has never started practice, even spring, with all new coaches unless they had a new head coach. Add to that 30 new players, with 15-plus additional coming on June 1 for next season.  Top that with four quarterbacks, all approaching the same level in a competition the head coach says is truly four deep.

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Gundy talking to the media on the first day of spring practice.

"It's rare that we have guys that we think are good players. Rangel's played some. Maea's played a little bit. Zane's not touched it. Really Hauss hadn't played much either.,” Gundy said of the group. Technically, Rangel has four starts, Smith has two starts, Hejny coming from TCU has played in four games with 15 carries rushing and no pass attempts. Then finally, Zane Flores, the biggest and a very talented player from Nebraska has not played a single down.”

Oklahoma State fans can remember the start of the 2023 season and the first three games with a three-man quarterback rotation. I can promise from speaking with head coach Mike Gundy, offensive coordinator Doug Meacham and quarterback coach Kevin Johns you won’t see that.

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Meacham and QB Coach Kevin Johns have a project.

"I want somebody to take control -- leadership. You gotta be productive at that position, we all know that. It doesn't make a difference if we're in Pop Warner, junior high, high school, any level of college, NFL -- you're gonna go as your quarterback goes for the most part,” Gundy said adding that he hoped they would cut it down to two by the end of spring practice. “Hopefully somebody will take control and show us the production we're looking for to get to a point where we're comfortable to start building a system based on who that player is."

OK, now who? 

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Rangel shows off his new tattoo.

Rangel is the most experienced. He played really well in his one start at BYU last season before injuring his shoulder. I saw the look on his face. It read, “really, I’m playing well, and I get hurt and I’m done for the season.”

It takes faith to deal with situations like that. Rangel has faith, he has talent too. He also now has a new tattoo to celebrate that faith and his perseverance.  

“One hundred percent, this is my rock,” Rangel said pointing down to the new tattoo that celebrates his faith. “No matter what trials and tribulations that I go through, I know I can rely on Jesus and on God. I think that is the biggest thing in my life and the way I was raised. I know I can do anything because I have them on my side.”

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Zane Flores in practice on Tuesday.

The now redshirt sophomore Zane Flores, who is 6-3, 205 pounds has speed and can run and a live arm, has dealt with injuries. He might have played last season if not for a broken bone in his foot and a bone fusion issue that required surgery. He practiced through it for a while but said the pain got to be severe. Flores has also had to focus to get through early disappointment in his college career. He still believes in several things, his faith, his talent, and his positivity.

“Just trying to control what I can control,” Flores said. “I know being out here every day with a negative attitude and thinking this is what should be happening that’s not going to help me. I’m just trying to come out every day, be my best, hang out with the guys.”

There is Maealiuaki Smith. The freshman last season is still a redshirt freshman. Fans were wondering what the coaching staff had been thinking after Smith lit things up on a weak Texas Tech defense in his first start. The “black Friday” game in Boulder was just that. He went from throwing for 326-yards and running and throwing for a touchdown to throwing two interceptions and a pick six at Colorado. 

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Smith learned a lot of lessons at Colorado, some courtesy of Travis Hunter.

“I have some experience, but this is a very talented group,” Smith said of the competition and his experience. “I know all four of us can play and we’re just going to work to get better. I know the time I had last year to play definitely helped me for this offseason and knowing what I had to work on in my game.”

The new contender is the fastest of the quarterbacks and he is full of confidence. Hauss Hejny nearly came to Oklahoma State out of a State Championship senior season and record setting numbers at his school - Aledo. He is not short of belief in himself.

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Hauss Hejny looks the part. 

I asked him how the last month or so has gone as he starts his effort to be the starting quarterback.

“I felt really good, but going into my last semester at TCU, I was really just learning college and being a freshman,” Hejny said. “Now, I’ve got a year under my belt, and I know what it takes coming in here, what it is going to be like, and what I need to do to set myself up for success. I have the playbook down like the back of my hand. (Coach) Meacham and Coach Jones have really helped us get a hold of the playbook. It’s good.”

You know the real problem, and we all should understand this after 2023, is it’s hard to find enough reps for four quarterbacks. It was hard finding enough for three.

“In my opinion, moving forward it's gonna be difficult,” Gundy said sounding a little ominous. “But we're in a good situation right now. We just gotta play through it. One thing that's not in place is enough reps. Just not enough reps for all the quarterbacks. Between Kevin (Johns) and Doug (Meacham), they've gotta do a good job of managing those reps to try to get a couple guys at least ready for August."

The team meets on Wednesday to review the practice, and they will be back out for more, spring practice day two in helmets and shorts on Thursday, March 27.