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Oklahoma State Football

The Quarterback You Know the Least About: Zane Flores

March 27, 2025
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STILLWATER – You’ll have to pardon Oklahoma State football fans if they have some uneasy moments, maybe some diarrhea or the feeling that they need to throw up, when someone mentions a four-man quarterback competition this spring. The memories of starting the season with a three-man quarterback rotation is still too fresh. It wasn’t pretty as it included a loss to South Alabama and underwhelming performances in the wins over Central Arkansas and at Arizona State, before the Sun Devils got better. 

Yes, Hauss Hejny is fast, and he is from TCU where new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham came from. Garret Rangel has the most experience and is determined. Cowboy fans saw redshirt freshman Maealiuaki Smith start two games at the end of last season as a true freshman. Then there is the tall, athletic and somewhat Trevor Lawrence look-a-like Zane Flores. He has yet to play a single play in a game. 

Robert Allen - Pokes Report
Flores speaks with the media on Tuesday.

“Just kind of controlling what I can control,” Flores said to the media on opening day of spring practice. “Being out here every day with a negative attitude and thinking, ‘Oh, this is what should be happening,’ that’s not going to help me. So I’m just trying to come out every day, get better, be my best, hang out with the guys.”

That may sound nonchalant, but Flore is anything but. The 6-3, 203 pounder led Gretna High School to two straight state championship games in Nebraska’s largest class. He was recruited heavily by Nebraska. They were still trying to get him to Lincoln when he was loading his vehicle for Stillwater. Oregon State, Kansas, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, and Washington were in on him as well. He holds the Nebraska high school records for yards (over 9,000) and touchdown passes (82). He also rushed for 29. He was 30-4 as a starting quarterback. 

In Thursday’s second day of spring football during team Flores threw at least two touchdown passes, one to new running back Kaleb Hicks, a transfer from Oklahoma that catches the ball well out of the backfield. He also connected on a scoring toss with Shamar Rigby. He did well as at the end of practice head coach Mike Gundy had him call up the team.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
Flores (6) has been around quarterback competition since he arrived at OSU.

Last season, about the time Gundy and then offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn decided to switch quarterbacks, Flores was out of the running with a surgery on his left foot.

“So I had a broken in my foot, and there’s also a bone fusion that wasn’t supposed to be there,” Flores explained. “So fixed the broken bone. It kind of happened from a stress fracture over time, and then it fractured, so I needed to get that fixed. And then they kind of separated the other two bones, so kind of a weird thing.

“The two bones were fused together on one side, it puts stress on the other side, and that’s what caused it to fracture,” Flores continued explaining. “Yeah, weird thing, but it’s all good now.”

Meaning Flores plays without the pain that he was fighting through in practice in spring and fall of 2024. 

When asked about what he can do to win the job in this four player competition, Flores was low key.

“Obviously, all four of us are competing,” he said. “All four of us have our own kind of assets. We’re going to come out here every day and compete together.”

Nebraska Public Media
Can Flores be the guy that dominated in the high school ranks in Nebraska?

Flores is cool in person, but I believe there is a really competitive player burning inside. I believe even without any experience that Flores could win this job. That remains to be seen, but if that fire inside is still there from Gretna days, then Oklahoma State had better allow him every opportunity to show it. 

Mike Gundy said he wants a leader, one of the four quarterbacks to take control. Flores has been that guy; the question is after all he has been through is that pilot light still on and can he be that guy.

Discussion from...

The Quarterback You Know the Least About: Zane Flores

5,918 Views | 14 Replies | Last: 2 mo ago by RodeoPoke
JPat
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I would strongly advise the guy that if he doesn't play this year, get the heck out and go somewhere that puts you on the field. Hey Gundy, it's time to put this guy out there, or you don't deserve him on the team. And also any coach that sits a 4 star guy this long also doesn't deserve to be the coach.
CowboyKip
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Rangel is also a 4 star guy, so which 4star guy do you propose we sit?
TUSKAPOKE
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Seems Gundy should hire you to be a QB Quality Control coach to advise and share all of your vast experience and knowledge. I looked at the Offensive QCCs and they look impressive. Maybe you have a shot. GO POKES!!!
JPat
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Easy. Sit Rangel. He's already played; Flores has literally never taken a snap. Why not put the guy out there and give him a chance?
JPat
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Maybe so. I was also screaming to sit Alex Cate and play Weeden.
TUSKAPOKE
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Glad Gundy took your advice and that of the other 30,000 of us there telling him the same after the first half. Maybe all of us can get a job on staff to advise HCMG on who to play.
TeaTownCowboy
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Agree 100%! We needed to see him play last season before he got injured. I thought it was nuts asking Bowman to come back when we had three young guys who needed development. Then they waited too long to make a switch. I could be wrong, but I think Rangel surprised most of us?, with how he could run it in that BYU game. He looked fantastic, just sad he got hurt. But from everything I hear Flores can take off with it too, Smith showed us he could. There's some talent at the QB spot and I doubt we can hang onto all four guys.
TeaTownCowboy
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Count me on that on, I think MOST fans saw it...yet QB guru did NOT.
Boomcreek
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Quite frankly, every since Zane showed up on campus, I've been looking forward to watching him play. He's got the talent, the size, and the right attitude about life, in general. And one of the things we learn with experience, is how, so much of life is timing, and patience is necessary for us to help created the right time for us to be center-stage in whatever it is. That's something else that I see about Zane. Just listen to him...He knows who he is and what he's capable of. Kind of a "No brag, just fact, kind of guy, and I think he really wants to make his mark, here in Stillwater, and he's not demanding his position with the team, but is willing to prove he has earned it when all is said and done. That's my opinion!
Joe Khatib
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TUSKAPOKE said:

Glad Gundy took your advice and that of the other 30,000 of us there telling him the same after the first half. Maybe all of us can get a job on staff to advise HCMG on who to play.
I give him credit! At least he didn't bring politics into it like the moron on the Wyatt Hendrickson championship article and post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RodeoPoke
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TUSKAPOKE said:

Glad Gundy took your advice and that of the other 30,000 of us there telling him the same after the first half. Maybe all of us can get a job on staff to advise HCMG on who to play.
Joe Khatib said:
I give him credit! At least he didn't bring politics into it like the moron on the Wyatt Hendrickson championship article and post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think only I should be on staff (of the 30,000 of us)..... put in Aso Pogi!!!


Cdub234
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JPat said:

I would strongly advise the guy that if he doesn't play this year, get the heck out and go somewhere that puts you on the field. Hey Gundy, it's time to put this guy out there, or you don't deserve him on the team. And also any coach that sits a 4 star guy this long also doesn't deserve to be the coach.


So, when was it last season where Flores had a chance to play and wasn't given the opportunity?
CowboyKip
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He had season ending surgery on his foot not long after the season began. He was third on the depth chart at the time and needed to get the problem in his foot corrected.
RodeoPoke
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CowboyKip said:

He had season ending surgery on his foot not long after the season began. He was third on the depth chart at the time and needed to get the problem in his foot corrected.

he was mocking jpat for his ridiculous comment about not playing somebody, even though they were hurt and missed the entire season.

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