Nobody in College Football or Oklahoma State Signed Up for This: Roster Cuts (Updated)
STILLWATER – In my career of covering sports, I have really been close to a professional team where I had to cover the roster cuts. It is an accepted part of professional sports. The “turk” operates at the end of NFL training camps. You remember the movie “Major League” and the red card hung in the locker and it’s down to the minor leagues. Same thing in the NBA with the “G” League. In the movie “Money Ball” Jonah Hill’s character is told he has to inform a player he’s been traded. He didn’t want any part of it and that was traded, not released or cut. It happens in high school when the coach puts out a list, but often there is the option of a junior varsity or “B” team. In college football … not anymore. Last week when the NCAA Transfer Portal opened for the Division I spring football window. West Virginia had over 20 players go in. WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez wasn’t losing his team, he was cutting it down, so he could take better players out of the transfer portal.
This is the way it works now, and I can tell you that the discussions going on in the West End Zone, today, tomorrow, and throughout the week are emotional and difficult. You know over the years Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy has been hesitant to fire coaches and hire new ones. Gundy prefers stability and most of the time that works. He is a player’s coach that has always cherished his walk-ons. Now, the rules have changed. With the eventual settlement of the House vs. NCAA and other associated lawsuits there will be a 105-roster limit.
The roster limit doesn’t matter as much as your revenue sharing budget, which at Oklahoma State is believed to be between $13.5 and $15 million. You have to stay on budget and within the 105 number. That means you can’t keep them all. Keeping four quarterbacks, the most expensive position, will be hard.
That appears to have been remedied when redshirt freshman Maealiuaki Smith went into the portal on Monday afternoon. He is the youngest of the quarterbacks, and by my observations, was likely fourth in the depth at the position, although that is not my call. He is a talented quarterback and will get a new home, I’m sure. He played in four games this past season as a true freshman, starting in the final two games due to injuries and poor play ahead of him. Smith went 44-of-74 for 489 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions. He also had 15 rushing attempts for -9 yards, with sacks playing into that number. Basically, he was really good in a close, high-scoring loss at home to Texas Tech and then struggled in blowout loss at Colorado in the final game.
Oklahoma State started spring football with 105 players. A few left during the spring, but with eight more portal arrivals coming and 13 more new recruited freshmen there have to be more cut loose. Oklahoma State isn’t done in the portal as linebackers Darius Thomas (Louisville/Western Kentucky) and Ben Bogle (So. Illinois) are currently at OSU on official visits. Honestly, you don’t have to be down to the 105 until right before the first game next season. For Oklahoma State that would be Thursday, Aug. 26 against Tennessee-Martin.
However, Mike Gundy’s philosophy was to do it now where players have a chance to get into the portal and land somewhere to continue their career. OSU Coaches are calling friends at other schools, a lot of FCS, Division II, and junior college to help players. The other aspect of waiting until before the first game is that you would put your program through these tough emotions prior to playing the season. The fewer changes and adjustments prior to competition, the better.
Gundy let on to this process when he was speaking with the media last Saturday after the Orange-White spring game.
“The challenge now is the adjustments that have to be made. Because we don't know what will ultimately happen in the portal up through the next eight days. So, I would think that we'll probably have maybe a few more guys go in, I'm guessing. I don't know. And then we might retrieve some more. So that's the adjustment you make over the next week. And then once that's complete, then you finalize your roster for May, and then you start moving forward for August preparation.”
There is the chance that Federal District Judge Claudia Wilken presiding over the settlement could persuade and rule that walk-on currently at schools could be grandfathered in. If that happens and some are still available then from talking to Gundy, I’m sure he would welcome them back. Right now, it is a big if because the NCAA attorneys are not wanting to do that.
Below are the players going into the transfer portal or leaving Oklahoma State. We can’t tell you for sure that they were told to leave (released or cut), but a good number of them were. It’s the unwelcomed and ugly side of having NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal in conjunction with the settlement of the lawsuits from former athletes against the NCAA and college athletics.
Oklahoma State Football Players going into the transfer portal:
R.J. Lester, CB, 6-3, 185, RS So., Fort Smith (Northside), Ark. - Left early April looking for more playing time
Maealiuaki Smith, QB, 6-3, 185, RS-Fr., Sacramento (Junipero Serra), Calf. - Financially tough to keep four QBs
Chance Clements, LB, 6-1, 210, RS-Jr., Stillwater, Okla. (WO) - Hard trying walkon
David Arriaga, PK, 6-1, 208, RS-Fr., Stratford (Midwest City), Okla. (WO) - Won’t keep as many specialists with 105 roster
Talon Kendrick, LB, 6-0, 215, RS-Fr., Stillwater, Okla. - Another wlakon with potential
Kyler Pearson, WR, 5-6, 150, RS-Sr., Tulsa (Union), Okla. (WO) - Has been a dependable role player
Ty Williams, S, 6-0, 195, RS-Sr., Muskogee, Okla. - Never has been able to lock down a position
Jaelen Tucker, DT, 6-0, 270, RS-Jr., Edmond (Sante Fe), Okla. - Walkon that is not able to be kept
Justin Crutchmer, LB, 5-10, 210, RS-So., Hot Springs, Ark. - Just look above, you’d love to keep these walkons
Jonathan Agumadu, LB, 6-1, 230, RS-Fr., Dallas, Texas - Has promise but victim of numbers
Chase Pinkston, S, 6-0, 190, So., Hattiesburg (Oak Grove), Miss./Jones College - Just arrived but unable to get high enough on depth chart
Chauncey Johnson, OL, 6-4, 315, Lonoke, Ark. - With 105 limit can’t be as patient with OL developers
Tykie Andrews, WR, 5-11, 200, Enid, Okla. - Have to feel they recruited over him with the portal
Garret Rangel, QB, 6-2, 205, RS-Jr., Frisco (Lone Star), Texas - This one was not suggested, Rangel just left
Chris Robinson, LB, 6-0, 220, RS-So., Beaufort, SC/Harker Heights, Texas/Kilgore College - Tore his ACL last spring
Jordan Owens, TE, 6-5, 280, RS-Sr., McGehee, Ark./Coffeyville C.C./Central Ark. - Here for spring but couldn’t crack the depth chart
We could continue and guess which players could wind up on that list. No chance. All of the players listed above have been verefied.
The worst I’ve had to deal with as far young men that I’ve met and most times established a relationship with is deal with when they get cut in the pros. I hate that, so this is not just a new thing it is a gut wrenching thing.
