We've Got a Genuine Quarterback Battle Here in Stillwater

STILLWATER – Are we destined for a 2023 quarterback situation this fall? This is one of the questions I get asked the most by fans when talking about Oklahoma State football heading into the new season. 

We’re into the second week of fall camp here in Stillwater, the first few practices with full pads, and there are still loads of questions that need answered. And honestly, I’m not sure we’ll have those answers until September.

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First and foremost: Are we going to see a 2023 quarterback situation? And my answer to that question, one I feel I can answer with some certainty is no. Even though the coaching staff is completely different, Mike Gundy learned from rotating three quarterbacks to start the ’23 year. They ultimately landed on Alan Bowman, and ended up beating OU, Texas A&M and playing for a Big 12 title game, but still not an ideal start to the season. 

Now, just two years removed from a great season, the Cowboys are baffling media members across the country. They returned nearly every starter from the 2023 season and went 3-9 last year, 0-9 in Big 12 play. Gundy fired every assistant coach, hired a completely new staff and brought in 65 new players out of the high school ranks and transfer portal.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics/Robert Allen

Flores (left) and Hejny (right)

One major stumbling block for people is at quarterback. They return third-year redshirt freshman, Zane Flores, and redshirt freshman transfer, Hauss Hejny, both of which had great high school careers and were highly regarded coming to college. However, neither one has attempted a pass at the collegiate level and are battling it out for the starting job. 

What’s Gundy and Co. looking for during fall camp? It’s simple: production.

"Production. At some point, the team will start to migrate towards one guy,” Gundy said on Saturday. “That doesn't mean that the other guy's not a good player, it just means that the team might start migrating to another guy and they have to be productive.”

Flores is the more traditional passer of the two but is mobile and can scramble. Hejny is the more dual threat of the two but has a solid arm and can sling it around.

I think it’s very safe to say we’re going to see both guys play against UT Martin on August 28. It’s possible we might only see those two quarterbacks. It’s also possible we could see both play against Oregon the following week. 

I think we can all agree most, in not everyone knew Bowman was going to the be the starter in ’23, despite Bowman, Garret Rangel and Gunnar Gundy splitting reps. But this is a genuine quarterback battle, the first we’ve seen in Stillwater in more than 10 years. While it’s not the most ideal situation, it should be fun to watch play out.