5 thoughts on Oklahoma State’s first depth chart for 2020 season

Even though it’s Labor Day, it was business as usual for Oklahoma State as coach Mike Gundy released the team’s depth chart ahead of the Cowboys’ season opener Saturday against Tulsa at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.

Here are five thoughts on the first depth chart of the season.

New right side on offensive line

The Cowboys’ offensive line lost three players during the offseason with redshirt sophomores Bryce Bray and Jacob Farrell and fifth-year senior Dylan Galloway. Bray, who started 10 games last season, and Farrell were dismissed for violation of team rules. Bray transferred to Tulsa, and Farrell landed at North Texas. Galloway, meanwhile, retired from football in June because of injuries.

But OSU added transfer Josh Sills, who was a two-year starter at West Virginia, and will start at left guard for the Cowboys. OSU will turn to two young players on the right side with redshirt sophomore Hunter Anthony at right tackle and redshirt freshman Cole Birmingham at right guard.

Redshirt seniors Teven Jenkins (left tackle) and Ry Schneider (center) round out the O-line. Jenkins, a two-time All-Big 12 honorable mention and 2019 OSU Thurman Thomas Award winner as outstanding offensive player, started 12 games last season (nine at right tackle, three at left tackle). Schneider started five of the 12 games he played in 2019 with two starts at center and three at right guard.

Backup QB battle continues

Gundy hasn’t decided who will be Spencer Sanders’ backup at quarterback. Redshirt junior Ethan Bullock and true freshman Shane Illingworth are listed as OR at the position.

Bullock threw for 1,468 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions in nine games last season at City College of San Francisco. Illingworth, a four-star recruit, threw for 3,091 yards and 40 touchdowns during his senior season at Norco High School in California.

Presley/Wolf

True freshman Brennan Presley is listed as OR with redshirt senior Landon Wolf for both backup slot receiver and punt returner. Redshirt senior Dillon Stoner is the starter at both positions.

Wolf has played 13 games each of the past three seasons as he’s worked his way from a walk-on scout teamer to special teams contributor and receiver. His 25 receptions for 189 yards ranked third on the team in 2019. Presley, the 2019 Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year, had 98 catches for 1,515 yards and 24 touchdowns, and 18 carriers for 129 yards and one score in his senior season at Bixby.

Transfers Dee Anderson, Christian Holmes won’t start

Anderson, a wide receiver, and Holmes, a cornerback, are listed as backups at their respective positions. Anderson, a redshirt senior who made the move from LSU to OSU, is behind redshirt junior Braydon Johnson opposite of senior Tylan Wallace. Redshirt senior Rodarius Williams and junior Jarrick Bernard-Converse received the starting nod over Holmes, a redshirt senior that transferred from Missouri. Holmes is listed as the backup at both spots.

Anderson, who brings plenty of size to the outside at 6-foot-6, had 27 catches for 392 yards and a score in 31 games for the Tigers. He redshirted this past season after catching 20 passes for 274 yards in 12 games with four starts.

Holmes, a former three-star prospect from the 2016 class, was expected to compete for a starting spot with the Tigers before he transferred. He had 29 tackles and four passes defended in 12 games this past season. His production was a slight dip from his 2018 campaign when he had 35 tackles, 12 passes defended and two interceptions.

Calvin Bundage the backup

Redshirt senior Amen Ogbongbemiga will be a starter at linebacker over Bundage.

Ogbongbemiga, a second-team All-Big 12 selection and 2019 Leslie O’Neal Award winner as defensive MVP, had a breakout year with a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. His 100 tackles were second on the team and sixth in the Big 12. Bundage, also a redshirt senior, sat out the 2019 season because of a back injury after being the fourth-leading tackler on the team with 62 stops, including 41 unassisted, in 2018.