Forever Loyal and True

Credit: KT King via Flickr

As Oklahoma State fans, we all know the saying - loyal and true. It’s part of our school song, on all of our clothing, and it runs through our blood. As fans, we bleed orange.

That’s something we'll all have to remember this upcoming football season. After a mass exodus of starters, including our 4-year starting quarterback, Oklahoma State rolls into a rebuilding year.

But hey, we have to stay loyal and true.

The offense will have a different look, with transfer Alan Bowman set to take the reins. A loaded running back room with standout Ollie Gordon in a prime position to lead the way. And wide receiver senior Brennan Presley as the undisputed number one target.

Aside from that, there’s a whole lot of muddy water.

The addition of Bryan Nardo as defensive coordinator throws another wrench in what is usually a well-oiled Gundy machine. While Gundy does have a habit of hiring unknown coaches from smaller schools, the move from Glenn Spencer to Jim Knowles to Derek Mason to now Nardo feels like a miss and a downgrade to me.

The defense lost some key players as well. Mason Cobb (USC), Trace Ford (Oklahoma), and Thomas Harper (Notre Dame) have moved on to other schools. Oklahoma State returns a total of only 9 players to their starting lineup. Sure, they added 14 transfers, but will that add up to the star power that was lost?

We have to remember that we’ve been here before as fans during the Gundy era. The rotating quarterback carousel after a stand-out season from Brandon Weeden comes to mind. As does the sometimes confusing 1-2 punch of JW Walsh and Clint Chelf The loss of Dana Holgerson, Todd Monken and Mike Yurcich as offensive coordinators after years of explosive offensive play.

This year feels different, yet I keep repeating those words. It’s hard to see the upside in this team, but I’m loyal and true. It’s hard not to feel disappointed in the Gundy regime right now, but I’m loyal and true. And it’s hard to feel like Oklahoma state is being left behind for larger schools with more money to give for NIL deals.

But, as always, we’re loyal and true, until our blood no longer bleeds orange.