Big 12 notebook: Oklahoma State loses lot of starters in transfer portal

Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy jokingly begins to stand after no questions were initially asked of him at the NCAA college football Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Oklahoma State lost at least eight starters among the 18 players who went into the transfer portal since last season. The Cowboys also added 14 players from the portal.

“I attribute it to the times,” coach Mike Gundy said Wednesday at Big 12 football media days. “We can look across the country in the portal. We’ve got players that are playing on national championship teams that are leaving and going to other schools. We have players that are leaving after one year, players that are leaving after five years.”

Five of the Cowboys that left went to other Big 12 schools, including offensive tackle Caleb Etienne to league newcomer BYU and running back Domic Richardson to Baylor. Long-time starting quarterback Spencer Sanders went to Ole Miss.

“For a while there I thought it was interesting, but I’m almost considering NIL and the portal like religion and politics where it’s not even worth discussing because we don’t necessarily have a rhyme or reason for what’s happening,” Gundy said.