Odds Say Spencer Sanders (-300) Has OK State Starting QB Job Locked Up
- Spencer Sanders was the 2017 AP Texas Player of the Year
- Dru Brown is a transfer from Hawaii
- The Cowboys could be a contender in the Big 12 if the quarterback play is strong
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are trying to return to the National Championship Odds conversation and the first step will be to get their offense going. The once-prolific unit has stumbled a bit in recent years as the signal-callers weren’t cutting it.
With a quarterback competition on the go right now, who is the best bet to win the job and elevate this team back to Big 12 relevancy? The latest NCAAF prop favors Spencer Sanders, by a wide margin, over Dru Brown.
2019 Oklahoma State Starting Quarterback Odds
| Who Will Be The Starting Quarterback For The Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Oregon State? | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spencer Sanders | -300 |
| Dru Brown | +200 |
*Odds as of 31/07/19.
Sanders Is a Star Recruit
One of the first things you need to know about Sanders is that he was a much-hyped recruit. He was the 2017 AP Texas Player of the Year in college and was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the 2018 class, according to 247Sports.com.
Meanwhile, Brown is a transfer from Hawaii. There’s not a ton of great accolades or hype that we can look back to with Brown. He committed to Hawaii and never earned the starting job, so that tells us quite a bit.
Sanders Doesn’t Have Seniority…But That’s Not A Factor
Sanders is a redshirt freshman while Dru Brown is a redshirt senior. Given this reality, you might think that Sanders is the underdog, but that’s not the case. The freshman is very clearly the better, more-talented player as Brown hasn’t even been able to crack a starting lineup consistently in three prior seasons.
Reporters at Oklahoma State practices and workouts have talked about Sanders’ rocket arm, throwing the ball 60 to 65 yards in the air. It’s pretty clear that Sanders has added muscle and strength from last season, which he watched on the sideline as he collected his redshirt from the program.
Sanders seems to have learned a lot from head coach Mike Gundy during a year of study. He has the athletic tools to be a special player at the position and this team needs a difference-maker under center.
Brown Is The Clear-Cut Underdog
The reality for Brown is that while he is a redshirt senior, he doesn’t have the dynamic ability Sanders has. When you hear about a redshirt senior who hasn’t started during his career, that’s a bit of a red flag. It’s basically telling us that the underclassmen or players who are one year ahead were obviously better.
When you hear about a redshirt senior who hasn’t started during his career, that’s a bit of a red flag.
A senior should carry a lot of experience, but if that experience isn’t accompanied by enough talent, you start to think more of him as a backup rather than someone who is going to elevate this team.
What’s The Best Bet?
This is clearly Sanders’ job to lose. He has the potential and the dynamism of a starter. Brown would be the guy if he was dramatically more prepared to lead the OSU offense, but Sanders’ 2018 season of study and observation clearly gave him the education needed to complement his athletic talent.
Is it possible that Sanders will stumble and Brown will shine once the live action starts? Of course. However, we’re betting a prop on who will start in Week 1 — a cupcake of a game against Oregon State — and it would be a big surprise if Sanders wasn’t tabbed the starter.
Pick: Sanders (-300)
SBD’s QB Battle Coverage
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
