STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State football team opened fall practice Friday morning inside of the Sherman E. Smith Training Center in preparation for the 2021 season.

It marked the Cowboys’ first time to take the practice field since the spring game in April. Unlike the year prior, a full spring practice schedule in 2021 allowed the Pokes to break in newcomers and build upon their victory over Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl.

“I felt better coming out of the spring than any spring that we’ve ever had from so many players being in camp, which is because of super seniors and early high school graduates,” OSU head coach Mike Gundy said.

“That allowed us to get the same number of reps with our threes and our young players as we have traditionally gotten with the ones and twos.

Our system stayed the same, players were consistent over the summer while they worked on their own and now, we go into fall camp on the same system, so once we get started, we should see the young players have good practices because they know what to do. I think that will help us in the long run.”

The Cowboys practiced for two hours going through a series of individual drills before coming together for a team period to end their first practice of the new season.

“It was a great feeling to be back out there in a helmet, running through plays at full speed and being around the guys,” junior defensive end Tyler Lacy said.

A roster full of veterans who have played plenty of meaningful snaps in their OSU careers, including six super seniors from last year’s roster who returned for a final season, give Gundy confidence in his team heading into camp.

“I’m comfortable with where we’re at, with this team and their work ethic,” Gundy said. “We have more depth that has a little bit of experience across the board than we’ve had in a few years.”

Senior safety Tre Sterling echoed Gundy’s statement, contributing it to a defense full of veterans being in the same system as last season when they allowed under 24 points per game, which is the lowest total for a Cowboy defense since the 2013 season.

“I don’t think I should’ve felt that comfortable for day one,” Sterling said. “It’s different than last year because we didn’t come in learning a new defense, we came in already knowing it, so we were able to get right back to it. It feels good to be out there when we’re all working together, communicating and trying to help the young guys learn the defense and the playbook.”

The Cowboys will continue fall practice leading up to their season opener against Missouri State on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. CT in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Fans can purchase 2021 Cowboy football season tickets by visiting okstate. com/tickets or by calling or texting 877-ALL-4-OSU.