March 5, 2010

STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State Cowboys, fresh from consecutive nine-win seasons, will officially begin preparations for the 2010 football season Monday afternoon when they hit the field for the first of 15 spring practices.

Spring drills culminate on April 17 with the annual Orange-White spring game. OSU will practice Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week. After Thursday, the Cowboys will not reconvene again until March 23 due to spring break.

The storylines are many this spring as OSU looks to replace a three-year starter at quarterback, four starters in the offensive line, all three starting linebackers and three of four starters in the secondary. Another new face will be that of first-year offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who OSU lured away from the University of Houston in January. Holgorsen's 2009 offense led the nation in total offense, passing and scoring.

Returning for OSU will be 2008 All-America running back Kendall Hunter, as well as all-Big 12 fullback Bryant Ward. The Cowboys have a handful of receivers in Hubert Anyiam, Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper, with starting experience. Oklahoma State also welcomes back three-year starter Ugo Chinasa at one defensive end spot, part-time starter Jamie Blatnick at the other end and junior safety standout Markelle Martin. Two more defensive starters, linebacker Orie Lemon and safety Victor Johnson, are returning from injuries.

"We all look forward to getting back on the practice field and going to work," said sixth-year head coach Mike Gundy. "We're anxious to see some of the younger players go to work and to see the maturity of our experienced players.

"This spring will be a little different than in past years because we will be so young," he added. "We'll be inexperienced in a lot of positions, but our team is used to winning a lot of games and they know the expectations we have around here now."