• Football
  • Mike Gundy Names Hauss Hejny The Starting Quarterback For Oklahoma State's Opener

Mike Gundy Names Hauss Hejny The Starting Quarterback For Oklahoma State's Opener

Details
Football

(BCSNN) — Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has named redshirt freshman Hauss Hejny the starting quarterback for the Cowboys’ season opener against UT Martin on Thursday night at Boone Pickens Stadium. The decision, confirmed Tuesday, marks a pivotal moment in the program’s rebuild following a 3–9 campaign in 2024.

Hejny, a transfer from TCU, edged out redshirt sophomore Zane Flores in a competition that stretched through spring and fall camps. While Gundy noted that Flores will also see time under center as part of a planned early-season rotation, Hejny will take the first snaps in Week 1. “We’re going to evaluate both guys in live-game settings,” Gundy said. “But Hauss gives us a dynamic element we want to explore.”

A native of Aledo, Texas, Hejny was a two-time state champion at Aledo High School and earned 2023 Fort Worth-area Offensive Player of the Year honors. He originally committed to Duke before flipping to TCU, where he redshirted last season and appeared in four games, rushing 15 times for 65 yards. He did not attempt a pass but was recruited by Doug Meacham, now Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator, and followed him to Stillwater in December.

Hejny’s dual-threat skill set and familiarity with Meacham’s system helped him stand out in a quarterback room that saw significant turnover. Garret Rangel and Maealiuaki Smith transferred out after spring ball, leaving Hejny and Flores to battle for the job. Flores, a prototypical pocket passer from Nebraska, showed flashes in camp but has yet to throw a collegiate pass after injuries and depth chart setbacks in his first two seasons.

With no returning quarterback having taken a snap for the Cowboys, Gundy acknowledged the risks of starting fresh. “It’s one of the challenges in today’s college football,” he said. “But we’ve built the offense around what these guys can do, and we’re excited to see it unfold.” The Cowboys will debut a new-look offense and defense under coordinators Meacham and Todd Grantham, respectively.

Oklahoma State opens the season with seven home games, including a Week 2 trip to Oregon that could quickly test the quarterback rotation. For now, Hejny has the reins—and a chance to lead the Cowboys into a new era.