Photo courtesy of Oklahoma State athletics
Oklahoma State’s quarterbacks room got a bit smaller on Monday. Backup quarterback Shane Illingworth has entered the transfer portal.
There is a lot of speculation regarding the young phenom. Illingworth showed real promise in the six games in which he played for the Cowboys.
With time being of the essence for Illingworth, it only makes sense that he spends his time as a starter to show off his brilliance. Regardless of the world’s opinion, Illingworth should shine wherever he winds up.
At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Illingworth should not be slept on. When starting quarterback Spencer Sanders was injured against Tulsa in the 2020 season opener, Illingworth hit the ground running.
He was the starter until Week 3 of the 2020 season, defeating West Virginia and Kansas before Sanders regained his job. With Sanders battling COVID-19 to open the 2021 season, Illingworth started the opener and was magnificent against Missouri State. He finished with 315 yards passing in the 23-16 victory.
A Full Room
Those outside Stillwater may be unaware of the busy offseason that Oklahoma State has had. The Cowboys have managed to snag four-star quarterback recruit Garret Rangel, from Frisco, Tex. and head coach Mike Gundy’s son, Gunnar Gundy.
Oklahoma State is in a unique situation where it has too many young quarterbacks in the room. Sanders also has two years of eligibility remaining after a strong showing against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
Illingworth is good enough to come in and start right away at most Power 5 schools. In limited action, Illingworth performed admirably and was a great ambassador for the program. Those in Stillwater should celebrate his tenure with the Cowboys.
Keaton Hargett is a contributor to Fifth Quarter and the account manager for @PokesFQ. Follow Keaton on Twitter @KeatonItReal_.