This Transfer Emerging as Oklahoma State’s Rising Star on Offensive Line

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are in the middle of their bye week, but this offensive lineman is starting to grab national attention.

Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) celebrates with offensive line Shaun Torgeson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are so many new players for the Oklahoma State Cowboys it’s hard to keep track. But when they make an impact, everyone notices.

Earlier this week, the Big 12 Conference noticed as the league selected several Oklahoma State players for weekly conference honors. That included the entire Oklahoma State offensive line, which earned the Big 12's honor in that category for the second time in three weeks.

The line helped pave the way for the Cowboys’ 41-24 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers, one that ended the Cowboys’ 18-game Big 12 losing streak and put them back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in two years.

Head coach Eric Morris and the Cowboys are off this week, and Morris took some time to speak to Big 12 Today about the team's 3-1 start. Notably, his left tackle, Shaun Torgeson, came up in conversation.

Eric Morris on Shaun Torgeson

Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Eric Morris. Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Morris said previously that Torgeson was one of the last players the Cowboys recruited through the transfer portal. He was a starting left tackle at Portland State last season. While he may not fit the exact profile of the modern starting left tackle — he is 6-4 and 302 pounds — his head coach isn’t arguing with the results.

“He doesn't have all the size and length you might want in your left tackle as far measurables,” Morris said to Big 12 Today. “But as far as athleticism and strength, he's as good or better than anybody on our team. I mean he’s a super explosive strong guy, super athletic and he’s done a phenomenal job coming in there and competing.”

Torgerson was not supposed to be the Cowboys starting left tackle. That was supposed to be either Braydon Nelson or Jacob Sexton. But Nelson was slow to recover from knee surgery, and Sexton won the left tackle job coming out of fall camp.

Instead, Torgeson competed for reps at right tackle with Ashton Lepo. But everything changed after Sexton suffered a season-ending leg injury six snaps into the Tulsa game in week one. Torgeson was one of a handful of players who took reps at left tackle during that game.

Entering the Oregon game in Week 2, Torgeson and Desmond Magiya competed for the starting left tackle spot, with Torgeson drawing the start. He hasn't given up the position since. In fact, going into the West Virginia game there was no “OR” next to his name at left tackle, as he there had been the previous two weeks.

Nelson is projected to return next weekend when the Cowboys host the UCF Knights on Oct. 10. After the first four games, it doesn’t look like there is a left tackle job to return to, as Torgeson has taken control of the job and helped the Cowboys climb back into the national spotlight.

“He’s a bit undersized, but he was someone we believed in, and we wanted to bring him in because he had multiple years and we thought he could develop into a center or a guard-type player, with his size. But he’s just been phenomenal in practice and he continues to get better for us.”