FRISCO, Texas — Before 2024, Oklahoma State cornerback Cam Smith’s college career was one dominated by success.
He started 17 games and played in 12 others through his first three years on campus. With Smith on the field, Oklahoma State won 65% of its games, including two of the final three Bedlams and two of three bowl wins highlighted by the Fiesta Bowl victory over then-No. 5 Notre Dame.
“I think all of the guys feel it,” Smith said. “Last year wasn’t our best season. We’ve had better seasons. We know what it takes to get the job done.”
At Big 12 Media Days, Smith described preparing for the season with a chip on his shoulder. In his mind, the Cowboys are being completely overlooked in 2025, although that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“I think we prefer to be under the radar so people don’t see what’s coming,” Smith said. “(We) like to work in silence.”
Last year, Oklahoma State entered the season as one of the top contenders in the conference. This fall, the Cowboys will remain an afterthought outside Stillwater until they secure at least one or two signature wins on the field.
“I feel like the folks always play better with a chip on their shoulder,” OSU defensive lineman Iman Oates said. “You know, when expectations ain’t too high. … And I feel like with this team right now, we looking forward to this season. You know, a lot, a lot we can say a lot about last year, but essentially, it’s a whole different team.”
Every coach says they have a new team every July, but it rings especially true in Stillwater. Oklahoma State will likely field a roster this fall with more first-year Cowboys than returning players.
For that reason, don’t expect coach Mike Gundy to use last season’s 3-9 campaign to motivate his team in 2025.
“As a group, I don’t think it would do me much good to go in and say ‘did you guys like last year?’” Gundy said. “‘You want more of that?’ … That is good that he (Smith) feels that way. There has to be a certain type of motivation from each one of them and the coaches as well.”
Gundy said he’s drawing personal motivation from learning more about the business side of the sport and by trying to stay on the cutting edge.
“I think it’s important that each individual player has to find a way to motivate themselves to benefit our team,” Gundy said.
OSU tight end Josh Ford could immediately identify what fuels him this offseason.
“One of our kind of motivational speakers on the team, he talked about remembering your why,” Ford said. “And my why is I play for my Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the whole reason I am here, the whole reason I am playing football is to bring Him glory.”
Ford said he recited Isaiah 40:31 every day of spring practice this year. For context, that verse reads “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”
“Whatever I am doing, I do for the glory of the Lord,” Ford said. “So whenever I am struggling, I am trying to bring glory to His name. So instead of playing for myself, that is going to run out, and anything in this world is going to fall away. But that is going to be constant all the way through my life is serving him.”
Oates wasn’t one of the most productive players on defense last season from a stats perspective. Defensive linemen rarely find themselves in that role, but when the topic of motivation came up at Big 12 Media Days, Oates made it clear he doesn’t want to be like most defensive linemen.
“I would just say the respect, like, earning the respect of my teammates and my coaches and the college football world,” Oates said. “Like, I want my name to be a name that’s stamped, you know, like, okay, Iman Oates is one of those guys. And that’s what’s gonna keep me going every day to make myself a household name for sure.”
The Cowboys took a lot of different paths to Stillwater this fall, but Oates’ desire to be a household name could be what unites Oklahoma State in 2025 more than any revenge tour.
“We all want to be good,” Smith said. “We all want to be great.”