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Oklahoma State started three different quarterbacks last season, and all three had their share of impressive moments. The fact that the Cowboys were third in the nation in scoring offense (45.7 points per game) and fourth in total offense (547 yards per game) only further illustrates how effective the signal callers were. The level of play from the quarterbacks left head coach Mike Gundy undecided about who would be the starter in 2013, and the position remained unsettled after spring ball.
| 2012 OSU PASSING STATISTICS | ||||||||
| NAME | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YDS/A | TD | INT | RAT |
| Clint Chelf | 119 | 197 | 1588 | 60.4 | 8.06 | 15 | 6 | 147.2 |
| J.W. Walsh | 109 | 163 | 1564 | 66.9 | 9.60 | 13 | 3 | 170.1 |
| Wes Lunt | 81 | 131 | 1108 | 61.8 | 8.46 | 6 | 7 | 137.3 |
Wes Lunt started the season for the Pokes last fall but was sidelined with injuries before conference play began. He decided to transfer out after spring ball ended this year in order to get closer to home. This move put Clint Chelf at the center of the OSU offense as many speculated that it has ended the position battle.
While Gundy has yet to name a starter, it would make perfect sense for Chelf to get the nod. After not playing in five of the Cowboys' first six games, he led the team in passing yards (1,588) and passing touchdowns (15). He ended the season with a three-touchdown performance against Purdue in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, where he completed 77% of his passes. In a two-week span Chelf threw seven touchdowns to just one interception to lead the Cowboys to back-to-back wins over West Virginia and Texas Tech.
With a defense that has struggled in recent years, particularly against the pass, the Cowboys have been bailed out multiple times by their high-powered and explosive offense. They'll need the quarterback to be consistent again this fall in order to keep the offense from taking a step backwards. A rash of injuries in 2012 forced OSU to play the three different guys at the position but the ideal situation is to always go with one guy. That guy appears to be Chelf, and with Gundy's track record of producing high-scoring offenses it could be a season to remember for the O-State signal caller.
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