STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- Michael Bowie, a senior who was a potential starter at left tackle, has decided to transfer from Oklahoma State.
Coach Mike Gundy said Wednesday that Bowie had violated team rules and decided to leave the program. Gundy wasn't sure where Bowie intended to play.
"The team will be fine. Another player steps in. We expect them to compete," Gundy said after his annual golf event at Karsten Creek for reporters.
"It's not the first time it's happened. It's an unfortunate situation but we wish Mike the best and I'm sure that he'll be able to transfer and play for somebody."
Bowie started five games last season as the Cowboys won their first Big 12 championship and BCS bowl game, beating Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl to finish No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll. It was his only season at Oklahoma State after winning a junior college national championship at Navarro College and then transferring.
The 6-foot-4 tackle from Tulsa figured to be a starter this season after the departure of Levy Adcock, the only offensive tackle to start every game a year ago. Gundy said redshirt freshman Devin Davis may now be the leading candidate to start at left tackle.
"This is what we do. It's a team. We have guys that work hard. They might not have as much experience but we'll expect them to play," Gundy said.
Gundy said he believes the Cowboys, who were picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 this season in the league's preseason media poll, should be able to absorb the loss of Bowie. Even so, he said no coach is ever comfortable with his depth and "you can never have enough players."
"Anytime you lose a good football player that's got experience, it affects your team," Gundy said. "It's not the first time that this has ever happened. We've had unfortunate situations that we've lost players for whatever reason. We've lost Dez Bryant, we lost Orie Lemon, we lost Kendall Hunter for a little while.
"Mike was a good player for us but it didn't work out. I think that the one thing that people have to realize is it's extremely difficult to play college football and there's certain standard requirements that you have to meet in order to be a part of our football team, and that's coaches and players. We don't really bend for anybody at any particular time."
As of Wednesday, Gundy said he expected everyone else on the team to report for training camp on Thursday. The team's first preseason practice is Friday morning.
Oklahoma State opens the season at home Sept. 1 against Savannah State.
