Oklahoma State football: Clint Chelf ready if called

And frankly, time is running out.

Once considered a potential heir apparent to Brandon Weeden, Chelf entered a three-man spring race for Oklahoma State's quarterback job and essentially finished third.

Yet Chelf, a redshirt junior set to graduate in December, will not surrender.

“I've just had to kind of stay strong and keep working hard and build off the mindset that you'll get the opportunity someday,” Chelf said. “And that's what I've done.”

Not that it's always been easy.

The months since true freshman Lunt was tabbed the starter have presented some challenges.

“They've been pretty difficult,” Chelf admitted.

Still, after receiving the bad news from offensive coordinator Todd Monken in April, Chelf went to work, enlisting anyone who could help.

Even his mom, Donna.

“It's crazy, not too many families are like this, but my mom would come out and snap to me,” Chelf said.

In the heat on Enid High's new artificial turf.

“Most people say that mom is the No. 1 fan,” Chelf said. “Well, if there's a Super No. 1 fan for someone, it's my mom for me. She'll do anything for me — sweat, snap balls, whatever. I really love her for that. And I love my whole family.”

Brother Colton, who finished his Cowboys career last fall, joined some of Clint's closest friends back home in Enid, catching “hundreds of balls a day.” Clint's dad Randy, who played at OSU and serves as his son's unofficial quarterback coach, made observations and adjustments.

“Coach Monken told me it was a close competition,” Chelf said. “One thing he said was that I wasn't confident throwing the ball some places. So for three months in the summer, especially when I went home in May, I worked.

“And I think I came a long way with that. Now I think I can throw any ball that needs to be thrown. I think I've definitely gotten a lot better.”