Garret Rangel improved game over summer, competing for OSU’s starting quarterback spot

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Garret Rangel didn’t finish his freshman season the way he wanted to, so he got right to work.

Rangel appeared in four games last season, but the Cowboys lost each of the three games he started. The losses weren’t necessarily his fault, with injuries plaguing OSU’s final seven games, but he threw more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four) and completed just 51.3% of his passes.

Rangel seemed to be in the driver’s seat for the starting quarterback spot once Spencer Sanders entered the transfer portal, but OSU then brought in veteran Alan Bowman to compete for the job.

Rangel doesn’t back away from competition, just ask his dad, Jerry Rangel, who said Garret is focusing only on working to better himself.

“Competition for Garret has never been a concern or worry,” Jerry Rangel said. “He’s been fighting off quarterbacks since he was in elementary school. Dads and coaches would bring in their kids and Garret would just keep his nose to the grindstone and keep working. Garret is going to do Garret and not worry about other factors.”

Rangel worked this summer improving his game, mostly with quarterback trainer Damian Williams back home in Texas with the goal of competing for OSU’s starting quarterback competition this season.

Williams said Rangel worked on his mechanics and improving planning out plays before getting to the line of scrimmage. For Rangel, the summer showed him things about himself and prepared him for the upcoming season.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself,” Garret Rangel said.

“I’ve been taking it one day at a time and trying to get 1% better each day. And whatever I set my mind to, I try to get through it and be positive about it.

“I’m definitely a lot more comfortable in the offense.

I’m bigger, I’m stronger, the ball comes out of my hand a lot faster, and I’ve been really calm.”

Rangel finished last season with 711 passing yards and a 51% completion rate. It was an up and down season. In his first start against Kansas, he threw three interceptions but finished with more than 300 yards and two touchdowns.

Then he started the final two games but had a completion percentage less than 50% in each.

Ollie Gordon II, an OSU running back and freshman last season, started earning more reps toward the end of the season alongside Rangel. Gordon said he has noticed an improvement in Rangel from the end of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to the start of fall camp.

“We all know Garret was always gonna be a good player,” Gordon said. “It takes time with us growing up. As time goes, we mature more, and I feel like he’s in even better shape than he was last year. He’s more patient now, and he goes all the way through his progressions and he’s making better throws.” sports.ed@ocolly.com