The Wes Lunt transfer saga: Former OK State QB reportedly picks Illinois

It’s unclear which of the 37 transfer restrictions Gundy lifted, but it doesn’t seem like it mattered. His final two of Louisville and Illinois weren’t blocked in the first place. However, his decisions may have played out differently if he was allowed free rein to talk to other schools.

Lunt struggled with injuries in 2012, starting only five games and throwing six touchdowns and seven interceptions during that span. He’ll have to sit out the 2013 season, but will have a good shot at taking over as starting quarterback in 2014.

In 2012, Lunt began his freshman year at Oklahoma State as the starting quarterback and a former three-star Composite recruit. He only played in six games, however, as various injuries kept him on the sidelines. Lunt finished the campaign throwing for 1,108 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Our own Steven Muma looked at what Lunt would mean for either Louisville or Illinois. The section on the Illini:

I had just gotten done writing about Bob Stoops saying something silly, but here we have Bob Stoops saying something else different on a totally different topic. Summer of Stoops!

Bob Stoops was asked about the intense restrictions rival coach Mike Gundy placed on quarterback Wes Lunt, preventing him from transferring from a whopping 37 schools. Stoops supported Gundy’s move, saying that if coaches want to heavily restrict their players options if they decide to transfer, they should be allowed to. From ESPN:

Transfer quarterback Wes Lunt is set to visit Illinois again Thursday, and he’s already been to Louisville, so a final decision could come quickly after that last trip to Champaign. Let’s take a look at the quarterback situation at each school and what Lunt’s addition would mean for them:

Incumbent starting QB: Nate Scheelhaase, who is heading into his senior year.

Lunt announced his intention to transfer from Oklahoma State earlier this month, and his options have been severely limited by Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy. Gundy has barred him from transferring to 37 schools, including the entire SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12. The Oklahoma State staff reportedly suspects some tampering in this case, which could be one reason for their decision to bar him from certain schools.

Lunt, who played his high school football in Illinois, is also considering a move to the Fighting Illini. Lunt planned originally to make his decision by May 31, so he may choose his destination shortly after his visit to Louisville.