STILLWATER -- Both from a numbers perspective and a talent perspective, the Oklahoma State football roster has taken a couple more hits this week.
Wednesday's biggest news was the announcement by tight end Josh Ford that he will enter the transfer portal. Having played in just four games, he can redshirt and retain a year of eligibility.
Linebacker Darius Thomas also departed, though the redshirt junior had not appeared in a game this season.
That makes seven players heading for the portal, plus one more who is reportedly set to redshirt while remaining with the team. Eight high school prospects have backed out of their commitments, though OSU also added a new commitment to the list this week.
So as the Cowboys near the halfway mark of the season with this week's game against Houston -- set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium -- the personnel fluctuations continue.
The transfer portal remains open for current OSU players through Oct. 22, so more movement should be expected. With the exception of several true freshmen and a few others, most redshirt-eligible players have now surpassed the four-game mark for preserving a year of eligibility.
But those who can't redshirt still might take the next couple weeks to assess their situation in deciding whether they should enter the portal.
How does all of this movement impact the current team? Let's take a closer look.
The "next man up" cliché might seem a bit overdone in sports these days, but it's really more of a question than a statement at OSU.
As in, who wants to be the next man to earn playing time?
That was visible in the secondary last week at Arizona when players like safety Mordecai McDaniel and cornerbacks LaDainian Fields and Eric Fletcher saw their most action of the season.
McDaniel is a veteran, and coming off a 10-tackle game in his first start of the season, he could be a key player in a depleted safety group where Dylan Smith and David Kabongo have departed.
Tight end is a different animal because the overall talent pool of the position isn't as deep.
Ford didn't travel to Arizona, which at the time seemed to be an injury-related decision after he had come off the field a couple times the week before, but could've been a sign of what was coming.
Will Monney, who is also eligible to redshirt this year, stayed home as well, leaving OSU with three tight ends on the travel squad: Quinton Stewart, Grayson Brousseau and Carson Su'esu'e (who has not yet appeared in a game).
Oscar Hammond has been out with an injury all season, and a potential return date is not known. True freshman Jordan Vyborny is 13 months removed from a knee injury that required surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL.
So the OSU offense going forward might feature more four-wide receiver formations and fewer tight end snaps.
No other spots have been hit as hard as safety and tight end.
Super-senior Aidan Davenport stepped in at longsnapper and handled his duties well last week.
Aiden Kelly elevated to a starting role at defensive tackle after De'Marion Thomas opted to redshirt. Michael Diatta, Landon Dean and Luke Webb saw an increase in playing time as well.
When Mike Gundy was fired on the morning of Sept. 23, OSU had 15 high school prospects committed in the 2026 recruiting class.
Eight have since reopened their recruitment. Five of those eight are from Oklahoma high schools, which had been a major focus in the new coaching staff's recruiting efforts.
However, the remaining staff hasn't simply given up on recruiting for the future.
OSU earned a commitment from cornerback Maliek Bracy of Argyle, Texas, earlier this week. And a report Wednesday said Virginia Tech transfer receiver Tucker Holloway is setting up a Stillwater visit.
So a tip of the cap to the current coaches, who know their likelihood of remaining at OSU next year is slim, as well as the front-office staff of recruiting coordinator Todd Bradford and director of football business Kenyatta Wright.
The Cowboys had a large group of recruits on campus for the Baylor game two weeks ago -- just days after Gundy was fired -- and they continue to pursue prospects regardless of the unknowns that lie ahead.
But like with the current roster, recruiting movement is sure to see far more change when a new head coach is named, and as other opportunities arise for players.
Nothing is certain in the recruiting class right now, and won't be for months.
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman.