Tramel: Mike Gundy says OSU can become a blueblood football school, but it will cost
Berry Tramel
Oklahoman
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mike Gundy stays fairly stoic during football games, even big football games, even
historic football games.
But Gundy got caught up in the euphoria of OSU’s 37-35 Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame on Saturday.
“My one message to the team was, I understand Notre Dame, I understand their tradition, I understand the helmet and the logo, but we got a logo, too,” Gundy said from the makeshift podium on the field at State Farm Stadium.
“We’ve been working on one for 18 years. And we want everybody in the country to know, with all due respect, we got a logo, too.”
OSU’s logo is not historic. Or tradition-rich. Heck, it’s officially been the university logo only 2½ years. Josh Sills has gone that long without shaving.
But forgive Gundy for being his version of giddy.
Beating Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl was a big deal, and Gundy knows it could lead to bigger deals.
And Sunday, far from the Fiesta Bowl stage, in the subdued confines of the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, Gundy talked about the next step for Cowboy football.
And he talked more than logo.
"Our numbers prove we can become a blueblood football school," Gundy said.
Whoa, that's a serious claim. College football's inner circle is more exclusive than a Boston country club. College football offers little movement. Up or down.
Over 50 years, a Florida might move in, a Tennessee might move out. A Clemson moves up, a Minnesota moves down. But it moves at a glacial pace.
"That’s not something that’s accomplished overnight," Gundy said. "I’m not dreaming up some kind of scenario that’s unrealistic. For even me to have said that after the Fiesta Bowl win 10 years ago, people would be like, 'ehhhhh.'
"Notre Dame had the Four Horsemen, and OU had Bud Wilkinson, and Texas had the Darrell Royal days and so on and so forth. USC had all the stuff they had. So it’s not something you build overnight.
"But I think we can legitimately say, we’ve had 17 years now of consistent winning at a high level, against good teams, and achieved to a certain extent more than what some blueblood schools have over the last 10 years."
But Gundy said such a rise will take a financial commitment. OSU's athletic budget is around $90 million. The 10 biggest spenders in college sports, led by Texas' $225 million annually, average somewhere north of $150 million. Perhaps double what OSU spends.
"That’s OK," Gundy said. "We’ve accomplished a lot with it being that way. But at some point, we have to allocate more to football.
"I think it’s a chance for us to move into that category, if we’re willing to do it. Takes a big commitment. Takes a huge financial commitment. Most schools that are in that category can’t win without money. Just can’t do it. It's all sports, right? The Yankees are always going to be in it. They may not make it in the end, but they’re usually in it."
The timing over Gundy's call for action is bittersweet. Beating Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl has everyone excited. But the changing Big 12 means a cloudy budget future.
"After watching our president (Kayse Shrum) and (athletic director) Chad Weiberg over the last six months, I’m 100 percent sure that they can raise money to do it," Gundy said. "They can go out and get the money. I believe that. And I know there’s people out there willing to give it, to make Oklahoma State and change us forever in football.
"They’re out there, and I think those two can go get it. Because I’ve watched ‘em work over the last six months."
Nothing like putting some pressure on your bosses. It's not like OSU athletics didn't fundraise under previous administrators Burns Hargis and Mike Holder. In fact, their solicitations changed the university and the athletic department. Hard to imagine that even superb fundraising could lift OSU's athletic budget anywhere near $150 million.
But Gundy is spot-on about increased donor involvement. In this gone-crazy financial environment, schools all over America are going to have to call on their boosters to help keep up with the bluebloods and the cash-flush Southeastern Conference.
Gundy declined to be specific on how OSU football would use new cash flow. But it's like everything in life. We all find a way to spend our money.
And no doubt, the Fiesta Bowl will invigorate the everything about the program.
“We kind of felt like if we didn't win this game, this would be kind of a season of just forgotten greatness,” said defensive end Brock Martin.
I don’t know if that’s true. No one in the Posse would have soon forgotten this 2021 squad. People outside have short memories, either way. What-have-you-done-for-me-lately? That’s been replaced by what-have-you-done-for-me-in-the-last-15-seconds?
But Gundy is right. OSU’s football brand has been building over a decade and a half. And this Fiesta Bowl could be the biggest jettison of them all.
“We're a well-known logo across the country,” said linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. “Just one of those things where we bring the best out of people and just go out there and show that we're not no scrub.”
Not no scrub. Danged good description of OSU football. But Gundy wants much more.
He wants the Cowboys to go from not-no-scrub to blueblood. It's unlikely OSU can get there. But Gundy is right; the Cowboys won't get there without trying.
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