Thoughts After 2022-23 Season
Here is what I posted after the 2022-23 season. Major changes are needed from top to bottom, not just on the offense and defensive staff. We started the year 6-1 and ended the year 1-5. Has Gundy become too complacent and too comfortable? As good as Gundy has been for our university, he has allowed our program to slide backwards over the past 5 years. For example, besides last year when we were a senior laden squad with an elite defensive coordinator we have been average. Here's our regular season record and conference record 4 out of the last 5 years (since 2018). Gundy must make the tough decisions for this program or he'll lose the respect of his players and locker room.
2018 overall 6-6 (conference 3-6)
2019 overall 7-5 (conference 5-4)
2020 overall 7-3 (conference 6-3)
2022 overall 7-5 (conference 4-5)
OFFENSE
Obviously we need to do something with the offensive line coaching, offensive coordinator, etc. The Kasey Dunn experiment needs to come to an end. In 2021, the offense ranked #51 in scoring (at 30.1 pts per game) and ranked #67 in total yards. However, those numbers were inflated because of the number of times the defense either scored or put the offense in a short field. In 2022, the offense ranked #40 in scoring (at 31.8 pts per game) and #45 in total yards. However, those numbers were inflated due to the early season games against inferior competition. During the last 6 games of the season we averaged 14.1 pts per game on offense.
Personally, I think our best recruiter needs to be the running back coach. This is one position that's hard to develop talent. A RB either either has "it" or doesn't. A RB must have vision, balance, and athletic ability because these are things that cannot be developed over time. Regarding coaching changes, here's how I'd like to see our coaching staff next year.
OC = Marcus Arroyo or Seth Littrell or Scott Frost
RB = Curtis Luper or Cale Gundy
QB = Doug Meacham (CO-OC) or Brandon Weeden or Tim Rattay
WR = Cale Gundy or Kasey Dunn
OL = Nic Cardwell
The coaches above are all good coaches (x's and o's) and great recruiters (something this program desperately needs). Doug Meacham used to be one of the best recruiters on our staff. Curtis Luper has been recognized as one of the best recruiters in the entire country. Cale Gundy has always been one of OU's best recruiters. Marcus Arroyo has already proven his ability to land top recruits at Oklahoma State.
Most of you probably don't know about Nic Cardwell, but click on his name to read his bio and watch the video below (his story sounds similar to the JJ Watt story and you can tell he would fit into Gundy's Cowboy Culture). He left Appalachian State after this season and moved over to Louisville. However, I think we could still get him. He is young (which should help in recruiting) and he is really good at what he does. This past year Appalachian State ranked #34 in sacks allowed and #21 in rushing offense.
Here's what I posted after Derek Mason stepped down.
Derek Mason 2022-23 Results (#95 scoring, #117 total defense, #81 team sacks)
Now that we know one coach is gone, who's next? Who is your vote to replace Mason?
Updated list of defensive coordinator (DC) possibilities include:
Jim Leonhard (Wisconsin) = scoring 17, total defense 11, team sacks 40
Jon Heacock (Iowa State) = scoring 18, total defense 4, team sacks 114
Lance Guidry (Marshall) = scoring 6, total defense 8, team sacks 16
Joe Rossi (DC Minnesota) = scoring 4, total defense 9, team sacks 118
Bryant Haines (James Madison) = scoring 24, total defense 5, team sacks 4
Gary Patterson (Texas analyst)
Joe Bob Clements + (LB coach)
Here are the links for FBS defensive stats:
Scoring Defense (FBS)
Total Defense (FBS)
Team Sacks (FBS)
List of possible LB coaches if Joe Bob Clements is promoted to DC include:
A) Koy McFarland (LB = Tulsa)
B) Jimmy Rogers (DC = South Dakota State ranked 3 scoring, 2 total defense, 5 team sacks)
C) Corey Hetherman (LB = Rutgers)
D) David Braun (DC = North Dakota State ranked 5 scoring, 8 total defense, 5 team sacks)
E) Travis Pearson (DC = Alabama State ranked 8 scoring, 15 total defense, 46 team sacks)
F) Manny Rojas (DC = Delaware ranked 4 scoring, 7 total defense, 70 team sacks)
G) Justin Wood (DC = Richmond ranked 7 scoring, 19 total defense, 44 team sacks)
Here are the links for FCS defensive stats:
Scoring Defense (FCS)
Total Defense (FCS)
Team Sacks (FCS)
Here is what I posted after the 2022-23 season. Major changes are needed from top to bottom, not just on the offense and defensive staff. We started the year 6-1 and ended the year 1-5. Has Gundy become too complacent and too comfortable? As good as Gundy has been for our university, he has allowed our program to slide backwards over the past 5 years. For example, besides last year when we were a senior laden squad with an elite defensive coordinator we have been average. Here's our regular season record and conference record 4 out of the last 5 years (since 2018). Gundy must make the tough decisions for this program or he'll lose the respect of his players and locker room.
2018 overall 6-6 (conference 3-6)
2019 overall 7-5 (conference 5-4)
2020 overall 7-3 (conference 6-3)
2022 overall 7-5 (conference 4-5)
OFFENSE
Obviously we need to do something with the offensive line coaching, offensive coordinator, etc. The Kasey Dunn experiment needs to come to an end. In 2021, the offense ranked #51 in scoring (at 30.1 pts per game) and ranked #67 in total yards. However, those numbers were inflated because of the number of times the defense either scored or put the offense in a short field. In 2022, the offense ranked #40 in scoring (at 31.8 pts per game) and #45 in total yards. However, those numbers were inflated due to the early season games against inferior competition. During the last 6 games of the season we averaged 14.1 pts per game on offense.
Personally, I think our best recruiter needs to be the running back coach. This is one position that's hard to develop talent. A RB either either has "it" or doesn't. A RB must have vision, balance, and athletic ability because these are things that cannot be developed over time. Regarding coaching changes, here's how I'd like to see our coaching staff next year.
OC = Marcus Arroyo or Seth Littrell or Scott Frost
RB = Curtis Luper or Cale Gundy
QB = Doug Meacham (CO-OC) or Brandon Weeden or Tim Rattay
WR = Cale Gundy or Kasey Dunn
OL = Nic Cardwell
The coaches above are all good coaches (x's and o's) and great recruiters (something this program desperately needs). Doug Meacham used to be one of the best recruiters on our staff. Curtis Luper has been recognized as one of the best recruiters in the entire country. Cale Gundy has always been one of OU's best recruiters. Marcus Arroyo has already proven his ability to land top recruits at Oklahoma State.
Most of you probably don't know about Nic Cardwell, but click on his name to read his bio and watch the video below (his story sounds similar to the JJ Watt story and you can tell he would fit into Gundy's Cowboy Culture). He left Appalachian State after this season and moved over to Louisville. However, I think we could still get him. He is young (which should help in recruiting) and he is really good at what he does. This past year Appalachian State ranked #34 in sacks allowed and #21 in rushing offense.
Here's what I posted after Derek Mason stepped down.
Derek Mason 2022-23 Results (#95 scoring, #117 total defense, #81 team sacks)
Now that we know one coach is gone, who's next? Who is your vote to replace Mason?
Updated list of defensive coordinator (DC) possibilities include:
Jim Leonhard (Wisconsin) = scoring 17, total defense 11, team sacks 40
Jon Heacock (Iowa State) = scoring 18, total defense 4, team sacks 114
Lance Guidry (Marshall) = scoring 6, total defense 8, team sacks 16
Joe Rossi (DC Minnesota) = scoring 4, total defense 9, team sacks 118
Bryant Haines (James Madison) = scoring 24, total defense 5, team sacks 4
Gary Patterson (Texas analyst)
Joe Bob Clements + (LB coach)
Here are the links for FBS defensive stats:
Scoring Defense (FBS)
Total Defense (FBS)
Team Sacks (FBS)
List of possible LB coaches if Joe Bob Clements is promoted to DC include:
A) Koy McFarland (LB = Tulsa)
B) Jimmy Rogers (DC = South Dakota State ranked 3 scoring, 2 total defense, 5 team sacks)
C) Corey Hetherman (LB = Rutgers)
D) David Braun (DC = North Dakota State ranked 5 scoring, 8 total defense, 5 team sacks)
E) Travis Pearson (DC = Alabama State ranked 8 scoring, 15 total defense, 46 team sacks)
F) Manny Rojas (DC = Delaware ranked 4 scoring, 7 total defense, 70 team sacks)
G) Justin Wood (DC = Richmond ranked 7 scoring, 19 total defense, 44 team sacks)
Here are the links for FCS defensive stats:
Scoring Defense (FCS)
Total Defense (FCS)
Team Sacks (FCS)
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