Mike Gundy's new bosses have rejuvenated Cowboy coach. Here's why that's great for OSU football
Jenni CarlsonOklahoman
STILLWATER — Mike Gundy felt underappreciated by Mike Holder and Burns Hargis.
Maybe a bit disrespected, too.
The Oklahoma State football coach never said those words — not explicitly or publicly anyway — but he sure insinuated as much earlier this week. He was asked about his revamped contract, approved late last week by the board of regents and negotiated prior to that by Gundy and his new bosses, Chad Weiberg and Kayse Shrum.
“We had great conversations,” Gundy said. “We were able to sit down and have adult conversations.”
Maybe Gundy wasn’t comparing Weiberg and Shrum to Holder and Hargis, but it sure seemed like it, especially when he mentioned how his new bosses “very strongly pressed” how important football is to OSU.
“A hundred percent more than it ever has been before,” Gundy said.
Now, if anyone thinks Holder and Hargis didn’t think football was important to OSU, they need to have their head examined. The sport has become the driver of all athletics and the pride of Cowboys far and wide.
Still, as OSU looks to get back on the winning track and back into the Big 12 title hunt on Saturday night, what Gundy intimated about his old bosses might make for juicy talk at the tailgate. But what he said about his new ones should give the OSU faithful a warm-and-fuzzy feeling about the future of the football program.
You can tell Gundy has been energized by Shrum and Weiberg.
That seems especially true about Shrum. She famously accompanied Gundy and Co. to Big 12 media day back during the summer. University leaders don’t normally do such things, but she wanted to meet conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby in person and get some more face time with Gundy.
They clearly hit it off.
Both spoke glowingly of the other back then, and apparently, that bond has grown. Gundy said he was texting with Shrum earlier this week.
“The reason she and I get along … is because we see things the same way,” Gundy said. “If I feel strongly about something, I’m gonna tell you. If she feels strongly about something, she’s going to tell you.
“I appreciate that.”
Again, I’m not sure Gundy said any of that by way of comparison to Hargis or Holder.
But I’m not sure he didn’t either.
Listen, for as much good as Holder did for OSU, working for him couldn’t have been a picnic — and I say that as someone who really likes Mike. The recently retired athletic director could be stoic. Standoffish. Guarded. My buddy Berry Tramel once called Holder a strange ranger.
Rings true.
But none of that was probably as off-putting to Gundy as Holder’s ties to Boone Pickens. The feuds between the football coach and the megabooster are well-documented — and there’s likely others that weren’t documented at all — so anyone who loved Boone fell down Gundy’s pecking order.
And Holder loved Boone.
So did Hargis.
Now, I never got the feeling Hargis was as tight with Boone as Holder was. There were no epic quail hunting stories involving Hargis like there were with Holder. But Hargis was definitely a disciple. Even though he was likeable and agreeable, Hargis’ tight ties to Pickens probably didn’t sit well with Gundy.
Shrum and Weiberg have no such ties.
Of course, if Pickens was still alive, you best believe they would. Can’t neglect someone who loved your university to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. But since his death two years ago, the dynamics have changed with the university’s leadership.
Shrum and Weiberg are a fresh start for Gundy, and that could keep him on the Cowboy sideline for many years to come.
Now, some might argue whether that’s a good thing. He’s ruffled quite a few feathers over the years for things he’s done and said and worn off the field. (Frankly, Holder and Hargis may well have held off boosters who demanded Gundy’s head a time or two, so they might have appreciated him more than he thinks.) But on the field? No one has ever been better for Cowboy football.
OSU should want that kind of stability and success as long as possible, and frankly, Gundy acts rejuvenated by his new bosses. He has never come off as someone who would coach into his late 60s or 70s like Nick Saban or Mack Brown, but now, Gundy sure seems more likely to coach longer.
“Dr. Shrum and Chad and myself only want to move forward,” Gundy said.
Again, he didn’t say anything negative about Hargis and Holder, but when Gundy talks about Shrum and Weiberg, it feels like a reset.
A fresh start without a change of scenery.
