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Oklahoma State Football

Oklahoma State Offering Mike Gundy Restructured Contract

December 6, 2024
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(Pokes Report’s Zachary Lancaster contributed to this story.)

STILLWATER – On Friday morning, the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents held a special meeting in regard to the employment of the Oklahoma State football coaching staff. The truth is they could have switched the verbage out and jut put head footbal coach Mike Gundy. While Chairman Jimmy Harrel told the media afterwards that they have a plan in place to be enacted soon, no action had been taken Friday morning. The regents were in executive session for just over two hours on Friday morning during that included close to an hour with Oklahoma State University President Dr. Kayse Shrum and athletics director Chad Weiberg. Shrum and Weiberg were dismissed before the end of the meeting. When the two departed they came out of the meeting room with a look of shock and dismay. A look I had never seen on either of their faces before.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

Well, hours later, John Holcomb of Channel 6 out of Tulsa reported that coach Gundy had been offered a restructured contract for less money. 

Pokes Report had confirmed that Oklahoma State is trying to come up with an amended contract for Mike Gundy which will pay him significantly less than his current contract. 

It could also, more strictly, monitor his hiring process for assistant coaches. Pokes Report has also learned there is a window for the deal to be agreed upon. We cannot confirm that it is 5 p.m. on Friday, December 6th.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
OSU Presoident Dr. Kayse Shrum, Mike Gundy, and Chad Weiberg after Oklahoma State beat Notre Dame in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl.

Later, Pokes Report learned that most of the afternoon Cowboys head football coach Mike Gundy was in the Oklahoma State Athletic Center (Gallagher-Iba Arena) meeting with athletics director Weiberg in Weiberg’s  office. Another source told us that Dr. Shrum joined Gundy and Weiberg later in the afternoon. As of this writing after 4:30 p.m. they were all still there.  

One source told us that the 5 p.m. deadline may not have been as hard a time limit as has been reported. Another source told us that there is a deadline. 

All of this comes less than a week after the Cowboys finished the 2024 season 3-9 overall and 0-9 in Big 12 play. On Wednesday, it was announced Gundy had fired both offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. 

Robert Allen - Pokes Report
Mulitple sources have said Regents chair Harrel was out to get head coach Mike Gundy.

The bigger issue may be the damage that has been done to Gundy and the Oklahoma State football program with the circus the process has become in the regional and national media. When interrupted by this process and the Board of Regents special proceeding, Gundy was at work and reportedly close to announcing at least one of the coordinator hires. The NCAA Transfer Portal opens at midnight Sunday into Monday and Oklahoma State has worked hard to be ready to pull out players from the portal that can help turn the Cowboy football fortunes around. This “dog and pony show” is not helping. 

 

Discussion from...

Oklahoma State Offering Mike Gundy Restructured Contract

11,867 Views | 83 Replies | Last: 15 days ago by PedroPistola
LS1Z28
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It was a mistake to make this a public spectacle. It should've been done behind closed doors like back in 2020.
rob.shuey@outlook.com
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Pitifully handled….
Joe Khatib
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They can't afford the he $25 million that the Lawyers told them it would cost to get rid of Mike! This made Harrell and several donors mad because that was the route they wanted to go but WISER heads prevailed and Mike will be under much more scrutiny and control via this restructured contract! He gets next year with a new staff and the many new portal additions to get to 8 wins which I have heard is the requirement for 2025!
Joe Khatib
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Fully agree but you aren't always dealing with some rational people on the BOR!
OctaviusRex
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Gotta love how all the media schmucks loved to pile on Gundy about the OAN debacle (ESPN was on their hands and knees begging that he gets fired), his DUI comments, and comments to the fanbase about their criticisms saying he should've been fired, but now want to bash OSU about this. Damned if ya do, damned if ya don't
CProc7
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And if he doesn't accept? How bad will we be for how long? Unless Z Rob comes back as a head coach
PokeSmot75
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Not sure what is the bigger debacle, this or the 2024 season on the field? I doubt Gundy will cave in to the demands and I don't think the money is available for the buyout. They could try firing for cause but not sure they have much leg to stand on. U-G-L-Y!!!
Joe Khatib
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That will be a REAL Issue IF HE TELLS THEM TO STICK IT AND BAILS! There are some Regents whom will demand a National Search for the best possible coach and WON''T rubber stamp someone even if they are a favorite son!
LS1Z28
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Joe Khatib said:

Fully agree but you aren't always dealing with some rational people on the BOR!
I think it's very possible Harrel did this publicly because it increases the odds of getting the outcome he wants. This whole thing is embarrassing.
Si
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Let's hope we have the requisite resources to get/pay the quality players needed from the portal to rebound to a respectable and required success.
CProc7
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I feel like the way Gundy is with most stuff there's a decent chance he tells them to shove it.
GumbyFromPokeyLand
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So here's the deal. The Regents want Gundy to accept a lesser salary, and therefore a cheaper buyout just so it's ultimately cheaper to get rid of Gundy. How monumentally stupid. They are just asking Gundy to defy them.
True wisdom is knowing what you don't know.
- Confucius
GumbyFromPokeyLand
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Most college football fans from across the country understand ANY program, even under a great coach, can have a down year for a variety of reasons. But,…………right now with the Gundy debacle, we are the laughing stock of college football, but not because of the 2024 season.
True wisdom is knowing what you don't know.
- Confucius
GreyGhost
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editing the rant......The BOR has already lost this negotiation before they even started. DUMBASSES! Seriously, what am I missing here? If I'm Mike Gundy, I tell them to "fly a freaking kite!" There's a contracta legally binding document, mind you. Unless they can find actual "cause" to get out of it, their only real option is to let the five-year rolling deal expire and not renew. But instead, they're over here trying to act like they hold all the cards. Spoiler alert: they don't.
And now they want to meddle in how Gundy runs his program, all while he's out here saying he needs more NIL money to stay competitive. They're pretending they can play hardball, but let's not forgetwe had to scramble to raise $8 million just to buy out Mike Boynton's contract. Eight million! That money should have gone straight to NIL to help us recruit and retain top athletes. Instead, we burned it on one of the most disastrous contracts in OSU history, courtesy of Mike Holder signing Boynton to a long-term deal based on zero performance.
Now they're trying to nickel-and-dime Gundy while he's asking for the tools he needs to win in today's game? It's absurd. NIL isn't a luxuryit's a necessity in college sports now. If the BOR thinks they can take money away from NIL while still expecting results on the field, they're living in la-la land.
And let's talk about Governor Stitt. His brilliant solution to this mess? Appointing some cattle rancher from BFE to be the face of this three-ring circus. Because, clearly, nothing says "strategic leadership" like a guy who probably thinks NIL is the name of some new fertilizer. (Queue the Big Top Music!) Do any of these clowns even know how to run a business? Or are they just playing dress-up in suits pretending they have a clue?
But let's zoom out herethis isn't just about Gundy. This is a pattern. This is what we get from Stitt and his appointments across the board. Remember Ryan Walters, the education disaster on two legs? This guy has turned the state's education system into a political sideshow. Walters seems more interested in going viral on Twitter than in, you know, teaching kids or fixing actual problems. And Stitt put him there, thinking, "Yeah, this guy is the future."
It's not just Walters, either. Look at the other appointments. A state tourism department that turned into a barbecue scandal for the ages, and now this? Stitt has turned government into an episode of America's Got Talent: Clown Edition.
And now, he's importing that same level of dysfunction to Oklahoma State's athletic department. Because who better to handle the future of NIL, coaching contracts, and a multimillion-dollar program than a cattle rancher who probably calls a computer "that dang contraption"?
Here's the kicker: we, the fans, are the ones stuck with this nonsense. Stitt's appointments have made complete asses of themselves at every turn, and now we're supposed to sit back while they bungle the Gundy situation? No. We've got to call this out for what it is: complete incompetence.
The bottom line? The BOR and Stitt's crew are setting themselves up for disaster, and we're all going to pay the price. Dumbasses, indeed.
RodeoPoke
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how do we start a movement to get Harrel out?

Joe Khatib
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That is why this whole episode was an exercise in stupidity Gumby! If they want Mike gone it is going to cost $25 million which this athletic department doesn't have even with some donors willing to chip in some money! Remember they are paying a former basketball Coach nearly $ 8.million and they were barely able to raise that! That is it!!!
Joe Khatib
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BINGO , BINGO, BINGO MY FRIEND! THEY ARE ALREADY HAVING TO PAYOUT $8 MILLION TO A FORMER BASKETBALL COACH!
TUSKAPOKE
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I wrote on the article that has been taken down that I have dealt with a couple of these BOR nasty sunny beaches. I want that term left alone. Many of you have seen trashed out beaches where the sun shines on the litter. That is what several of them are all about. Their/His way or the highway and this fiasco going on at the most crucial time in regards to portal, finding new coordinators and the evolution of college football structure. The BOR, with this tinkling match, is a joke and the leadership needs replaced. Write Governor Stitt an email calling for the replacement of these BOR quacks with their heads up in a dark place.
SWCowboyD
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Wasn't Harrel appointed to board by Gov. Stitt?
GumbyFromPokeyLand
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Consider. What if you're Schrum or Weiberg? My gut tells me they support Mike. If the BOR fire Gundy, what do Schrum and Weiberg do/say? I'd tell Harrell to go find the next head coach himself and be ACCOUNTABLE for OSU football.
True wisdom is knowing what you don't know.
- Confucius
72Cowboys
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This is the Day oSu football died!
72Cowboys
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No coach can guarantee 8 wins!
This BOR is acting like Jerry Jones!
Zach Lancaster
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Staff
SWCowboyD said:

Wasn't Harrel appointed to board by Gov. Stitt?
Yeah back in 2020. The entire board was except Trudy Milner who was appointed by Mary Fallin.
RodeoPoke
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72Cowboys said:

This is the Day oSu football died!
can't we at least wait for a formal announcement before we start the eulogies?


I'll be right back, I'm going out to get some whiskey and rye....
TUSKAPOKE
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I just sent Stitt an email about these nasty sunny beaches and told him he is responsible for this being all over ESPN and it is killing OSU football. I told him he needed to replace the leadership that is a joke.
OldePoke
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You can go to the Board of Regents website and write them a note telling them how you feel about the situation.

I did.
Joe Khatib
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This business, if true, of saying he has until 5:00pm today to decide won't fly! Everyone wants to at least have their legal representation look over the contract before it is agreed to or rejected! That stuff gets you sued in court and causes you TO LOSE!
72Cowboys
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https://regents.okstate.edu/contact-us.html
TUSKAPOKE
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....I just tried sending an email to the BOR OK A&M Colleges and they have disabled it. They are chicken waste.
Roughrider
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They have the leverage to fire him for cause. He has a chance to stay on or he is gone for free.
Roughrider
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If Gundy wanted this to go better - he should have managed his team better.
GumbyFromPokeyLand
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Roughrider said:

They have the leverage to fire him for cause. He has a chance to stay on or he is gone for free.


What is the "cause"?
True wisdom is knowing what you don't know.
- Confucius
72Cowboys
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What 'cause'?
72Cowboys
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This website worked for me. BOR

https://regents.okstate.edu/contact-us.html
NJAggie
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Roughrider said:

They have the leverage to fire him for cause. He has a chance to stay on or he is gone for free.
If they think his comments about internet complaints is cause, I think they're going to be very upset with the costs and damages it takes for them to lose that one in court.
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