Players Campaigning for Knowles on Twitter and Gundy Supports Them

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy is on the road recruiting players and will be out on the road making his head coach visits to places like Bixby, Okla; Frisco, Texas; Euless, Texas; and various other stops. The coaching staff is on the road as well. Gundy checked in from the road for a Fiesta Bowl Zoom conference with media. He was asked about the match up with Notre Dame, the health of his team for the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, and other questions.

He was also asked the hot topic of the month with regards to efforts to reward defensive coordinator and Frank Broyles Award finalist Jim Knowles with a new contract and keep him overseeing the defense for the Cowboys. This has been a fantastic season, and even in defeat in the game against Baylor the defense held the Bears to 242-yards of total offense, 62-yards rushing, 6-of-14 on third downs, and they had six sacks.

The players, including defensive end Brock Martin, who has been vocal in his support almost the entire season, have taken to social media to back the effort to re-up Knowles.  

“I think it is awesome,” Gundy said of the players efforts.  “We want our players to trust the coaches and obviously they trust Coach Knowles. Blank checks are a little much. I don’t know that I can go that far. I have an athletic director and a President that are making decisions. I can tell you that my athletic director (Chad Weiberg) and President (Dr. Kayse Shrum) both want to keep Coach Knowles in Stillwater. He and I have built a great working relationship and he is a smart football coach.”

Gundy said that while he has a role in the process that he can’t issue the blank check or sign off on the final salary. He did state like he has in several of his recent news conferences that the process to lock Knowles into continuing as the Cowboys defensive coordinator has started and may hopefully be getting close.

“We are in the process today and for the last several weeks of working to try and get a deal to keep him here,” Gundy added. “I think it is the best thing for Oklahoma State football and I think Coach Knowles wants to be here. It is not quite as easy as giving a blank check, but we are working hard to keep him in place.”

Social media, talk radio, the response in the stands at games, and the feelings of the players on the defense is in full agreement with that.