Extreme Camp Weekend Wraps Up with Mike Gundy, Kasey Dunn, and Bryan Nardo

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy welcomes the Extreme Campers when they arrive and he is the last speaker when the depart. 

“You guys have been awesome,” Gundy told the campers. You are part of our family, spread the good will, and buy season football tickets.”

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Todd Bradford talking to the Extreme Campers.

No problem there as the 109 Extreme Campers, part of the fifteenth edition of the three-day experience that opens up all of Cowboy football to these super fans, are all season ticket football buyers. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and then recruiting coordinator Johnny Barr came up with the concept of Extreme Camp and started it in 2009, Extreme Camp was missed in the COVID season. This is year 15 and Todd Bradford, who is now the Director of Football Recruiting, and his staff have run with it. 

“Love of OSU sports and love of OSU football,” were reasons given for attending by second-year camper Dick Beshear. “I’m just a Cowboy that wants to love and understand more and you really can’t get it outside of this. A couple of years ago, I had gotten down on my Cowboys and I came to this. It showed me the Cowboy culture and gave me a great attitude and better understanding of what goes into this.”

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The 15-year awards are an autographed helmet and plaques.

Beshear is not a rookie, but still a young camper. There were five campers honored for their fifth anniversary at Extreme Camp, three of the campers got the framed game jersey with their names on it as 10-year anniversary campers. Then there were seven Mike Gundy autographed game helmets with plaques give to the 15-year campers. Kent Houck, Randy Thurman, Grant Victor were honored. Then sponsors that have been there every year with Eric Gudgel of Oakley eyewear, Roger Demarie of Kicker, and Stan Clark and Tim Hollard of Eskimo Joe’s

“It is awesome and at Eskimo Joe’s were really fortunate to have this relationship with Oklahoma State and with Cowboy football,” said Eskimo Joe’s general manager and a 15-year Extreme Camper Tim Holland. “It’s been an honor to be a part of it for 15-years and Stan (Clark, Eskimo Joe’s founder and owner) were talking about that first year when Johnny Barr brought in a much smaller group. It has continued to grow and evolve. They have done a great job to make it a fresh experience every year. It has been a blast.”

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Stan Clark and Tim Holland in the OSU team meeting room.

The camp is three-days of sitting in on meetings, any meetings they want to attend, being on the sidelines for practice, eating at the training table, a dinner at Mike Gundy’s home, socials each night, all kinds of official gear including coach’s polos and Nike coach’s game shoes. There are so many door prizes that include road trips with the team and a home game experience with the team. They get unlimited access to the program for three days. 

“My favorite piece of the camp is seeing the new incoming players and getting the chance to hear directly from them, having a chance to ask them questions and get to know them from a personal level,” Holland said of his highlight.

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Dick Beshear in the middle listening to Bryan Nardo.

“It’s watching the scrimmages, the practices, and watching the kids compete,” Beshear said of what he enjoys the most. “I enjoy seeing the sacrifices that they go through with the intent of being the best.”

They all enjoy the finish too. Sunday morning is an presentation and exclusive question and answer with offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo followed by Mike Gundy’s wrap-up. 

One camper asked Bryan Nardo what is going on with Kendal Daniels?

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Nardo coaching Collin Oliver and Nick Martin.

“Kendal gives us so much versatility,” Nardo started. “We have the ability now which we didn’t have last year to match people. The Big 12 is changing and you look at our first six games on the schedule and there are a lot of teams that will go 12 personnel and play with two tight ends.Football reversts back and you have all these spread teams that are now lining up with tight ends and Kendal (bigger now) has the ability to play in the safety spot or play down or we have the ability to play him in the box (as a linebacker).”

Another camper asked Dunn about the offensive turnaround last year.

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Kasey Dunn coaching Talyn Shettron. 

“We didn’t know how comfortable Ollie Gordon was in the pistol (formation) and once we did that took off,” Dunn said. “We didn’t know how good Alan Bowman was at the RPO and spitting the ball out. Those things really came around in the Iowa State game and separated our offense. He is high end on making decisions.”

Dunn also said he is very comfortable with depth especially at quarterback where Garret Rangel has experience and even though it isn’t game experience Zane Flores knows the offense and is comfortable with it. 

Mike Gundy told the campers to share his thoughts on NIL and where Oklahoma State and college football are going. Gundy pledged to keep the Extreme Campers up-to-date on what the developments are in that regard. As for on-the-field, the campers have practice visit privileges throughout the season and next spring. 

“You are part of our family,” Gundy reintereated.