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Oklahoma State Football

Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy Have Agreed Upon New Contract

December 7, 2024
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STILLWATER – After a tumultuous 24 hours, Pokes Report learned Saturday morning that Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, athletic director Chad Weiberg and OSU president Kayse Shrum have an agreement agreed upon for Gundy to remain the head coach. 

Our sources also tell us coach Gundy is already working on a play to overcome the negative publicity over the past two days.

This comes after we reported Friday night Gundy and the administration were working out the final details of the restructured contract, which included details over the control of hiring future football assistants and coordinators.

All of this stems from the special session called by the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents on Friday morning. The topic of the meeting, as we all know now, was the employment evaluation and review of the Cowboy football staff, including Mike Gundy. 

Robert Allen - Pokes Report
Board of Regents Chair Jimmy Harrel

The meeting, which lasted just over two hours, including calling both Shrum and Weiberg in to discuss contracts of the football staff, with both leaving the meeting with looks of shock and disappointment. 

Pokes Report learned on Friday the plan for a restructured contract for coach Gundy had less salary and some monitored control over the hiring of staff, particularly coordinators. There’s been no report of what kind of monitoring or control that is. Gundy had been discussing personally donating to the NIL efforts for his players. He also had begun interviewing candidates to replace offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo, who both were let go on Wednesday. Gundy actually had left the day after the loss to Colorado that ended the 3-9 season. It is the worst season under Gundy, but one of only two losing seasons in 20-years as head coach. 

The hiring of at least one coordinator was imminent and the other hiring was reportedly very close prior to everything that’s transpired from the Regent’s special session on Friday morning. Gundy and his staff had worked hard to be prepared for the opening of the NCAA Transfer Portal at midnight on Sunday to Monday, Dec. 9, which is one large reason this deal is being worked on as fast as it has.

Discussion from...

Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy Have Agreed Upon New Contract

26,683 Views | 36 Replies | Last: 3 days ago by Joe Khatib
rcfb
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We want Zrob and Jim Knowles! Let me dream.
TUSKAPOKE
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RA - This entire PR fiasco is your fault!!! Please take responsibility for it and get your sheet together!!!....Ha! Thanks for covering, sharing, breaking news, letting us know some of the "personalities" involved and the possible conflicts behind the scenes. The BOR needs replaced due to airing OSU "dirty laundry" during this critical time. Totally unacceptable!!! GO POKES!!!
gkcummins
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How is it Robert's fault?
Duke Silver
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gkcummins said:

How is it Robert's fault?
I think he was joking
CProc7
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He was definitely making fun of the troll on the other threads.
72Cowboys
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So glad people involved are coming to their senses!
Go. Cowboys!
CowboyKip
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This is squarely on the BOR. It sounds like the AD was addressing most of the issues, particularly Gundy's salary and the need for more NIL dollars, quietly and constructively. I personally am opposed to the BOR being involved in selecting the head coach's staff. This reeks of micromanaging a process in which they have no expertise. If Gundy selects poorly, that shows up as part of his performance. So don't renew his contract.
Justapoken
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Hopefully, we can make lemonade out of this lemon. Let's rally the troops and get on top of this. How about a NIL campaign of "$20 Makes OSU Fans Holler" . If 50,000 OSU fans gave $20 a month that would be $12,000,000.00 annually. I'm ready to "Holler" how about you?
TUSKAPOKE
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Some "Trolls" blamed RA for reporting on the "top secret publicly announced BOR meeting" yesterday morning involving "personalities" that may not like HCMG, Shrum and Weiberg because those BOR personalities do not control every aspect of everything at OSU that they believe their inherited wealth that buys political power entitles them to do. I was really supporting RA for his coverage and pointing out "Trolls" deflecting from the source of the BOR PR BS. GO POKES!!!
PaloDuroPoke
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Good news. Great job by everyone. BOR for being fiscally responsible, Gundy for realizing the importance and accepting some responsibility, and RA for being on top of it. I don't know details about why it was public or who was responsible but it's a shame. I won't guess but it's over and I'm glad it happened. Bookmark this day. We are getting better going forward. The pub will not hurt us at all. It may actually help when people realize we are now serious about competing going forward. Go Pokes
PaloDuroPoke
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Great job by Chad as well
OctaviusRex
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Withholding judgement on all of this until I see who the coordinator hires are and what the new contract looks like. Stuff always blows over in college football faster than you'd think. Glad Gundy has a chance to fix this.

Colorado and coach prime were a laughingstock last year, Arizona state was picked to finish last in conference, Baylor and penn state recovered from FAR worse pretty quickly and we actually have a known quantity in Gundy. This is fixable

I believe Chad Weiberg knows what the hell he's doing and has Oklahoma State in a situation where they have a lot more money than people want to give OSU credit for.
ProfessorPoke
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Yes, it's time for those of us who love OSU athletics to rally. I will be making a significant donation (at least for me) to Pokes With A Purpose before the end of the year. I hate much about how college athletics has changed, but the new environment does create opportunities for programs to turn around quickly. Case in point - Arizona State. 3-9 last year. 10-2 this year. Go Pokes!
OctaviusRex
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I agree with this wholeheartedly. How it went down wasn't ideal, but I don't hate the result.
aggie1
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How about replacing the entire BOR. especially Jummy
PistolChad
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Chad is at fault for getting manipulated by Gundy for the ridiculous auto-renew contract. His pay should be cut too.
CProc7
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Now that this is done. How about these new coaches might want to jump on something before the portal opens!
srmeyer123
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I think many have read things wrong. It said oversight regarding staff hirings. It didn't say the BOR wanted oversight and I'm betting they do not. I don't think this is about wins, losses or the abysmal on-field performance by this year's team. I think it all about a coach who lost touch with the large portion of his fan base that doesn't make quite $7.5 million per year. Yes, that's virtually all of us. This is about his disrespectful, arrogant comments a few weeks ago and I appreciate Jimmy Harrel and the BOR for standing up and saying "We will not allow an employee of this institution to insult its supporters and to mock the least fortunate among them!"

With that said, I want Mike Gundy to hire GREAT coordinators this week and for those coordinators to hire GREAT coaches in the weeks to come and for Mike and everyone else to return to the humble, hard-working ways of the past and put a team on the field that we will be proud of win or lose. I always prefer winning but I can take losing if we are being good people, playing hard and improving. Those aren't unreasonable expectations are they?
trw
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Individuals over 70.5 can donate up to $105K to charities like Pokes for a Purpose tax free. Also counts for RMD. Have not seen this advertised.
72Cowboys
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I remember several months back, talk about GUNDY considering lowering his salary in order to give more money to buy more players.

I wonder if this whole mess isn't all about who gets the credit for the lower salary - the BOR or GUNDY?

PedroPistola
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ESPN article is a little different. It says Gundy was wanting part of his salary to go to NIL and that one BOR wanted his removal. Wonder who that could have been? Sounds like a banker to me.
tbtc325
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good to see the passion and commitment to OSU from all. Its easy to be a critic at times like this. But thats part of college football. Players, coaches, fans, administration did not want this season but criticism is predictable after 3-9. The BOR have a responsibility to the university and I appreciate getting this on the table. Some might not like the way it was handled but it should not have come as a surprise. The weak signals began appearing a few years ago. Issues surrounding the BLM movement and apology, NIL comments and defections that followed. It was painful to watch those players in Washington, Ohio State, TCU, OU, LSU etc uniforms. But Lets not forget the masterful job thereafter by HC in the aftermath.

Im hopeful the HC can be an agent for change in the shifting landscape of college athletics. But hope is not a plan. I look forward to seeing the plan develop. I appreciate what the HC has done for OSU. I remember the years before Gundy.

I appreciate what OSU has done to unlock the fund raising potential of a stranded asset like BPS during off season. Is there more OSU can do to connect with and motivate the fan base? I look forward to more innovation in that space. Season sellouts are impressive.




72Cowboys
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I remember one person saying he was willing to give 13 million to buy out Gundy. I hope he'll take that 13 million and turn it into NIL money.
Can you see any good reason why he wouldn't?
RowdyRawhide
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Mr.Harrel of Leedey Oklahoma turned out to be a pretty good poker player. Reminds me of

when Lancey Howard bested the Cincinnati Kid.
Joe Khatib
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Um no a good poker player wouldn't show HIS HAND!!! GEEZ!!!
RowdyRawhide
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That was part of his strategy sir. Gundy got beat and walked across the railroad tracks and shot hoops with the little kid. Our arrogant HC got reigned in by a pretty smart cookie.
TUSKAPOKE
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It was all unnecessary airing OSU dirty laundry, during a weekend that should be focused on hiring two new coordinators and getting portal players, involving massive egos and a tinkling match. The focus wasn't on what is best for OSU football and the athletic department but on who could tinkle highest on the wall. It was not what was done but how/when it was done that damaged OSU football in public perception. It is like getting into a fight with a skunk....there is enough stink for everyone to get stink on them and the loser was OSU. It was handled shabbily and no reason for a "smart cookie" or HCMG or anyone involved to gloat about who won because OSU lost.
Joe Khatib
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Hmm, so explain the strategy of the Chairman and a few butt hurt donors looking to fire the HC WITH CAUSE AS SUPPOSEDLY WAS PLANNED! So why didn't he fire him if he had said CAUSE and move on! Here is what happened bub! The OSU lawyers crapped on Harrells plans by telling him YOU HAVE NO CAUSE AND WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT $25 MILLION WHICH THIS UNIVERSITY DOESN'T HAVE AT THE MOMENT! So then it was scramble time to figure out what to do to get out of this mess he created! Yes, Gundy gave up close to $1,000,000 WHICH IS GOING TO THE NIL POT AS HE DIRECTED! YEAH REAL SLICK! LOLOLOLOL
TUSKAPOKE
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Thank you JK for sharing! Time for some new "loyal and true" regents on the BOR!
RowdyRawhide
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Thanks for updating me on the latest official fiction.
RodeoPoke
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IMHO, this did not solve anything. BOR made a total mess of the whole ordeal.

CProc7
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Agreed. This all could've been done with a 30 minute conversation between Chad and Mike. Especially if the rumors Gundy was ok with giving up money the whole time were true.
Ostateman
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TPoke,
You seem more upset that OSU/Gundy has been negatively portrayed in the national press than recognizing a serious problem that needed addressing.
Who could piss highest on the wall is a ridiculous metaphor for the principals involved in this issue...and a huge issue it has been.
Gundy needed to be humbled. He needed to "bend the knee" when it came to respecting our university and it's fans.
Those regents took control of a situation that Weiberg had not and I personally appreciate what they did.
No too many actually wanted Gundy fired, just reined in.
And as far as Gundy coaching hires, he needs outside help, because he's not getting the job done on that. Nore has he done a very good job of addressing OSU needs over the past two years.
He needed outside help and the only powerful help that could oversee his inaction was the Board of Regents.
That's not pissing up a wall, pal.
That's responsible leadership.
Gundy has not shown to be a great CEO. He needs help from true CEOs of business.
If OSU is ever going to get better and challenge for CFP placement and a possible NC, it has to have better players. Players that are better than 3 star diamonds in the rough and Division II coaches that did some good at Garden City CC.
Gundy led us out of the dark ages. I was at OSU during those dark ages. From Tony Pounds 66-6 beatdown by ou in Bedlam to never beating Nebraska or ou in my youth. I appreciate TBP actually leading us out of the desert toward the promise land.
Gundy is Moses. He's probably not going to cross the Jordan UNLESS he has outside help. The outside help of the Board of Regents to help him make better coaching hires.
That's not what I call wall pissing.
I know there are rules, but do we really want to follow them now?
RodeoPoke
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Ostateman said:

TPoke,
You seem more upset that OSU/Gundy has been negatively portrayed in the national press than recognizing a serious problem that needed addressing.
Who could piss highest on the wall is a ridiculous metaphor for the principals involved in this issue...and a huge issue it has been.
Gundy needed to be humbled. He needed to "bend the knee" when it came to respecting our university and it's fans.
Those regents took control of a situation that Weiberg had not and I personally appreciate what they did.
No too many actually wanted Gundy fired, just reined in.
And as far as Gundy coaching hires, he needs outside help, because he's not getting the job done on that. Nore has he done a very good job of addressing OSU needs over the past two years.
He needed outside help and the only powerful help that could oversee his inaction was the Board of Regents.
That's not pissing up a wall, pal.
That's responsible leadership.
Gundy has not shown to be a great CEO. He needs help from true CEOs of business.
If OSU is ever going to get better and challenge for CFP placement and a possible NC, it has to have better players. Players that are better than 3 star diamonds in the rough and Division II coaches that did some good at Garden City CC.
Gundy led us out of the dark ages. I was at OSU during those dark ages. From Tony Pounds 66-6 beatdown by ou in Bedlam to never beating Nebraska or ou in my youth. I appreciate TBP actually leading us out of the desert toward the promise land.
Gundy is Moses. He's probably not going to cross the Jordan UNLESS he has outside help. The outside help of the Board of Regents to help him make better coaching hires.
That's not what I call wall pissing.

it doesn't sound like you've been to many University 'board meetings, or followed how they "earned " the position.

I've seem many; 20 years of board meetings, 3 different University Presidents, and several different Chairs of the board, they are exclusively political appointees that don't know much about University operations, and even less about athletics.

Heck, one time we had Clinton pull a political favor and got freaking Dee Dee Myers appointed to the board. Some of them do have better credentials and some University experience, but almost exclusively they know nothing about athletics operations.

These clowns did not do OSU a favor.
TUSKAPOKE
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Nope....This cluster PR nightmare made OSU, OSU football ("the front door to OSU") and OSU athletics the loser. The BOR and "BIG" donors initiated this and failed miserably at managing the public perception, especially portal transfers, at a critical time. I have criticized HCMG on Pokes Report, on several occasions, for his foot in mouth lapses and failure to read the room. The BOR in taking Gundy down a notch may very well have set OSU athletics back 20 years. If that was their goal...CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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