Spring Game for Gundy and Football a Step Toward the Future
STILLWATER – Up on the Boone Pickens Stadium scoreboard the clock showed that the first of the two 20-minute halves in the Oklahoma State spring football game was near the midway point and Cowboys head football coach Mike Gundy was summoned to the east end of the south sideline. Standing at around the 20-yard-line was future athletic director Chad Weiberg and he was standing with soon to be Oklahoma State University President Dr. Kayse Shrum and her husband Darren.
Gundy dropped his focus on what ever offense plays and action was taking place on the field. He had spoken with Dr. Shrum since she was named President but had not been face-to-face. All four people were smiling and exchanging pleasantries. This is the future of Oklahoma State, OSU athletics, and Cowboy football all in a five-yard square. No decisions made in the mere moment, but some attitudes established.
“I like her,” Gundy said less than a few minutes following the quick meet and greet. “I like her personality and the fact that she has a background in athletics. I think she is going to be tremendous for the future of our school.”
You’d think Gundy was just trying to charm his way into a strong and positive working situation, but the look in his eye showed me he meant what he was saying. I also know that Gundy appreciates the agriculture background of the Shrums.
“She’s done a tremendous job with the medical school and Oklahoma State Tulsa campus,” Gundy told me the other day. “I like the fact that they have land and they farm it.”
Gundy appreciates that because he farms his land and raises chickens, sheep, and other livestock. The Shrums live on land in her hometown and Coweta and it is a working farm.
Farming is as good a common ground as any to forge a strong future relationship.
Don’t forget Weiberg as he will soon be completely in charge of Oklahoma State athletics and there are a number of people publicly and privately that can’t wait.
Gundy in an exclusive interview a few days before the spring game told Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World he was very excited about moving forward with Weiberg as athletic director and Dr. Shrum as OSU President.
“I’m sure (Weiberg) will have his flavor on how he wants things to work,” Gundy told Haisten for a Tulsa World column. He’s a very strong proponent of football. I’m excited about moving forward with (Shrum and Weiberg). This is a little bit of a new era for us athletically. The president obviously is very influential on athletics, and when you change athletic directors, you’ve got a new person in charge of everything.”
Weiberg was with the former Oklahoma State football players on Friday at the Cowboy Football Legends golf event at Stillwater Country Club. A large number of former players ranging from old times like Darrel Gofourth, Louis Blackwell, Jim Krebs, and Rick Antle to more recent alumni players like Chad Whitener and Barry Sanders Jr. were impressed by Weiberg and his wanting to engage and be more welcome to former players. Those guys are encouraged by Weiberg taking over.
There is also the disconnect at times with football. The assistant coaches had issues during discussions of the percentage of money in their contracted salary they would give up due to COVID. That was never resolved and many of the coaches are in the final year of their contract. While other schools have increased the salary pool for assistant football coaches Oklahoma State has been stagnant. The coaches need to at the very least have their contracts renewed. That is not the way to help your football program.
There are also multiple open positions in the football support staff that have not been replaced as individuals left over the past nine months. These are situations that Gundy and the football program are eager for Weiberg to assist with and the word is he is aware of all of those situations.
Gundy also revealed something that many of us were uncertain of. It was kept amazingly under wraps that Gundy missed, in person, much of the bowl prep work for the Cheez-It Bowl. What was speculated at the time was Gundy had contact tracing for COVID and was quarantined. He watched all practices and sat in virtually on meetings and gave direction from home. He was not at practices in Stillwater and assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn had overall direction of practice.
Gundy dropped the bombshell on Haisten that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
“I don’t know if anybody knew it,” said Gundy the Haisten, He explained the he tested positive but was really never sick. He felt bad for a couple of days, but that was it.
“I went home and stayed for 10 days,” Gundy confirmed. He then was cleared and traveled with the team to Florida.
The bowl game and the way the Cowboys played proved that Gundy has a good system in place, one that can overcome even the loss of the head coach from an administrative presence. Make no mistake Gundy was influencing but wasn’t there in person.
Now, after spring football he’s feeling good about his program and good about the support and working relationships for the future with the athletic and University administration.