Rumors Have Circulated on OSU Athletics Director Chad Weiberg Status, Now in Print
STILLWATER – Honestly, I didn’t expect to begin my Wednesday (Sept. 30) with an early morning text and the need to write a story still based on rumor and hushed conversations with people I respect to know how the wind blows in Oklahoma State athletics.
Berry Tramel, the respected and decorated sports columnist of The Tulsa World wrote a column on “Can Eric Morris save Chad Weiberg?” Tramel gets first credit on a story that has been going on for weeks. How serious are the rumors on Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg’s job status? Pokes Report has had a story ready to go for the past 23 days on Weiberg being dismissed. It was written in general because the tips from trusted sources were so strong and detailed.
I’ve had discussions and exchanges, both verbally and by text, with other reporters, not social media posters or podcasters, but real veteran reporters who were getting similar information. The information which prompted Tramel to actually write the column.
Is Chad Weiberg going to be relieved of his duties? My first report of this came following the Oklahoma State loss to Tulsa. My source informed me that the possibility was an extensive topic discussed in a suite at Chapman Stadium during the second half of the Cowboys 24-10 loss to Tulsa. The participants allegedly included a pair of members of the Oklahoma State/A&M Board of Regents, at least one major donor, and University administration.
The story died down over the next two weeks with the sensational home opening win over then-ranked No. 6 Oregon 39-31 and the blowout win over Murray State. My next call from a source saying the story had oxygen again came after the West Virginia trip (and win). Again, the Regents, at least one major donor, and administration identified allegedly as being at the center of the discussion.
To be honest, there are plenty of real circumstances for stories involving Weiberg and a possible dismissal. Weiberg was without a contract when he went through with the dismissal of former head football coach Mike Gundy. Do I think that was Weiberg’s action alone? Absolutely not.
Tramel suggests Weiberg’s save of Mike Gundy following the 2024 season when several members of the Board of Regents were demanding Gundy be fired has contributed to his situation. It might have, but it was a major reason that then Oklahoma State University President Dr. Kayse Shrum was placed in the crosshairs of the Board. Shrum, primarily, along with Weiberg, met with Gundy and renegotiated his contract. They lowered his salary and also lowered the then $20 million plus buyout clause. In the end, that negotiation saved Oklahoma State money without a major legal battle.
Tramel cited Weiberg could be blamed for costing the University money by not firing Gundy with cause over his comments made during the season about fans and their reactions to OSU football losses. You know the comments on fans that were complaining that they “can’t pay their own bills.”
Had they fired Gundy at this point, you would have been guaranteed a lengthy and very public legal fight, a potential public relations nightmare. The Regents eventually got Dr. Shrum out of her position. Weiberg eventually oversaw Gundy’s dismissal and then was also the face of the search and hiring of Eric Morris. During that process, Weiberg had a new contract offered, but he would not sign it until April. He spoke with Bill Haisten of The Tulsa World outside the Sherman Smith Center as Morris was coaching a spring football practice at Oklahoma State.
The new contract contained some very interesting clauses. There were parts of it that one veteran Division I athletic director told me he had never seen, ever. Financial circumstances like a fiscal year ending in the red or any drop in fundraising totals from one fiscal year-to-the-next allowing for the contract recipient to be fired for cause. Oklahoma State athletics did end the last fiscal year in the red. Virtually every Division I FBS athletic department ended the year in the red as a result of NIL and revenue sharing with the athletes, particularly football.
Tramel called the Oklahoma State governance and administration dysfunctional. I think based on observations and experiences that is accurate. Just the fact that Oklahoma State is in a major turnaround currently in college athletics’ most major sport, that there is so much positive to be enjoyed; and yet rumors persist, enough to have a story ready to go on the dismissal of the athletic director, is reason to question the leadership.
We will continue to do our job, monitor and investigate, but currently Oklahoma State has an athletic director. His name is Chad Weiberg.
