Oklahoma State abruptly ended a two-decade era on Tuesday, firing football coach Mike Gundy less than a day after he pledged to stay and less than a week after another disappointing loss, ESPN reports. Gundy, 58, exits as the second-longest-serving head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision; he was in his 21st season leading the Cowboys and trailed only Iowa's Kirk Ferentz. Athletic director Chad Weiberg credited Gundy with elevating the Cowboys' program to "unprecedented" prominence but cited the need to move forward in a new direction. Gundy was a star quarterback at the school himself in the 1980s, CNN reports.
Gundy, who amassed a 170-90 record since 2005, presided over eight seasons with at least 10 wins and led Oklahoma State to its lone Big 12 championship in 2011. The program, which had only three double-digit-win seasons prior to Gundy, became a regular contender under his watch. Despite this, recent struggles have defined the Cowboys' current reality: Oklahoma State has dropped 11 of its last 12 games, including a 19-12 loss to Tulsa last Friday, and the team sits last in several offensive Big 12 categories.
The timing of Gundy's dismissal is notable, coming less than a day after he publicly affirmed his "100%" plan to stay with the program "until at some point, if I say I don't want to do it or if somebody else says we don't want you to do it." Per his contract, Oklahoma State will owe Gundy $15 million. Doug Meacham, the offensive coordinator and former Cowboys assistant, will take over as interim head coach. The move opens a 30-day transfer window for players and has already triggered at least one decommitment from a top recruit. University president Jim Hess emphasized the decision was made with the long-term interests of the football program and university in mind.
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