Gundy content material in Stillwater: ‘That is what I’m’

STILLWATER, Okla. — At one level, Mike Gundy thought he most likely would not end his teaching profession at Oklahoma State. However on Tuesday, he mentioned he’ll be at his alma mater so long as they are going to have him.

“No, I would not have thought I’d nonetheless be right here, however I do now,” Gundy advised ESPN. “That is who I’m. That is what I’m. That is the place I belong. That is me. There is no purpose for me to go wherever else.”

Gundy, coming into his 15th season as Oklahoma State’s head coach, was closely courted by Tennessee previous to the 2018 season and admits it was the closest he is come to leaving this system. He mentioned it was truly his third alternative for the Tennessee job, the primary time coming after Lane Kiffin left the Vols following the 2009 season to go to USC and the second time after they fired Derek Dooley following the 2012 season.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy mentioned he is reached at stage of his life the place he’d be completely happy to complete out his profession in Stillwater. “That is what I’m. That is the place I belong,” he mentioned Tuesday. AP Picture/Sue Ogrocki, File

“I’ve had that (Tennessee) job supplied three completely different occasions,” mentioned Gundy, who turned 52 on Monday. “It is ironic that it is all the time been Tennessee. I suppose it will get to some extent the place you say, ‘Is it time for me to make a change? I am 50-something years previous. Is it time for me to go do issues in a different way?’ Typically in your life, you suppose that manner.

“Tennessee put collectively an unbelievable package deal, and it is laborious to inform any person no when that occurs. However I made the fitting choice.”

Following the courtship by Tennessee, Gundy obtained a $625,000 one-time improve from Oklahoma State to a five-year rollover contract he signed in 2017 that was set as much as improve yearly by $125,000 and run by the 2023 season. He’ll make $5.125 million in 2019.

Amongst Energy 5 head coaches, solely Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz and TCU’s Gary Patterson have been at their colleges longer. Gundy can be one in all solely 4 present Energy 5 coaches, together with Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, with a successful document over the past three seasons towards groups ranked within the closing Related Press High 25 ballot. The opposite two are Alabama’s Nick Saban and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

Oklahoma State completed 7-6 final season, however since 2010, the Cowboys have had six seasons with not less than 10 wins, together with an outright Massive 12 championship in 2011.

There was a time when that 2011 season tormented Gundy, particularly with Oklahoma State being handed up by Alabama within the closing BCS standings. The Crimson Tide went on to play LSU in a rematch after dropping the regular-season contest and captured the nationwide championship.

“We’d have performed LSU and gained,” Gundy mentioned. “They had been an overload-the-box, man-to-man crew on protection, and you can not play our crew in man that 12 months. We had been too good. That also bothers me, that we did not get a shot. And if the system was arrange like it’s now, we’d have been within the playoff. I suppose these issues do not drive me as a lot. I really like for our children to have success, do not get me flawed. However I do not dwell on it like I used to.”

As a lot as something, Gundy mentioned he enjoys residing within the state of Oklahoma, whether or not it is hog looking along with his three sons or visiting along with his dad and mom at their house within the Oklahoma Metropolis space. And whereas he understands that various coaches through the years have backed themselves right into a nook by saying that there have been no new teaching horizons for them, he genuinely feels that manner now.

“I assumed sooner or later if the Dallas Cowboys known as and wished me to educate that it will be laborious not to do this,” mentioned Gundy, who performed quarterback at Oklahoma State. “However as I watch what occurs after I examine that stage, it does not do a lot for me. That is actually who I’m, right here at Oklahoma State. We take good younger males. We’ve a very good tradition. We’ve enjoyable.

“Now, talent-wise, are we going to have High 25 groups yearly from a pure expertise perspective? Most likely not, however we are able to nonetheless win quite a lot of video games and we have now gained quite a lot of video games.”