Mike Gundy addressed speculation over the weekend that Oklahoma State's 3-8 season would push him into retirement. In short: it will not.
“There ain’t no way that the old lady’s letting me retire,” Gundy said. “I have as much energy now as I did when I took this job, and most of you guys think I’m crazy, which I am. When I get up in the morning, about 5:30, I start thinking about football.”
Gundy has stated before that losing motivates him to continue coaching. He reiterated that on Saturday.
“Even though we’re in a tough situation that we haven’t been in in 18 years, I’m excited to come to work tomorrow and try to find a way to beat Colorado,” Gundy said. “I just like that stuff.”
The problem, of course, is that losing used to come more rarely for Oklahoma State than it has this season. The Cowboys, who began the season ranked 17th in the AP poll and picked to finish third in the Big 12, began the year 3-0 but have lost all eight conference games to date. Oklahoma State has allowed 41.7 points per game over its last seven contest, with a low of 38 -- achieved four times.
Gundy's contract essentially gives him tenure at Oklahoma State, a rolling 5-year deal with annual $125,000 raises that would cost a reported $24 million to end.
In his 20th year on the job, all three of Mike and Kristen Gundy's boys are now grown, which means Gundy has earned himself the freedom to do whatever he wants in life. And the only thing he wants is to remain the head coach of Oklahoma State football.