Oklahoma State Hoping for Inspired Performance After Mike Gundy Firing
In this story:
Oklahoma State needs a fiery performance to get back on track this weekend.
On Tuesday, OSU made the somewhat shocking move of firing Mike Gundy in the midst of his 21st season as head coach. While the move itself wasn’t all that surprising, the timing certainly caught most within the program off guard.
The Cowboys had unprecedented success throughout Gundy’s tenure, but the final year and change of his time in Stillwater saw little to be excited about. While it will be difficult for the Cowboys to find any success this season, Gundy’s departure could lead to an inspired performance this weekend.
Although OSU decided to fire Gundy to get a head start on the coaching search and look toward the future, this season still has another nine games, and the Cowboys on the roster likely aren’t ready to throw in the towel yet. Coming off a home loss against Tulsa, OSU will be looking to bounce back and send a message to critics who have said the season is a wash.
Of course, beating the Bears will be easier said than done. A three-touchdown underdog going into Saturday, the Cowboys haven’t exactly given any reason for optimism this season.
Still, there’s always a chance that firing Gundy will be enough to get the Cowboys back on track in some form. With Doug Meacham taking over as interim coach, he will be looking for an inspired performance from his team this weekend.
While the idea will be that OSU will play with some extra fire this weekend, that can come from many different places. Emotions were certainly mixed throughout the roster after Gundy was let go earlier this week, meaning players could have a full range of reasons to play with an extra edge on Saturday.
Some of the veteran players who have been around Stillwater for a while might be looking to play well as a nod to their former head coach, while some newcomers might be ready to show that they’re ready to perform on any given week, regardless of what happens off the field.
In any case, this weekend will have an unexpected spotlight on OSU, and players have a chance to take advantage of the opportunity. Although Gundy won’t be on the sidelines, it won’t be hard to see the impact he’s had on everyone in Stillwater when the Cowboys kick off Big 12 play against Baylor.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.