Phillip Redwine-Bryant Gives a More Recent Perspective of a Former Player to What Has Happened
STILLWATER -- Speaking to former Oklahoma State Cowboys defensive end Richetti Jones on Tuesday and hearing him support Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, but also strongly hold him accountable was powerful.
"Believe it or not Coach Gundy, you have black children," Jones said as if he was talking to Gundy face-to-face. "You have sons on your team that do not have fathers and do not know what it is like to have male instruction. You are the closest thing they have to a father. I know it's not fair and that any of your other friends could wear that shirt, but you are held to a different standard. You have black sons and they look up to you and they embody everything that you teach them and they trust you. Not only that, but their families trust you."
Gundy's apology came a little later in the day and this time the 15-year veteran head coach of his alma mater wasn't trying to hold the situation at bay. This time he was fresh from meetings with his players and you could tell from his body language and eyes was sincerely disappointed in his decision to wear the One America News t-shirt that served as the ignition to this player revolution.
— Mike Gundy (@CoachGundy) June 16, 2020
"Our players expressed their feelings as individuals and team members," Gundy described of what happened in the meeting. "They helped me see through their eyes how the t-shirt effected their hearts. Once I learned how that network felt about Black Lives Matter, I was disgusted and knew that it was completely unacceptable to me. I want to apologize to all members of our team, former players, and their families for the pain and discomfort that has been caused over the last two days."
Former Oklahoma State special teams performer and team captain as well as linebacker Phillip Redwine-Bryant has been back in Texas watching the last several days very closely. Redwine-Bryant was a leader on the Oklahoma State team the last two seasons. He finished his senior season with 17 tackles and an interception.
The former walk-on from Little Elm, Texas and The Academy High School actually came to Oklahoma State after being inspired by his mother's boss at the Fort Hood South Plains District Veterinary Command. Lt. Col. Daniel Holland was an Oklahoma State alumni and often mentored and encouraged Redwine-Bryant. Hollard was killed while serving a tour in Iraq in 2006.
Redwine-Bryant honored him by walking on at Oklahoma State, where he impressed coaches and scholarship teammates.
"It was those guys, Chuba Hubbard, Kolby Harvell-Peel, Malcolm Rodriguez, and so many others that encouraged me, treated me the same as their scholarship teammates," said Redwine-Bryant. "Coach Gundy always treated me well. I enjoyed my time with all the coaches and Coach Gundy."
The captain and Oklahoma State's representative to the Big 12 Conference Champions for Life program and the Big 12 representative to the NCAA Student-Leadership Forum carried a leadership load in the Oklahoma State locker room in the West End Zone complex. He is encouraged by how the younger players that encouraged him are using their voices.
"I'm proud of these guys for sticking to who they are and using their voice and their platform," Redwine-Bryant said. "Coach Gundy was socially unaware in wearing the shirt and that can happen to anybody. He came back and apologized for it and made amends for what he did. I'm really proud of the guys for sticking to it and it's a happy ending to something that was really intense and really sad at the moment."
There was some traffic on Twitter on Tuesday that the meetings between Gundy and the players over changes was mostly about dress codes like how players wear their hair, ear rings, head coverings, etc. There was speculation that music they could or couldn't play in the locker room was discussed.
Redwine-Bryant was not in the room. He is not on campus, but he used his familiarity with the situation and his teammates to speculate that was not the case, at least not the principles of the discussion.
"I haven't heard anything because I wasn't in the discussion of the new changes that were going to be made, but I don't thiey said anything about the music and if they did, so be it. It's a minor thing," the former captain said. "You may see things on Twitter and social media about what they talked about, but I don't think anybody but the coaches and the players know what was talked about. If it is not from a player or a coach, I would honestly not believe it."
Something he does believe is that good can come from what started out as a very tense and potentially explosive situation, at least in terms of team unity, program direction, and in the case of Mike Gundy, his future as head coach.
"I think the way it got resolved was probably the best outcome for this whole situation," Redwine-Bryant continued. "The guys are buying into how their voices can make a change in that program and Coach Gundy has recognized how important their voices can be. What he can do differently can actually make a positive outcome for this group. I think seeing all this they are coming together as one instead of the players and the coaches. I think they are coming together to play for this one goal that they have and that is to win a national championship."
As anyone would say right now, football is not the most important topic being discussed between Mike Gundy, his staff, and his players. However, football players love to play, coaches love to coach. Oklahoma State does have a lot of talent, more than in any season since 2011. A galvanizing summer of Gundy and his team bonding over social issues and an internal discord could lead to a stronger bond. That remains to be seen.
