Is Mike Gundy's Throne Shaking? The Whispers Grow in Stillwater

The orange-clad faithful at Boone Pickens Stadium have grown restless. After another season teetering on the edge of glory and heartbreak, whispers are swirling around Oklahoma State University's football program, many of which are centered around legendary head coach Mike Gundy. Gundy's 20-year reign now feels like it might be buckling under the weight of mounting expectations and a Big 12 landscape that's as unforgiving as the Oklahoma weather.

Sources close to the athletic department, the kind who speak off the record over cheese fries at Eskimo Joe's, hint that Oklahoma State brass is quietly dipping their toes into the coaching waters. No official search has launched, but in the speculative world of college football, that's just code for "let's see what's out there." With Gundy's contract running through 2028 and a buyout that's steeper than the Poke fan's sorrows, any move would be seismic. But if the Cowboy faithful are clamoring for change, who might saddle up next?

This one was a bit different for GJ Kinne You could tell it was emotional leading Texas State to the program’s first win at the Alamodome, and over his old coach and mentor Jeff Traylor. @GoldenTXST @Golden_NIL_ pic.twitter.com/vN6wV6crdP
— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) September 8, 2025

First on the rumor mill: GJ Kinne is a Texas-born football prodigy who's turned Texas State into a Sun Belt surprise. Hired in 2022 after a stellar stint at Incarnate Word, the 36-year-old Kinne has had the Bobcats bowl eligible for back-to-back seasons and on the fast track for another. He has a fresh seven-year extension through 2031 at $2 million annually, which would make him a long shot.

His high-octane offense screams Air Raid and is perfect for Oklahoma State's pass-happy roots. A former Tulsa quarterback with NFL dreams, Kinne's no stranger to the Big 12 grind. GJ's building something special down south, but Stillwater's siren call could lure him home to the Plains. Could a cross-state raid ignite the Pokes' future playoff chase?

Former Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson is the leading candidate for the Oklahoma State job. Rumor is he was offered OC last year and turned it down. Zac has critical NFL experience. #GoPokes 🍊 pic.twitter.com/bXoqPV9Sba
— PokeNation (@Big12Pokes) September 8, 2025

Enter Zac Robinson, who is Oklahoma State royalty. Now the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson's stock has skyrocketed after his tremendous NFL coaching track record. A two-time O-State letterman under Gundy himself, the 39-year-old Robinson embodies the Cowboy way. He is tough, smart, and relentlessly prepared.

If he jumps from the NFL to Stillwater, it'd be a homecoming laced with star power. The catch for the Cowboys would be luring him away from Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and might require a king's ransom. We all know that OSU's NIL treasure chest isn't infinite.

Jim Knowles is changing Penn State’s defense.

Safeties in the box

Controlled linebacker play

A star freshman DE emerging

Full film study here 🎥 https://t.co/4LzuybSw01 pic.twitter.com/G9bPRCV8Le
— T-FrankOn3 (@ThomasFrankCarr) September 8, 2025

Then there's Jim Knowles, the defensive mastermind who's turning Penn State into a shutdown squad. As the Ohio State Buckeyes' coordinator, the 52-year-old Knowles orchestrated top-10 defenses year after year. Knowles is a Midwest lifer with stops at Oklahoma State and Cornell. He'd flip Oklahoma State's fortunes on the back end, where the Pokes have leaked points over the past years. But poaching from a top-tier program like Penn State? That's bolder than betting against Bedlam.

For now, these names are just floating in the wind around tailgates and dinner tables. Gundy remains the captain, steering the ship through choppy waters. But in Stillwater, change brews slow... until they don't. If the carousel spins, the Pokes' next coach might just be one of these gunslingers who are ready to right the ship in Stilly. Go Pokes?