The Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State is all but over.
Gundy – the former Cowboys quarterback who took over in 2005 – has a 170-89 record with the school. Oklahoma State, however, lost 69-3 to No. 6 Oregon on Saturday. It marked the worst loss in school history.
It also came after a week where Gundy and Oregon coach Dan Lanning traded jabs before the game.
"We spent around $7 million over the last three years, and I think Oregon spent close to $40 (million) last year alone," Gundy said via Yahoo Sports. "That was just one year. Now, I might be off a few million. What I'm saying is they're spending a lot of money. There's some schools that are doing that."
Lanning responded that Oregon “spends to win.” This creates a dilemma for Oklahoma State moving forward. Gundy was a legacy hire – and he led the Cowboys to seven seasons with 10 wins or more. Oklahoma State slipped to 3-9 last season and failed to win a Big 12 game. A 52-0 loss to Colorado in the regular-season finale seemed like the low point.
After Saturday’s loss to Oregon, there was no choice. Here is a look at some potential candidates for the Oklahoma State job:
Oklahoma State coaching candidates
Who might be in line to take Mike Gundy’s job at Oklahoma State should it open? A look at some of the best candidates:
Zac Robinson, Falcons offensive coordinator
Robinson, 38, played for Gundy at Oklahoma State from 2006-09. He was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Cowboys, where he totaled 8,317 passing yards, 1,858 rushing yards and 88 total TDs. Robinson took the NFL path – where he has worked into his current role with the Falcons. It is not a total departure from the Gundy era, but Robinson does give a fresh look to the program.
Alex Golesh, South Florida coach
This is not a knee-jerk reaction to South Florida’s early season success. Golesh, 41, was a GA at Oklahoma State in 2008. He had a four-year stint at Iowa State as an assistant coach before serving as an offensive coordinator at UCF and Tennessee. Golesh also prefers an up-tempo offense that would fit at Oklahoma State.
Jon Sumrall, Tulane coach
Sumrall, 43, is 34-9 between stints with Troy and Tulane, and he’s a high-riser who also is due for that first Power 4 coaching job. The problem here is the season just started – so this will be a full-season project knowing the Green Wave will be in the College Football Playoff hunt. There is no doubting Sumrall’s coaching talent, however. He might be the best candidate for the job.
Collin Klein, Texas A&M offensive coordinator
Too weird? Klein, 35, left his alma mater Kansas State for the same position at Texas A&M, and the Aggies have found a good run-pass mix with Marcel Reed at quarterback early in the season. Klein knows the Big 12 landscape, and he is due for a head coaching job soon. Oklahoma State would be a good first Power 4 landing spot.
Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State offensive coordinator
Kotelnicki, 45, is a proven commodity as an offensive coordinator the last five seasons. He successfully made the jump from Kansas – where he served from 2021-23 – to Penn State, where the Nittany Lions have a balanced offense. The Jayhawks were a nine-win team that averaged 34.8 points per game in his final season there.
Eric Bieniemy, Chicago Bears running backs coach
Bieniemy, 56, has been on these lists for years – and he has bounced between the NFL and college since leaving the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent 2023 with the Washington Commanders before a one-year stint with UCLA. He landed with Chicago this season. It is more of a longshot, but it’s worth keeping tabs on.