An extremely eventful week for Gundy
Published: 1/9/2011 6:48 PM
Last Modified: 1/9/2011 9:29 PM
Terms of Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State contract result in an automatic raise for the Cowboys’ head football coach. His compensation increases from $1.925 million last year to $2.1 million this year.
As he deals with a variety of significant issues, Gundy is about to earn every cent of it.
* Will All-Big 12 quarterback Brandon Weeden enter the NFL draft or stay at OSU as a senior in 2011? It is believed that the NFL Draft Advisory Board projects Weeden as being a third-round pick, with the possibility of ascending to the second round. Saturday is the deadline for juniors and redshirt sophomores to announce whether they intend to enter the 2011 draft.
* Will All-American, record-breaking wide receiver Justin Blackmon enter the NFL draft or stay at OSU as a junior in 2011? It is believed that his draft projection ranges from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second. It also is believed that NFL scouts might be disappointed with his 40 times.
* When will Gundy hire an offensive coordinator (to succeed Dana Holgorsen, now at West Virginia) and a running backs coach (to succeed Robert Gillespie, also at West Virginia)? Weeden wants to know who the next coordinator might be. Recruits want to know. Five-star running back recruit Herschel Sims admits to watching with great interest to see who Gundy hires to coach running backs. Sims was close to Gillespie. If Sims is dissatisfied with Gundy’s selection, he may wind up at TCU.
On Monday, during the opening day of the American Football Coaches Association’s national convention in Dallas, Gundy is a featured speaker. During his rest of the time at the convention, it can be safely presumed that he’ll interview coaches and, perhaps, hire coaches.
The clock is ticking. Weeden and Blackmon face a Saturday deadline. National signing day is Feb. 2.
This should be an extremely eventful week for Gundy.
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
