Search still on for OSU offensive coordinator
BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Thursday, February 07, 2013
2/07/13 at 6:33 AM
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy said he expects to hire a new offensive coordinator within a week to 10 days.
Former offensive coordinator Todd Monken left before OSU's Heart of Dallas Bowl appearance to become the head coach at Southern Mississippi.
"The truth of the matter is I have only talked to two people and that was just because I had the time and I bumped into them," Gundy said during a signing day press conference, declining to identify offensive coordinator candidates out of professional courtesy.
Later, Gundy said he has had two good conversations with prospective candidates and one "not so good" conversation.
What constitutes a not-so-good conversation? Gundy doesn't want to waste time talking with someone who wants to bring in his "own" system. Gundy wants to hire someone who will agree to run the same system OSU has used (and tweaked) each of the past three seasons.
The job of offensive coordinator at OSU would seem to be a coveted one because the offense has been productive, regardless of who plays quarterback, and because former Cowboy offensive coordinators Larry Fedora, Dana Holgorsen and Monken used the gig as a launching pad to a head coaching job.
Many people have called about the job, according to Gundy. But he also said this: "It's not the best job in the country for somebody that wants to run his own plays. There are not very many coordinators that are established coordinators that say 'OK, I will run your system.' So it's a little bit more of a difficult search than people realize."
That run-somebody-else's-system situation could appeal to a position coach who will agree to any terms in order to become a coordinator. Such was the case with Monken, who had to learn Holgorsen's offense.
"But now you've got a (coordinator) that has never coordinated," Gundy said. "How hard is that? I don't know. But some guys don't do well when they are in charge of other guys and some guys do."
Though busy with bowl preparation and recruiting, Gundy said he has put a lot of time into finding an offensive coordinator who will prove to be the right fit.
"I am further along (in the process) than what most people think," he said, adding that he needed to return some phone calls after a signing day press conference.
Gundy suggested the lack of an offensive coordinator did not impact OSU negatively in recruiting because recent seasons are proof that the Cowboys are committed to running a specific style of offense.
Jimmie Tramel 981-581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com
