Mike Gundy on the hot seat at Oklahoma State

Mike Gundy coached the Oklahoma State program to consecutive nine-win seasons. He has a long-term contract and collects nearly $2 million this year. His team has been bolstered by a dynamic new offensive coordinator (Dana Holgorsen) and an apparently excellent group of freshmen, and the 2011 recruiting class has a chance to be the best in school history.  After five years as OSU’s head football coach, Gundy’s report card includes an unprecedented run of four bowl appearances. Because he fielded competitive, compelling teams at a time when the university executed a $283 million renovation and expansion of Boone Pickens Stadium, the business of Cowboy football has never been better. Last season, OSU set school records for attendance, season-ticket sales and student season-ticket sales.  Gundy has never seemed more comfortable in his role as the head man. He has never seemed more relaxed during the countdown to the start of any season, and perhaps it’s because of a belief in the OSU camp that the Cowboys will be better – and perhaps a lot better – than expected. At 40, Gundy was the star of one of the more spectacular news-conference rants in recent sports history. At 43, he seems to manage stress much more effectively, and he doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by a national publication’s prediction of his demise.  “Anyone can express an opinion or write what they want to write,” Gundy said. “Everyone is free to predict whatever they want. That’s what makes the world go around, you know. – Tulsa World

Hawkins, Gundy, Sherman lead Big 12 Hot Seat List

Dan Hawkins, Colorado: Was supposed to use that upset of OU early in 2007 as a springboard to big things. Instead, the Buffs went 6-7 that season, 5-7 in ‘08 and 3-9 last year. It’s understood it will take a winning 2010 for Hawkins to return in ‘11…

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: First came the facilities upgrade. Now Gundy gets wizardly offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Sooner before later, Boone Pickens is going to want a higher return on his investment than last year’s 9-4 record and Cotton Bowl appearance…

Mike Sherman, Texas A&M: The Aggies’ 6-7 record was a step in the right direction from their 4-8 slip-up in ‘08, Sherman’s first year. With both league offensive and defensive preseason players of the year, he’ll be expected to take a bigger step forward this fall. – Tulsa World

Leach could replace Gundy at Oklahoma State?

At 82, Pickens knows he’s running out of time as well as patience. So that begs the question about the future of Pokes coach Mike Gundy. When he pumped nearly $250 million into OSU’s football program, Pickens’ gift came with only two stipulations. He requested the upgraded facilities to be the best available, and the Pokes must win a Big 12 Conference championship before he heads to that big board room in the sky… A reminder of Pickens’ growing restlessness came last week in an article by veteran and highly respected Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls. Bohls included Gundy’s situation in a column he called “a few semi-outrageous predictions for the 2010 season.” When it comes to Gundy’s future, Bohls predicted: “Mike Gundy could be fired by December if manly Oklahoma State, which now has fewer weapons, continues to underachieve. “Mike Gundy will be fired by T. Boone Pickens if Mr. Wind Energy — Mr. Hot Air, if you’re a Missouri fan — thinks he’s not getting his money’s worth. Don’t be shocked if new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen or Holgorsen’s mentor and Cowboys consultant, Mike Leach, slips in as head coach.”… Several OSU sources insisted Pickens met face-to-face with Leach last January, picking his brain about how to improve a Cowboys offense that struggled mightily in the Bedlam game and the Cotton Bowl. Pickens has never confirmed or denied numerous reports that his private jet flew Leach to either his Pickens ranch or Stillwater for the clandestine meeting. The billionaire investor did, however, tell me directly that he was not a happy Cowboy when he departed the Cotton Bowl in the final minutes of Mississippi’s 21-7 win over OSU. Pickens was steamed after watching an inept, ugly Cowboys offense, which had been shut out the previous game at Oklahoma, commit six of its seven turnovers in the fourth quarter… There is no doubt Leach will win big and sell gobs of tickets when he eventually returns to coach. Now living in Florida after his controversial departure from Tech, Leach told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram last week that he intends to soon be back in coaching. “I don’t have a crystal ball on that (return),” Leach said. “But I don’t guess they’ve heard the last of me.” OU’s offensive coordinator for one season before taking over at Tech, Leach never won a division title with the Red Raiders, let alone a Big 12 championship. But he came close a couple times, and that was without having advantages like Pickens’ money and OSU’s magnificent facilities to work with. If OSU slips to 6-6 or 5-7 in 2010, Kirk Bohls’ “semi-outrageous” July prediction might look dead, solid perfect in December. – Tulsa World

Oklahoma State paying $4 million for football coaches

For the first time in school history, Oklahoma State has committed a total of more than $4 million to football coaches’ salaries. According to figures released to the Tulsa World by the university, OSU will spend $4,460,000 on coaches’ salaries this year. Last year, the Cowboy coaches collected a combined total of $3,938,000. As was pre-determined in the seven-year contract he signed last year, head coach Mike Gundy is paid $1.925 million this year. Within the Big 12, Gundy’s compensation ranks sixth. He makes a few dollars less than new Kansas coach Turner Gill and a few dollars more than Kansas State’s Bill Snyder. Gundy made $1.8 million last year. In 2011, he is scheduled to make $2.1 million. – Tulsa World

Mike Gundy: Dana Holgorsen is ‘running the show’

After two seasons of overseeing the Oklahoma State offensive operation and handling the play-calling, head coach Mike Gundy said he relinquished offensive duties because he was “stretched too thin” and fatigued by the “wear and tear” of essentially juggling two jobs. “About a week after the (Cotton Bowl), I really started thinking about it,” Gundy said on Wednesday. On Jan. 15, only three days after indicating that he would remain in control of the offense, Gundy hired University of Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. In 2009, Holgorsen’s Cougars led the nation in total offense, passing yards and scoring. “He’s running the show,” Gundy said of Holgorsen, who was given a three-year contract believed to be worth $360,000 annually. – Tulsa World

Scoop: New Names Emerge at Clemson

Three new names have emerged in Clemson’s new coaching search. With Vandy Coach Bobby Johnson, Wake Forest Coach Jim Grobe, Texas DC Will Muschamp, Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville and Interim Coach Dabo Swinney already in the mix, the hunt of off to a great start. Here are three more names that are sure to draw an interest from the Tigers…

Mike Gundy, Head Coach at Oklahoma State: Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips is quite fond of Gundy. Phillips brought the young coach back to Oklahoma State as an assistant a few years back. Gundy is sure to get a call, though he is unlikely interested in leaving his alma mater.

Lane Kiffin, Former Head Coach of Oakland Raiders: Phillips is reported close friends with Kiffin’s father Monte. The two have ties from their time at Arkansas. Kiffin could be a real player in this race.

Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach at Michigan: Richie Rod could be the ultimate wild card. He has told associates he is not happy with the talent level he inherited at Michigan. The natives are already growing restless with the Wolverines’ latest loss to… Toledo. It seems both Rod and Michigan may have buyers remorse. Clemson loves Rich Rodriguez from his days as Tommy Bowden’s OC. Rodriguez and his wife are quite fond of Clemson. Could he bolt Michigan after just one season? It’s unlikely, but not out of the realm of possibilities.