Oklahoma State is standing by head football coach Mike Gundy after completing a review of the program.
Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard seemingly threatened to sit out the season in protest of his coach wearing a T-shirt that said OAN on it. Gundy spoke with Hubbard the day of the running back’s tweet, and the two later united for a video. Gundy also issued an apology over the shirt.
The school’s athletic director, Mike Holder, said a review found no signs of racism. Instead, they say the issues stemmed from Gundy needing to build stronger relationships with his players.
“We have spent the past couple of weeks reviewing our program and talking with current and former players. Our internal review found that Coach Gundy needs to invest more time in building stronger relationships with his student-athletes. However, our review has uncovered no signs or indication of racism,” Holder said in a statement.
“After meeting with Coach Gundy, I am confident that he listened to his student-athletes. I believe he is genuine in his commitment to strengthening relationships with his players. I believe this to be a win for everyone. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact this will have on our team.”
School president Burns Hargis issued a similar statement.
Gundy, 52, played his college ball at Oklahoma State from 1986-89. He began his coaching career there from 1990-95 and returned in 2001. He is entering his 16th season as their head coach and is 129-64 with a .668 winning percentage during his coaching career with the Cowboys.
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