Mike Gundy Explains Two Rules Critical to OSU's Success in New Era

Oklahoma State is set for another interesting season, and there are a couple of keys to bouncing back.

OSU is coming off a 3-9 season, but there are hopes that the Cowboys can turn things around as head coach Mike Gundy enters his 21st season at the helm. With nearly two months until OSU kicks off the 2025 season, Gundy and company still have some time to figure things out.

At Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday, Gundy fielded a question about how to combat player entitlement in college football. After joking that he was still trying to figure out how to combat entitlement in the real world, he laid out a message he gave to the team about how to be successful in the era of NIL and the transfer portal.

“One thing I’ve said to the team twice this summer, and to the coaches, that when we start on July 27, two things have to go out the window,” Gundy said. “One, thinking of transferring or taking other jobs, as a coach or a player. Two, the money aspect has to go to the side.

“Because, for the most part, the coaches and the players, all of us, including me, are gonna be at this location until at least December. The teams that can put that to the side, and the coaches that can put that to the side and concentrate on coaching and playing football, and find a way to come together, in my opinion, get the best chance to win.”

Gundy’s stance on NIL and the transfer portal has certainly changed over the past few seasons in terms of his recruiting and attention to these evolving aspects of college football. However, he hasn’t changed much on his thoughts about how players should handle everything thrown at them.

Considering how players move in college football today, getting a group to buy in and be 100% focused on the season ahead is critical. With Gundy looking to turn the program around, finding players who can put their all into what OSU is trying to accomplish next season is vital. 

Although it might not be a popular message in college sports in 2025, Gundy knows that if he can get his team to put aside their individual goals, something special could be building in Stillwater.