Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has addressed the recent influx of distractions affecting college football, particularly regarding the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Gundy has clearly defined his stance on these issues.
“I told the players there’s no negotiating now,” Gundy stated. “Portal’s over. All negotiation’s history. Now we’re playing football. Just coaching and playing football.”
Gundy is focusing on the upcoming season opener scheduled for August 31, when the Cowboys will host South Dakota State.
“The business side of what we do now is, we have to have those conversations with them,” Gundy continued. “Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It’s non-negotiable now. Start again in December.”
Oklahoma State, ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25, is led by running back Ollie Gordon II. Gordon, who won the Doak Walker Award last season as the nation’s best running back and is the Big 12’s preseason offensive player of the year, chose to remain with the team despite potential offers to leave.
With a strong roster returning, including Gordon, the Cowboys are positioned as contenders for the Big 12 title and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff.
“We have a lot of returners back and we can’t be complacent,” Gordon said. “I feel like we haven’t shown any part of being complacent. We’ve all been practicing like we haven’t been here before and it’s been a really great thing.”
