Gunnar Gundy Talks College Plan for Oklahoma State
HOUSTON, Texas -- While the Oklahoma State players were sitting together on the end of the dirt floor of NRG Arena watching their teammates compete in various rodeo-type events against Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl opponent Texas A&M, this year's All-State quarterback in Oklahoma was sitting in the stands with his family and Stillwater teammate Luke McEndoo.
You can only guess that Gunnar Gundy was thinking what it would be like sitting amongst the Cowboy players as a member of the program. That is the eventual goal for Gundy. He told The Oklahoman last week that his plan called for him starting his college academics this spring enrolling in 10 hours, making him a part-time student. He will do the same in the fall before going full-time and joining his dad's program as a walk-on in January of 2021.
"Well, I just think it is a mixture of a lot of stuff," Gundy said standing in the lobby of NRG Arena on Monday night. "My dad having coached here for a long time, so I've been around here for a very long time. The atmosphere, the family life, I've been around here my whole life. So, for me, it felt like the most comfortable decision for me and my family."
That handles the emotions of the decision and it is clear that the middle Gundy son really wants to play for his dad and really wants to be an Oklahoma State Cowboy.
He is definitely a Division I caliber quarterback that has played varsity for four seasons at Stillwater and started for the past three seasons, all playoff seasons with the past two ending in the championship game against a very talented Bixby team. This year's championship game went down to the wire with Bixby winning 40-36.
Gundy has been solid every season, but this season was spectacular in the Pioneers 12-1 campaign. He completed 75 percent of his passes (224-of-300) with 3,481-yards and 47 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He is a legit 6-2, 195 pounds and he has run a laser-timed 4.7 in the forty.
Gundy told me waiting to start his college eligibility clock will only improve him physically.
"I think it will be a full year of improvement, getting bigger, stronger, faster and more development," Gundy explained. "I think it will benefit me in the long run."
He said he would continue to work with some of his outside influences including Tom House in California. House, the former big league pitcher and pitching coach has become a throwing coach for some of the best quarterbacks in football including Tom Brady and Russell Wilson.
Gundy will continue to study the game as he has always been an enthusiastic student and he has access to a lot of materials.
It will be interesting to follow this process.
