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Oklahoma State

Letter from agent claiming to represent Mike Gundy to Florida AD reveals eye-opening details

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh12/13/21griffin_mcveigh
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Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy during pregame warmups against the Oklahoma Sooners. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

One of the best jobs in the country opened up when the Florida Gators decided to fire Dan Mullen. Some of the top names in the country were linked with the job, with Louisana head coach Billy Napier eventually getting the call.

However, it seems as if Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy was seriously interested in Florida. In an email released Gundy’s agent Devin Bonik is attempting to sell the head coach to Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin.

“Scott,

My name is Devin Bonik and I represent Oklahoma State head coach Mike Leach,” Bonik said in the email. “I’m reaching out to let you know Mike is very interested in the head coaching vacancy at the University of Florida. He is confident that he could bring the leadership and passion necessary to re-energize your football team and GATOR fan base. Mike has turned down the Florida State and Arkansas jobs and the Tennessee job twice, however he feels the timing is now right to make a career move to a special place like Florida where you can compete for National Championships on a consistent basis. He has gotten the reputation in the past that he wouldn’t ever leave his alma mater, however I can assure you that is not the case anymore.”

Bonik claims Gundy has turned down Florida State, Arkansas, and Tennessee twice. The Seminoles last had an open job opening after the 2019 season, with Mike Norvell taking over. Arkansas hired Sam Pittman at the same time.

As for Tennessee, Jeremy Pruitt was pulled away from the Alabama Crimson Tide before the 2018 season, while Josh Heupel is currently in his first year as the head coach. Gundy would have turned the Volunteers down twice within a four-year span.

At the end of the email, Bonik asks for something that did not come true.

“As always we would appreciate confidentiality in regards to the matter.”

The email came just after Oklahoma State defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in Bedlam, clinching the program’s first-ever Big 12 championship appearance. Bonik notes if the Cowboys had beaten Baylor, Gundy would have led his program to the College Football Playoff.

Napier ended up being the choice for Florida, one that Stricklin made after meeting with the head coach just once. If Mike Gundy was a serious candidate for the job, he can add another SEC program to the list of schools he turned down to remain in Stillwater.