Joel Klatt praises Mike Gundy, believes Oklahoma State can win the Big 12

After losing by 26 to a Sun Belt team at home the week prior, Oklahoma State was essentially left for dead to end September after a defeat to Iowa State. However, since then, the ‘Pokes have ripped off five straight since their bye week and have impressed many, including Joel Klatt.

Klatt spoke highly of the Cowboy’s turnaround during his show this week. He understands that, at this point, there’s almost nothing they can do to join the national title conversation. Even so, he gave their team all the credit for flipping the script on their season by going back to the drawing board and becoming a better version of themselves than what they were to start off with.

“Oklahoma State, for me? Are they going to win the national championship? No. They might win the Big 12 Championship, though,” said Klatt.

“I hear the narrative out there – ‘Who cares? They lost to South Alabama!’. That’s the point! (Mike Gundy) has a team that has a ridiculously low floor. South Alabama hammered Oklahoma State. And, yet, he took that, he goes back. He and his coaching staff start to look and they’re like, ‘Well, what do we have? We’ve got to figure something out. Let’s figure it out,'” Klatt explained. “They didn’t just say, ‘Our players stink. Let’s move on, let’s get new ones, and ride off into the sunset until next year’. He said to himself, ‘Let’s find a way’ – very Nick Saban-esque by the way.”

That’s why, as he continued, Klatt gave Gundy his flowers as well. While he has been a controversial name in the past, he said the fact of the matter is that he is simply just a very good football coach in Stillwater, in the Big 12, and compared to the sport’s other big names.

“Gosh, Mike Gundy is just a freakin’ good coach, man,” said Klatt. “I don’t know why no one wants to give this guy more credit than what he gets.”

“Mike Gundy is a freakin’ ball coach and I am here for it. I love it, man. I love these guys that find a way,” Klatt continued. “Just because Mike Gundy hasn’t won national championships doesn’t make him a lesser coach.”

After a 2-2 start, Oklahoma State has ripped off five in a row with three coming against Top-25 opponents, including the final edition of Bedlam against Oklahoma last weekend. That’s an accomplishment in and of itself as, after falling flat on their face early, Gundy and the Cowboys are very much in the hunt to be in Arlington on December 2nd.

“They have found an identity. So not only did he locate and find an identity but, then, developed into that identity to get them to a point where they’re probably going to go back to the Big 12 Championship,” said Klatt.