File this under “Strange Times in Stillwater.''
During Oklahoma State's spring football workouts, head coach Mike Gundy didn't call offensive plays, while former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach did for a while.
It was all part of a change in coaching staff and offensive philosophy for the Cowboys, who host Nebraska on Oct. 23.
After a 9-4 season that might have been even better if not for the suspension of wide receiver Dez Bryant and injuries at quarterback and running back, Gundy hired Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen — a former Leach assistant to call plays at OSU.
Seemed like an odd move considering Oklahoma State's recent offensive success.
OSU has led the Big 12 in rushing the past four seasons and had developed one of the nation's more balanced and difficult-to-defend attacks.
In national total offense rankings, the Cowboys were 16th in 2006, seventh in 2007 and sixth in 2008 before slipping to 70th last year because of the missing stars. As for balance, in 2007, OSU gained 3,161 yards rushing and the identical amount passing.
Gundy said he gave up play-calling because of time constraints.
“I had done it for a few years and really enjoyed it,'' he said. “But I felt with all the responsibility of being a head coach and recruiting and dealing with the players and the media and fundraising and everything else that was involved, it was becoming too much of a time factor to dedicate six to eight hours a day to offense.''
Funny, but just a few days before Holgorsen was hired, Gundy told the Tulsa World he would be the play-caller again in 2010.
That led to suspicions that Athletic Director Mike Holder or football benefactor Boone Pickens had “suggested'' the change.
Neither has commented.
But Gundy drew scrutiny during recent televised games for basically ignoring the action while the Cowboy defense was on the field.
ESPN spent what seemed like forever focusing on Gundy sitting on an equipment trunk 15 yards away from the sideline, looking at his play chart. In a world in which perception often becomes reality, the seed had been planted that Gundy was disengaged.
Gundy is playing it straight about his switch, saying he checked with friends and mentors in the coaching business about it.
“Some guys call plays and think it's OK,'' he said. “And then you talk to guys who had given it up and were better off by giving it up.
“So I listened to people and tried to get information. But each situation is different. I thought it was best now for our football team for me not to be so involved with the offense.''
Gundy, who as an OSU quarterback in the late 1980s became the Big Eight's all-time passing leader, will likely see the ball in the air a lot more.
Holgorsen is fully in love with the “Air Raid'' offense Leach installed with the Red Raiders. That's why Leach spent a week at OSU going over play sheets and discussing the new principles.
“It's more than a tweak,'' Gundy said. “But it's not a major overhaul.''
Some may argue.
Fullback is listed on the offensive depth chart, but the backup there — Dexter Pratt left the team recently. Tight ends also may become endangered species at OSU as two have been switched to defensive end.
Holgorsen's offense at Houston last year led the nation in scoring and yards gained.
The offenses he has been associated with at Tech and Houston have gained 80 percent of their yards through the air.
At Oklahoma State, a school that has struggled to play good defense in recent times, giving up a strong run-pass balance and the ability to manage the clock looks like an unnecessary roll of the dice.
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
