Oklahoma State and Utah have relatively little history together. at reality, the two football programs had only met once before: at Salt Lake City in 1945.
Despite this, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has kept an eye on the Utes during his long career as head coach of the Cowboys.
During a recent appearance on ESPN’s Greg McElroy’s “ESPN College Football” podcast, Gundy admitted to paying careful attention to Utah during the Kyle Whittingham era, even copying stuff from the Utes on occasion.
Why?
“I’ve always looked at the schools that play better than they they should, based on what their history is with draftable players,” Gundy said.
Will Utah football fans be happy with the game times this season?
Gundy was full of praise for Whittingham and the Utes before of Utah’s Big 12 Conference debut, even using the phrase “unbelievable job” to describe the program Whittingham has established on the hill.
“There are good solid programs coming in (to the conference),” Gundy stated. “With what Kyle has done at Utah, he and I have been here (engaged in college football) for the same amount of time, and he has succeeded much beyond his capabilities. “They have done an incredible job at Utah.”
Utah and Oklahoma State have been widely anticipated to be the two main challengers for the conference title this season, with Kansas State, Kansas, and TCU also mentioned as potential candidates. McElroy, in his talk with Gundy, named the Cowboys as his personal favourite to win the league, though he did not rule out Utah’s possibilities.
“I think Oklahoma State, on paper, has as many answers as anyone in the Big 12,” he stated. “Now there will be a faction of folks who are really supportive of Utah entering the league and possibly rising to the top. Perhaps Kansas State and Avery Johnson… Perhaps they are the group that will ascend. You look, and maybe TCU will come back to the forefront.”
McElroy continued, “Oklahoma State hasn’t won a league championship since 2011. I believe this might be the year. I believe this will be the year. If I had to choose right now, I’d go with the Pokes.
As indicated by Gundy’s views, Utah has the league’s attention. The Utah Utes will not enter the Big 12 in the same way they did the Pac-12, as a successful little program with something to prove. Instead, as Gundy points out, the Utes under Whittingham have become a model to follow and learn from.
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