The Oklahoma State Cowboys fired longtime head coach Mike Gundy on Tuesday, but that shouldn’t affect UCLA’s search for a new head coach.
Although the Bruins have been linked to just about every coach under the sun after they fired second-year head coach DeShaun Foster, Gundy likely won’t be the answer. The 21-year Cowboy head coach had a 170-90 record over his time leading Oklahoma State, but it was time to move on. The Cowboys fell to 1-2 with consecutive, horrific losses to Oregon and Tulsa.
The Bruins should call him, but with UCLA’s current situation, it’s very unlikely Gundy would want to lead a rebuild for UCLA. Gundy has struggled since the NIL era, with special emphasis on the 2024 season ending in a 3-9 record followed by this season’s abysmal start.
UCLA’s phone line could be busy with the amount of calls the Bruins should make to find a new leader of the football program. Gundy is another name added to the list.
The Bruins also has a chance to get a new, talented leader in Florida State’s Tony White, Oregon’s Will Stein, USC’s D’Anton Lynn among others. Are any of the chances likely? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean UCLA shouldn’t try.
UCLA hasn’t been an enticing option for football coaches or players, especially with Athletic Director Martin Jarmond still at the helm of Bruins Athletics. Which is exactly why Gundy’s firing doesn’t change anything for UCLA.
The Bruins should try to get Gundy, just like they should try to get any of the young, upcoming head coaches, even if it is unlikely that anything will actually come to fruition.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: How does Mike Gundy’s firing change UCLA’s coaching search?
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
