“Mike Gundy, Shut Up”: Oregon Legend Blames HC for $7M Oklahoma State Misery After Dan Lanning’s Strong Response

Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State squad heads into a week 2 showdown against Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks, but the matchup has already been overshadowed by controversy. In the lead-up to the game, Gundy stirred a debate alleging that Oregon spends nearly $40 million on NIL, whereas Oklahoma State stands at $7 million. He also suggested that the non-conference schedule should factor in comparable NIL budgets. It did not end well with the Ducks’ fandom. A legendary Oregon alum has come forward, taking a dig at the Cowboys’ head coach.

“Mike Gundy, shut up with the crying,” retorted George Wrighster, who played tight end for the Ducks and went on to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2003 NFL Draft. His frustration partly stems from Gundy’s “mythical numbers” [$40 million budget]. So now you’re saying it like you’re making excuses before the game even starts,” he added, responding to Gundy’s $40 million Oregon NIL claim.

Wrighster stressed that Gundy cannot have it both ways. To boast that the Big 12 is one of the best conferences and, on the other hand, complain about how they shouldn’t be playing Oregon, stressing that the Ducks should play non-conference opponents with similar budgets. George continued, “And then also Mike Gundy, guess what? You did this to yourself.” Wrighster pointed to Gundy’s reluctance to adapt to the modern game. “He did this to himself because he is the man that came out and admitted which was foolish. He thought that NIL and the transfer portal would just go away, which is wild. So he didn’t embrace it. There were states passing laws. Why? I don’t know what in the ONN that he was watching that believed that it was going to go away, but everybody with two brain cells or two to rub together knew that college football was changing, and this is why he’s in the position.”

Ducks’ head coach Dan Lanning responded to Gundy’s ‘Oregon remarks’ with an equal gaze. “It sounds like there is (a difference in our programs) listening to him talk,” said Lanning per On3. “If you wanna be a top 10 team in college football, you better be invested in winning. We spend to win. Some people save to have an excuse for why they don’t.” Wrighster further added, stressing, “I’m sure UT-Martin maybe didn’t have as much as them last week, and they played.” The Cowboys defeated UT Martin with a dominant 27-7 win.

Mike Gundy’s backlash was swift and unforgiving. Yet Gundy later insisted his remarks had been taken out of context.

Mike Gundy clears his stance following backlash

College football fans are used to bold words before big games. But when those words sound like excuses, the internet pounces, especially with a powerhouse like Oregon coming up next. So, that’s how the Mike Gundy saga unfolded. He took a dig at the Ducks’ NIL ventures, and the response? College football hit back. George Wrighster’s response was a biting gut punch.

Meanwhile, Gundy is clarifying those remarks. “A little bit of that was taken out of context,” Gundy said on SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “The truth of the matter is, I was being very complimentary of Oregon and their commitment,” he added. Complimenting Dante Moore and how it could cost a “lot of money” to keep him. He went on to appreciate Dan Lanning’s foresight, to invest heavily in the NIL-transfer portal landscape.

He further went on by saying, “The other things that had been said that day were that they made a huge commitment to facilities, as we know. They’ve made a huge commitment to their staff, they’ve made a huge commitment to their surrounding staff, and then, they’ve made a huge NIL commitment.” 

Adapting to the landscape changes, Gundy finally admitted that now, “We have to have a plan.”