Head coach Mike Gundy of the Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State junior running back Ollie Gordon II will not face any game suspensions following his recent arrest, head coach Mike Gundy announced to local media on Tuesday morning. Gordon, the reigning Doak Walker Award winner and All-American, was arrested on June 30 for suspicion of driving under the influence. Despite the arrest, Gundy decided not to suspend or punish Gordon on the field.
Gordon, along with Gundy and teammates Alan Bowman, Nick Martin, and Collin Oliver, is currently in Las Vegas for the 2024 Big 12 Media Day.
“I made a decision and felt like he really understood how serious this was,” Gundy told local media. “He needed to come out here and face the music. There’s no reason to hide him. Everybody in the world has a suggestion on what we and I should have done in the situation, but not having him out front or talking to anyone until after the first game was a suggestion of quite a few people. To me that’s the wrong thing to do. Unfortunately, I’m the guy who has to make those decisions. I asked him face to face: Do you want to come out here? I can’t make you, it’s your choice. He said ‘I want to come.’ I said what I need to know is that you understand how serious this situation is, how lucky you are, and that you’re going to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Gundy, who is set to begin his 20th year as head coach of Oklahoma State this season, consulted with Oklahoma State president Kasey Shrum, athletic director Chad Weiberg, and other administrators before making his decision regarding Gordon. The current landscape in college athletics, where athletes are essentially treated as employees, also influenced the ruling.
“I think this is the best path for him moving forward and for us,” Gundy said. “We have 139 other players and 68 employees that work in the building. Five years ago, we had college athletes that weren’t being paid in the Big 12 Conference. Now we have guys that are essentially employees and it’s more of a business setting than it’s ever been. He has a responsibility to everyone else that’s involved.”
Gundy mentioned that no teammates or players expressed concerns about Gordon, and he isn’t worried about setting a precedent for lack of punishment.
“He’s facing some embarrassing punishment,” Gundy said. “I’ve talked to him about it and I’ve sat and visited with him and just let him talk. I wanted to hear what he had to say. For himself, for his family, and for the team, he’s embarrassed. Is that enough punishment? I don’t know, but the point is that that’s more than running or financially.”
Gordon made his first public comments on Monday afternoon in a statement on his social media.
“I am deeply sorry for the actions that led to my arrest on June 30th,” Gordon wrote. “I sincerely apologize to my family, everyone in our program, including players, coach (Mike) Gundy, the staff, Oklahoma State University, and our fans. Regardless of the outcome of this pending investigation, I did not uphold the values I have for myself and the values of the OSU football program. I am committed to learning and growing from this mistake and I will work to earn back the trust of those who I have disappointed.”
In 2023, Gordon accumulated 2,062 yards from scrimmage and scored 22 touchdowns. He is expected to speak in Las Vegas later on Tuesday, alongside his teammates and coach Gundy.
