STILLWATER — Mike Gundy kept mum Saturday at Oklahoma State media day on the Cowboys’ quarterback battle, giving un-Gundy-like terse answers to the first handful of questions — all of which were an attempt to get Gundy to elaborate on which of Zane Flores or Hauss Hejny will emerge as QB1.
As for the man coaching the quarterbacks? Gundy was effusive in talking about Kevin Johns, who won a quarterback battle of his own to land the gig.
“There were very few guys out there at that position that I felt like were capable of coaching these guys and doing it the right way,” Gundy said. “Very few. It was hard. That was one of the hardest positions to find in this last search. We were very fortunate that he was available.”
In a move that’s not so taboo post-conference realignment, Johns joined OSU’s staff after most recently serving as OU’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach — positions he was elevated to on an interim basis after OU’s mid-season firing of former offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. Johns had been working as an offensive analyst for the Sooners before that.
After Gundy fired his entire offensive and defensive staffs following a disastrous 2024, an opportunity arose in Stillwater for Johns, who replaced Tim Rattay as quarterbacks coach.
“Coach is very mature,” Gundy said. “He comes from a good background. He comes in very highly regarded from people that I trust and understand.”
Gaining Gundy’s trust, especially when it comes to mentoring quarterbacks, is apparently no small thing.
“Not very many of them out there that I trust,” Gundy said. “Maybe because I know more about that position than I know about linebacker or defensive line. That could very well be the answer to that question. There just weren’t very many guys that when I started calling…
Source link : https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/cowboys/2025/08/04/oklahoma-state-football-qb-coach-kevin-johns-hired-mike-gundy-osu-cowboys/85499099007/
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Publish date : 2025-08-04 10:30:00
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