ESPN released a poll asking the power five conference's 65 coaches whether they would be for, or against a schedule consisting of only of playing each other. All non-conference games would be against ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 12, or SEC opponents, or Notre Dame. Four of the Big 12 Coaches said they would be against the idea, while six said they would support the hypothetical scheduling plan, including Mike Gundy.
Wait, What?
I wouldn't be surprised if Gundy would rather miss his son's little league game while giving in depth detail about his QB plans, than schedule a rigorous non-conference slate. He's made that clear over the years.
In 2012 he told the media that he would like an easier schedule heading into conference play. Well... at least I think. There was something about left turns, right turns, potholes, and leprechauns, but I'm pretty sure that's what he meant.
"Kind of the best way to look at it, if you just image a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that being the BCS championship and Big 12 championship," Gundy said. "You have a certain part of that road that never changes, and that’s called your conference. But before that, if your goal was to get there, you’d like to have a straight path. And anything you put in your way that could make it more difficult, just makes it more difficult. So you have a nice smooth highway all the way there, then you have to make a left or right turn based on where you have to go to follow your conference. Or you can go over hills and valleys and potholes and things like that and have issues getting there. I’d be for the easiest way to get to that one point before having to play conference play, within reason."
Then in 2013 during Big 12 Media Days he told horrific tales of the difficulties and hardship that comes with scheduling power five conference opponents, such as Mississippi State and Florida State.
"We have to put more time in, and we have to have more drill work and competition where there's guys that are hitting each other," Gundy said. "than what we would if we weren't playing an opponent of that type until the middle of September.
"It's almost like being in a Little League baseball tournament and you have to throw your ace in the first game. Instead of saving him until you get to the winners bracket final. We have to throw him in the first game."
The scheduling issue became so contentious between Gundy and the school he's been married to since he was a teenager, that he nearly broke off the relationship for the flirtatious Volunteers; who had been passing him little heart-shaped notes with promises of everything he wanted in a school. Gundy and the Pokes eventually made up, and he sent the home-wrecker packing to go steal someone else's man.
Even just three days ago outside of practice, Mike hinted he still has scheduling complaints. He was asked if he'd graduated from preferring not to play a game like Florida State in the opener, to now embracing a spectacular opportunity?
"There's two ways to look at it, First thing is, once we signed into playing it, then it fell into that category. This is a great opportunity for the coaching staff and the players, period." Gundy replied. "I have some if's based on long term what my plans would be, but that's irrelevant at this point."
So either Gundy has very recently changed his mind, or his troll game is on point.
Given his track record of poking fun at Les Miles' dyslexic finger counting, or taking shots at SEC tempo, I'm going to go with the later.