Oklahoma State coaching candidates: 5 coaches who can replace Mike Gundy after getting fired from coaching position

Oklahoma State parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Gundy on Tuesday. The 58-year-old had been leading his alma mater for 21 seasons and was the second-longest tenured coach in the FBS, behind only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz.

During his tenure, Gundy posted a 170-90 record, guided OSU to the 2011 Big 12 championship, and reached the conference title game in 2021 and 2023. However, the program’s performance has slipped in recent years.

The Cowboys went 3-9 in 2024, missing out on a bowl game for the first time since Gundy’s debut season in 2005. A 19-12 loss to Tulsa in Week 4 dropped them to 1-2 in 2025, which ultimately sealed his fate.

Let's look at five coaches who have the most potential to become OSU's next head coach.

Five potential coaches as successor of Mike Gundy

5. Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein

Texas A&M’s offense has flourished under Collin Klein after a turbulent 2024, and his Big 12 background makes him an interesting option for Oklahoma State.

Klein was a standout quarterback at Kansas State from 2008-2012 and later coached QBs at his alma mater from 2016-2023, finishing as offensive coordinator before taking the same role at Texas A&M.

Klein has played a crucial role in the development of Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed.

4. Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein

Will Stein is gaining huge attention in coaching circles, with Oregon’s offense ranking in the top 20 nationally in each of the past three years. He has produced quarterbacks like Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, while sophomore Dante Moore has also thrived under him.

Stein fits well for OSU, given his coaching stints at Lake Travis High School, Texas and UTSA, which tie directly into the Cowboys’ recruiting pipeline.

3. Texas State coach G.J. Kinne

Many believe that G.J. Kinne is destined for a Power Four job soon. At 36, the Texas native has led the Bobcats to a 19-11 record, highlighted by consecutive First Responder Bowl victories.

After climbing the coaching ranks with coordinator stops at Hawai’i and UCF, Kinne landed his first head coaching job at Incarnate Word. He is a former NFL quarterback and began his coaching career at SMU in 2017.

Kinne could be a strong candidate for OSU, especially with his deep ties to one of the Cowboys’ recruiting hotbeds.

2. Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen

Dana Holgorsen is another name to watch. He previously served as Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator in 2010, when the Cowboys had one of the nation’s most explosive offenses.

“If the Cowboys wanted a spiritual successor of sorts for Gundy, Holgorsen would be an ideal fit,” CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer wrote. “Holgorsen is very familiar with the Big 12 and is one of the most respected offensive play callers in the country.

Holgorsen has been out of head coaching for two years but spent over a decade leading West Virginia (2011-2018) and Houston (2019-2023). Industry expectations suggest he will eventually return to a head role, and OSU could be the right landing spot.

1. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle

Ben Arbuckle has quickly made a name for himself with Oklahoma, guiding John Mateer and the Sooners to a 4-0 start. Though the 30-year-old doesn’t have head coaching experience, his early success as a coordinator has made him one of the sport’s rising stars.

“He's very young but clearly a rising star in the coaching ranks who has ties to the area and now the state, as a first-year OC at OU,” ESPN's Adam Rittenberg wrote about Arbuckle's potential. “He could be instrumental in turning around the Sooners program this fall.”

Arbuckle developed under Zach Kittley and Tyson Helton before elevating Washington State’s offense from 26.1 points per game in 2022 to 31.7 in 2023 and 36.6 in 2024.