Five Questions for Mike Gundy and Co. on Tuesday

With Day 1 of Big 12 Media Days in the books, we turn our attention to Oklahoma State’s appearance on the second day. Mike Gundy will close out the festivities with his press conference (hopefully a metaphor for the season, yes?) and we will hear from Chad Whitener, Zach Sinor, James Washington and Mason Rudolph as well.

Here are a few questions we have for them entering the second day of fun in Frisco.

1. How do you run a high-level organization on a start-up budget?

Wins in the last eight years: Oklahoma State (77-27) | Oklahoma (81-24)
Revenue last year: Oklahoma State ($93.7M) | Oklahoma ($150.4M)

How is this possible, and how is Mike Gundy (of all people!) so good at it?

2. Where can Mason Rudolph most improve?

The soon-to-be first rounder is the complete package, but I’m curious about where he (and his coach) thinks he has the most room to improve. I have a hunch about what the answer will be, but I’m still intrigued by the question.

3. Has Gundy accidentally stumbled onto the cutting edge?

Think about all the trends Gundy has been out in front of. From not hitting in practice to satellite camps to uniforms to leveraging social media to creating an app to contorting an offense to fit his personnel to hiring Dana Holgorsen. Gundy, for as conservative as he’s been in play-calling, has been stunningly liberal elsewhere. I’m curious if he had a vision for all of this or if he just sort of fell backwards into it.

4. How does Bob Stoops’ leaving affect the way Gundy sees the Big 12?

We probably won’t get a straight answer for this one, but I’d still like to ask it. An offshoot of this one would be what he would tell the 33-year-old Lincoln Riley embarking on the toughest journey of his professional life.

5. Why does nobody seem concerned about the defense?

OSU is operating with corners who have never started at OSU, a safety who has never played the position and a host of new players up front on the defensive line. And yet everyone seems pretty … unaffected by it all. What do they know that the rest of us don’t?