Kyle Cox’s Five Predictions for 2018: Baseball Rebounds, No Flirting for Gundy

The new year is upon us and I’ve already entered the wrong date in a half dozen forms. We recently recapped the 10 biggest stories of 2017. Now let’s dust off the crystal ball and prognosticate on what should be an eventful, if not exciting year for Oklahoma State sports.

1. Mike Gundy will not flirt with another school this year

The timelines of social media (and the pages of this blog) were filled with just one storyline following a lackluster finish to what could have been an historic football season — and it wasn’t how lackluster the finish was to a could-be historic year. How convenient.

Let me preface all this by saying that Mike Gundy has earned the right to hear pitches or take meetings from other schools and, if we’re honest, none of us would turn down someone offering us a chance to double his or her salary, on principle alone.

But after two straight disappointing regular season finishes have been glossed over with leaked flirtations, there is a segment of the fan base — and undoubtedly OSU brass — that has grown weary of its winningest head coach’s wandering eye, whether sincere or not.

After this year’s Bedlam loss, Gundy was not his normal post-Bedlam loss self. He was enthusiastic, if not giddy, about the the future of OSU football. And according to him, he wasn’t alone.

“I had two phone calls Sunday morning from very prominent people that are involved in Oklahoma State football that are very influential in a lot of areas, not only financially,” Gundy said. “And they said, ‘You just tell us what you need. We’re gonna make this happen.’”

But after his latest (and most public) tryst and the ensuing raise, Gundy might need to fill the bank before he makes his next power play. And a rebuilding year with an unfavorable road schedule is probably not the best platform for that.

2. No significant changes are made with the football staff

Despite the cry from the fan base (and members of this blog) that it’s time to hit the reset button on an OSU defense that hasn’t lived up to expectations the last couple of years, Mike & Mike will stand pat. I’m talking about Holder & Gundy on this one.

Gundy has long romanticized consistency within the coaching staff and I think he does what all good leaders do when facing a big change. He asks himself, “…and do what?”

If there isn’t someone that he feels can come in and do a better job immediately (there probably isn’t), I don’t see Gundy or Holder pulling the trigger on Spencer. Will there be changes made in philosophy or scheme? There’d better be. Even good defenses constantly evaluate what they are doing. But changes on the front of office door? No.

3. OSU baseball rebounds in a big way in 2018

Just months removed from an historic run to Omaha, the 2016-17 Cowboys suffered from a string of injuries during a rebuilding season.

The ensuing 30-27 record is not up to snuff for OSU or Josh Holliday-coached teams but a fun finish including the school’s just second Big 12 Tournament trophy gave a fairly young squad something to build off of.

Add in a decent signing class to a group of experienced youngsters and the Pokes should be back to battling for the top of the Big 12. Collegiate Baseball Daily ranked the Cowboys No. 27 in their preseason Top 40 poll.

4. Mike Boynton will end the season with more wins than Brad Underwood

It may seem like I’m pandering a bit here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in this prediction. I know that the Cowboys just got trounced in Bedlam this week, and I know that wins come a lot harder in the Big 12 than in the Big Ten. But I still think the Cowboys out pace the Fighting Illini. Is that really what they’re called?

Boynton seems to be the type of guy who can squeeze blood from a stone and he’ll need to with this depleted roster. I also think he might have been a better motivator than Underwood from Day 1.

KenPom currently predicts Illinois (10-6, 0-3) to finish 16-15 and 6-12 in conference play and for the 10-4, 0-2 Cowboys to also finish 16-15, 6-12. So, I’m going to ride with my gut here and say Boynton coaches his guys up to steal a couple games they shouldn’t in the deepest league in the country.

What does this accomplish? Nothing, other than to provide Twitter fodder for some of the more unabashed OSU fans that like to tweet at former coaches or recruits. And maybe a momentary grin for the rest of us.

5. OSU will field one of the top 3 QBs in the Big 12 next year

Hyperbole? Maybe a bit. But the league that has been dominated by a handful of QBs over the last four years is about to get a lot lighter on talent behind center. Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph, the Nos. 3 and 4 all-time passing leaders in the conference’s history are off to the NFL. Say what you want about Kenny Hill, he captained his team to 10 of its 11 wins in 2017.

That leaves West Virginia’s returning senior Will Grier, who showed he has the skill set and ability to put up big numbers, and several questions marks. Kyler Murray is the favorite to earn No. 1 reps in Norman but there’s virtually no one else returning that has a strangle hold on any team’s starting QB spot.

Baylor’s sophomore Zach Smith received his release and will transfer in lieu of the emergence of freshman Charlie Brewer, but I don’t think either did enough to warranty top 3 discussion anyway.

So that leaves an opening for Taylor Cornelius Spencer Sanders to step up into at least the No. 3 spot. It’s a lot to ask whether you’re a true freshman or a fifth-year senior with 15 total pass completions under your belt. But whoever claims the the job, he’ll be shouldering loftier expectations than that.