Mike Gundy on Rudolph: ‘He Deserves All the Records’

Mike Gundy told a great story after Oklahoma State’s win over West Virginia on Saturday about how Mason Rudolph texted him at 8:47 on a Thursday (makes up a number in a press conference) about a play he wanted to install in the offense from the USC-Texas game earlier this year. Gundy was blown away by his attention to detail and his obsession with perfecting his craft.

That hasn’t always translated on Saturdays, but for the most part it has, and now Rudolph is your all-time Oklahoma State leader in completions, passing TDs, total TDs and wins as a starting quarterback. The last of which he took from none other than his head coach.

OMG. pic.twitter.com/xdVYEuFZZi

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) October 28, 2017

“He’s a good player, but his mental and unselfish contribution to this program has been through the roof,” said Gundy on Saturday in Morgantown.

“He deserves all the records and everything that he breaks. He deserves them all. He’s been a fantastic player. His leadership and mental approach has been unbelievable, and that’s why he’s been such a special player for us at Oklahoma State.”

Here’s the play where he broke the passing TDs record, previously held by Brandon Weeden at 75. Rudolph would add No. 77 later in the day to James Washington.

And now Rudolph is about to have pretty much every significant record a QB can have in a program. I don’t know if he’ll be considered the best QB in OSU history, but he’ll almost certainly be the most accomplished.

In addition to the career records Rudolph set on Saturday against WVU, he’s already Oklahoma State’s all-time leader in passing yards, total offense, passing attempts and 300-yard games.

Deservedness if a funny thing in sports. It’s hard to say that one person works that much harder than another. I don’t know how to determine any of that, but it has become fairly clear that Rudolph is an offensive lineman in a quarterback’s body. The preparation, attention to detail and meticulousness with which he hones his work are paramount to his success.

Combine that with a strong skillset and an elite group of players around him, and you have the formula for the most-decorated QB in the history of Oklahoma State football.