Rhule Says Gundy Doesn’t Get Enough Credit as ‘One of the Great Coaches in College Football’

Matt Rhule has seen a lot of football — whether it be pro or college — and when asked about a coach who stands out to him, Rhule pointed to Mike Gundy.

Rhule, now Nebraska’s coach after coaching 38 games with the Carolina Panthers, was on with Colin Cowherd this week when Cowherd asked Rhule about a coach he went up against where he left saying that guy was a good coach.

“I don’t know him personally very well, but I always thought Mike Gundy did more with not as much as everybody else,” Rhule said. “Never had the four- and five-star recruiting classes, but he was going to find a way to win nine, 10, 11 games every year. And every game that you went into, you thought that you were a step ahead of him, and then bang, he was a step ahead of you. I think he’s one of the great coaches in college football and doesn’t get nearly enough recognition.”

These are the things people familiar with Oklahoma State know: Gundy is a darn good coach. He has won 156 career games with the Cowboys and consistently does it by developing three star recruits into NFL-caliber players. But, it’s nice to hear Gundy get his flowers on a national stage.

Gundy and Rhule met in 2017, 2018 and 2019 while Rhule was at Baylor. Rhule won twice, Gundy won once.

Their 2017 meeting saw the Cowboys trounce an 0-6 Baylor team 59-16 in Rhule’s first season with the Bears. Mason Rudolph threw for 459 yards that day. James Washington had 235 receiving yards.

The 2018 game came down to the wire in Waco with Baylor putting up a go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds to play to win 35-31. OSU had 523 yards of total offense to Baylor’s 402, but the Bears still won.

Then in 2019 a 6-0 Baylor handled the Pokes 45-27 despite Chuba Hubbard rushing for 171 yards and two scores.

Hubbard is also a link between the two, as Rhule drafted Hubbard to Carolina in 2021.

“You know, I couldn’t sit there and watch you run wild on me all those years at Baylor and not take you when I had a chance,” Rhule told Hubbard after drafting him. “… About 10 minutes ago my wife texted me and said ‘Please take Chuba Hubbard.'”