After 10 years on staff and five as defensive coordinator, Glenn Spencer is out at Oklahoma State. “I’m very appreciative for the 10 years of loyal service that Glenn Spencer gave to Oklahoma State,” Mike Gundy said in a statement Thursday.
With Gundy now on the hunt for a coordinator, it's worth remembering what he did the last time he had to fire a coordinator. Gundy researched prospective coordinators like you and I may book a vacation -- he went to the Internet. Gundy looked up stats for the most recent season, narrowed his search for an output that would match Oklahoma State's system, zeroed in on a target and ultimately hired Mike Yurcich, then the offensive coordinator at Division II Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.
The hire was an instant success. Oklahoma State has won 10 games in four of Yurcich's five seasons, and Gundy now believes he'll lose him to a head coaching job someday.
And considering the success of that hire, it's worth wondering if Gundy will use that technique again. He's stated that he will on the offensive side of the ball. From Adam Rittenberg's piece last month:
When Yurcich leaves, Gundy plans to search the lower divisions again. He believes some of the best football coaches work at high schools or small colleges. They either don't want the lifestyle challenges of working in the FBS, or they haven't had the chance to move up.
If he can find another Yurcich, both capable and loyal, he won't hesitate to hire him.
After Oklahoma State's success, will other coaches accept the Mike Gundy Coordinator-Finding Challenge? Gundy doesn't think so.
"Let me build a scenario for you," Gundy said. "It's the AD that hires everybody's favorite as the next head coach, because then, if the guy doesn't make it, he can say, 'Well, everybody wanted him. He was the logical choice, right?' You're not going to see very many coaches that have a gut feeling on a guy and hire a guy at Shippensburg, and have the fans or the administration patronizing you because you hired some guy [and] everybody thought you lost your mind.
"Most coaches aren't going to be like that."
Gundy is an offensive guy, so it's possible he'll think more conventionally to fill the other side of the ball.
But dudes who proudly rock mullets in the 2010's don't typically care about what convention tells them to do.
Either way, Gundy will have plenty of cash to throw around. Spencer made $675,000 in 2017, according to USA Today.
Sources told FootballScoop Thursday Gundy began his process to select a new defensive coordinator yesterday, if he hits the right match, this one could happen quickly.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.