Gunnar Gundy, the son of head coach Mike Gundy, is a promising figure in American football. The quarterback has made a significant impact playing for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Despite his youth, Gunnar has shown impressive skills, completing 21 of his passes for 202 yards and a touchdown in the 2023 season. Let’s delve into the life and career of Gunnar Gundy, a rising star in American football.
Gunnar Gundy was born in autumn 2001, making him 22 as of autumn 2023. The native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, showed an early interest in sports, particularly football. He achieved significant successes in his high school football career under Coach Tucker Barnard at Stillwater. He led a historic offence, setting multiple school passing records, including career touchdowns. His leadership was evident as he guided his team to a 12-1 overall record and state runner-up finishes in his senior and junior seasons.
Gundy’s high school career was impressive, with a 32-5 record after becoming a starter at the beginning of his sophomore year. His senior year stood out, as he passed for 3,481 yards and 47 touchdowns against three interceptions, completing 224 of 300 pass attempts (74.7%). This outstanding performance earned him The Oklahoman’s 2019 Big All-City Offensive Player of the Year, district MVP, and all-state honours. Besides his football skills, Gunnar also excelled in baseball.
Despite receiving multiple FBS offers, Gunnar chose to walk on at Oklahoma State, influenced by the chance to play for his father. He had garnered interest from Toledo and Eastern Michigan out of high school in the 2020 class. In 2021, Gunnar Gundy redshirted but saw late-game action in OSU’s win over TCU. He quarterbacked the Cowboys for the last two drives of the game, one of which was a three-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. The following drive secured a first down, effectively running down the game clock. Despite not making any pass attempts, he did make a single one-yard carry.
His significant contributions began in 2022 when he played in four games, completing 19 passes for a total of 247 yards and scoring three touchdowns. In the current season, he has played in three games, with 21 successful passes totaling 202 yards and one touchdown. Moreover, Gunnar entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer in early December. He has the potential for two more years of eligibility due to an extra season granted to players after the 2020 season. However, it’s still unclear whether Gundy will utilize both years to conclude his career.
Gunnar Gundy is the offspring of famous football coach Mike and Kristen Gundy. He comes from a family with an extensive sports legacy. His father, an Oklahoma State alumnus, has been the head coach since 2005. His uncle, Cale Gundy, had a 23-year stint on the coaching staff at Oklahoma. Additionally, another uncle, Craig Strickland, played football at various institutions and baseball at Southern Nazarene. Chad Strickland, another uncle, played baseball for the Kansas City Royals straight after high school. Jimmy Long, also an uncle, played both baseball and football at Duke, finishing his career at Oklahoma State before being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. Gunnar also has three cousins who played college softball.
