ARLINGTON, Texas — 2023 was a season of chances for Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.
He used the transfer portal, a tool he opposed before. The Cowboys tried three quarterbacks before settling on the one presumed to be the starter before the season. He hired a Division-II defensive coordinator to run a new scheme never seen at OSU. And with one last time to beat Oklahoma, Gundy did.
Most of those decisions paid off. Transfers such as Leon Johnson III became stars, quarterback Alan Bowman’s resilience never wavered and young defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo’s adjustments helped spark five second-half comebacks.