Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard and head coach Mike Gundy reconciled Monday after the running back threatened to boycott the team in the wake of a photo surfacing showing the coach wearing a One America News Network T-shirt.
Numerous current and former Cowboys players backed Hubbard’s stance on social media, prompting statements from the school’s athletic director and president, then leading to meetings between Gundy and his players. Gundy and Hubbard later posted a video in which they both spoke and made amends.
OAN, a conservative network frequently cited by President Donald Trump, has been widely criticized for allegedly promoting propaganda and conspiracy theories.
In his initial tweet Monday referencing Gundy’s shirt, Hubbard wrote, “I will not stand for this. This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE.”
Later Monday, Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said in a statement, “This afternoon has been very disturbing. The tweets from the current and former players are of grave concern.”
University president Burns Hargis added on Twitter, “I hear and respect the concerns expressed by our Black student-athletes. This is a time for unity of our purpose to confront racial inequities and injustice. We will not tolerate insensitive behavior by anyone at Oklahoma State.”
Not long after those statements, Hubbard posted a video on Twitter with he and Gundy speaking.
Gundy spoke first, saying, “In light of today’s tweet with the T-shirt I was wearing, I met with some players and realized it’s a very sensitive issue with what’s going on in today’s society. And so we had a great meeting, and made aware of some things that players feel like can make our organization, our culture even better than it is here at Oklahoma State.
“I’m looking forward to making some changes, and it starts at the top with me, and we got good days ahead.”
Hubbard followed by apologizing for the manner in which he brought up the issue.
“I want to start off by first saying I went about it the wrong way by tweeting,” Hubbard said. “I’m not someone that has to tweet something to bring change — I should have went to him as a man, and I’m more about action. So that was bad on my part. But from now on, we’re gonna focus on bringing change, and that’s the most important thing.”
The coach and running back then shook hands and hugged.
Hubbard tweeted afterward, “No don’t get it twisted. Foots still on the gas. Results are coming. It’s not over.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Hubbard led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards and topped the Big 12 with 21 rushing touchdowns. He was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. Hubbard, who is Canadian, finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2019.
Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill, who played at Oklahoma State from 2016-18, voiced his support for Hubbard after Monday’s initial demand for change. “OSU Athletics and University need major change. 100% support brotha,” Hill tweeted.
Oklahoma State offensive tackle Teven Jenkins chimed in Monday afternoon via Twitter.
“As an O-line we stand and support Chuba,” Jenkins wrote.
Senior linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and cornerback A.J. Green — who is now with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent — also supported Hubbard.
The photo of Gundy in question was dated June 10 after an apparent fishing trip on Lake Texoma, situated on the Red River between Oklahoma and Texas.
Gundy, 52, has been the head coach of the Cowboys since 2005. He has compiled a 129-64 record while leading Oklahoma State to 14 consecutive bowl games.
