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December 23, 2009

OSU coach Mike Gundy faces former coach in Cotton Bowl

Justin Hite

The No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Mississippi Rebels have only faced off once in the storied history of both programs.

But the OSU coaching staff is still pretty familiar with Ole Miss.

In his four years under center at Oklahoma State, Mike Gundy always saw Houston Nutt.

Nutt, the current head coach at Ole Miss, was an assistant under former OSU coach Pat Jones during Gundy’s entire stay in Stillwater.

But strangely enough, Gundy hasn’t said much to his players about the unique coaching matchup.

“He hasn’t really talked about it at all, which is kind of surprising, you think he’d talk about it more,” OSU senior center Andrew Lewis said. “He hasn’t really said anything to us.”

Gundy did say that he has a lot of respect for Nutt after it was announced that the Cowboys would face the Rebels.

“I think he’s a people person and he’s very likeable,” Gundy said. “Players enjoy being around him at practice and I feel like some of the lessons, or things that were instilled in him when he was coaching here, whether it was with Coach Johnson or Coach Jones, when you watch them on tape you’re seeing some of the same mannerisms come in their team.

“It doesn’t surprise me that he’s had as much success as he’s had because I think his players buy into what he’s trying to accomplish.”

Even if Gundy isn’t saying much about the chance to knock off one of the former coaches that put him through drills as a collegian, there is one Cowboy coach who is more than happy to voice his opinion. OSU offensive coordinator has more Ole Miss ties than just about any coach in the country that isn’t coaching the Rebels now.

Gunter Brewer got his first coaching opportunity for the Rebels and his son Keaton attends Ole Miss. Brewer’s father, Billy Brewer, coached at Ole Miss for 10 years.

“We play a team that I have a lot more interest in,” Gunter Brewer said.

Gunter Brewer’s brother and brother-in-law both went to Ole Miss, so there are plenty of requests for tickets to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Jan. 2.

“That’s always the deal that you get,” Brewer said. “Sideline passes and other requests that you get at this time of the year from friends and family.”

Brewer knows that his Dad will be rooting for Oklahoma State. Billy Brewer hasn’t walked the Ole Miss sideline as a coach in nearly 20 years. He has been involved in a few coin tosses this year and Gunter Brewer said, with a smile on his face, his father has put together a great scouting report. Gunter Brewer still goes back in the spring and sits in on meetings and visits with the Ole Miss staff.

In the meantime, his son Keaton knows who he has to root for.

“He knows where his ticket is paid,” Gunter Brewer said. “That won’t be an issue at all.”

“...Keaton will be in orange. He knows where his bread is buttered.”

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