Reports broke Sunday that Oklahoma State football could have turned to Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to take over as head coach if Mike Gundy didn’t restructure his current deal.
“On Saturday, Oklahoma St coach Mike Gundy agreed to restructure his contract to stay,” reported NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on X, formerly Twitter. “If he hadn’t… sources say #Falcons OC Zac Robinson was the school’s top choice to replace him. Robinson, of course, was an OSU star from 2005-09. Robinson could get NFL HC looks, as well.”
Robinson’s tenure with the Falcons has been strong to this point, and hearing that he could get NFL head coaching looks is not a surprise as well. As both college football and the pros head towards a more offensive viewpoint, teams are always looking for the next offensive guru. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Robinson land a head coaching job sooner rather than later if his offense continues to perform. The main question is this: if the Cowboys came calling, would Robinson stay in the NFL? Or would he take over at his alma mater if Gundy, his former coach, is let go?
Could Zac Robinson leave Falcons, join Oklahoma State?
Next season will be Gundy’s 20th at the helm of the Oklahoma State football program. He’s compiled a 169-88 record during his tenure leading his alma mater. The Cowboys were expected to be among the contenders for the Big 12 title. They returned a veteran squad led by star running back Ollie Gordon II, and hated rival Oklahoma left for the SEC.
Instead, numerous gaffes by Gundy and his coaching staff led the team to a 3-9 record, including 0-9 in the conference. The rumblings that the program needed to move on from their head coach have grown louder, especially since he’s struggled to adapt to an ever-changing college football landscape. So, would Robinson be a better choice to lead the Cowboys into the future?
So far, he’s coached just in the NFL. He came up with the Rams, holding numerous coaching roles with the team before accepting the offensive coordinator role in Atlanta this past offseason. He doesn’t have any collegiate experience. Stepping into a full time Power 4 head coaching role would be a big step. Right now, it’s still a pipe dream. Gundy remains in Stillwater, and Robinson is with the Falcons at the moment. If next season ends like this one, don’t surprised to see the Cowboys make a hard push to bring Robinson back home.