When Arkansas and Oklahoma State meet Saturday morning in Stillwater, it will be one of the first in-person encounters between respective head coaches Sam Pittman and Mike Gundy.
While the two do not have a noteworthy personal relationship, Pittman has always appreciated Gundy from afar, in part thanks to his often appointment television press conferences.
“I always get a kick out of listening to Coach Gundy’s press conferences because he’s blunt and to the point,” Pittman said. “He is who he is, so I have a lot of respect for that.
“He can catch a little heat for it, and I don’t think he much cares. I think he just is who he is. I’ve always had respect for him as a man. But then you go watch his teams play. They’re always prepared and they play hard as hell. A lot of fun to watch.”
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Gundy has had his share of viral press conference moments during his long tenure at Oklahoma State, which certainly adds entertainment value, but his off-the-cuff approach in general is also a change of pace from the norm.
In fact, Gundy proved Pittman’s point during his Monday media availability when he offered a quip about having his dogs on the lookout if Arkansas’ coaching staff was lurking around Stillwater.
“He’s been at Oklahoma, but I think when he was at Oklahoma I was at Maryland,” Gundy said. “I had seen him before. Know people that know him more so than me. He’s a lot older than me. I say that jokingly. But people I know that know him speak very highly of him as a person and a football coach.
“He must be out there right now. I told Kenzie and Ginger to bark if they saw Coach Pittman or Coach Petrino.”
Arkansas and Oklahoma State are set for an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff on Saturday from Boone Pickens Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ABC.
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