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Even nonsports fans knew how old Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy was by the end of last season.

"Come after me. I'm a man! I'm 40!" Gundy shouted at a newspaper columnist after what Gundy deemed an unfair story about former OSU quarterback Bobby Reid.

One thing was lost in all the one-liners and parodies after the infamous rant: Gundy made the right decision at quarterback.

He benched Reid, one of the highest-profile recruits in OSU history, for then-sophomore Zac Robinson. All Robinson did was throw for 2,824 yards, rush for 847 more, complete 23 touchdown passes with only nine interceptions and set the school's single-game passing record (430 yards) in a heartbreaking loss to Texas. It was a record previously held by Gundy.

"The only other guy in the country to throw and run as well as Zac was Tim Tebow at Florida, and he won the Heisman Trophy," Gundy said. "So I think the decision to replace Bobby with Zac was a good decision. We don't always make the right decision, but I think that one was the right one."

Gundy has led Oklahoma State to two straight postseason victories, the most recent coming in a 49-33 thumping of Indiana in the Insight Bowl. The offense was the most balanced in the country last season, averaging 243 yards rushing and passing.

Larry Fedora, who called plays on offense the last three years, has become head coach at Southern Mississippi. But Gundy says new coordinator Gunter Brewer will continue "a fast-break offense."

And while some may see the departures of running back Dantrell Savage and receiver Adarius Bowman as major hits, Gundy has recruited well enough to reload at those positions and may finally be two-deep in the offensive line.

But offense has never been the problem under Gundy. The problem has been defense ... and holding onto leads.

Last season, OSU led Texas A&M in College Station, 17-0, early and 20-10 in the fourth quarter before losing, 24-23. The Cowboys led Texas in Stillwater, 21-0, early and 35-14 in the fourth before losing, 38-35, on a last-second field goal.

If OSU had held onto those two leads, the Cowboys would have been 6-2 in the Big 12 South (same as first-place Oklahoma) instead of 4-4.

AP

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy held fourth-quarter leads against Texas A&M and Texas last season only to lose both games.

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"We were ahead in both games," Gundy said. "We should have won the Texas game for sure. That was my fault as the coach. We should have just sat on the ball and used the clock on offense and played soft on defense, but we didn't."

The Longhorns have made big comebacks against Oklahoma State in three of their last four meetings.

"We were in position to win the game, and we didn't finish," Gundy said. "I think I learned as a coach, as much as the players needed to learn, how to handle the game.

"We gave up two big passes and a big run and didn't convert a couple first downs on offense. But it was my fault as the coach in how I handled the game from the final three minutes of the third quarter to the end of the game. I only hope our players will put me in the same position again as a coach to be able to finish off a team that's as good as Texas or Texas A&M."

The question is how patient will Oklahoma State benefactor T. Boone Pickens be with Gundy? The fourth-year coach has yet to post a winning record in conference play (9-18 in three seasons). Pickens' donations for athletic department improvements have grown to more than $300 million. Gundy has big salaries for assistants, a new stadium with gleaming facilities and even 8-foot mattresses for his players.

Pickens remains publicly supportive of Gundy. But Pickens is also bottom line about return on investment. And that's one huge investment.

It will be hard to win big if OSU is giving up 29.5 points per game, 155.8 yards rushing and a Big 12-worst 287.2 yards per game passing. Those were the distressing defensive totals allowed in 2007.

"We weren't very good on defense last year," Gundy said. "And I think our coaches and players would tell you that. We've worked hard to build up our depth. A lot of times people think we can win at Oklahoma State on offense. But we know to win a championship, you have to play defense. There's no question in my mind with the addition of the recruiting class we just signed, we're better on defense."

That's good because Pickens is banking on it.