Million-Dollar Coach Dubbed as Mike Gundy Replacement for Whom $100M Extension Was Demanded

Oklahoma State has officially parted ways with Mike Gundy after 21 seasons. The announcement came on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, ending an era. Gundy leaves as the winningest coach in program history, boasting a 170-90 record and leading the Cowboys to a Big 12 title in 2011. But the past two seasons were rough. In 2024, OSU went 3-9, failing to win a conference game, and the 2025 campaign got off to a poor 1-2 start. The university will pay Gundy a $15 million buyout, and now the search for a replacement is on. Amid the chatter, one name keeps popping up, Enter: BYU defensive mastermind Jay Hill.

On September 23, college football insider Wilson Ball hopped onto X and said, “There’s a serious likelihood that Oklahoma State sets its sights on a defensive-minded coach in their head coaching search. If that’s the case, BYU’s Jay Hill will be a top target for the Cowboys.” A defensive minded head coach is something Oklahoma State haven’t experienced in a couple of decades.

If Oklahoma State really wants to leave behind its offense-first style, Jay Hill looks like the perfect fit. He was the coach who took over a weak defense at BYU and turned it into one of the toughest in the country. Hill was coaching at Weber State since 2014 before joining BYU in 2022. At Weber, Hill had a 68-39 record along with four Big Sky championships. He became the winningest coach in program history and won six Division-I FCS playoff games. In 2022, as Hill was starting his new role, BYU’s defense was near the very bottom of the rankings. By 2024, Hill’s group was leading the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding teams to just 19.6 points per game.

Last season, BYU’s defense put on a strong show. They went after the ball, finishing first in the league in turnovers forced and giving up only 308 yards a game. Hill’s defense was hard to figure out, with different looks, surprise blitzes, and changing coverages. The 2025 campaign has only strengthened his résumé. Heading into Week 5, BYU sits second nationally in overall defense, they only surrendered 205.3 yards per game.

The problem is supply and demand. His value is higher than ever, and he’s already making over a million a year with the BYU deal he signed in 2022. The Cougars will do everything possible to stop him from leaving. Former BYU punter Jonny Linehan even joked on X: “Get Jay Hill a $100M contract. Never let this man leave. Pay his tithing. Let him sin. I don’t care. Do what you need to do to keep him at BYU forever.” Of course, Oklahoma State won’t pay $100 million. But it also won’t be easy to take Hill away from BYU.

BYU plans to start Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland to ball against the Colorado Buffaloes

BYU is also set to bolster its defensive line with Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland, a senior defensive tackle. Kirkland missed Fall Camp due to a knee injury but started practicing during BYU’s bye week. DC Hill told Coordinator’s Corner, “We expect him to be back this week. That will be a huge addition just to solidify our defensive line that’s already played pretty well this year. So he’ll be a big addition to what we’re doing.”

Kirkland’s journey has been interesting. He transferred from Oklahoma State in the spring, after two seasons with the Cowboys and prior time at Utah Tech. He was projected to start for OSU in 2025, but instead he moved back home to play for BYU. In 2024, PFF rated him as the fourth-best defender on Oklahoma State’s roster. He played 368 snaps, recorded six quarterback pressures, one sack, and 13 total stops, also boasting the team’s best run defense grade.

At BYU, he’ll join a defensive line already near the top nationally against the run, allowing just 44 rushing yards per game, second only to Minnesota. Kirkland was expected to start alongside Keanu Tanuvasa, but John Taumoepeau has held that role excellently. The question for Cougars fans is whether this defense can sustain itself if OSU makes some moves and poaches their beloved DC away.