Mike Gundy Forced to Take Drastic Measures as He Addresses Hauss Hejny Injury

Mike Gundy is no longer sitting on a comfy throne. He’s fighting to keep his job. Last season’s disastrous 3-9 record destroyed Oklahoma State’s reputation for success and made fans question the coach, who was once a symbol of stability. This collapse necessitated a roster overhaul, damaged his reputation, and significantly increased the pressure for the 2025 season. But Gundy fired back in Week 1, leading the Cowboys to a decisive 27-7 victory against UT Martin. While the win offered a glimmer of hope, it also compelled him to take some bold actions to keep the team’s momentum alive.

Sam Jackson V has moved on from tossing questions about being a “fifth quarterback” since he’s no longer in that position. Having played at TCU, Cal, and Auburn, the former four-star dual-threat QB has transitioned to wide receiver at Oklahoma State. The interesting part? While OSU’s four current quarterbacks haven’t thrown a college pass, Jackson actually has the most experience at the position, having thrown for over 600 yards and 5 touchdowns as a quarterback. It’s quite a story.

Now, in his final season, Jackson is already turning heads with his exceptional play. And his performance against UT Martin shows it. During the second quarter Jackson was about to throw a pass, which shows his skills might be used both ways. And even Mike Gundy’s doubling down on the same. “So there are different ways to do it, you know. We had that play where he can get a football and throw it. You know, you guys know, he played all your quarterbacks on the West Coast and then played a little bit at TCU. So you should be able to use it different ways,” Gundy said after the game in a media interaction.

Mike Gundy talks about wanting to use Sam Jackson V in different ways with his experience as a QB. #OKState pic.twitter.com/BLeGRgvKik

— Ivan White (@ivanbball13) August 29, 2025

But that success came at a price. Freshman quarterback Hauss Hejny started strong, leading two touchdown drives in three possessions, adding a rushing score and a pass to Gavin Freeman. However, he suffered a lower-body injury and didn’t return. Zane Flores took over and kept the offense afloat, but it struggled. Gundy’s team secured the win, though the performance became lackluster after the first quarter.

Worst part? There’s no sure timeline of his return as Oklahoma State’s insider Eric Bailey hits X with Mike Gundy’s update on Hejny’s situation. “I won’t give injury updates either way … I never know on those until the next day anyway … I’ll know more on him later. I thought he played good (when he was in). It was effective, made plays w/his legs, which he was what he does.” Looks like Gundy’s job got a lot harder despite the win.

This is a developing story…

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