When Miles was hired, he shifted some of his proposed salary into his staff search, to help attract the assistants he wanted.
It was an unselfish move. And a smart move.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Oklahoma State University (OSU) coach Les Miles, right, and defensive coach Doug Mallory react in the closing minutes of the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Friday, Jan. 2, 2004. Mississippi University (Ole Miss) won, 31-28. (AP Photo/Tim Sharp)
Multimedia
NewsOK Related Articles
-
What OSU coach Mike Gundy looks for in recruits
07/09/2011 One of the great aspects of Mike Gundy's program has been quality evaluation. It seems like Gundy and his coaching staff find recruiting gems each season....
-
Honesty with the players is a core of Mike Gundy's program
07/09/2011 A core principle of Mike Gundy's program is honesty with Oklahoma State players and recruits. The Cowboy head coach strives for fairness and honesty when...
-
Coach Mike Gundy has elevated Oklahoma State's football program
07/09/2011 STILLWATER — Nobody deserves more credit for Oklahoma State's rise on the college football landscape than Mike Gundy.
The Cowboys' first-class...
-
Boone Pickens' commitment never wavered despite major setback in 2008
07/02/2011 Oklahoma State's dreams of build an athletic village took a major hit in 2008 when the Cowboy investment fund lost over $250 million, forcing the plans for...
-
Boone Pickens gets his money's worth out of OSU donation
07/02/2011 STILLWATER —When Joe DeForest learned of Boone Pickens' $165 million gift to Oklahoma State in 2005, one thought immediately came into the mind of the...
-
What they're saying about OSU donor Boone Pickens: ‘it was kind of the perfect storm'
07/02/2011 Offensive coordinator Todd Monken: “Boone, and a number of others who stepped forward, made a commitment to changing the face of the football program. I...
-
OSU's first-class facilities help secure commitment from QB Wes Lunt
07/02/2011 Searching for a tangible example of the impact first-class facilities can make? Look no further than recent Oklahoma State commitment Wes Lunt of Rochester...
-
The story behind Boone Pickens' $165 million donation to OSU
06/25/2011 STILLWATER — Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder was relentless in his pursuit to acquire money for the Cowboy football program. When deciding...
-
Improved facilities come with increased expectations for OSU football and Mike Gundy
06/25/2011 Former Oklahoma State coach Pat Jones understands how difficult it can be when you don't have the means to compete with the nation's best. “It wasn't...
-
OSU athletic director Mike Holder repeatedly turned failure into opportunity
06/25/2011 STILLWATER — Failure is a word that immediately brings negative thoughts into the mind. Yet, failure has played a critical role in Oklahoma State's rise...
-
OSU's key players during Les Miles era included Billy Bajema, Corey Hilliard
06/18/2011 Les Miles inherited several key players from former OSU coach Bob Simmons — Tatum Bell, Rashaun Woods, Kevin Williams, Greg Richmond, Sam Mayes and others...
-
Key moments for OSU during the Les Miles era
06/18/2011 Key moments as Les Miles led the Cowboys out of the dark disappointment of the final Bob Simmons years and toward a brighter future: Nov. 24, 2001: OSU 16,...
-
OSU football program's rise started with Les Miles
06/18/2011 The efforts of four men were key to the Cowboys' ascension, but it started with Les Miles, who initiated the rise with a change in attitude, direction and...
-
Collected Wisdom: OSU offensive coordinator Todd Monken
06/18/2011 Age: 45 Residence: Stillwater Todd Monken might be Oklahoma State's new offensive coordinator, but his influence on the program's rise to Big 12 and...
Of Miles' early staff members, three are currently in place as key figures in the continued growth of the program, including head coach Mike Gundy.
Gundy. The former Cowboys quarterback was a finalist for the job when Miles was hired. In a stroke of genius, then-athletic director Terry Don Phillips brought both on board, with Gundy hired to serve as Miles' offensive coordinator. That worked out well.
Joe DeForest. Along with Gundy, DeForest has been at OSU for all 10 seasons of the Cowboys' renaissance, first serving under Miles and then retained as a key member of Gundy's first staff when Miles tried to lure him to Baton Rouge. DeForest is considered a strong defensive backs coach, a dynamic recruiter and one of the nation's top special teams minds.
Todd Monken. When Darrell Wyatt left as wide receivers coach — for, gasp, OU — after just one season, Miles brought in Monken, who molded Rashaun Woods and John Lewis and others into big-play wideouts. Monken went to LSU with Miles before stepping into the NFL, but has returned to the Cowboys as offensive coordinator.
Prev
