Oklahoma State football coach responds after star running back Chuba Hubbard calls for change

Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy on Monday said he's "looking forward to making some changes" after his star running back called him out for wearing a T-shirt branded with the logo of a right-wing news outlet.

The comment came just hours after Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State's running back, called out Gundy on Twitter for wearing a One America News network (OAN) T-shirt.

"I will not stand for this," Hubbard tweeted on Monday, linking to a photo of Gundy in the shirt. "This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it's unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE."

OAN has been regularly promoted by President Donald Trump on his Twitter feed because of how the channel frames him in a flattering light. The network offers viewers right-wing conspiracy theories and pro-Trump commentary mixed in with wire video news packages that are sometimes skewed to fit its editorial viewpoint.

In a follow-up tweet Monday, Hubbard posted a video of him and Gundy addressing the public.

"In light of today's tweet with the T-shirt I was wearing, I met with some players and realized it's a very sensitive issue with what's going on in today's society," Gundy said.

The coach said it was a great meeting, adding, "I'm looking forward to making some changes, and it starts at the top with me, and we've got good days ahead."

Hubbard, who in 2019 was named an unanimous All-American, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, said he went about things the wrong way by tweeting.

"That was bad on my part," Hubbard, who finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, said, "but from now on we're going to focus on bringing change, and that's the most important thing."

Hubbard added in another tweet, "No don't get it twisted. Foots still on the gas. Results are coming. It's not over."

Support from OSU community

Gundy has praised OAN in the past. During a news conference in April in which he talked about the team's options for returning amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gundy called OAN's coverage "refreshing."

"They just report the news. There's no commentary. There's no opinions. There's no left. There's no right," Gundy said, according to Yahoo News.

After posting his initial tweet, Hubbard received support from teammate and team captain Amen Ogbongbemiga as well as current Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill.

"OSU Athletics and University need major change. 100% support brotha," tweeted Hill, who played at OSU from 2016-2018 under Gundy.

Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis quickly addressed the situation Monday evening, tweeting, "I hear and respect the concerns expressed by our Black student-athletes. This is a time for unity of purpose to confront racial inequities and injustice. We will not tolerate insensitive behavior by anyone at Oklahoma State."

Oklahoma State Athletic Director Mike Holder also responded in a statement Monday, saying, “This afternoon has been very disturbing. The tweets from the current and former players are of grave concern.”