Mike Gundy blasts NCAA decision on Oklahoma State QR codes: 'They don't have any power anymore'

Just hours before Oklahoma State was set to take the field in its season opener, Mike Gundy announced a uniform change. The Cowboys previously shared plans to wear QR codes with a link back to fundraising page of the school’s NIL collective, Pokes With A Purpose, but the program changed course prior to kickoff against South Dakota State.

The reason for the change was a rule about “advertising/commercial marks,” which are not permitted under NCAA rules. Oklahoma State made its disagreement with the “interpretation” of the rule clear, and Gundy doubled down on SiriusXM Friday.

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Gundy saw the NCAA trying to “make a statement” with its decision, he told Rick Neuheisel and Chris Childers. In his eyes, it was a way for the organization to exert some power over the NIL venture.

"Basically if you can't walk and chew gum at the same time, then it's tough to lead, and that's what you're getting right now from the NCAA."@CoachGundy had some harsh words for the NCAA after the QR code initiative was shut down.@ChildersRadio @CoachNeuheisel pic.twitter.com/4kyg1ATkPi

— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) September 6, 2024

“They pulled the uniform code violation on us,” Gundy said. “I’ll be really honest with you, Rick, I think that they do everything they can do now to show that they have a little bit of power. And this was an opportunity for them to say, ‘Okay, we have a little power. We’re gonna make a statement,’ when in theory, you and I both know they don’t have any power anymore.”

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Gundy initially pitched the QR codes as a “GoFundMe” for players, he told Pat McAfee. He saw it as an opportunity for fans to help Oklahoma State’s NIL efforts if they saw a big play in a game – and do so from anywhere in the world.

Mike Gundy: NCAA ‘told me they would punish the player’

When Mike Gundy learned of the NCAA’s decision on the QR codes, he chose to listen and take the QR codes off the helmets. His reasoning was simple.

The NCAA told him there could be punishments coming for the athletes. Although Gundy offered to take the fall, he didn’t want the Oklahoma State players to receive any penalties.

“What I did was, I said, okay, I’m gonna be a soldier,” Gundy said. “I’m gonna listen. I’m gonna do what I’m told. The reason why is this. They have told me that they would punish the player that went on the field with a QR code on their helmet. I tried to get them to punish me because then, we would roll with it and I would say, ‘Punish me. I don’t care.’

“But I’m not gonna allow them to punish a player because those stickers were on their helmets. So, I pulled them off before the first game.”

Just because he took the stickers off, though, doesn’t mean Gundy agreed with the NCAA’s decision. He argued it went against the goals of raising money for NIL collectives, and it’s part of a trend that’s led to the current state of college sports.

“But I’m very disappointed in the fact that we’re trying to migrate toward more revenue sharing for the gladiator sport that we’re in,” Gundy said. “As you know, these guys get beat up and they fight their ass off every day. So we’re trying to reward them, and the NCAA’s trying to go the other way. That’s why we’re in this situation in the first place.

“Basically, if you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, then it’s tough to lead. And that’s what you’re getting right now from the NCAA.”

The landscape could be looking at more shifts, as well. The landmark House v. NCAA settlement could lead college sports into an era with revenue-sharing. Schools started making preparations, as well, by setting up more revenue streams. However, judge Claudia Wilken pushed back on language around NIL collectives and boosters – perhaps casting doubt on an approval.