Oklahoma football assistant resigns after using offensive language

Oklahoma assistant head football coach Cale Gundy announced his resignation Sunday after using offensive language during a film session last week.

Gundy, who had been with the program as an assistant since 1999, made the announcement in a social media post on Sunday, and the school confirmed it with a statement shortly thereafter.

Gundy apologized in his post. He said he noticed a player was distracted while he was supposed to be taking notes, so he picked up the athlete’s iPad and read the words on the screen aloud. He acknowledged that he said a word that he “should never — under any circumstance — have uttered,” and said he was “horrified” when he realized what he had done.

“What I said was not malicious; it wasn’t even intentional,” Gundy said. “Still, I am mature enough to know that the word I said was shameful and hurtful, no matter what my intentions.”

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said in a statement that those associated with the program are “all accountable for our actions and the resulting outcomes.”

“It’s with sadness that I accept coach Gundy’s resignation,” Venables said. “He’s dedicated more than half his life to Oklahoma football and has served our program and university well. We’re thankful for that commitment.”

Gundy was on staff for all 14 of the Sooners’ Big 12 titles and the national championship season in 2000. He spent the past seven seasons coaching wide receivers after spending the previous 16 seasons coaching running backs. He was one of the holdovers when Venables took over as head coach in December 2021.

Gundy also played quarterback for Oklahoma from 1990-1993.

Venables said L’Damian Washington, who had been an offensive analyst, will coach receivers on an interim basis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.