Mike Gundy Named Bear Bryant Coach of the Year

HOUSTON, Texas -- Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy was named the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Thursday at the Bear Bryant award dinner in Houston, Texas.

Gundy led the Cowboys to unprecedented success this season, with OSU claiming its first 12-win season in school history, capped off by a win in a 41-38 overtime thriller over the Stanford Cardinal in the Fiesta Bowl. The trip to Arizona marked Oklahoma State's first BCS bowl appearance in school history, after narrowly missing out on a chance to play LSU in the National Championship.

Under Gundy, OSU has shown steady improvement since his inaugural season in 2004, winning at least nine games in each of the last four seasons, along with back-to-back bowl wins.

Gundy joins the likes of Joe Paterno, Lou Holtz and Bill Snyder in claiming the award, given by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.