Sooners assistant Cale Gundy resigns over 'shameful' word

8/8/2022 11:10:21 AM EST

Oklahoma wide receivers coach Cale Gundy resigned Sunday night after reading aloud a "shameful and hurtful" word off the screen of a player's iPad.

Gundy, 50, has been an assistant coach at his alma mater since 1999, making him the longest-tenured football coach in the Big 12, according to ESPN.

In a film session last week, Gundy apparently picked up an iPad from a distracted player and read the unspecified words written on the screen.

"The unfortunate reality is that someone in my position can cause harm without ever meaning to do so," Gundy posted on Twitter on Sunday night. "In that circumstance, a man of character accepts accountability. I take responsibility for this mistake. I apologize."

Gundy said he was "horrified" when he realized what he had spoken.

"I want to very clear: the words I read aloud from that screen were not my words. What I said was not malicious; it wasn't even intentional," he wrote. "Still, I am mature enough to know that the word I said was shameful and hurtful, no matter my intentions."

OU coach Brent Venables issued a statement on Monday calling the process of "dealing with Coach Gundy resigning from the program" painful.

"It doesn't touch the experience of pain felt by a room full of young men I am charged to protect, lead and love," Venables said. "There are a few things I would like to address. Coach Gundy resigned from the program because he knows what he did was wrong. He chose to read aloud to his players, not once but multiple times, a racially charged word that is objectionable to everyone, and does not reflect the attitude and values of our university or our football program. This is not acceptable. Period. Coach Gundy did the right thing in resigning. He knows our goals for excellence and that coaches have special responsibilities to set an example."

Gundy, who played quarterback for the Sooners from 1990-93, is the younger brother of Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy.

"I recognize this is a critical moment for Oklahoma football," Gundy wrote. "This team -- its coaches, players, administration and fans -- do not deserve to be distracted by off-the-field matters while working to continue the tradition of excellence that makes me so proud to be a Sooner.

"Naturally, I leave these sidelines heavy hearted. Coaching this football team truly has been my life's passion."

Venables said offensive analyst L'Damian Washington will replace Gundy on an interim basis.

The Sooners open the season against UTEP on Sept. 3 in Norman, Okla.

--Field Level Media

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