Sports

Actions

Coach's OAN support angers star Oklahoma State running back

Oklahoma State's star running back threatens not to play over coach’s OAN support
Posted at 7:33 PM, Jun 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-16 15:46:25-04

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard said on Twitter that he won’t do anything with the program until there is "CHANGE."

Hubbard's tweet came after coach Mike Gundy was photographed wearing a t-shirt representing far-right online publication One America News Network.

Gundy is seen in a photograph on Twitter wearing the t-shirt with the letters OAN. The conservative publication is a strong advocate for President Donald Trump.

About five hours after his initial tweet, Hubbard tweeted a video of himself alongside Gundy with the caption "Change is coming I promise you that."

In the video, Gundy said he met with players and realized that “it’s a very sensitive issue with what’s going on in today’s society." He went on to say that the team is looking forward to making some changes and that it starts at the top with him.

Hubbard then says he went about things the wrong way by tweeting.

“I should have went to him as a man and I’m more about action, so that is bad on my part,” said the player. “But for now on, we’re going to focus on bringing change and that’s the most important thing.”

Hubbard, who usually doesn’t Tweet much, has been more active lately since Minneapolis police killed George Floyd. He has been supportive of protests around the world, especially of those in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, near his hometown.

The 21-year-old was the NCAA's rushing leader last season.

KJRH obtained this statement from OSU President Burns Hargis:

"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."

On Tuesday, Hubbard took to Twitter to thank his supporters.

"I was never wrong for saying what I said," Hubbard tweeted. "I am a man, and I realized I should have went to him as a man face to face rather than on twitter. That's my opinion. But I had to hold him accountable either way. I am glad things happened the way they did because things are being changed as we speak!"

"I am a young black man that wants change," Hubbard continued in his tweet. "I want change that will bring a better experience for my black brothers and sisters at Oklahoma State. It's that simple. Over these next few months I have left at Oklahoma State, I will be working EVERYDAY to bring change to this organization and to the world. I will be supported by my teammates along with people within this organization. To everyone else, trust me when I say that good will come from this."