OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - For Mike Gundy, part of becoming a better coach was learning to let go.
Once he yielded control of his offense and defense to his coordinators, he found himself better able to deal with all the day-to-day decisions that come with being the man in charge of a major college football program.
With first-year offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen leading what would become the nation's third-highest scoring offense and Bill Young in charge of a defense that created 30 turnovers, Gundy was able to see the big picture and add his influence wherever his inexperienced Cowboys needed it.
The result: the first 10-win regular season in school history and Gundy's selection Tuesday as The Associated Press' Big 12 coach of the year.
"I'm humbled by it and I think that it's an award for our coaching staff," Gundy said in a telephone interview. "They've had a great year."
The 16th-ranked Cowboys (10-2, 6-2 Big 12) were picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 South after losing their starting quarterback, two NFL first-round draft picks and numerous starters but instead shared the division title with Oklahoma and Texas A&M.