BREAKING BRAD: Plenty of blame to go around for OSU losing a coach it loved

STILLWATER – In OSU's Heritage Hall, amid the NCAA championship trophies and the Final Four banners and Henry Iba's revered chair, Brad Underwood talked about the basketball job for which he seemed perfect.

“I've been here one year,” Underwood said. “I don't know who wants me. But I know I'm the basketball coach at Oklahoma State. I'm going to be here until they put me in the ground or something else happens.”

Exactly two weeks later, something else happened. Underwood became the coach at Illinois, and OSU basketball is left staggered and wounded.

What happened? How did the Cowboys go from a “dream come true” coach – athletic director Mike Holder's words – to virtual despair, knowing that a fit like Underwood, third generation from the House of Iba, will be impossible to find? How did Underwood go from talking emotionally about coaching in Gallagher-Iba Arena to suddenly wearing a slighter shade of orange?