The Oklahoma Sooners have parted ways with long-time assistant Cale Gundy after he resigned from his post on Sunday night. Gundy, who was also the Sooners’ wide receivers coach at the time of his resignation, stepped down following an admission that he said “a word that I should never — under any circumstance — have uttered” during a film session. Cincinnati Bengals running back and former Oklahoma football star Joe Mixon expressed shock over Cale Gundy’s resignation while also making a strong statement backing his former coach’s integrity.

“If not for Coach Gundy I would not have attended OU, survived at OU, stayed at OU, and succeeded in life after OU. I owe my education and professional career to him and most importantly I owe who I am as a person to him. Most importantly Coach Gundy is not, and I repeat is not a racist in any way nor has a racist bone in his body, mind, or soul.”