Eric Morris Is Showing Oklahoma State Exactly How He Plans to Build a Winner
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Thirty pages.
That's how many pages of notes Eric Morris already has on Tulsa.
Oklahoma State's season opener is still weeks away.
He's already approaching the same amount on Oregon too.
If you want to understand how Oklahoma State's new head coach operates, that probably tells you everything you need to know.
Morris isn't waiting until game week to start preparing.
He's up before sunrise watching film.
He's studying opponents weeks in advance.
He's collaborating with his quarterback on the play sheet.
He's staying connected to the defense despite calling the offense.
He's paying attention to details as specific as how much weight players lose during practice.
The more we learn about Morris, the clearer his philosophy becomes.
Preparation isn't simply something Oklahoma State does before games.
It's becoming part of the program's identity.
Thirty Pages Before the Season Even Begins
Morris already having around 30 pages of notes on Tulsa is impressive.
It also provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a play-caller.
He's not simply watching film to identify formations.
He's looking for tendencies.
Matchups.
Situations.
Potential weaknesses.
Answers to problems Oklahoma State hasn't even encountered yet.
Then comes Oregon, another opponent Morris is already studying extensively despite that matchup still being weeks away.
You can't prepare for everything that will happen on a Saturday.
Morris certainly appears determined to get as close as possible.
The Work Starts Before Sunrise
Then there's his schedule.
Morris said he's typically in his chair between 4:30 and 5 a.m. watching film.
Think about that.
While most people are still sleeping, Oklahoma State's head coach is already dissecting an opponent.
And the film study doesn't necessarily end when he leaves the facility.
Technology allows Morris to take cut-ups home and continue working after putting his kids to bed.
That doesn't guarantee Oklahoma State will win football games.
Nothing does.
But it establishes a standard.
When the head coach is willing to prepare at that level, it's difficult to ask anything less from everyone around him.
But Morris Isn't a Control Freak
This might be the most important part.
For all the preparation Morris puts into his offense, he's still willing to listen.
Every Thursday, Drew Mestemaker gives Morris a list of plays he likes and doesn't like.
And if his quarterback isn't comfortable with something?
Morris is willing to remove it.
Even if Morris himself loves the call.
That says a lot about his approach.
Great play-callers don't simply ask:
What play do I want to call?
They ask:
What can my players execute confidently?
There's a major difference.
Morris appears to understand it.
Trusting Your Players Matters
This also connects directly to what we've learned about the relationship between Morris and Mestemaker.
Trust works both ways.
Mestemaker trusts Morris to put him in positions to succeed.
Morris trusts Mestemaker enough to listen when his quarterback tells him something isn't working.
That's not weakness from a head coach.
It's awareness.
Morris knows the play sheet ultimately belongs to the players executing it.
If the quarterback doesn't believe in a call, why force it simply because the coach likes the design?
That collaborative approach could become one of Oklahoma State's biggest offensive strengths.
Trust Extends to the Coaching Staff
That philosophy doesn't stop with the quarterback.
Defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity has significant autonomy over his side of the football.
Morris is an offensive-minded head coach and will remain heavily involved in calling that side of the game.
But he's not ignoring the defense.
He communicates with Cassity.
He checks in with the defensive staff.
He wants to understand how individual players are developing.
He's even made an effort to understand the terminology being used on that side of the ball.
That's another important balance.
Delegate responsibility.
Trust the people you hired.
Never become disconnected from half of your football team.
Even the Shakes Matter
Then there's perhaps the most unusual detail of Morris' process.
The shakes.
Players are weighed before practice.
They're weighed again afterward.
And they're checked once more before the team's nighttime meeting.
If a player hasn't regained the weight he lost?
He's staying at the facility and drinking shakes until the staff is satisfied with his recovery.
It might sound like a small detail.
It's not.
Fall camp takes a physical toll.
Hydration matters.
Nutrition matters.
Recovery matters.
Morris clearly doesn't want something preventable affecting Oklahoma State's preparation.
Again, everything comes back to attention to detail.
This Is What Culture Actually Looks Like
We hear coaches talk about "culture" constantly.
Usually, it becomes some slogan printed across a wall inside the football facility.
Real culture is much less glamorous.
It's showing up before sunrise.
It's studying an opponent weeks before you play them.
It's listening when your quarterback tells you he doesn't like a play.
It's trusting your defensive coordinator while remaining involved.
It's making sure players properly recover after practice.
Culture isn't what a coach says during an introductory press conference.
It's what a program repeatedly does when nobody is watching.
We're beginning to understand what Morris wants those habits to look like at Oklahoma State.
Preparation Doesn't Guarantee Success
There's also an important distinction.
Thirty pages of notes won't guarantee Oklahoma State beats Tulsa.
Getting to the office before 5 a.m. won't guarantee a Big 12 championship.
Giving Mestemaker input on the play sheet won't guarantee the offense scores 40 points every Saturday.
Late-night recovery shakes won't guarantee players stay healthy.
Preparation doesn't guarantee success.
But poor preparation can certainly prevent it.
Morris appears determined to eliminate as many avoidable disadvantages as possible.
Final Thoughts
We're still learning who Eric Morris is as Oklahoma State's head coach.
However, every new glimpse behind the scenes is beginning to paint a clearer picture.
He's meticulous.
He's collaborative.
He's demanding.
He's willing to trust the people around him.
That's an interesting combination.
We won't know whether his approach translates into victories until Saturdays arrive.
However, we're beginning to understand the process Oklahoma State believes will produce them.
Eric Morris isn't simply installing a new offense in Stillwater.
He's establishing a new standard for how the entire program prepares.
If Oklahoma State eventually returns to competing near the top of the Big 12, don't overlook all those little details that helped get the Cowboys there.
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