Eric Morris knew Oklahoma State football needed 'hard reset' for 2026 season
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FRISCO, TX — Not long after he arrived in Stillwater, new Oklahoma State football coach Eric Morris had to take a step back for a realization.
He had played in Boone Pickens Stadium as a wide receiver at Texas Tech. He remembered the paddle people, the noise they create on the tight sidelines.
Morris certainly remembered the success the Cowboys had under longtime coach Mike Gundy.
It had to be an easy selling point for his rebuilt team, right?
Not exactly.
“I had to sit back and realize that there had been kids that are in this program that have been there for two years that hadn't experienced walking in that locker room after winning a conference game,” Morris said. “So that was something really unique for me because my memories were great, and then I had to realize a bunch of our players' memories haven't been great in the recent past.”
On the day Morris arrived in an orange blazer at The Star for Big 12 Football Media Days, he spoke nothing but positives of his new gig.
He has resources he never had at North Texas or Incarnate Word.
He loves Stillwater.
He has a talented roster.
But his biggest goal was to unveil his plan of how he intends to turn the Cowboys — losers of every Big 12 game they’ve played the past two seasons — back into winners.
“Obviously, a ton of success, but we needed a hard reset, I felt like,” Morris said.
Morris pointed to bringing 19 players — including quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins — with him from North Texas. Thirty-five coaches and operations staff members followed him as well.
“They knew what I expected,” Morris said. “They knew the standard. They knew the expectations where, they knew the Xs and Os. All of our position coaches came. So I wasn't worried about that as much as formulating and getting these guys to believe in themselves in the locker room.
“We spent a ton of time breathing confidence into these guys. I think the weight program is a great way to build culture as well, so bringing my strength staff has been good for me as far as all the offseason training we're doing in the summer and spring.”
Eric Morris addresses Oklahoma State football defense
The focus of the Cowboys’ strength since Morris has arrived has been on the offense.
Mestemaker and Hawkins were two of the best at their positions nationally a year ago. Caleb Young was great at receiver Expectations are high for the trio.
But Morris said not to overlook the defense.
It took some time to learn what defense works well with the aggressive offense. But Skyler Cassity, now OSU’s coordinator, tapped into that last season.
Morris pointed to defensive end Jaleel Johnson, linebackers Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney, and the secondary of Quinton Hammonds and LaDainian Fields for this season.
“A bunch of talent and a bunch of people that have played a lot of snaps, although those snaps might not have been Oklahoma State,” Morris said. “I think returning snaps this year in college football we're No. 3 in the whole entire nation. That was something we did intentionally in the portal.
“So, really hoping that that experience pays off for us in Year 1.”
Morris said the reason North Texas had so much success last season was the defense under Cassity and special teams under Drew Svoboda.
“We played great defense last year, and it won us some football games,” Morris said. “… We've been able to change games in the kicking game.”
Oklahoma State resources abound
Morris has spoken fondly of his rise from Incarnate Word and North Texas to Stillwater.
His new home was an emphasis, the small-town feel of a college town similar to his West Texas roots.
But he also opened up about a particular grievance at his previous stops.
“The one thing that's been frustrating for me the last couple years at North Texas and at the G6 level is just the resources to be able to retain talent year in, year out, right?” he said. “That was something I think didn't sit with me well early on.”
Morris said people told him taking the job at Incarnate Word was career suicide. That only motivated him to prove people wrong.
Then he did not have a ton of resources in Denton.
But now he’s taking full advantage of the added resources at OSU.
“I'm not worried,” Morris said. “I get to live and breathe it every single day, and I see this game change people's lives, right? I get to see Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins walk into a new situation they never dreamed about a couple of years ago and watch them have success.”
Eric Morris addresses Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State tenure
Morris was not prompted but he did bring up Gundy, who was fired last season after two-plus decades leading the Cowboys.
“Obviously, you know, my predecessor had an amazing career in Mike Gundy,” Morris said. “I mean, all the respect in the world to how much success that he had there, being somewhere 21 years, and then obviously he was such a great player there.
“Obviously, you know, as a competitor you're always chasing that, and the bar is set pretty high.”
Jacob Unruh is the deputy sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jacob? He can be reached at junruh@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support Jacob's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Eric Morris knew Oklahoma State football needed 'hard reset' for 2026 season
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