Eric Morris has already lived through one of the more unforgettable special teams misfires you’ll hear from a coach.
Now in charge at Oklahoma State, Morris is working with Australian punter Lachie Pozzobon after bringing him over from Stephen F. Austin, where Pozzobon spent his freshman year and helped the Lumberjacks reach the FCS playoffs.
Before last season, Pozzobon had never played American football, which is hardly unusual for Australian punters who make the jump to the U.S. Their backgrounds often come from rugby or Australian rules football, and those skills carry over to the punting game.
That was the setup for a Tuesday media session in which Morris was asked if he had ever coached another Australian punter. He had, and the answer led straight to one of the funniest game-day stories of his coaching career.
Back in 2018, Morris was a first-time head coach at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The Cardinals were nearing the end of a win over Abilene Christian - their second victory of the season - and were clinging to a 10-point lead.
Morris knew exactly what had to be avoided: a punt return touchdown. So he gave his punter, David Balcomb, one simple instruction.
He wanted the ball out of bounds.
Balcomb, an Australian from Gordon, delivered the idea a little too literally.
“He literally catches it. He walks straight sideways, minus 14-yard punt, straight into the stands,” Morris said.
“You can see me on tape. I fell to my knees, like holy smokes.”
Morris said he believes the mix-up came from a rugby concept, where the ball can be kicked out of bounds to reset play. In American football, though, that decision handed Abilene Christian about 15 yards of favorable field position and left Morris with a flood of criticism afterward.
“I had like some of the worst text messages I've ever had in my life - how dumb I was as a coach,” he said. “Especially for my family that were watching this game live on TV. So, I've learned from that you have to explain sometimes.”
Pozzobon figures to avoid that kind of confusion. He’s been in American football for a year now, and Morris should have a much clearer idea of what to expect on punt team this season.
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Orurus decision matters not just because he is viewed as one of the better offensive line prospects in the state, but because it signals the Cowboys are making real headway in a space that can shape the programs future. Oklahoma State has spent considerable time on relationship-building across the state, and landing a player of Orurus profile suggests those efforts are starting to show up on the recruiting trail. [Read more 🡒]