Oklahoma State heads into Wednesday night’s first player availability report with one defensive name worth watching: safety Mose Phillips III.
Phillips exited Saturday’s game against UCF with a shoulder issue, according to Cowboys Radio Network during the broadcast. He was seen with a shoulder sleeve in the second half and did get his pads back on, but he never made it back onto the field.
After the game, Cowboys head coach Eric Morris sounded optimistic when asked about Phillips. By Tuesday, he was less certain, though he still didn’t spell out the extent of the injury.
“We'll see this week how he develops with the shoulder,” Morris said. “So I don't know on Mose yet.”
Phillips wasn’t listed as a starter when the season’s initial depth chart came out, but he worked his way into the starting spot at boundary safety before the Oregon game. The senior arrived with three years of college experience, spending two seasons at Virginia Tech and one at Missouri.
His production had started to climb. Through five games, Phillips had 23 tackles - 10 solo and 13 assists - along with three passes defended. He also picked off a pass against West Virginia, a turnover that swung the game in Oklahoma State’s favor.
If Phillips can’t go, the Cowboys have a clear next man up in Evan Jackson. Jackson started the opener against Tulsa, then settled into a backup role, but he made one of the biggest plays of the UCF game with a scoop-and-score after a backward pass led to a fumble, giving Oklahoma State a 35-21 lead in the fourth quarter.
Jackson’s season numbers are modest - four tackles - but he brings familiarity with defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity’s 4-2-5 scheme. At North Texas last season, he started one game under Cassity and posted 44 tackles, including 28 solo stops, plus two interceptions and two pass break-ups.
His 2024 season was even bigger before Cassity arrived at North Texas. Jackson started nine of 13 games and finished with 55 tackles, 38 of them solo, while adding three interceptions.
That track record gives Oklahoma State a potential lift if Jackson has to take on a larger role. He’s shown he can create turnovers, and that matters for a defense that hasn’t been generating enough of them this season.
For now, the Cowboys wait on Phillips and keep Jackson ready.
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