Eric Morris doesn’t have to tiptoe around his freshmen anymore.
That’s the real shift brought on by the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rule, the “five-for-five” setup that gives freshmen entering school this fall five years to use five years of eligibility. With redshirts essentially off the table except in unique circumstances, coaches no longer have to treat every promising first-year player like a fragile project.
For Morris, now at Oklahoma State after stops at Incarnate Word and North Texas, that changes the whole feel of fall camp. He can stop asking which freshmen are worth protecting and start asking which ones are good enough to play.
“I think in this era of college football, especially with no more redshirts, you're gonna put your best foot out there, and whoever gives you the best chance to win on Saturdays it doesn't matter how old they are,” Morris said earlier this week. “I mean, obviously they're gonna have to prove it over the course of the entire camp.
The scrimmages have been great to see those guys actually be out there live without a coach, without a controlled environment around them. But yeah, I think we're going to play whoever gives us the best chance.”
That philosophy has already shown up in the way Morris has talked about camp. He’s mentioned several true freshmen, especially on offense, and he hasn’t had to hedge nearly as much as a coach might have in the past. If they flash now, they can stay in the conversation because there’s no longer the same redshirt calculus hanging over everything.
Among the names drawing attention is quarterback Broderick Vehrs, who Morris has framed as a real contender to back up Drew Mestemaker. At running back, KD Jones arrives with serious pedigree after setting several career records at Jenks, and he’s in the mix for carries behind starter Caleb Hawkins.
The wide receiver room has produced two more early standouts in Jabarie Thompson, who came from La Vega High School in Waco, Texas, and Dayvon Standard, a summer enrollee from Desert Edge in Goodyear, Ariz. Standard is also the second-tallest wide receiver on the roster.
Safety Braeden Presley hasn’t been mentioned as often by Morris this fall, but his path is still worth watching. He’s the younger brother of Brennan Presley, the program legend who set records as a wide receiver, and Oklahoma State has some uncertainty behind the projected starters that could open the door for him.
That gives Morris a group of five freshmen who could see the field quickly. And for a Cowboys team trying to recover from a 1-11 season, the new rule may matter far beyond this fall camp. It could shape how Oklahoma State performs in 2026 and how Morris puts the roster together for what comes next.
In Other News...
Brandon Weeden Saw Something Oklahoma State Fans Will Want To Hear
Brandon Weeden spent time around an Oklahoma State practice under Eric Morris and came away encouraged by what he saw. The former Cowboys quarterback said the session had good energy and efficiency, and he came away with the sense that there is talent on both sides of the ball. He pointed specifically to the quarterback room, while also noting that the defense brought plenty of energy and that the offensive lines performance will matter as the season moves forward.
Weeden also mentioned several skill players who stood out during the workout, including Brodie Vehrs and receivers Justin Bowick, Miles Coleman and Chris Barnes. For Cowboys fans looking for early signs that Morris has the roster pointed in the right direction, it was the kind of feedback that catches attention because it came from someone who knows what the position should look like in Stillwater. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma States Tight End Battle Just Took An Unexpected Turn
Oklahoma States tight end room has become one of the more interesting camp battles under new head coach Eric Morris, and the race has taken a surprising shape. Oregon State transfer Carson Kolb has made enough of an impression in training camp that he is now viewed as the likely starter, ahead of fellow transfers Donovan Green and Oscar Hammond, after standing out with his quick processing and willingness as a blocker.
What makes Kolbs rise notable is the path he has taken to get here. He has not caught a pass over his previous two seasons, but the staff has clearly valued what he has brought in the early going, especially in a role that demands reliability as much as production. The next test will come in scrimmage settings, where Kolb has a chance to turn a strong start into something more permanent and settle a spot that still has a little more sorting out to do. [Read more 🡒]