Oklahoma State’s new quarterback isn’t arriving in Stillwater as some mystery project. Drew Mestemaker is coming in with a résumé, a reputation and, according to Eric Morris, the same personality he had before the spotlight hit.
Morris has spent three years building a connection with Mestemaker, first at North Texas and now at Oklahoma State, and the pairing has already shaped the Cowboys’ latest reset. Mestemaker walked on at North Texas in 2024 with no scholarship offer, waited his turn, then took over in 2025 and made Morris’ Air Raid hum. He led all FBS quarterbacks in passing yards, won the Burlsworth Trophy and put together a season that put his name in the national conversation.
His numbers were loud: 4,372 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a North Texas team that finished 12-2 and came close to winning the American Conference title. Mestemaker also topped the country in four passing categories and landed in the top 10 in several more.
At Oklahoma State, the challenge is bigger and the setup looks different, but the relationship remains the same. Morris brought Mestemaker with him to Stillwater, and nearly 20 North Texas teammates followed too, including wide receiver Wyatt Young and running back Caleb Hawkins. Morris has overhauled the roster with nearly 90 new transfers, leaving only a small group of Cowboys from last season in place.
Even with all that change, Morris says Mestemaker still carries the same energy behind closed doors.
“I see him as kind of a goofy young kid still,” he said. “It's so funny to see him kind of flip the switch on game day and turn into such a fierce competitor.”
That switch is part of what made Mestemaker so effective last season, and it’s also what Oklahoma State is counting on now. Morris saw another layer of it during the first day of workouts on Wednesday, when the quarterback was already directing traffic like a veteran.
“He’s super vocal in the huddle,” he said. “When a receiver split wasn't where it's supposed to be, he's been able to take charge and almost be a coach out there as opposed to a receiver's coach screaming across the field that we're lined up wrong. Drew sees it like that, and he's able to go and address that for us.”
That kind of command is exactly what NFL teams want to see, and Mestemaker is eligible for the draft after this season. The buzz around him is real, but there’s also a clear line he still has to cross: he has never played a power conference game, and North Texas didn’t face one while he was there.
Oregon, which visits Oklahoma State on Sept. 12, will be his first major test. Morris knows it.
Mestemaker knows it. And the next 25 days of practice are built for that adjustment.
“Just adjusting to the speed of the game at the P4 level is something that's going to be super important, right?” Morris said.
“I mean, there's a reason this is a higher level of football, and you know the guys are bigger, faster, stronger. The windows are going to be tighter, and so he's got to continue to anticipate the way that he has in the past.”
In Other News...
Drew Mestemaker Is Giving Oklahoma State Fans Real Reason To Hope
A new era has already taken shape in Stillwater, where Oklahoma State is rebuilding under a new head coach, a new quarterback and a heavily overhauled roster. The buzz has centered on sophomore Drew Mestemaker, the North Texas transfer who has yet to take a snap for the Cowboys but is already drawing plenty of attention because of what he did as a freshman with the Mean Green.
Mestemaker arrives with real production on his rsum, including a big season that ended with American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, and the coaching staff is now asking him to help anchor an offense being guided by Sean Brophy, who doubles as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. For a fan base looking for a clean break and a reason to believe the reset can work, Mestemaker has become one of the most interesting names in the program, even if the biggest question still waits to be answered on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has A Backfield Battle That Could Shape The Offense
Caleb Hawkins looks like the early favorite to lead Oklahoma States backfield, and the fit makes sense. He already played for Eric Morris at North Texas and had success there, so the Cowboys are leaning on a back the coach knows well as they try to settle the offense around a reliable option on the ground.
The intrigue comes from what sits behind him. Oklahoma State has brought in several different types of runners, including a transfer working back from injuries, a freshman with a strong prep rsum, a speedy option from Abilene Christian and a physical runner who can handle short-yardage work, giving Morris plenty of ways to mix and match depending on the situation. How that rotation takes shape could end up being one of the more important decisions in the offense. [Read more 🡒]