The Oklahoma State Cowboys are turning the page, and they’re doing it with a familiar face at quarterback. Drew Mestemaker, the standout freshman from North Texas, is heading to Stillwater on a two-year deal, reuniting with his former head coach Eric Morris-who just took over the Cowboys program a few weeks ago.
This move isn’t just about comfort or continuity. It’s about bringing in a proven playmaker to jumpstart a program that desperately needs a spark.
Mestemaker didn’t just manage games at North Texas-he lit them up. He led the Mean Green to a 12-2 record, capped off by a wild 49-47 shootout win over San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl.
In that game, Mestemaker threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, showing the kind of poise and production that Oklahoma State fans have been craving.
But that bowl performance was just the final note in what was a breakout season. Mestemaker finished the year with 4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions, completing nearly 69% of his passes.
Those aren’t just good numbers-they're elite. His best outing?
A jaw-dropping 608-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 54-20 rout of Charlotte. That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident.
Awards followed, as expected. Mestemaker took home the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the top player in the country who began his career as a walk-on.
He was also named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, earned First Team All-AAC honors, and was recognized as Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Offensive Player of the Year. Not bad for a kid who came out of high school unranked and largely overlooked.
Now, he steps into a program that’s coming off a brutal 1-11 campaign, including a winless run through Big 12 play. The Cowboys haven’t won a conference game since 2023, and the pressure to turn things around is real. But this pairing-Morris and Mestemaker-gives Oklahoma State something they haven’t had in a while: a clear identity and a quarterback who can execute it.
For Morris, bringing in Mestemaker isn’t just about familiarity. It’s about installing an offense with a quarterback who already knows the system, who’s proven he can thrive in it, and who’s hungry to prove himself at the Power Five level.
For Mestemaker, it’s a chance to show he’s more than just a Group of Five star. He’s betting on himself again-just like he did when he walked on at North Texas-and he’s doing it on a bigger stage.
There’s a long road ahead for Oklahoma State, but with Mestemaker under center and Morris calling the shots, the Cowboys finally have a direction. And after a season to forget, that’s the first step toward building something worth remembering.