Oklahoma State’s offense has been living in the red zone this fall. Finishing there has been the problem.
That reality has already pushed Eric Morris into a different mode. The Cowboys coach opened the season trying to stay aggressive, but after a string of stalled drives and empty trips inside the 20, he has leaned more toward taking points when they’re available.
Morris doesn’t love that shift. He made that clear after Oklahoma State’s bye week, when he had members of his staff self-scout the offense and dig into play calling and play success in the red zone and on third down. The review matched what the numbers have shown: the Cowboys just haven’t been efficient enough in those spots.
That’s especially striking considering Oklahoma State ranks No. 2 in the country in total offense. Against Tulsa, Oregon and West Virginia - leaving out the 59-0 win over Murray State - the Cowboys reached the red zone 17 times. They came away with only six touchdowns.
The rest of those trips were a mixed bag of frustration: eight field goals, two turnovers and one drive that ended on downs.
The change in approach started after the Tulsa game, when Oklahoma State had one touchdown in four red zone chances. That day included a field goal, a turnover and a drive that ended on downs. Since then, Morris has been more willing to settle for three.
“The most frustrating thing for me as a play caller right now is kicking the field goals and us not being super-efficient,” he said.
Against Oregon, the Cowboys were in the red zone eight times and scored only three touchdowns. Morris chose four field goals after the Tulsa game, while another drive ended in a pick-six. Against West Virginia, Oklahoma State at least finished every red zone possession, but the payoff was still limited: two touchdowns and three field goals on five trips.
That’s the tension Morris is managing right now. The offense wants to attack, but the scoreboard has forced a more cautious hand.
“We’ve kind of shifted our philosophy to be able to take some points at times, and I just think that’s the best thing for our team right now,” Morris said.
Inside the 20, the Cowboys have been almost perfectly split between the run and the pass, with 26 rushing attempts and 24 passes. Two touchdowns have come on the ground and four through the air. Drew Mestemaker has been responsible for five of those scores, including the leaping rushing touchdown against Oregon that stood out as one of the team’s better red zone moments.
Mestemaker’s red zone numbers have improved since the opener, even if they’re still not where Oklahoma State wants them. He was 1-for-3 against Tulsa with a touchdown and an interception.
Against Oregon, he went 6-for-14 with a touchdown and an interception. He followed that with a 4-for-7 performance against West Virginia, throwing two scores.
Overall, he is 11-for-24 with four touchdowns and two interceptions, though some of those incompletions were throwaways.
The quarterback isn’t carrying all of the blame. Oklahoma State’s first red zone trip of the season featured five runs and no points. Two other possessions were slowed by penalties and ended in field goals.
Morris also said the Cowboys could lean more on the run game in that area, especially with running back Caleb Hawkins having success there. He pointed to three tight end sets used by the Mean Green last year as another option, though that look hasn’t been used yet.
So the issue is a blend of play calling and execution, and it has left Morris in a spot he’d rather avoid: being less aggressive than he wants to be when the field shrinks.
“We haven't been good offensively on third downs and sticking it in the end zone,” he said. “You know once we do get into the red zone, it's for us to be able to make a run here and continue to play at a high level. I think it's going to allow us to set ourselves apart if we can get better in those two areas.”
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