STILLWATER - Jacob Sexton’s path to Oklahoma State has been fast, fresh and built around a reset.
The former Deer Creek standout spent years working through the recruiting grind before landing at OU as part of the 2022 class. He had been drawing Division I attention since 2019 and committed to the Sooners in the summer of 2021. This move, though, came together much quicker.
Sexton said Saturday at OSU’s Media Day that once he entered the transfer portal this offseason, the process moved at a pace that caught him off guard.
“It was a lot faster than I thought it would be,” said Sexton on Saturday at OSU’s Media Day. “Coming from high school recruiting, where it takes years, whereas here, it takes days.
It happened a lot faster than I thought it would, but I was lucky enough that this was my first visit and I knew this is where I wanted to go. So it worked out very well for me.”
The on-field part of Sexton’s career at OU was never really the issue. Staying healthy was.
He appeared in 10 games as a true freshman in 2022, then made four starts in 2023 and eight in 2024. Last season opened with him in the starting lineup, but an injury ended his year after that game. Now he’s positioned to start at tackle for the Cowboys.
OSU coach Eric Morris said Sexton has arrived in Stillwater lighter than he’s been before, though that still means a massive frame. Sexton is listed at 6-foot-6, 328 pounds.
“Jacob’s done a great job, especially in the offseason just changing his body,” Morris said. “This is the leanest he’s ever been.
He’s gotten heavy at certain points in his career. Both of our tackles - him and (Ashton) Lepo - are just big human beings, 6-6, 6-7, long guy.
And both of them kind of have the same story. They’ve played.
They’ve battled some injuries, and they just haven’t gotten the results that they’ve wanted, right.
“Sometimes a change of scenery is a good thing for these kids and allows them to mentally reset just because this game is obviously so taxing from a physical standpoint playing up front. And then frustrating I think. When you get into a situation where you’re a starter somewhere and you go through injuries and the frustration of feeling like you can’t perform.”
Morris said he’s seen this before, pointing to a former quarterback as an example. Chandler Morris, who is not related to Eric Morris, began at OU in 2020, then spent three seasons at TCU.
He saw limited action in each of those years, but did not play a full season until he arrived at North Texas in 2024. There, he passed for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns, which helped lead to a strong NIL deal at Virginia for his final season, where he again played well.
Eric Morris said he still speaks with Chandler’s father regularly and that the family has told him the move helped bring Chandler back to the game.
“I always tell our kids belief is one of the most powerful drugs in sports,” Eric Morris said. “Belief in themselves, number one, and then carrying it on to your teammates and coaches.
So, we’ll have to work through some of that stuff, psychology. I think they have stuff in their heads, some people on our team.
That when they’re coming from a negative situation, I gotta do a good job mentoring them to getting the belief back in themselves where they do think when they go out there they can do it at a high level.”
Sexton said the mental side is in a good place now.
“I’m doing great,” Sexton said. “I’m doing great.
Everything has been really smooth here. I’m focused on staying healthy, doing everything I need to do to get me through the season so that way I don’t have any issues on the field.
So, that’s been my biggest thing this offseason.”
For Sexton and Oklahoma State, the message is the same: start over and make the most of it.
“Just a new opportunity,” Sexton said. “It was a full restart for everybody here.
I feel like that’s something I needed anyway, as a team too. To be able to step in and have that same mindset, I think that’ll be huge for us.”
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Oscar Hammond Gives Oregon State A Veteran Option Fans Will Want To Watch
Oregon State fans looking for another veteran name to keep an eye on will have to track Oscar Hammond, a tight end who brings a longer college path than most. The Collinsville native began at Central Oklahoma, moved on to North Texas and then joined Oklahoma State, where he arrived after a productive run and the chance to reconnect with coach Eric Morris.
Hammonds route has also included a frustrating interruption, since an injury wiped out his previous season and slowed what had been a steady climb. Now back in a familiar setting with Morris and several staff members from his North Texas year, Hammond has talked about the excitement of getting on the field again and putting the setback behind him. [Read more 🡒]