Oklahoma State did not get the start it wanted in the Eric Morris Era, and now the Cowboys have to answer quickly.
After a 24-10 loss to Tulsa on a hot September Saturday, Morris spent part of the week confronting what went wrong before No. 6 Oregon comes to town. Speaking with Dave Hunziker on OSU’s Inside Oklahoma State Athletics, Morris called the result “a humbling experience for I think the whole entire department, and hopefully they felt that,” and said the staff has been direct with players and coaches as the team tries to move forward.
“It’s been a humbling experience for I think the whole entire department, and hopefully they felt that,” Morris said. “So, we’ve been super transparent with our players this week.
I’ve been transparent with our coaches this week. Obviously, that was not a performance that we’re proud of by any stretch of the imagination, but now we need to see the steps of us getting better week by week.”
That next step comes against an Oregon team Morris sees as difficult across the board, especially on the defensive line after OSU struggled up front against Tulsa.
“One of our mottos has been respect everyone, fear no one,” Morris said. “And I don’t think that we respected Tulsa like we should’ve.
Hats off to them. They came out, and they executed better than us.
So we’ll see how far along - I think our practice have been super spirited this week, which I’m proud of the guys. We’ve challenged them in a lot of different ways.
So, excited to get back out there and get this taste out of our mouth.”
A big part of Morris’ message this week centered on leadership, something he has pointed to before as easier to talk about when the wins are coming. With more than 90 newcomers on the roster, he said the Cowboys are still working toward the kind of internal accountability that defines the best teams.
“The teams that are really, really special are led (from) within, and the accountability is at such a high level,” Morris said. “We’re not there yet.
“I think two, there’s this moment as you’re trying to establish things is we have all these people that we see in this sport as alphas as we got through practice, and then sometimes that alpha doesn’t produce that on tape and all of a sudden he’s looked at a different way by his peers and teammates. So, that’s always an interesting psychological thing in my opinion when all of a sudden, you had this big, bad, tough kid and the tape doesn’t show that when you come in the meeting room the first time.
And you have to reset and encourage. There’s a part of telling these kids the truth and break them down, and you gotta build them back up with encouragement.”
Morris also laid out the areas that have to look different in Game 2. He wants the Cowboys to play faster mentally and physically, stack routine plays more consistently, and clean up the situational football that hurt them against Tulsa. Oklahoma State went 5-for-16 on third down, 2-for-6 on fourth down and 2-for-4 in the red zone.
And beyond the numbers, he wants the Cowboys to find some energy in the building.
“And then, like, we gotta grab some momentum at some point during this game,” Morris said. “… We gotta create some excitement in that stadium by what we do on the field, right. And that’s creating some of those moments, some of those plays in key situations to give these fans something to cheer about.”
In Other News...
Oregon Just Added Fuel To A Rivalry Debate Beavers Fans Know Well
Saturdays result in Eugene gave Beavers fans plenty to chew on beyond the box score. Oklahoma State went into a weather-delayed game and walked out with a 39-31 win over No. 6 Oregon, a result that only adds another layer to the rivalry chatter that tends to follow the Ducks whenever they stumble against a familiar orange-and-black foe. Drew Mestemaker was central to it, handling the passing game well enough to keep Oregon off balance while the Cowboys controlled the overall pace and production.
Oregon still got solid work from Dante Moore, who threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns, but the Ducks were under pressure all afternoon and were sacked four times as Oklahoma State piled up a huge yardage edge. The bigger sting for Oregon, and the part that will keep this one in circulation around the state, is how the Cowboys finished the job when it mattered most, with Mestemaker also doing damage on the ground in the closing stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States Lone 2028 QB Commit Just Raised A New Concern
Zeke Thomas has already become one of the more intriguing two-sport names in Oregon recruiting. The Willamette High School standout is rated as one of the states top quarterback and baseball prospects, and his offer sheet reflects that range, with Boise State, Idaho, Oregon State and Sacramento State all in the mix. For Beavers fans, his recent profile is worth watching because Oregon State is already working to build out its baseball side while staying competitive for in-state talent that can impact more than one program.
Thomas recruitment carries extra intrigue because Boise State has made him its lone class of 2028 commitment so far, which means every new stop and every new impression matters. His official baseball visit to Oregon State this weekend adds another layer to an already unusual pursuit, especially with Boise State also having other quarterback commitments and returning players lined up for the upcoming season. Where Thomas ultimately fits best is still an open question, and Oregon State is firmly part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]