​New Oklahoma State football coach Eric Morris is no stranger to Big 12 football, having played as a receiver at Texas Tech two decades ago. However, Tuesday marked Morris’s first appearance at Big 12 Media Days as a coach since arriving from North Texas last December. Here’s what the first-year Cowboy coach had to say on July 7 at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
ERIC MORRIS: I appreciate you all being here. It’s a unique moment for me, in my first year, and a whirlwind of the last seven or eight months. There are countless storylines ahead for our team, but first I want to highlight the leadership at Oklahoma State. I’m incredibly blessed and grateful for our president, Jim Hess, and our athletic director, Chad Weiberg, for trusting me with this program and giving me the opportunity to lead a team that has a long history of success over the past 20 years. Stillwater has been an amazing fit for my family and me. I have a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old, and I’m from a small town in west Texas, so Stillwater aligns with how I want to raise my kids. The people here are genuine, hardworking, and blue-collar. The players I brought with me today include a few standout names that people already know well: Drew Mestemaker, our quarterback; Caleb Hawkins, our running back; Ethan Wesloski, our linebacker; and Jaleel Johnson, our lineman.
ERIC MORRIS: This setting is particularly unique for me. When I started at Incarnate Word, a program with virtually no history, I had no established success to lean on. I believed I could come in with urgency, infuse my personality, reset the culture beginning in the weight room and during the offseason, and ultimately generate early wins. We did just that in our first year there. North Texas presented a different challenge, as they had reached a bowl game the year I arrived and had a six-win season, so there was some momentum to build on. But Oklahoma State represents a different kind of challenge altogether. I’ve been in the Big 12 as both a player and a coach, and the memories are vivid. I remember Boone Pickens and the electric atmosphere—the paddles slapping the walls, the student section roaring—those memories stay with you. I’m excited to bring that energy and leadership to Stillwater and to build on the foundation that’s already in place, while continuing to cultivate a hard-working, resilient, and cohesive unit that can compete at the level this conference demands.