Honestly, walking into Boone Pickens Stadium last November felt more like attending a funeral than a football game. The energy was just... gone. After a 1-11 disaster that saw the program spiral into a 11-game losing streak against FBS opponents, the "sustained success" era we all took for granted didn't just leak—it burst.
If you’re looking for the latest oklahoma state cowboys football news, the headline isn't just about a new roster. It’s about the fact that Mike Gundy, the man who was essentially the face of Stillwater for two decades, is gone. Fired in September 2025 after a humiliating loss to Tulsa. It still feels weird to type that. But with Eric Morris now taking the reins as the permanent head coach, the "Gundy Ball" era has officially been replaced by something much faster, much younger, and—let’s be real—a lot more uncertain.
The Eric Morris Era and the North Texas Connection
When Eric Morris was announced as the guy to fix this mess, the reaction was mixed. Some fans wanted a big-name "splash" hire, but athletic director Chad Weiberg went with a schematic specialist. Morris, who previously turned heads at North Texas, is bringing a very specific brand of offense to Stillwater. It's not just "Air Raid"; it’s a high-tempo, data-driven system designed to maximize playmakers in space.
Basically, the "Cowboy Culture" of old—the mullet, the "I'm 40" rants, the ground-and-pound identity—is being scrubbed clean.
Staffing the New Frontier
The coaching staff list for 2026 looks almost entirely different than it did eighteen months ago. Morris brought his trusted Offensive Coordinator, Sean Brophy, to run the show. On the defensive side, Skyler Cassity is the new Defensive Coordinator. This is a massive shift from the Todd Grantham days.
- Head Coach: Eric Morris
- OC/QBs: Sean Brophy
- DC: Skyler Cassity
- Special Teams/Tight Ends: Drew Svoboda (one of the few retaining a major role)
It's a young staff. Like, really young. That's intentional. In the NIL and transfer portal era, Morris is betting that a more "relatable" staff can stem the tide of players leaving Stillwater.
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Oklahoma State Cowboys Football News: The Portal is the Lifeline
Let's talk about the roster because it's essentially a revolving door right now. Oklahoma State had over 60 players in the portal at one point during this transition. You read that right. Sixty.
Losing Freshman All-American edge rusher Wendell Gregory to Kansas State on January 12 was a gut punch. He visited places like LSU and Texas A&M but ultimately chose a Big 12 rival. That's the kind of news that keeps fans up at night. Then you have Gavin Freeman—last year’s leading receiver—flipping from a Tennessee commitment to Baylor. It’s chaotic.
Who is actually coming in?
Morris isn't just sitting there watching the cupboard get bare. He’s raiding his old stomping grounds. The oklahoma state cowboys football news coming out of the January portal window is all about "The North Texas Pipeline."
- The Big Men: To protect whoever wins the QB battle, Morris landed massive tackles Braydon Nelson (321 lbs) and Desmond Magiya (329 lbs). These aren't developmental projects; they are plug-and-play starters.
- The Skill Positions: Keep an eye on Ayo Adeyi, a transfer from James Madison. He’s a burner.
- The Local Kid: Kanijal Thomas, a corner from Del City who was at Kansas State, is coming home. Bringing local talent back is a huge part of Morris's strategy to win back the fan base.
- The Tight End Room: Just this past Friday, Morgan McPhaul committed from VMI. He’s a senior with over 1,100 snaps of experience. He’s a blocker first, but he’s the kind of "glue guy" this roster desperately needs after losing so much veteran leadership.
The 2026 Recruiting Class: A Cause for Concern?
If you look at the recruiting rankings, things look... bleak. ESPN doesn't even have the Pokes in the top 50 for the 2026 cycle. 247Sports has them even lower, currently sitting around 79th nationally.
This is the fallout of firing a coach mid-season. When Gundy left, the 2026 class basically evaporated. Guys like Kaydin Jones and Jabarie Thornton reopened their recruitments. While some, like local Bixby star Braeden Presley, have stayed committed for now, the program is essentially starting from zero on the high school trail.
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Honestly, the 2026 season won't be won with high schoolers. It's going to be won or lost based on how many "hits" Morris gets in the transfer portal. It's a "win-now" Band-Aid for a program that hit rock bottom.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Gundy Firing
There’s this narrative that Gundy was "pushed out" by overzealous boosters. That’s only half true. The reality is that the program had lost 11 straight FBS games. You can’t survive that at a Power Four school, especially not when the offense is averaging 14 points a game.
The 1-11 record in 2025 wasn't just a "down year." It was a systemic collapse. The recruiting had been sliding for years (ranked 63rd in 2024), and the NIL structure in Stillwater was reportedly lagging behind the rest of the Big 12. Gundy is an OSU legend, and he’ll probably get a statue one day, but the "business" of football moved faster than he did in those final months.
Speaking of Gundy, he's actually returning to the spotlight this week—sorta. He’s joining the ESPN "Coaches Film Room" for the National Championship game between Indiana and Miami. It'll be his first public appearance since the firing. It’ll be fascinating to see if he takes shots at the administration or stays the "company man."
Looking Ahead: Can They Compete in 2026?
The Big 12 is wide open, but the Cowboys are currently the basement dwellers. The goal for 2026 isn't a conference title; it's proving that Oklahoma State is still a viable destination.
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Success this year looks like six wins and a bowl game. Anything less, and the "Eric Morris Experiment" will start to feel like a very long rebuild. The schedule won't be easy, and the lack of depth on the defensive line is still a massive red flag.
However, with additions like LSU transfer Donovan Green at tight end and a slew of offensive linemen, the "Air Raid" might actually have some teeth.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're trying to keep up with the chaos, here is what you should be watching over the next few weeks:
- Watch the Spring Game Date: Usually late April. This will be the first time we see Eric Morris’s offense in person. Pay attention to the quarterback rotation—that’s the biggest question mark on the roster.
- Follow the "Decommit" Tracker: Specifically, watch Braeden Presley and Landon Bland. If Morris can keep these 2026 blue-chip recruits in the fold through the summer, it's a sign that the culture is stabilizing.
- Monitor the Second Portal Window: The portal opens again in the spring. Expect another 5-10 additions, specifically looking for veteran defensive tackles. The Pokes are currently too thin up front to survive a Big 12 schedule.
- Check the ESPN Film Room: Tune in on Monday to hear Mike Gundy talk football. He’s always been unfiltered, and he might give some clues about his future—or his thoughts on the current state of the Cowboys.
The "Cowboy Football" we knew for twenty years is dead. What's being built in its place is faster, riskier, and entirely unproven. Whether that's a good thing? We'll find out in September.
Next Steps: You can track the official scholarship count and updated 2026 roster movements on the Pokes Report or the Pistols Firing Blog portal trackers. Keep an eye on the defensive line—if they don't add at least two more 300-pounders before August, the 2026 season could be another uphill battle in the trenches.