All pokes

Can Oklahoma State Sway North Texas RB Coach Patrick Cobbs?

The Cowboys could soon have a new running back.
Taylor Skieens|
Oct 10, 2025; Denton, Texas, USA; A general view of DATCU Stadium during the first half of a game between the North Texas Mean Green and the South Florida Bulls Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2025; Denton, Texas, USA; A general view of DATCU Stadium during the first half of a game between the North Texas Mean Green and the South Florida Bulls Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

In this story:

Oklahoma State Cowboys

As Cowboy head coach Eric Morris pieces together his first staff at Oklahoma State, one name keeps surfacing in recruiting circles and message boards: Patrick Cobbs, the acclaimed running backs coach and run game coordinator from North Texas.

Sources close to the program indicate Morris has strong interest in bringing Cobbs with him from Denton to Stillwater. The question now: Can the Cowboys close the deal?

Cobbs, a North Texas legend who rushed 4,050 career yards for the Mean Green during his playing days, just earned the 2025 FootballScoop Running Backs Coach of the Year award — recognition that arrived mere days ago. Under his guidance, the Mean Green ranked among the nation's top rushing attacks this season, developing workhorse backs in an offense that balanced Air Raid principles with a surprisingly potent ground game.

That's no coincidence. When Morris took over at North Texas in 2023, he retained Cobbs and elevated him to run game coordinator in 2024. The partnership worked: North Texas consistently pounded the rock effectively despite Morris's reputation as a pass-first innovator. Cobbs proved he could adapt, scheme, and develop talent at a high level.

For Morris, reuniting with Cobbs makes perfect sense. The new Oklahoma State staff already includes several North Texas transplants, including defensive assistants Julian Wilson and Reggie Johnson. Continuity matters in a complete program overhaul following Mike Gundy's departure. Morris knows Cobbs's work ethic, schematics, and recruiting prowess firsthand.

The appeal for Cobbs is obvious. Oklahoma State offers Big 12 resources, top-tier facilities, and a historic commitment to the running game. From Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas to Chuba Hubbard to Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II, the Cowboys have produced elite backs decade after decade. Hubbard and Gordon are having success at the next level and the Pokes are still loaded talented with next level running backs like Rodney Fields Jr. and freshman Kaydin 'KD' Jones who are waiting for guidance.

Still, swaying Cobbs won't be automatic. He's Mr. Mean Green, a Denton native, program icon, and Hall of Famer who returned to coach his alma mater after an NFL career. North Texas will fight to keep him, especially after his national award elevated his profile. Loyalty runs deep.

Yet the pull of following a trusted head coach to a Power conference job is powerful. Morris gave Cobbs more responsibility at North Texas; now he can offer a bigger stage, better pay, and a chance to coach in sold-out Boone Pickens Stadium on autumn Saturdays.

Insiders suggest talks are advanced, and many expect an announcement soon. If Oklahoma State lands Cobbs, it would signal Morris is serious about balancing his explosive passing attack with a physical run game — exactly what Big 12 contenders need.

Cowboy fans should feel optimistic. When a head coach targets his own proven lieutenant, especially one fresh off national recognition, the odds tilt heavily in Oklahoma State's favor.

Patrick Cobbs in orange and black? It feels closer than ever.

Published
Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

Home/Football