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Cowboys Waste No Time Extending Offer to Long Snapper Nolan Akins

Oklahoma State is looking for some special teams help.
Taylor Skieens|
Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma State Cowboys

As the transfer portal flung open on January 2, new Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris and his staff didn't hesitate. One of their first moves? Extending an offer to SMU long snapper Nolan Akins, a 6-foot-1, 213-pound freshman from Flower Mound, Texas, who enrolled early with the Mustangs and just wrapped his first full college season. With veteran long snapper Shea Freibaum having entered the portal earlier this cycle, the Cowboys are eyeing Akins to bring stability and competition to a special teams unit under fresh leadership from associate head coach and special teams coordinator Drew Svoboda.

Akins, who handled snapping duties in SMU's high-powered ACC campaign, caught the staff's attention quickly. He recently shared with OK State on SI how the offer came about right as the portal window cracked open.

"Coach Svoboda called me directly and I was on the phone with another school that was kinda interested but didn’t have an answer, so I was rushing to get them off the phone so I could talk to Coach Svoboda," said Akins.

That personal touch resonated deeply, especially given Svoboda's prior connection to Akins from high school recruiting days when Svoboda was on staff at North Texas.

"For me, it’s definitely the coaching staff. In high school, Coach Svoboda recruited me a little bit to go to UNT, and he was completely honest and transparent. We had a one-on-one workout going into my senior year, and he was one of the only coaches who did that. There was more coaching than evaluation going on, and I loved that."

Coming off a season where SMU made noise in their Power conference debut, Akins believes his experience translates well to the Big 12 and OSU's rebuild. With multiple years of eligibility remaining, he's poised to compete immediately in Stillwater.

"I feel like taking my experience from a school like SMU will be really beneficial, especially since I enrolled early at SMU, so I just completed my first full year of college. I think OSU gives me a great chance to compete and perform at a super high level," Akins said.

The early offer from the Cowboys stood out amid a flurry of interest, reinforcing Akins' priority on fit and relationships as he navigates his next step.

"OSU offering me super early was such a big deal to me. The fact they took a chance right away and hadn’t talked to anyone else meant so much to me. I think the biggest factor in where I transfer to next is relationships. OSU seems to have a complete staff that cares about the well being and development of players."

Morris, fresh off North Texas and bringing much of his staff, including Svoboda, who coordinated elite special teams units at UNT and under Nick Saban at Alabama, is rebuilding a Cowboys roster hungry for reliability in the kicking game. Long snapping might fly under the radar, but a clean operation can swing field position and points in tight Big 12 battles.

Akins' Texas roots, early college reps, and trust in Svoboda make this a natural fit. If he lands in orange, expect him to lock down the role and help Svoboda turn special teams into a weapon as Oklahoma State flips the page in 2026. For now, the Cowboys have planted their flag early and are showing they're serious about plugging every hole in this portal frenzy.

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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.

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