Four Biggest Questions Facing Oklahoma State Football Right Now
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For the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 2026 will mark the beginning of a new era under the leadership of head coach Eric Morris. It's a significant jump.
For the past 21 seasons the program was defined by Mike Gundy, the former quarterback who piloted some of the program’s most successful teams of the 1980s. He rose through the ranks as an assistant coach and eventually took over as head coach at his alma mater.
He's one of a handful of coaches that can say he made his alma mater better. His last two seasons didn’t show it, but Gundy's impact in Stillwater was indelible.
Morris inherits a fan base hungry to win and one that has perhaps outsized expectations for this season, based on how the program has played the past two years.
Here are the four biggest questions Oklahoma State football faces right now with less than a month before fall workouts begin.
Can Eric Morris Flip Success Quickly?
That's what Oklahoma State fans want to see in 2026. They're tired of the losing they experienced in Mike Gundy’s final two seasons, which included a 4-20 record and an 0-18 Big 12 record. This program was in the Big 12 Championship game in 2021 and 2023. Success just fumbled away.
At minimum, fans would like to see the Cowboys in a bowl game. It would show the program has made progress toward being competitive in the Big 12. Ambitiously, they would love to see Oklahoma State competing for a spot in the Big 12 championship game in November.
That may not be realistic. But Cowboys fans are curious to see if Morris can execute the same flip Arizona State did in 2024, going from a three-win team to Big 12 champion under Kenny Dillingham.
Can This 2027 Recruiting Class Improve?
Fans are focused on the 2026 season. The coaching staff is too. But in the background Morris and his staff must improve the recruiting class for 2027. The question is how much can they improve on it?
Recently, 247Sports.com released its updated Big 12 recruiting rankings and the Cowboys were dead last at No. 16. OSU has fewer overall commitments and just one four-star player. Given the lack of recent success, that shouldn’t be a surprise. They only have one four-star recruit.
The Cowboys need some on-field success early this season to help boost the 2027 class. That would help Morris and his staff cash in. Rankings don’t mean the Cowboys will be better in the future — player development will. But the more talent signed, the better the odds of success.
Can the ‘Mean Green’ Cowboys Make the Jump?
Morris brought nearly 20 North Texas players with him after he took the Oklahoma State job. Many were high producers for the Mean Green, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, wide receiver Wyatt Young and linebacker Ethan Wesloski. They helped UNT go 12-2, reach the American Conference title game and get close to a College Football Playoff berth.
One of the biggest questions this season is how these former Mean Green stars will see their success and talent translate at the power conference level? On paper, there's plenty of reason for optimism. It may take several games to know for sure if they have the goods. If they do, the Cowboys could turn around faster than outsiders think. If they don’t, it could be a long year.
Can Skyler Cassity Turn This Defense Around?
Cowboys defensive coordinator Skyler Cassidy is just 32 years old and one of the youngest coordinators in FBS. He did a tremendous job turning North Texas' defense into an above-average unit last season. He's inheriting an even bigger job this season.
Oklahoma State’s defense was among the worst in college football in practically every meaningful category in 2025 and Cassidy is working with players he either coached last year at UNT or were brought in through the transfer portal. He even has a couple of returning contributors in defensive end Jaleel Johnson and cornerback LaDanian Fields.
The 4-2-5 scheme is run by many other Big 12 teams. That familiarity could help or hurt the Cowboys. How Cassity schemes opponents — and how he adjusts on the fly — will determine the heights this unit can reach in 2026.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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