Upcoming Transfer Portal Window Could be Turning Point for Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State is looking to get back on track under Eric Morris, and these next few weeks could go a long way in determining how his tenure works out.
Over the next several months, anticipation is sure to build in Stillwater with a new head coach running things in Boone Pickens Stadium. After Mike Gundy held that position for over two decades, Morris is ready to prove he can compete with the best in the Big 12 after an incredibly successful three-year run at North Texas.
One of the pillars of his success at North Texas was finding players who were overlooked and turning them into legitimate contributors for a conference title contender. Of course, that’s something Gundy did throughout his time with the Cowboys, but with this new era complicating things, Morris has shown he might be better prepared to compete under these new circumstances.
As the transfer portal is set to open in the near future, OSU will not only be losing a large chunk of its talent from 2025, it will also be gaining its talent for the 2026 campaign. While there are some obvious possibilities, such as Morris’ players from North Texas following him up to Stillwater, getting some better players from around the country could be the difference between OSU having a sudden Big 12 resurgence and simply being a middle-of-the-pack team.
After going 1-11 in 2025 and 3-9 in 2024, even being a middling team in the Big 12 would be a welcome sight. There obviously shouldn’t be any expectations for Morris to suddenly have OSU in the playoff conversation in his first couple of years, but a successful first offseason could set the Cowboys up to climb the Big 12 ladder a bit faster than anticipated.
Over these next few weeks, the Cowboys will surely add some intriguing talent and some big names. However, none of that will matter until they show they can back it up with their play on the field.
The Cowboys seemingly had better teams on paper than their record would go on to indicate over the past couple of years, so any offseason wins will need to be backed up with wins in September, October and November. If the Pokes can have a portal class that rivals some of the best in the Big 12 and the program can see a resurgence within the next couple of years, these next few weeks could be looked back on as a turning point for the program.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.