Why Oklahoma State Defender Trip White Decided to Return to Cowboys

Oklahoma State linebacker Trip White was one of only a handful of players who opted to return after last season’s 1-11 campaign.

Oklahoma State linebacker Trip White prepares to make a tackle during a drill. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not every Oklahoma State Cowboys player left the program after head coach Mike Gundy was fired and the season ended.

These days, coaching changes lead to mass transfers out and in. For instance, new OSU coach Chad Morris not only brought in several of his assistant coaches from North Texas, but 17 of his former players transferred with him.

Conversely, the Cowboys lost a lot of Gundy’s remaining talent. Of the players that still had eligibility, 67 of them transferred to another school. Twenty-five of them found scholarships with other power conference schools, including in the Big 12 Conference.

But, 25 players remained. Many of them were younger players with ties to the state of Oklahoma as prep players. One that didn’t have those ties was Trip White, a linebacker who played for OSU last season after three seasons at Ole Miss.

So, why did he come back?

Trip White’s Return to OSU

Oklahoma State's Trip White. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In an interview with OKState.com during spring workouts, the Little Rock, Ark., native’s reasoning for staying for his redshirt senior season was easy to explain.

“I really loved the OSU culture,” he said. “I want to see us win and I know it's going to be this season.”

But it’s been a busy offseason, the second straight one in which White has had to learn the ins and outs of new teammates. He joined Oklahoma State before the 2025 season after three years with the Rebels under Lane Kiffin. He didn’t play much in Oxford, Miss., and was limited mostly to special teams. Gundy and the Cowboys gave him the most significant playing time of his college career.

Last season he made his first career start against Cincinnati and finished the season with 33 tackles, 19 of which were solo, and was tied for sixth most tackles on the team.

Now, he’s getting to know a whole new group of linebackers, including Ethan Wesloski, who played at UNT last season and figures to be one of the best linebackers for OSU in 2026.

His experience last offseason should have helped him prepare to help the new players on the team. Instead, he admitted he’s going through a bit of a repeat of last offseason.

"When you first come in and you don't know anyone, and there's over 80 new people, I kind of felt like the new person on the team,” he said. “Other people already knew each other, but if you just be a good teammate, you'll fit right in.”

Morris and the Cowboys open the season in Tulsa on Sept. 5.