Oklahoma State Director of Athletics Chad Weiberg announced last week that he had found a replacement for football head coach Mike Gundy. OSU has hired Eric Morris, the current head coach at North Texas.
“Today begins the next era of Oklahoma State Football,” Weiberg said in a statement. “I am thrilled to introduce Eric Morris, his wife Maggie and their boys Jack and George to the OSU Family. Coach Morris has proven his ability to build and lead winning football programs. He has consistently identified, recruited and developed some of the best players in college football.”
Morris will become OSU’s 25th head football coach, pending board approval. Morris has been the head coach at North Texas since 2023, and it is the first time in school history OSU has hired a sitting head coach from a school that is in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
“For many reasons, including the kind of person he is and the lasting relationships he builds with his players, Coach Morris is the perfect fit as the next leader of Cowboy Football,” Weiberg said. “The future is bright for OSU Football, and I look forward to introducing him and his family to our team, our former players and all Cowboy fans.”
Morris is considered to have an astute knowledge of offensive schemes and an ability to develop great talent. In his previous jobs, Morris had a hand in coaching, developing or recruiting star quarterbacks including Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, John Mateer, and Cam Ward.
The UNT Mean Green had a record of 5-7 in Morris’ first season (2023) but they have steadily improved each season. This season, his team is 10-1 and in contention for a conference championship and College Football Playoff berth.
Morris has been a head coach of offensive coordinator at the college level for the past 13 seasons, and during that time his teams have produced a top five passing offense in the country nine times, they have ranked in the top 10 in total offense 10 times and ranked in the top 25 in scoring offense 10 times. This man knows how to run an offense, something that is badly needed at Oklahoma State. At a recent Morris said he’s excited about coaching at OSU.
“I grew up in the Big 12,” he said. “I watched Coach Gundy build that program.”
UNT currently leads the country in scoring offense and total offense this year. The No. 21 Mean Green leads the FBS in scoring offense and total offense and among the top five in passing offense (second), pass efficiency (third), first downs (third), turnover margin (second), fewest interceptions thrown (fifth) and more.
Previous stops for Morris include, 2010-2011 at Houston, Quality Control and Graduate Assistant, 2012 at Washington State, Inside Wide Receivers coach, 2013 at Texas Tech, Co-OC and Inside Wide Receivers coach, 2014 at Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach, 2015-2017: Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator and Inside Wide Receivers coach, 2018-21at Incarnate Word as Head Coach, and in 2022 at Washington State as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach.
Morris will continue to coach UNT through the end of the season, which includes the American Athletic Conference Championship and a potential New Year’s Six or College Football Playoff appearance.
It certainly appears Morris is a prime candidate to coach at a larger university in a bigger conference. This could be a really good fit for both him and Oklahoma State. Only time will tell.
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