Eric Morris has always been aggressive on fourth down, but Oklahoma State’s loss to Tulsa could make him reconsider. Morris still likes his decisions, but says if failed conversions become a trend, he’s willing to punt the ball away and trust OSU’s defense.
Eric Morris isn't ready to abandon the aggressive approach that has followed him throughout his coaching career. But Oklahoma State's first game gave him something else to consider.
The Cowboys repeatedly kept their offense on the field on fourth down during their 24-10 season-opening loss to Tulsa, with several failed conversions contributing to missed opportunities and favorable field position for the Golden Hurricane.
After reviewing those decisions, Morris said Tuesday he still believes in the calls he made.
"It just depends," Morris said. "Like fourth down and one or go for it. Going back and looking at it, I don't hate the calls. Obviously hate the execution piece of it, what the outcome was, but I've always been aggressive in those situations."
That's unlikely to suddenly change after one game. Morris built his reputation in part through aggressive, high-tempo offenses, and Oklahoma State hired him after his North Texas offense emerged as one of the nation's most productive units in 2025.
However, what happened on the other side of the ball against Tulsa could eventually alter the calculation.
Oklahoma State's defense held the Golden Hurricane to just one conversion on 11 third-down attempts. Tulsa didn't record that lone conversion until late in the fourth quarter while trying to run out the clock.
For most of the afternoon, the Cowboys' defense repeatedly got the ball back. That performance wasn't lost on Morris.
"If this becomes a trend, I'll be smart enough to say let's punt the ball away and let our defense play good defense," Morris said. "Try to get the ball back."
It's an interesting potential adjustment for a coach whose natural inclination is to keep his offense on the field.
Oklahoma State officially converted two of its six fourth-down attempts against Tulsa. One of the successful conversions produced the Cowboys' only touchdown when Drew Mestemaker connected with Justin Bowick for a 16-yard score in the fourth quarter.
The failures were costly, though. And they were part of a larger offensive problem.
Oklahoma State moved the football, finishing with 368 total yards and running 86 offensive plays, but struggled to turn those opportunities into points. Four turnovers and repeated stalled drives helped leave the Cowboys with only 10 points despite spending much of the game moving into Tulsa territory.
Morris' comments don't suggest he's suddenly becoming conservative. Instead, they show a willingness to adapt to what this particular Oklahoma State team does best.
If the Cowboys' offense begins consistently converting those situations, Morris has made it clear he'll remain aggressive.
But if the offense continues struggling on fourth down while Skyler Cassity's defense keeps getting stops, the calculation could change.
And with No. 2 Oregon coming to Stillwater, Morris' next fourth-down decision could carry considerably larger consequences.
For a coach who has always trusted his offense in those situations, Week 1 may have provided another option worth trusting: his defense.
