'It Blows My Mind': Eric Morris Frustrated With Oklahoma State's Slow Starts After Houston Loss

HOUSTON, Texas — Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris has seen enough of his team's slow starts.

After watching the No. 18 Cowboys fall 35-32 to No. 20 Houston on Saturday night at TDECU Stadium, Morris didn't hide his frustration with an offense that once again needed an extended period to find its rhythm.

"The slow start stuff has to stop," Morris said following the loss. "We're two different teams in the first half and the second half right now, and it blows my mind to be honest with you."

Oklahoma State trailed 14-3 at halftime before scoring 29 points over the final two quarters. The Cowboys nearly erased the deficit but couldn't get the ball back for one final possession.

The loss snapped Oklahoma State's four-game winning streak and dropped the Cowboys to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma State had chances to build an early lead but failed to capitalize on two promising first-quarter possessions.

The Cowboys received excellent field position after LaDian Fields intercepted Houston quarterback Conner Weigman on the Cougars' opening drive. Starting at the Houston 48-yard line, quarterback Drew Mestemaker moved Oklahoma State into scoring position with completions to Carson Kolb and Miles Coleman. However, the drive stalled near the goal line, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a 23-yard Gabe Keltner field goal.

Oklahoma State's next possession produced an even more frustrating result. Mestemaker connected with Wyatt Young for a 54-yard gain, putting the Cowboys deep in Houston territory. A defensive pass interference penalty later gave Oklahoma State another opportunity near the goal line, but the Cowboys couldn't punch the ball into the end zone.Facing fourth-and-goal from the Houston 2-yard line, Mestemaker's pass intended for Young was broken up by Kentrell Webb. Instead of potentially taking a 10-7 lead, Oklahoma State came away empty-handed.

Houston eventually extended its advantage to 14-3, while the Cowboys managed only 138 yards of total offense in the first half. Mestemaker completed six of 15 passes for 124 yards and an interception before halftime, while Oklahoma State's rushing attack produced just 14 yards.

Whatever adjustments Oklahoma State made during the break produced immediate results. The Cowboys began generating explosive plays through both the air and on the ground, putting together their most productive offensive half of the night.

Ayo Adeyi scored on a 13-yard touchdown run to cut Houston's lead to 14-10. After the Cougars answered, Mestemaker connected with Young for a two-yard touchdown pass, bringing Oklahoma State within four points.

The Cowboys continued battling into the fourth quarter. Running back Caleb Hawkins turned a short completion into a 66-yard touchdown reception, and a successful two-point conversion to Justin Bowick cut Houston's lead to 28-25. Houston responded with another touchdown, but Mestemaker engineered one final scoring drive, finding Bowick for an eight-yard touchdown to make it 35-32.

Oklahoma State ultimately finished with 499 yards of total offense, including 365 passing yards and 134 rushing yards. Mestemaker completed 22 of 34 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns, extending his streak of 300-yard passing performances to five consecutive games. But the Cowboys' offensive explosion came too late to overcome their first-half struggles and costly turnovers.

Following the game, Mestemaker also acknowledged that Oklahoma State's early offensive struggles were self-inflicted. The quarterback said the Cowboys weren't consistently executing their assignments, particularly when they reached scoring position.

"It's not like we're not strong enough to be down there or the other team pulling out these magical plays," Mestemaker said. "We just have to execute at the end of the day."

Oklahoma State finished 3-for-8 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down. Although the Cowboys scored on four of their five red-zone possessions, the missed opportunity near the goal line in the first half proved especially costly in a three-point defeat.

Mestemaker also refused to blame Oklahoma State's defense for failing to give the offense one final opportunity. Instead, he pointed to the Cowboys scoring only three points before halftime as a major reason they were forced to play from behind.

Oklahoma State has demonstrated the ability to generate explosive offensive performances under Morris.

Against Houston, the Cowboys scored 29 points after halftime and nearly completed a comeback against a ranked Big 12 opponent. However, the difference between the two halves remains a concern.

The Cowboys struggled to establish the run early, failed to finish promising possessions and allowed Houston's defense to disrupt Mestemaker with pressure.

Even after finding their rhythm, turnovers prevented Oklahoma State from fully capitalizing on its offensive success. Morris' comments suggest the issue goes beyond one difficult half in Houston.

For a team hoping to remain in contention for the Big 12 championship, consistently starting games with the same urgency and execution it displays after halftime will be critical.

The Cowboys showed Saturday that they have enough offensive firepower to battle back from a double-digit deficit. Now Morris wants to see that same offense from the opening kickoff.