For the first time in three weeks, there isn’t a firing or coaching move hanging over everyone’s heads to begin the week for Oklahoma State.
For interim head coach Doug Meacham, this week is back to a normal schedule. Somewhat.
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“Is any of this normal?” he joked at his Monday press conference.
Not really. Meacham is still entering his third week in charge of the team, and interim defensive coordinator Clint Bowen just reached the one-week mark leading the defense. Several players have hit the transfer portal, and others still have the chance in the coming weeks. The Cowboys are on an 11-game losing skid in Big 12 play as they play host to Houston at 11 a.m. Saturday.
But Meacham is sending the team a message the rest of the season. Things don’t always go your way, and it’s the response to the situation that matters.
“It’s really easy to pull your hoodie over your face, pull your towel over your face. That’s what average people do,” Meacham said Monday. “It’s really easy to ball up in the locker room with other guys who complain. Our message is not to do that, because if you want to turn it around and get what you want out of it, that’s the last thing you want to do. Your options are, A: do what I just said, or B: grow up, be a man and move ahead and figure out what we need to do to generate some points, stop them and win a football game.”
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Meacham is looking for players who personify that mentality, and redshirt junior offensive lineman Noah McKinney has been one of those guys. Meacham said he hears McKinney being vocal in practice.
“Everybody wants to kind of fade in the paint and just kind of not be that guy,” Meacham said. “So when someone does become a leader and someone is vocal and they step out, you really appreciate it.”
After the 41-13 loss to Arizona on Saturday, McKinney was open about his approach in the locker room.
“Guys want to be here, and guys still want to play for Oklahoma State and still represent the brand of what Oklahoma State is,” McKinney said Saturday. “Just because coach (Mike) Gundy is gone doesn’t mean we can’t represent what Oklahoma State football is and do it. So, for the guys who are still here and doing it, we’re just gonna fight and battle our ass off until the end.”
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Meacham said that’s how everyone on the team should want to be remembered. Their response to a 1-4 start will stick with them.
“Consequently, 10 years from now, you’re going to come back for a reunion, and you’re going to look at all your ex-teammates in the eye, and they’re going to go, ‘That’s the guy who quit and was complaining in the locker room,’” Meacham said, “or, ‘He was all in. He’s a foxhole guy. I love that guy.’
“Choices you make in life, they’ll last a while. And it’s real easy to be a complainer. But if you want to grow up and learn lessons, stare it in the eye, and forge ahead and figure out what to do to win.”
Where does Noah Walters stand at QB?
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Starting quarterback Zane Flores left during the third quarter Saturday with an apparent shoulder injury, and Meacham said Monday that Flores is “probably not going to participate this week.”
That leaves senior receiver Sam Jackson V and freshman quarterback Banks Bowen, who each played at quarterback Saturday, to handle duties this week against Houston.
There’s also redshirt junior quarterback Noah Walters, who transferred to OSU a couple weeks into the season.
“He could (help) on down the road,” Meacham said. “He’s a guy who has been here a few weeks. It’s kind of hard to think that you want to throw him out there. Banks has been here a while. He’s got a lot of reps, and we feel confident that he understands what we want in the game plan and stuff like that.”
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Walters passed for 4,495 yards and 40 touchdowns in two seasons at North Alabama. Last year, he attended UCF but was not on the football team.
Finding a way to ‘play with house money’
In the four games since the win against UT Martin on Aug. 28, OSU has led for 2:09. That all came in the first quarter against Tulsa.
A lack of success can snowball, and Meacham said taking the lead early in a game could spark the team.
“Shoot, (a lead) might make me nervous. We gotta lead?” Meacham said, jokingly. “Playing with house money is kind of what you want. I don’t know if you ever sat at a blackjack table up two grand, (but) it’s pretty fun. I’ve sat at a few down two grand. That’s not fun. I think once we get to that point where we are ahead in a game, I think you’ll see an explosion on our side. Guys won’t want to let it go.”
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That starts with executing on each play, especially on offense. OSU was behind the first-down chain often against Arzona, and averaged 8.9 yards needed on third downs. The Cowboys went 3 of 17 on third down.
Meacham said first down is the most important down, and it’s key to stay ahead of the chains to maintain a drive and think about taking a lead.
“Because when you’re outside the chains, that’s when turnovers occur, sacks, all that kind of stuff,” Meacham said.
Homecoming kickoff time set
On Monday, OSU announced its Oct. 18 homecoming game against Cincinnati will kick off at 7 p.m. The game will also air on ESPN2.
