The Aggression Was There But The Results Were Not In Clutch Situations

Welcome to Stillwater, Oklahoma! Shop, dine, stay, and play, the Stillwater way! Visit Stillwater is your go-to guide for the best places to eat, stay, explore, and enjoy in America’s Friendliest College Town.

Eric Morris is known for being aggressive in third and fourth down situations. Unfortunately for the Cowboys that aggression did not result in points on Saturday afternoon in Tulsa.

Oklahoma State was a combined 7-22 on third and fourth down at Chapman Stadium. The team surrendered possession on turnovers on downs four times.

Several things went wrong for the Cowboys in the season opener but continually stalling drives and being unable to convert on the high-pressure downs was at the top of the list.

“We were never able to capture any kind of momentum in the game,” coach Eric Morris said. “The first drive was a great indicator of that. We drive down the field and get it down there and then they were more physical than us on the goal line.”

Tulsa accrued 102 yards in penalties to aid the Cowboys instead of slamming the door but too often the result was the same when there was not laundry on the field.

“I definitely did not play my best game,” quarterback Drew Mestemaker said. “That is not us and that was honestly embarrassing. We just have to figure out how to get back to the drawing board and bounce back next week.”

Oklahoma State repeatedly tried to use power football on short-yard situations on the “money downs” only to be pushed back by the Tulsa defensive front.

“I think I called some really bad plays on fourth and short,” Morris said. “I put that in the turnover category and when you have the fourth down stops we had maybe six or seven turnovers today.”

The ability to extend drives will be an area of emphasis for the Cowboys going into the home opener next week against Oregon.

“We have always been aggressive on fourth down and if we get them then no one is talking about it,” Mestemaker said. “The last thing I am going to do is lay down and forfeit the season. It is one game and by Monday or Tuesday it has to be gone and we have to be on to next week.”