Click to set custom HTML

STILLWATER — Since the spring game, if not before, Eric Morris has repeatedly said he wants to use the fall scrimmages to separate the guys on his roster.

Although a few significant battles in the two-deep remain up for grabs, it sounds like receiver Terrence Lewis might have locked himself into a valuable receiving role on Saturday.

“Had a phenomenal touchdown in the scrimmage on a, I think it was a two-minute drive,” Morris said. “Caught a post and made three or four guys miss and scored a 60-yard touchdown, which was just really good to see him put it all together.”

Among North Texas players, Lewis finished last season seventh overall and fifth among receivers with 184 receiving yards on 11 receptions. He made the most of it, finding the end zone three times, which put him third on the team.

On Tuesday, Lewis worked with the first-string offense when Mestemaker ran a hurry-up drive against the Cowboys defense. He appeared to be taking receiver Chris Barnes’ spot in this particular series while fellow receiver Miles Coleman played what would have likely been Wyatt Young’s.

“I think Terrence Lewis has had probably his best little stretch of eight or nine practices together that he’s had since I’ve known him,” Morris said. “He’s always shown flashes, it’s been the consistency factor of it.”

The 5-11, 170-pound sophomore ranked 132nd and 189th at his position in the portal according to 247Sports and On3, respectively. That’s a bit of a jump up considering both sites had him in the 230s coming out of high school.

“I never expected to play,” Lewis said, referring to last season. “You know, coming in in the summer, not in the spring, a late guy, I never expected to jump out there and play. But you know, if you showed up, if you showed that you work your butt off and show the skills you can showcase, he will play you.”

According to Pro Football Focus data, Lewis only saw 15 targets last season, eighth-most at UNT. More than 94% of his snaps came out of the slot, and he finished third on the team with an average depth of target of 12.5.

Lewis said his top three priorities this offseason were improving at run after the catch, his hands and his route running.

“Came into this camp, came into this year with a big school and knew that it was a new opportunity,” Lewis said. “I knew I had to showcase my skills and work hard. So over this time, I’ve just been trying to get better at my craft.”

Run after the catch, also known as YAC (yards after the catch), dominated Lewis’ thoughts when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, including his breakdown of his touchdown during the scrimmage.

“If y’all go back and watch the play, I just really had to read the defense,” Lewis said. “You know, the leverage was low-key onto my side, so I really just couldn’t lose leverage. I just had to basically run the route to get open. It was basically kind of easy. After that, catching and the RAC.

“That’s what we work on with (receivers) coach Nick Edwards. He teaches that every single day, so that’s just what we do and what we train for. That’s just, I guess it would say it’s like a second nature to me. So it’s really easy.”

Lewis finished last season with 83 yards after the catch, averaging roughly 8.3 per reception, according to PFF. Ignoring running backs, that was enough to finish second behind only Young’s average of 11.4.

Thanks to safety Mose Phillips, it’s now public that Saturday’s touchdown by Lewis came with first-string receiver Justin Bowick on the field, which suggests the sophomore was playing alongside guys expected to make a real impact this fall and not when OSU went to the bench.

Phillips’ description of the play also focused on some of the same things Lewis highlighted in his own breakdown.

“It was a phenomenal play,” Phillips said. “He did a great job after the catch, making people miss, keep running his feet, keep running his feet, playing for it. Bowick did a great job blocking ahead for him as well, playing forward, but I think that is a testament to the offense and the culture here.

“Like the receivers don’t watch other receivers catch the ball and do their thing. They come get DBs. They trying to collect you, so it forces us to play to the whistle as well.”

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

STILLWATER — Going back to the spring game, Eric Morris targeted the first fall scrimmage as a time he’d like to know who will make up his starting offensive line.

Well, that scrimmage was Saturday. Although Morris wasn’t ready to proclaim a starting five, at least not publicly, he said he’s getting close to knowing who will protect Drew Mestemaker come Sept. 5 in Tulsa.

“We’re getting close right now,” Morris said. “We’re getting close. Still working with Braydon (Nelson), not 100% healthy right now. He’s a guy that’s played a ton of football, so he’s one that we’ll have to throw into the equation. Now, whether that’s guard or tackle, he’s played both.

“But yeah, I think (Jacob) Sexton has done a phenomenal job at left tackle. (Tyler) Mercer’s for sure the guy at center. Joseph Hanson has moved around a little bit, is playing really good. I’ll tell you, the surprise of camp so far is Shaun Torgeson. Somebody that’s really played phenomenal for us. He can play multiple positions. We’ve had him at right tackle right now, him and (Ashton) Lepo battling that out. And then Johnny Dickson has done a good job at guard for us.”

That’s a lot of names and none of them were at Oklahoma State last season, so let’s slow it down a bit.

Nelson: Listed at 6-foot-4, 327 pounds, Braydon Nelson started all 14 of North Texas’ games last season as a true sophomore, starting 11 at left tackle and three at right tackle. He also played a heavy dose of right guard as a freshman in Denton. Nelson hasn’t been a full participant in the Cowboys’ fall camp because of injury.

Sexton: Jacob Sexton comes to Stillwater having spent the past four seasons at Oklahoma. Getting on the field wasn’t a problem for Sexton at OU. It was staying on the field while trying to fend off the injury bug. He’s played 997 offensive snaps — 404 at left tackle, 281 at left guard and 312 at right tackle. Based on the way Morris talked about him there, it seems like a lock that he’ll start at left tackle for the Cowboys.

Mercer: Tyler Mercer played at North Texas under Morris in 2024, where he was a Freshman All-American. He then transferred to Kansas ahead of last season and played in three games. Morris noted he is “for sure” the guy for the Cowboys at center.

Hanson: Jacob Hanson was All-Sun Belt second team selection at Coastal Carolina last season, playing all of his snaps at right tackle. He’s primarily been used inside of late and appears to be in contention for one of the starting guard spots.

Torgeson: Morris’ “surprise of camp,” Shaun Torgeson is a 6-foot-4, 302-pound redshirt sophomore who started at left tackle at Portland State last season. I wrote last week about Torgeson’s name starting to pop up a bit more as fall camp rolled on, and Morris kept that hype going Tuesday. He’s been used both inside and outside thus far in camp. Morris noted him in competition at right tackle, and during the live period the media were able to see Tuesday morning, Torgeson was in at right guard.

Lepo: Ashton Lepo was Michigan State’s starting right tackle in 2024 but made just two starts in 2025. At 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, he certainly checks the size box and is in contention at right tackle.

Dickson: Johnny Dickson was North Texas’ starting right guard in 2025 and started six games for the Mean Green in 2024 after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Virginia Tech. He’s in the mix at guard for the Cowboys.

So, it’s shaping up to be something like this:

LT — Sexton
LG — Dickson/Hanson
C — Mercer
RG — Hanson/Torgeson
RT — Lepo/Torgeson

And Nelson could throw another wrench in that upon his looming return to action.

The Cowboys have another scrimmage this weekend, but for now, it might not be a bad thing to have more bodies than spots.

“Yeah, we’re getting really close,” Morris said. “And hopefully throughout this week we’re gonna work who we think are those guys together and let them gel, get on the same page and see them compete one last time on Saturday.”

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Click to set custom HTML

STILLWATER — Eric Morris’ Tuesday news conference showed another similarity between him and Mike Gundy.

Although Morris didn’t spend his weekend rattlesnake hunting, Oklahoma State’s new coach did have a run in with wildlife.

“I’ve had a couple of armadillos problems tearing up my lawn,” Morris said Tuesday. “Finally a couple days ago, I just popped up at 2:30 (a.m.) because I couldn’t sleep and was thinking about something, and I thought it was a great opportunity to go outside. Luckily I found him.

“This was my first experience with an armadillo. He was crushing my yard, my flower beds, was digging everything up. But I got him about 2:30. Had to send a text message to my neighbors. I apologized for the gun shot. I am in the country, so it was legal. But I did get rid of him.”

That’s about as smalltown as it gets.

Could you imagine waking up to a text from your Division-I head football coach neighbor apologizing for a gun shot because he was taking care of a armadillo problem?

It’s a strong start to wildlife stories, but Morris still has a ways to go to catch up to the two-decade tenure of Gundy. Going on 10 years ago (time is flying), Gundy went rattlesnake hunting with Wild Bill in Okeene. Gundy’s also shared a story or two a year of the ongoings of his various ranch animals.

Funnily enough, Oklahoma State University has some reading materials as to how to deal with armadillos.

“Armadillos may be active year around, but they are most active during the warmer months of the year. During the heat of the summer, homeowners begin irrigating their lawns. This makes lawns especially attractive to the armadillo. The lawns are usually mowed and thus there is little vegetation to impede foraging. Additionally, the irrigation results in the soil being loose and easy to dig. Finally, the irrigation often keeps larval insects close to the soil surface.

“Once armadillos find a suitable foraging spot, they normally will return repeatedly. Many times the damage is only superficial as the holes are seldom more than a few inches in depth. In the case of sod forming turf such as Bermuda, the damage is typically repaired by the turf rather quickly. In the case of cool season grasses such as fescue, the damage is more long-term.” — okstate.edu

That article goes on to say that there are no known repellants effective against armadillos and that they can be controlled yearound without a special permit.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

Click to set custom HTML

Carson Cunningham and Colby Powell react to the recent national outlook for the OSU football season, plus they breakdown the defensive line unit and look at what each player brings.

You know what helps the show and helps us make more shows? When you rate us on Apple Podcasts or subscribe to our pod: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | SoundCloud.

As always, we appreciate our sponsor Chris’ University Spirit, Echo Contracting. and Farm Service Company.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

STILLWATER — Plenty of eyes will be on Cowboy running back Caleb Hawkins this fall, including Walter Camp voters, after he landed on the watchlist for the 2026 award given to the nation’s best player on Monday.

The running back who set an NCAA record for most touchdowns ever scored by a freshman last season (29) is one of 50 total players. The entire list includes only 11 running backs, putting him among the sport’s elite.

Ten semifinalists for the 2026 Walter Camp Award will be released in early November, with the final three announcements expected to follow in early December.

It’s been a busy offseason for Hawkins, who was previously named to the official watch list for the Maxwell Award, also given to the nation’s best player, alongside quarterback Drew Mestemaker. Despite high expectations, or perhaps to protect those, coach Eric Morris hopes to lighten the sophomore’s workload this fall compared to last year’s rate at North Texas.

In his first season of college football in 2025, Hawkins finished with 1,434 rushing yards and 370 receiving yards to go with those 29 touchdowns. After carrying the ball only 13 times in North Texas’ first three games, Hawkins finished the year with six games of at least 100 rushing yards, including a season-high 198 in the Mean Green’s Bowl win against San Diego State.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

STILLWATER — The Cowboys haven’t beaten an AP Top 25 team since closing the door on the Sooners in the last Bedlam 30 games ago.

​On Monday, the Associated Press revealed its first poll of the season, and as things stand currently, the Pokes should have several shots at some of the sport’s best this fall, highlighted by a Week 2 showdown with No. 2 Oregon.

​The Cowboys also face No. 12 Texas Tech at home on Nov. 14, which could serve as a measuring stick on Eric Morris’ first season. In between those headliners, the Cowboys hit the road to face No. 23 Houston on Oct. 17.

​Oklahoma State last ranked in the AP Poll on Sept. 28, 2024, when they lost at Kansas State, which effectively poured dirt on what started as a season with College Football Playoff hopes.

​Despite the last two years in the Big 12 basement, the Cowboys still received votes in the poll, landing them an unofficial ranking of 34th, with eight total points in the poll. Fellow conference members BYU and Utah ranked 14th and 21st in the initial poll, while Arizona and TCU received enough votes to rank as the unofficial 29th and 30th best teams.

2025 Preseason Polls

Rank	AP	Coaches
1	Ohio State (40)	Ohio State (38)
2	Oregon (14)	Oregon (6)
3	Georgia	Georgia (7)
4	Notre Dame	Texas (2)
5	Texas	Notre Dame (5)
6	Indiana	Indiana (14)
7	Miami	Miami
8	Texas A&M	Texas A&M
9	Ole Miss	Oklahoma
10	Oklahoma	Ole Miss
11	LSU	Alabama
12	Texas Tech	Texas Tech
13	Alabama	LSU
14	BYU	USC
15	USC (tied for 14th)	BYU
16	Michigan	Michigan
17	Washington	Penn State
18	Penn State	Tennessee
19	SMU	Washington
20	Tennessee	SMU
21	Utah	Utah
22	Iowa	Iowa
23	Houston	Clemson
24	Louisville	Houston
25	Missouri	Missouri

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.

The NFL preseason kicked off this past weekend and several former Cowboys made plays. Let’s look around the league to see what’s going on with the slew of Pokes in the Pros.

Brennan Presley Making Plays

The second-year receiver started his preseason with a bang. He led the Rams by grabbing all four of his targets for 58 yards in LA’s 20-12 win over Kansas City.

That included a 23-yard play and 40 total yards after contact. Presley appeared in one game as a rookie last season with all four of his snaps on special teams. But if he can continue to show out, he might earn a spot on the active roster.

Good day at Arrowhead for former Bixby Spartan/Cowboy Brennan Presley.

He led the Rams with 4 catches for 58 yards.

Jaydn Ott led the chiefs with 2 catches for 40 yards (27 on one play was biggest play for KC on the day) pic.twitter.com/2lepRLw4bA

— Dan Lindblad (@DanLindbladTV) August 15, 2026

Mixed Bag for Ollie

In his first action of the preseason, Ollie Gordon rushed for 39 yards on seven attempts. But he was briefly benched by first-year Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley after getting flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty.

It sounds like it was more of a teaching moment between the two.

Jeff Hafley on benching RB Ollie Gordon after he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct:

“Those are not acceptable to me. It’s disrespectful to the team, selfish, and how you lose games. I’m not going to play players that can’t control themselves.

It was a chance for me to… pic.twitter.com/wUAl96iXkN

— The List – Dolphins Podcast (@TheListFinsPod) August 16, 2026

Rudy Efficient in Opener

Mason Rudolph appears to be in strong contention for the QB2 spot behind Aaron Rodgers, but the Steelers still spread the snaps around in their preseason opener.

The veteran QB went 10-for-11 for 93 yards with the one incompletion being a pass into the end zone that should have been a touchdown.

Rudolph starts 8-for-8 near TD here, went for it on 4th, TE was short, Mason played well. pic.twitter.com/6bdTzJeJ6g

— Robert Allen (@RAllenGoPokes) August 13, 2026

Rudolph had to share the reins with rookie Drew Allar and Will Howard, who also played well, but expect Mike McCarthy and Co. to adjust the snaps closer to their desired pecking order as the preseason progresses.

Ogbah Returns to KC

Not on the field for the Chiefs was their newest defender.

Emmanuel Ogbah signed a one-year deal to return to Kansas City last week. He spent the 2019 season in with the Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl, though he missed the playoff run due to a season-ending injury.

Free-agent defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah is signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs; per source. It’s a reunion. Ogbah won a Super Bowl with them in 2020. pic.twitter.com/hZp0zQePeh

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2026

Ogbah played five seasons with the Miami Dolphins before landing in Jacksonville for the 2025 season.

Tay Martin Earns First-Team Reps

The former Cowboy wideout is doing his best to find a landing spot in Detroit. He caught one pass for 14 yards in the Lions’ preseason loss to the Bengals.

On Sunday, @Lions Wide Receiver Tay Martin got some reps with the first-team offense. Head Coach Dan Campbell also complimented his play during their first preseason game last week.

Martin says he’s doing his best to stay focused as he looks to make the final 53-man roster pic.twitter.com/9AJtjU09AH

— Alex Crescenti (@alex_crescenti) August 16, 2026

Martin has been a bit of journeyman with stops in San Francisco, Tennessee and Washington before signing with the Lions this offeseason.

Other Notes:

• Nick Martin led the 49ers with eight total tackles (three solo).

• Chuba Hubbard is listed as week-to-week with a hamstring injury.

• Tanner Brown went 2-for-2 including a made 49-yard field goal in the Saints’ loss to the Jaguars.

---

Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.