Eric Morris Adding Veteran Assistant Drew Svoboda to Oklahoma State Staff

Another North Texas assistant is following Eric Morris to Stillwater, and this one has also been on some of Nick Saban’s Alabama staffs.

After finishing up as North Texas’ interim coach at the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Drew Svoboda will rejoin Morris in Stillwater as Oklahoma State’s special teams coordinator, associate head coach and tight ends coach, as first reported by FootballScoop. Oklahoma State officially announced the news Monday.

After coaching in the high school ranks from 2000 to 2017, Svoboda broke into the college game as Rice’s running backs coach in 2019 before earning the special teams coordinator title the next season.

He got on as Memphis’ special teams coordinator in 2021 before joining Nick Saban at Alabama later that year, where he spent a season as the Crimson Tides’ special teams coordinator/tight ends coach and another as a senior special assistant for special teams.

Svoboda joined up with Morris at North Texas in 2023.

Upon joining the Mean Green, North Texas’ ranked second in the American Conference in PFF special teams grades in 2024. UNT enters the New Mexico Bowl ranked third in special teams for the American this season.

Svoboda’s 2023 kick coverage unit led the nation by allowing just 11.2 yards per return, and his special teams finished first in the American and 18th nationally in PFF special teams grade that season.

He won an SEC title with Alabama in 2021, and his 2021 Tide tight ends scored 11 touchdowns. There he coached Cam Latu (brother of former OSU defensive end Nathan Latu), who finished that season with 26 catches for 410 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Alabama special teams unit he coordinated ranked first nationally in points scored with 164, which included four touchdowns. Alabama also finished second nationally with three blocked punts, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Svoboda’s Rice special teams in 2020 ranked 14th nationally, per PFF, and his 2019 Rice special teams ranked fourth nationally.

His final role in the high school ranks was as Klein Collins High’s head coach and campus athletic director. Located in the Houston area, Klein Collins had went a combined 5-25 in the three seasons before Svoboda took over, and he turned that into a 30-5 record across the next three seasons. He was a multiple time Texas High School Coach of the Year winner and had a 93-24 record across 10 seasons.

Officially Announced OSU Coaches

Head Coach — Eric Morris
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks — Sean Brophy
Defensive Coordinator — Skyler Cassity
Special Teams Coordinator/Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends — Drew Svoboda
Running Backs/Run-Game Coordinator — Patrick Cobbs
Offensive Line — Cody Crill
Corners — Julian Wilson
Linebackers — Reggie Johnson
Defensive Line — Greg Richmond
Defensive Backs — Jordan Malone
Assistant Defensive Line — Ike Eguae
Assistant Defensive Line — Mike O’Guin

Officially Announced Front Office Staff

General Manager — Raj Murti
Rolando Surita — Chief of Staff
Ethan Russo — Executive Director of Player Personnel