Eric Morris Doesn’t Have to Wait on First Practice to Address Oklahoma State’s Top Priority This Spring

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris talked a lot about building relationships with players during his second press conference since taking the Cowboys job.

It sounded like he meant it, but also like something most coaches probably bring up during this time of year.

When Oklahoma State players met with the media last week, it became clear Morris’ emphasis on forging bonds isn’t just a priority, it might be THE priority for the new OSU coach.

“Bonding, getting to know each other,” linebacker Malik Charles said when asked to describe Morris’ message to players. “Becoming closer as a team. In my opinion, you can’t do much if you all aren’t on the same page. So his biggest message has just been, ‘Get to know each other. Learn each other. Get to become a brotherhood, a family.’”

Morris models that daily for his players.

“Every morning, I find a new kid to eat breakfast with,” Morris said. “You know, luckily, where our food is, our cafeteria is right now is, you know, maybe 30 yards from my office right now. And so that’s a great chance for me to get in there in the mornings and pick a group. Maybe it’s a position group to sit down and eat with and talk. And usually my only rule about that is we do not talk about football, and they’re going to start asking football questions and figuring out and it’s just not allowed, right? And I want to learn more about them as a person, as a human being, their family, where they’re from.”

Morris said he gets another chance to meet players during dinner which he said takes place from 5-9. It sounds like the head coach might utilize all of that to bond with players.

“Luckily, my family’s not here yet,” said Morris a few weeks back. “… So there’s nothing to go home to and so this is a great opportunity for me to spend just a ton of time up here and find these times for me to get around these kids, and like, I don’t have a special way, or a magic way, to build relationships.

“The only way I know how to do it is to spend quality time with these kids. And so that’s one thing that I’m committed to right now, and it’ll continue to be that way throughout the course of this spring. But even you know, finding ways to bring kids in my office and sit down and just open up lines of communication.”

Returning pass rusher Jaleel Johnson said all the coaches follow the head coach’s lead when it comes to things like breakfast with the players.

“Coach Morris makes it a thing that we are family,” Johnson said. “He’s separated our lockers. He’s put us next to new guys (we didn’t know before). In here (during meetings), we sit next to new guys. We got an event coming this Saturday with a barbecue for all those guys. They take pride in making us be friends and brotherhood.”

Morris said the relational part of the job is something he truly loves.

“We put together 81 new players combined with 20-something returners,” Morris said. “And then somehow and some way, we got to get to know each other and all pull in the same direction, go out 12 Saturdays a year and be willing to sacrifice for one another.

“That’s the unique part and the most fun for me. We’ll be really intentional over the course of the next four or five months, not only teaching football and teaching schemes, but also spending quality time together, getting to know each other’s whys? What ticks? What makes them tick? You know? What motivates them?”