Kenyatta Wright Has Plan to Try to Keep 2026 Recruiting Class Together

STILLWATER — In the last 48 hours, four recruits decommitted. It wouldn’t be shocking to see that number increase in the hours, days and weeks to come following Mike Gundy’s dismissal.

“I’m talking to them and I understand where they are coming from at this point, just like anybody would,” interim head coach Doug Meacham said, referring to the decommitments. “If it happens, it happens, and we’ll move on to the next one.”

Oklahoma State director of football business, Kenyatta Wright, addressed Oklahoma State’s plan of attack when it comes to recruiting on social media on Tuesday night.

“I mean, everybody in the building is calling the kids,” Wright said. “But it’s gonna go back on relationships, and we’ve had some great relationships.

“We knew that this would cause some issues for us, but at the end of the day, man, there’s some kids that texted tonight say we still riding with the Cowboys because we believe what’s gonna happen in the future.”

Both athletic director Chad Weiberg and Meacham fielded questions this week about the challenge of keeping coaches focused on Oklahoma State’s present and future, even though many of them might not be here next season.

Both felt like the coaches would take care of business, a point which Wright echoed.

“Well, coaches are creatures of habit,” Wright said. “They’re not going to stop recruiting a kid as long as they’re here, until they get told that they’re not going to be here anymore.

“And the same thing in our conversations with all of our kids today. We’re here today. We’re fighting today. You know, stick with us or whatever. We told some kids that, they chose to decommit, that’s fine. And we told some kids that some of our other kids, who are some of the top kids in the country, and they’re still with us. So until they make a decision later on in this season, I feel like I’m feeling comfortable with the guys that we still have.”

Oklahoma State still holds public commitments from both four-star defensive linemen Danny Beale and Owasso’s own Tajh Overton.

Wright warned that the 2026 class could experience more upheaval whenever a new head coach is announced.

“That can be changed soon as November comes and they name, or December or whenever they name the new head coach, and he just doesn’t fit,” Wright said. “You know what I mean? I mean every kid, every agent, has an identity of what they want their kid to do. And that’s right now they fit. But at the end of the day, I’m telling you right now, logos only matter to a certain amount of players.”

Wright said the fan base has a role to play in helping Oklahoma State’s coaches recruit the rest of the season.

“Kids watch, they watch fan bases,” Wright said. “We hear it a lot. We hear from (them), you know, the support at the games whenever you’re communicating with these kids. … They do have a heart, and they do hear it, they do see it, and it affects them. And so if we can all start just coming together, man, I think there’ll be a difference at Oklahoma State whether I’m a part of it and not, I’mma always be alum, and I feel like if you want to go to the next level, you better look, you better get together and figure out how we’re going to do this thing and as one. Because if not, it’s going to be fragmented, and no one’s going to want to come here.”