Texas Tech football booster Cody Campbell could make crazy choice, run at OSU's Eric Morris
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STILLWATER — Texas Tech mega-booster Cody Campbell got itchy fingers a few weeks ago after his Red Raiders were upset by Cincinnati.
“There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this,” Campbell posted on X. “We have to be better.”
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That’s the kind of reactionary comment you’d expect from @RedRaiderFanboy39-33. Not the billionaire Board of Regents chair and Texas Tech alum. No matter how many millions he’d invested in turning Tech into a new-world power.
Campbell’s words could’ve been seen as a warning to Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire, which Campbell either didn’t think about or pretended not to think about.
“Absolutely nothing is going to change at the head coach position at Texas Tech,” Campbell later posted regarding an article that (not crazily) suggested Campbell’s comments raised questions about McGuire’s job security. “Joey McGuire is a perfect fit for our program, everybody, with an opinion that matters, loves him. He isn’t going anywhere. If anything, we are ready, willing able to double down on him and this program. It’s more likely that he gets an extension and raise at the end of the year.”
End of story?
McGuire sure hopes so. As does anyone affiliated with Oklahoma State athletics.
Because if the Texas Tech job comes open, you have to think Cowboys coach Eric Morris is going to be either the first or second call. Flip a tortilla between him and Lincoln Riley — offensive wunderkinds who learned under Mike Leach.
With OSU hosting Texas Tech on Saturday night in a Big 12 showdown, I asked Morris on Tuesday how he deals with his name already being floated for other jobs. (I didn’t mention his alma mater by name, because that wouldn’t go anywhere. And he’s not going to talk about a job that McGuire, one of his friends, holds).
“When I was young, I used to always get frustrated because I’d see other people get jobs and I’d be like, ‘Why isn’t that me?’” Morris said. “I think God has a great way of humbling us and putting us in the right situations.
“I’m so blessed to obviously be here. So thankful to be here and to be able to be a part of this community. My family and I are extremely happy, and so yeah, I’ve learned to just stay in my lane and stay focused to our processes and our kids.”
Morris was asked a follow-up about his relationship with Campbell.
“Great, great relationship with Cody,” Morris said.
Campbell was a senior offensive lineman for the Red Raiders in 2004 when Morris was a freshman receiver.
“Been in contact with him ever since,” Morris added.
Just as Morris has been in contact with lots of former teammates, several of whom he mentioned by name Tuesday. But I can understand if you’re an OSU fan thinking, “Man, if there was one teammate that Morris would’ve fallen out of touch with …”
All of this should be moot, by the way. There’s no reason McGuire should be on the hot seat.
He’s 43-19 (29-13 Big 12) in his fifth season at Texas Tech. And since the beginning of last year, the Red Raiders are 20-3, including 13-2 in the Big 12. McGuire last season led the Red Raiders to their first College Football Playoff appearance, and Tech controls its own destiny to make it back.
Pete Cawthon, who coached before World War II, has the best winning percentage of any Texas Tech coach (.729). Then comes McGuire (.694), who’s one spot ahead of the late great Leach (.661).
A McGuire detractor would point to all the money that Campbell and Texas Tech has poured into football. Shouldn’t McGuire win with a roster full of high-dollar players? Well, yes. And he has. At a non-blueblood in a state with two SEC giants.
Getting shutout by Oregon in the CFP wasn’t ideal, but it came on the heels of Texas Tech winning its first ever Big 12 title. And although the Red Raiders have been underwhelming this year, they’re still 8-1 despite the Brendan Sorsby gambling saga kicking off a season-long mess at quarterback.
But whenever a big job comes open in the Lone Star State, or in the lower 48, for that matter, Morris is an obvious candidate. He won 10 games at Incarnate Word, 11 at North Texas and is 6-3 (4-2) in Year 1 at OSU, which had gone two seasons without a Big 12 win.
He’s turned Drew Mestemaker, a high school safety, into the presumptive No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.
“We are facing the best quarterback in the nation,” McGuire told reporters this week.
McGuire also glowed about Morris.
“Man, I have a lot of respect for Eric Morris,” McGuire said. “He is one of my favorite people. He is a guy that I speak to a lot … He was one of the first people to call me when I got the job.”
Morris downplayed the emotions of facing his alma mater, but whatever happens this weekend will be meaningful.
Beating Texas Tech would be huge for the Cowboys, keeping them alive in the Big 12 race. And for Morris, it would be another marquee win in Year 1.
A win against his old school could also lead to unintended consequences. Cody Campbell could do something crazy.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Texas Tech football booster Cody Campbell could make crazy choice, run at OSU's Eric Morris