FRISCO, Texas -- Drew Mestemaker needed coaches to call and beg for just a walk-on spot coming out of high school. The Austin native had not started a high school game since Freshman B Team at Vandegrift High School.
But under quarterback guru Eric Morris at North Texas, Mestemaker became one of the most miraculous stories in college football. As a redshirt freshman, he led the nation in passing yards and helped the Mean Green to a record 11 victories.
After Morris left to take the Oklahoma State job, Mestemaker had options for the first time in his career. Reuniting with Morris in Stillwater was always top of mind, but nearly every quarterback-hungry team in the portal threw massive offers at the talented underclassman.
"To be wanted is just human nature, right?" Morris told CBS Sports. "After never being recruited, all of a sudden you have some of these blue blood programs calling you, talking dollar amounts and bringing you up on visits. That's appealing."
After one call with a major school, Mestemaker called Morris while driving home to Austin. Oklahoma State was still his number one choice, but some of these opportunities intrigued him.
"Don't get caught up in all the hype," Morris said. "And don't break my heart."
Then he hung up.
"I was like, what am I supposed to do now? Tell him I'm not going there?" Mestemaker told CBS Sports with a laugh. "That was when I made my decision. I can't leave them."
The next morning, he committed to Oklahoma State.
Mestemaker broke onto the scene after throwing for 393 yards in his first-ever start as a true freshman in a bowl-game loss to Texas State, but his redshirt freshman season was a masterpiece. He threw for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman while completing 69% of his passes. His 9.5 yards per pass attempt also led the nation.
"I think all the great ones, they process information really fast," Morris said. "I think that's a superpower of his. He's really great at anticipating throws, and I think he sees windows before they come open, and throws people into open windows."
Morris is one of the great quarterback developers in college football, having worked with Patrick Mahomes, Cam Ward, Chandler Morris and John Mateer. In Mestemaker, he sees one of his greatest pupils. Staying in the same system was attractive, especially with Morris's success with quarterbacks. There was little reason for him to leave the only coach who gave him a chance.
Landing Mestemaker was a program-changing win for Morris, who embarks on his first tenure as a Power Four coach. The zero-star product was rated the No. 4 overall transfer in the nation and one of two five-star quarterbacks. After Mestemaker's commitment, the rest of North Texas's star-studded offense followed. Seventeen players transferred overall, including top-50 transfers RB Caleb Hawkins and WR Wyatt Young.
Morris, 40, has his work cut out at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys finished 1-11 last season and have lost 18 straight Big 12 games since reaching the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game. The program's win total is set at 5.5. But after what Morris calls a "hard reset," expectations in the building are much higher.
"I feel like a lot of people think we're rebuilding," Mestemaker said. "We're ready to win now, and the guys we've got on the team are ready to win. The conference championship is what we all have our eyes set on. I don't think it's that crazy of a goal to set for our team."
Mestemaker reportedly signed a two-year contract with Oklahoma State. He could also come back for another season if he chooses. However, CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson mocks him as the No. 14 pick in his 2027 Mock Draft, citing his impressive arm and pocket presence. Mestemaker's growth has been exponential, and his journey is only beginning.
"Drew's just scratching the surface of how good he can be," Morris said. "He hasn't played a ton of football, and so I think he'll really grow a ton in these next couple of years."
