STILLWATER — Trip White ranks in the top 20 percent of Oklahoma State’s longest-tenured football players, but for much of the past three months, it hasn’t felt that way.
“Because there are 87 new guys, I feel like a new kid on the team,” White said Wednesday after the Cowboys completed their fourth spring practice under new coach Eric Morris. “If you’re just a good teammate, you’ll fit in. Everybody’s going to want to get to know you.
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“I know most of the defensive players, so that’s the good part. I just have to learn more about the offensive players.”
White, whose role grew last season as a linebacker, was one of 24 players left after the disaster in 2025, and his desire to see OSU football succeed was one of the key factors keeping him in Stillwater.
“I really like the culture at OSU,” he said. “I want to see us win and I know that’s going to be the season.”
White is part of a veteran linebacker group, and his desire to put a better product on the field this year has been evident since the new staff arrived.
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Trip White (30) practices during football practice Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.
“He was attracted to what Coach Morris brought to the table and he wanted to stay and compete,” linebackers coach Reggie Johnson said. “Look at him, gee, he’s a good-looking gangster.
“He’s long, athletic and has a lot of ability. So my job was to work on his hips. And he did a great job.”
The intensity began to build Wednesday as the Polks donned shoulder pads for the first time of the spring. But the learning curve remains the most important focus right now.
“Everyone is buying,” White said. “The team is locking in and trying to be a unit.
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“Coach Johnson, he’s a cool guy. I like Coach Johnson. He’s fun, but he’s very business-oriented, that’s for sure. He’s a business person and a good teacher.”
Drew Swoboda faces unique challenges building special teams
Drew Svoboda wears many hats.
He is Morris’ associate head coach, as well as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach.
However, of all these roles, his responsibility to develop the Special Forces may be the most challenging in the current situation.
Swoboda is familiar to some degree with most of the kicker, punter and long kickoff specialists he brings in. But building a depth chart for the coverage and returning teams is an entirely different matter.
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“We have 81 new players, and the biggest feeling of it is on special teams because you get everybody involved,” Swoboda said. “You’re learning what they can all do, getting the right people on the bus, getting them in the right seats. And then when we start the development process, we start teaching the program.
“But the most important thing is finding out what these guys can do and their ability to learn the different phases of the game.”
Head coach Eric Morris stands on the field during Oklahoma State University football practice Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Deep connections lure tight end Donovan Green to OSU
Donovan Green was a highly regarded tight end prospect when he graduated in 2022 from Dickinson High School outside Houston. His career took some unexpected twists and turns, with stops at Texas A&M and LSU before arriving at OSU for a redshirt senior season.
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His attraction to Stillwater began during his days at Dickinson College.
“Coach Swoboda, when he was at Alabama and I was in high school, he actually tried to recruit me,” Green said. “He’s from Tomball, Texas, which is kind of close to my home. He actually played at (Stephen F. Austin) with my high school tight ends coach.
“He also knew my high school head coach, so it was a very close relationship.”
That, coupled with the Cowboys’ need at tight end, creates an interesting situation in the recruiting process.
“They weren’t the first school to reach out, but once they reached out, they immediately became a serious contender,” Green said.
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Green, who is 6-foot-3, 238 pounds, believes his versatility is a good fit for Morris’ offense.
“I feel like I can stretch my field of vision, and I feel like I can still hunker down and block,” he said. “Being able to do both as a tight end increases your value on the field. You don’t have to play just one role. It changes everything.”
Scott Wright Covering Oklahoma State track and field for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached via: swright@oklahoman.com or at X @ScottWright OK. Support the work of Scott and other Oklahoma journalists by making a purchase Subscribe digitally now at subscribe.oklahoman.com Or use the link at the top of this page.
This article originally appeared in Oklahoma State: Oklahoma football’s Tripp White explains why he’s sticking with Cowboys
