Update >> Oklahoma State has now announced this hire officially.
If you've been reading our Inside Scoop updates, this is one you've seen coming.
The search in Stillwater is targeting North Texas head coach Eric Morris, and a deal is expected to get done, sources tell FootballScoop.
A number of other outlets are also reporting that Morris, who was also a involved with the opening at Arkansas, is the target for the Cowboys.
Sources add that Morris is expected to remain with the Mean Green through the American Conference title game, and also stick with the team in the event they get a bid in the College Football Playoff.
A renowned developer of quarterbacks, his work with guys like Cam Ward and John Mateer helped him land the head coaching job in Denton, and he's taken Drew Mestemaker from relatively unknown to one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football.
The hire will marks a hopeful return to explosive offenses for Oklahoma State, as Morris and North Texas currently have the top offense in college football averaging over 500 yards per game.
At 10-1, Morris has already led the program to their best season in school history.
Since taking over prior to the 2023 season, Morris has went 5-7, 6-7, and now 10-1 in three seasons as an FBS head coach.
Before landing the opportunity with the Mean Green, Morris was the head coach at Incarnate Word (FCS - TX), where he mentored eventual top NFL Draft pick Cam Ward. While with the Cardinals, Morris had finishes of 6-5, 5-7, 3-3 in 2020 before a breakout 2021 season when they went 10-3 and lost in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
While at UIW, Morris was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year twice (2018 and 2021), won two conference titles, and made the FCS playoffs a pair of times as well and left as the record holder for wins with 24.
He would leave UIW to become the offensive coordinator at Washington State, where he went as a packaged deal with Ward under head coach Jake Dickert.
HIs coaching career also includes stops at Houston and Texas Tech, where he held the offensive coordinator title for a number of seasons and recruited or coached both Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield before landing the head coaching job at UIW.
The deep roots and relationships in Texas will help Oklahoma State as they seek to rebuild from the long and storied tenure of Mike Gundy, who was dismissed earlier this season after a long run in Stillwater.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.