OSU 2025 Spring Football: Meacham’s 5 Spring Goals

OKSTATE1 · Apr 18, 2025

The 2024 season was a gut punch for Oklahoma State football. A 3-9 record, a winless Big 12 campaign, and a humiliating 52-0 loss to Colorado left fans and analysts questioning the direction of Mike Gundy’s program. The Cowboys, once a perennial contender under Gundy’s spread offense, stumbled through a year plagued by inconsistent quarterback play, a depleted offensive line, and a lack of offensive identity.

Enter Doug Meacham, the new offensive coordinator tasked with resurrecting OSU’s attack by blending his Air Raid roots with Art Briles’ Stephenville concepts. With spring practice underway, Meacham faces a tight timeline to install his system and prepare for a critical 2025 season.

Here’s what he must accomplish to turn the Cowboys’ fortunes around.

The 2024 Debacle

Last season exposed glaring weaknesses in Oklahoma State’s offense. Quarterback Alan Bowman, who showed promise in 2023, regressed under pressure from a porous offensive line and a lack of dynamic playmakers outside running back Ollie Gordon II. The Cowboys ranked 98th nationally in scoring offense (22.5 points per game) and 104th in passing yards per game (195.2), dismal numbers for a program known for explosive attacks. Kasey Dunn’s adaptation of Gundy’s spread concepts failed to generate rhythm, and the offense lacked the tempo and versatility that once defined OSU.

Gundy, facing the worst season of his tenure, responded decisively. Dunn was replaced by Meacham, a former OSU assistant (2005-12) and TCU offensive coordinator who transformed Trevone Boykin into a dual-threat star. Meacham’s track record suggests he can restore OSU’s offensive prowess, but his Air Raid system, infused with Briles’ Stephenville principles will require: Precision, timing, and personnel alignment. Spring practice is Meacham’s proving ground.

Meacham’s Offensive Vision: Air Raid Meets Stephenville

Meacham’s offense draws from two distinct philosophies: The pass-heavy Air Raid, popularized by Mike Leach, and the balanced, tempo-driven system Art Briles honed at Stephenville High School and later Baylor. The Air Raid emphasizes quick, short passes as an extension of the run game, spreading defenses horizontally to create space. Briles’ Stephenville concepts, however, prioritize balance, blending inside runs, deep shots, and a relentless pace to exploit defensive alignments.

At its core, Meacham’s system will likely feature:

Four and five wide receiver sets to stretch defenses and open running lanes.
Quick rhythm passing (slants, hitches, and screens) to maintain tempo and limit defensive substitutions.
Inside zone and power runs, inspired by Briles, to keep defenses honest and capitalize on lighter boxes.
Deep play-action shots, a Stephenville staple, to punish overaggressive safeties.
No-huddle tempo to dictate pace and wear down opponents.

Meacham’s challenge is adapting this system to a roster undergoing massive turnover. With Gordon II going to the NFL, all starting offensive linemen departed, and with no clear quarterback starter, spring practice is less about fine tuning and more about laying a foundation.

Spring Practice Priorities: Five Goals

1. Identify and Develop a Quarterback

The Air Raid thrives on quarterback decision making and timing. Meacham needs a signal caller who can read coverages pre-snap, deliver accurate throws in rhythm, and occasionally threaten with his legs, a nod to Briles’ dual threat preference. The competition includes:

Zane Flores (RSo.): A four-star recruit recovering from surgery, Flores has limited experience but appears to have gained some weight and shown mobility and a live arm in practice. He is a player the coaches, players, and fans want to see what he can do on the field.
Maealiuaki Smith (RFr.): A highly touted signee with raw arm talent, his two starts in 2024 were inconsistent, but his teammates had no interest in playing Colorado.
Garret Rangel (RJr.): A pocket passer with spotty game reps and marred by inconsistent play. Rangel showed some promise against BYU before going down with an injury that he appears fully recovered from. A player that must seize this moment now or end up in the portal.
Haus Hejny (RFr): Transfer from TCU with legitimate track speed and a player Meachum is familiar with based on their time together at TCU. Some feel he is an elite athlete that might be the best combination of passer/scrambler on campus. TCU hated to lose Hejny, but at TCU he was behind Josh Hoover who last year broke Trevone Boykin’s passing mark of 3,901 with 3,949 passing yards. As a transfer he comes in with some high expectations. His leadership, ability to handle pre-snap reads, overall command of the offense, and his ability to make the required Air Raid throws will determine what 2025 has instore for Hejny.

Meacham must use this spring to drill quarterback fundamentals: Footwork in the pocket, progression reads, and tempo management. The Air Raid’s simplified playbook, often just 10-15 core concepts, allows quarterbacks to play fast but mastering the system’s cadence and no-huddle signals is non-negotiable. By spring’s end, Meacham’s goal is to have a starter who can execute three-step drops and hit slants against cover-2 defenses while showing enough mobility to handle zone reads. If not, at least 2 need to separate themselves in the Spring and for the starter to be determined before the home opener.

2. Rebuild the Offensive Line

The 2024 offensive line was a tremendous liability, allowing 2.8 sacks per game (104th nationally). With all starters gone and given that might be a blessing and not a curse, Meacham inherits a rebuilt unit featuring transfers like Kason Carpenter (Tulsa) Jake Canepa (Utah State) and Lino Taukeiaho (Weber State), alongside returnees like Jason Kawecki. The Air Raid doesn’t require maulers but needs agile linemen who can execute zone-blocking schemes and protect in pass-heavy sets.

Spring drills should focus on:

Zone-blocking footwork: Linemen must master lateral movement for inside zone runs, a Briles staple.
Pass-protection timing: The Air Raid’s quick passing game reduces pressure, but linemen must handle stunts and twists against four-man rushes.
Communication: No-huddle offenses demand pre-snap calls to adjust protections against exotic blitzes.

Meacham and new O-line coaches, Andrew Mitchell and Cooper Bassett would prefer to establish a starting five by spring’s end, with at least two reliable tackles to anchor against Big 12 edge rushers. Any weaknesses need to be addressed in the upcoming portal, and OSU recently added a very good portal transfer in OT Markell Samuel from App State. Proper emphasis on this position group has been placed with 2 coaches replacing Charlie Dickey, demonstrating a desire to improve technique and accelerate player development.

OKSTATE1 · Apr 18, 2025