Oklahoma State Coach Eric Morris vs. The Midnight Armadillo: A Wild True Story

Who Is Coach Eric Morris?

Imagine a football coach who can’t sleep because his brain is always thinking about plays, players, and how to win games. That’s Eric Morris, the new head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

• He used to coach at North Texas (where he won 22 games and lost 16 in three years).
• He was hired to fix a struggling team — the Cowboys went 1–11 last season (that means they only won ONE game!).
• His first game with the Cowboys is September 5, 2026, against Tulsa.

But before he could worry about touchdowns, he had a much smaller (and armor-plated) problem in his backyard.

The Late-Night Armadillo Encounter

Here’s what happened, step by step:

1. Coach Morris couldn’t sleep.
   He told reporters: "My brain’s going constantly and so … I don’t sleep very well."

2. He noticed his yard was getting wrecked.
   An armadillo (a small, armored mammal that looks like a tiny tank) was digging up his lawn and flower beds every night.

3. At 2:30 a.m., he saw his chance.
   He woke up, went outside, and spotted the armadillo in action.

4. He shot the armadillo.
   It was his first time ever seeing one, and he said it "was crushing my yard, my flower beds, digging everything up."

5. He texted his neighbors to apologize for the gunshot.
   He explained: "I am in the country, so it was legal. But I did get rid of him."

What Is an Armadillo? (ELI5 Version)

Think of a armadillo like a living pinecone with legs.

• It has a hard shell made of bony plates.
• It digs for bugs and worms — which is why it destroys lawns.
• It’s mostly active at night.
• In Oklahoma and Texas, they’re very common in rural areas.

Why This Story Is Kind of a Big Deal (Even If It’s Funny)

Important Points

• It’s legal where he lives. In rural Oklahoma, shooting a nuisance animal on your property is allowed.
• He apologized to neighbors. Good manners matter — even for football coaches.
• It became a joke about "Pistols Firing." That’s a famous Oklahoma State slogan and hand gesture. Now it has a literal new meaning!
• Shows he’s human. Coaches are people too — they lose sleep, get mad at yard pests, and make midnight decisions.

Summary

Oklahoma State’s new football coach, Eric Morris, couldn’t sleep one night — so he went outside at 2:30 a.m. and shot an armadillo that had been destroying his yard. He texted his neighbors to say sorry for the noise, confirmed it was legal where he lives, and joked that he gave new meaning to the team’s "Pistols Firing" slogan. Morris is now focused on turning around a team that went 1–11 last year, starting with a game against Tulsa on September 5.

FAQ

Is it really legal to shoot an armadillo in Oklahoma?
Yes — in rural areas, landowners can remove nuisance animals damaging their property. Coach Morris confirmed he checked and it was allowed.

Why was the armadillo digging up his yard?
Armadillos eat insects, grubs, and worms. They dig small holes to find food — which ruins lawns and flower beds.

What does "Pistols Firing" mean?
It’s a popular Oklahoma State tradition — fans make a finger-gun gesture and shout it at games. Coach Morris joked his real gunshot gave it a whole new meaning.

How did the team do last year?
The Cowboys went 1–11 — one win, eleven losses. That’s why they hired a new coach.

When is Coach Morris’s first game?
September 5, 2026, against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.