STILLWATER — When quarterback Drew Mestemaker arrived in Denton, Texas, Eric Morris discovered himself staring down a quarterback who had been advised “no” lots.
Mestemaker was infamously by no means given the beginning job in highschool, and he was hard-pressed to even get a last-minute walk-on alternative at North Texas.
“I think there was more frustration,” Morris mentioned, describing Mestemaker’s mindset again in these days. “But then too, getting the opportunity at that level, like he was just so happy to be in the conversation and be in the room and thankful at that point.”
Of course, Mestemaker earned his place at UNT largely as a result of he made an important first impression on Morris.
“Just super polished as a passer,” Morris mentioned. “You know, there was zero wasted movement in his throwing motion, which is something we look for. … Drew was as good as anybody I’d seen, just as far as some of those mechanics were.”
At this level throughout Saturday’s press convention, Morris sidetracked a bit whereas praising QB1 and revealed just a little little bit of his course of for recruiting and growing quarterbacks. He didn’t elaborate on particular mechanics, however Morris did say Mestemaker checked a number of packing containers on the “little things, detail-wise” that he appears to be like for when recruiting quarterbacks.
High reward given Morris’ observe document with quarterbacks, and it was the second or third time since December that the Cowboys’ head coach has stopped simply in need of suggesting he prioritizes various things than most of his friends when evaluating highschool quarterbacks.
“When they get to this level, these kids have thrown so many footballs,” Morris mentioned. “We really don’t try to tweak their upper body mechanics. You know, we’ll try to speed some things up, make them faster, but really think we can really fine-tune some things in the lower half and how that works together.”
Numerous instances, Mestemaker has insisted he by no means misplaced religion that his soccer journey would lead him to a beginning gig in school and finally the NFL. Although even he can admire how that should sound to everybody else.
“Some people probably called me crazy for thinking that,” Mestemaker mentioned in February. “But I think that’s kind of the mentality you have to have. … I’m forever grateful for Coach Morris for taking a chance on me.”
Although he by no means gave up, Morris mentioned the model of Mestemaker that first stepped foot on UNT’s campus wanted the sort of confidence enhance that solely comes by expertise on the soccer subject.
“I think he was a little gun-shy at that point,” Morris mentioned. “I imply, I feel , clearly, you acquire confidence by going on the market and proving your self on Saturdays.
“Now, that was something I saw grow throughout camp, and we got into scrimmages. You could really see, as he started learning, gaining more confidence by the time that last scrimmage comes and he knew he was battling for the number two position. That was probably the first time you’re like, okay, like this kid’s got some fight in him.”
That struggle finally put Mestemaker within the driver’s seat to change into UNT’s beginning quarterback in 2025, which allowed him to complete first nationally in passing yards (4,379), second in passing touchdowns (34) and 14th in completion proportion (68.9%).
Morris knew Mestemaker had the bodily instruments instantly, however the coach didn’t notice how sensible he was till a few weeks or extra had handed.
“How well he retained information,” Morris mentioned, describing the psychological traits that set Mestemaker aside. “How well he processed when the bullets were flying, when things were moving in front of him. And so that’s been the fun part for me.”
Morris added that he’s excited to be working with a quarterback for a 3rd season. Mestemaker solely began one sport as a freshman in 2024, a 30-28 loss to Texas State that noticed him end 24-of-41 for 393 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He additionally rushed 9 instances for 55 yards and a landing.
He solely performed a reserve function in 4 different video games that season, however his whole school profession has been within the Morris offense.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to coach a third-year quarterback in a really, really long time,” Morris mentioned Saturday. “And so I feel simply the familiarity of it. Yesterday after apply, I used to be watching Tulsa, and Drew got here in and sat down, and we sat there for 45 minutes, having the ability to discuss by issues.
“And he’s starting to see things like we are, and asking questions, ‘Hey, coach, what do you think about this? You know, if we motion this guy here, how are they going to trade it off?’ And so, just the wheels are always spinning. Really high football IQ, and so it’s been fun to see that (growth) happen in real time.”