How will Oklahoma State football QB Drew Mestemaker respond to dud debut? 'He's a baller'

STILLWATER — Not every Cowboy responded the right way, the way Eric Morris would like, after Oklahoma State’s season-opening flop at Tulsa.

“Some good, some bad,” said Morris, neither naming names nor mincing words. “That’s how it’s going to be. There’s going to be certain people that have their feelings hurt. They didn’t think they played enough. They didn’t play well, and they go into the dumps.”

Morris and his staff need to figure out who’s all in and who’s not, but one guy they’re not worried about is Drew Mestemaker.

“He’s someone that’s going to take (accountability) first,” Morris said Tuesday. “… Great competitors have that built in them, right? And Drew is exactly the same, and he’s never been one that’s going to point a finger. And so yeah, I think he took it really well.”

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Added OSU center Tyler Mercer: “He’s a baller. I think he’s gonna respond in the right way. He’s kept his cool. He’s kept level-headed. He’s a mature player, a mature quarterback, so he’s been in situations like this. We’ve seen him do well and pass for a lot. So, I believe in him. The whole team still has faith in him. The whole team has faith in the team itself. Yes, it was a rough weekend last weekend, but I don’t think that’s a good representation in any of (our) play.”

Oklahoma State was outplayed and outcoached by Tulsa in every facet, but Mestemaker’s performance was most discouraging. He was supposed to be the $3.5 million messiah. The guy taking the snaps in Tulsa looked like an impostor.

“That doesn’t define our season at all and that’s exactly what Coach Morris said in the locker room,” Mestemaker said after the game. “The last thing I’m going to do is lay down and forfeit the season.”

Mestemaker went 29 for 49, passing for 241 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against the Golden Hurricane.

It was the 16th start of Mestemaker’s career, and probably his worst.

It was the lowest game grade the analysts at Pro Football Focus have ever given him. He was the lowest-graded Big 12 quarterback in Week 1, and only four Power Four quarterbacks received a worst grade, per PFF: Vanderbilt’s Blaze Berlowitz, Michigan‘s Bryce Underwood, N.C. State’s C.J. Bailey and Rutgers’ Dylan Lonergan.

Mestemaker’s passer rating against Tulsa was the worst of his career. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns for the third time in his career. His longest pass was 27 yards — the second-shortest longest pass he’s had in a game.

“Maybe a little antsy early and missed a couple,” Morris said of Mestemaker’s film. “He’s just so accurate, especially intermediate (passes). I probably would have liked to have gotten a couple shots.”

You know what could make Mestemaker look even worse? Oregon.

The Ducks‘ defensive front might be the best in college football. Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti are torpedoes off the edge.

It’s unfair to expect Mestemaker, making his first-ever start against a Power Four team, to improve in Week 2 against a national title contender. Especially behind a suspect offensive line.

We’ll learn even less when OSU hosts FCS Murray State the week after.

The real assessment — for Mestemaker and the Cowboys — will come during Big 12 play, which OSU opens Sept. 26 at West Virginia.

First, Mestemaker and the Cowboys have to move on from Tusla.

“(Mestemaker) came back on Monday at practice,” running back Caleb Hawkins said, “and told us straight up: ‘Hey, that’s unacceptable. We’re not gonna have a performance like that again. We’re gonna pass the ball better, we’re gonna run the ball better and we’re just gonna get everything in harmony again.'”

KICKOFF: 11 a.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater (ESPN)

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.