Friday, December 12, 2025
NEW ERA OF OSU FOOTBALL
‘These are our type of people’
Why Eric Morris wanted to coach at OSU, come to Stillwater
It didn’t take long for Eric Morris to spark the competitive juices of Oklahoma State fans.
In front of more than 1,000 Cowboy fans on Monday, Morris took a clear stance on the Bedlam rivalry. He wants OSU to face the Sooners on a football field again in the near future.
“I’d love to get on the phone with anybody that we know that could help us bring that game back,” Morris said. “If they’re asking if Coach Morris welcomes that game, I’d welcome it with open arms.”
OSU officially introduced Morris as its new football coach at an event on campus Monday, and it was moments like that, among others, in which it became clear that Morris is a strong fit to be the architect of a new era of Cowboy football in Stillwater.
Morris is the 25th football coach in program history and was hired Nov. 25 as the successor to Mike Gundy, who was fired in September in the midst of his 21st season.
Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER OSU AD says Morris ‘seperated himself’ from other candidates
Oklahoma State football found itself at a crossroads, and Athletic director Chad Weiberg knew the program needed the right leader to pull it out of its downward spiral.
After nearly two months without a permanent head coach, OSU made a move Nov. 25, hiring North Texas coach Eric Morris to lead the Cowboys’ football program into a new era.
The school officially introduced Morris at an on-campus event Monday, and Weiberg said the search never strayed far from Morris.
“He was someone that was at the top of our list really early on,” Weiberg said. “I talked about how he’s established for the bar and you’re seeing anybody crossing the bar.”
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris and athletic director Chad Weiberg spoke to fans and media on Monday when Morris was formally introduced as coach.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Eric Morris said coaching at a place like OSU was a ‘dream.’
Morris discusses roster building
In the age of college football where flashy names bring all the hype, Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris plans to continue his ways of developing talent.
Morris has a history of turning overlooked players into stars, recruiting or coaching quarterbacks such as Cam Ward, Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield, and most recently turning Drew Mestemaker into the nation’s leading passer at North Texas.
Now, at OSU, Morris plans to implement his unique recruiting style of finding under-theradar players and turn them into star players.
On Monday, the school introduced Morris as its new football coach, and Morris spoke to his plan of building the Cowboys’ future rosters.
“We really believe in the process that we have recruiting wise,” Morris said. “Our process is different than everybody else’s.”
Morris has been
tabbed as a “quarterback whisperer” because he always has top-notch passers in explosive offenses. In Morris’ years as a coach, his teams have ranked in the top five in total offense multiple times.
While his offenses have lit the scoreboard up, Morris has prided himself on his ability to recruit.
“Sometimes (our process) is a little bit slower than everyone else’s,” Morris said. “All those guys are uniquely talented in their own ways… One thing that sets all those guys apart is their ability to process information really fast and what’s going on in between the brains. We have a way that we’re able to judge that in the recruiting process.”
With National Signing Day last week, Morris and his general manager, Raj Murti, showed their ability to recruit before they officially arrived in Stillwater. As of that Wednesday morning, the Cowboys had just three commits, but Morris and Murti put together a class with 15 signees by the
end of Thursday. Murti is 24 years old, but has established himself as a roster builder in college football. In 2024, he helped lead TCU to the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big 12, prior to joining Morris at North Texas.
In his time as a coach, Morris has been rooted in filling his rosters with high school talent.
As the transfer portal rose as a major way to fill squads during the COVID-19 pandemic, Morris found high school talent such as Ward, and played for Morris at Incarnate Word, who was overlooked with more experienced names coming out of the portal.
With many high-level prospects in Texas and Oklahoma, Morris is prepared to continue to bring kids to OSU from the surrounding areas.
“I believe in recruiting Oklahoma,” Morris said.
“I’ve done it everywhere I’ve been. That won’t change here, recruiting high school kids (from the) state of Oklahoma and then the great relationships that I have
in Texas. I think those will be our hot beds.”
While Morris plans on establishing a footing in Oklahoma and Texas, he also opened the idea of dipping his toes in Louisiana.
“Those will kind of be the three states that we try to establish our presence in high school recruitment,” Morris said.
Although Morris plans on finding kids from all over, he isn’t looking for flashy names. He’s looking for guys who play football the right way.
Oftentimes in the NIL era, money is a big topic of discussion, but rather than trying to build the most expensive roster, Morris is looking for guys who play his brand of football.
“I think some people forget that football is a really tough sport,” Morris said. “It’s hard to win. It’s made for tough people that are big, strong, fast (and) willing to sacrifice for one another… I still believe in all the hard nosed tough things that were instilled in me a long time ago.”
Stillwater
Continued from 1
“I want to thank all Cowboy football players; current, past and our future players,” Morris said. “They put their blood, sweat and tears into this program. I’m honored to lead your program. It will always be your program.”
Morris took the stage and first spoke to the importance of his family and how much he values building relationships on and off the field. He had two rows of family members in attendance and thanked them on multiple occasions, getting emotional when mentioning his wife, Maggie, and their two sons, Jack and George.
The 40-year-old Morris then reflected on his days of playing wide receiver at Texas Tech, focusing on how he had to grind his way to a scholarship as an undersized prospect. That previous familiarity with the Big 12 Conference and OSU’s surrounding areas was a factor that made coaching the Cowboys an attractive job.
Morris also estimated that he has been to Stillwater seven times as a player or coach and jokingly said he still hasn’t “won a damn game in Boone Pickens Stadium,” the atmosphere and place in which he wanted to coach.
“I mean, this truly is a dream come true for me,” Morris said. But more than anything, Morris viewed Stillwater as a comfortable place for the next chapter in his life.
Morris is from Shallowater, Texas, a town with roughly 3,000 residents, and grew up with a father who farmed on the side while serving as a basketball and football coach. He is used to a small-town lifestyle
and can continue living like that in Stillwater, which has roughly 50,000 residents, while raising his family.
And when Morris runs out of the tunnel on Saturdays, there will be plenty of people cheering for his team, of course — people whom Morris said he and his family “can relate to.”
“The more and more I got into (looking at OSU), my wife and I kept saying, ‘These are our type of people,’” Morris said. “We want to embrace ourselves in this community. My kids will be going to Stillwater Public Schools. It’s something we believe in. My father is a public educator, and so we believe in small-town people.”
Now, Morris is in the process of firming up his coaching staff and evaluating and building a roster for the 2026 season. He just wrapped up his third season at North Texas, where he guided the Mean Green to an 11-1 record and had it within one win from reaching the College Football Playoff.
Morris, who will call the offensive plays for OSU, brings an Air Raid scheme that helped UNT lead the NCAA in yards per game and have the No. 2 passing attack in the country in 2025.
Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg saw the on-field success Morris had in Denton recently, and when he combined that with Morris’ fit, Weiberg knew he had found the man to lead OSU football.
“He established himself as a bar to be crossed, if there was (one), pretty early on for all the reasons I said (at the introduction),” Weiberg said. “His familiarity with Oklahoma, Texas (and) the Big 12 Conference.”
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris said he and his staff will look to heavily recruit Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana prospects.
Marco Barrera, for the Denton Record-Chronicle
Eric Morris and his GM, Raj Murti, are looking to continue to find and devlop overlooked talent in Stillwater
Morris’ unique QB credentials a gold mine for Oklahoma State
Parker Gerl CO-EDITORIN-CHIEF
Eric Morris could hear it
The kid he was watching was different.
It was the summer of 2019, and Morris was the coach at Incarnate Word. He and his staff hosted a camp for high school players and unexpectedly stumbled into a prized possession.
This was Cam Ward. But he wasn’t Cam Ward yet. He was an overlooked 0-star recruit who was relatively new to high-level, competitive football, but had enough raw talent to put on a show in the camp’s warm-up period.
Morris estimates Ward was throwing only 10-yard passes, but even on those, his right arm was on fire. On a different level than anybody else’s at the camp.
“(Quarterbacks coach) Mack (Leftwich) comes over and says, ‘You got to come down and watch this guy throw,’” Morris said. “... And the ball is just popping of this kid’s hand.”
The rest was history. Morris put Ward through an individual workout, then conversed with Ward’s family before landing the prospect to play for him at UIW. Ward then went on to pass for 4,648 yards with 47 touchdowns as a sophomore and was able to transfer and start at Washington State and then Miami.
And after a strong finish to his collegiate career with the Hurricanes, Ward, who Morris continued to coach as the offensive coordinator at Washington State, was selected No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It was finding and coaching talented quarterbacks like Ward and others that has led to Morris being nicknamed a “quarterback whisperer”
and a “quarterback guru.”
Morris was formally introduced as Oklahoma State’s new football coach Monday, and it’s his unique eye for discovering those elite passers that could be the next gold mine for the Cowboys.
Along with Ward, Morris has also recruited or coached Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, John Mateer and Drew Mestemaker, who led the NCAA in regular-season passing for Morris’ North Texas team this season.
“The one thing that sets all those guys apart is their ability to process information really fast and what’s going on in between the brains,” Morris said.
When Morris talks about evaluating and finding quarterbacks, it’s like you’re listening to a professor teach you a new subject in school.
On Monday, Morris credited Mike Leach and Kliff Kingsbury for playing pivotal roles in teaching
him how to identify and develop quarterbacks. They helped give him a “formula” for reading a player’s decision-making and finding overlooked traits that make that player unique.
“We have a way we’re able to judge that in the recruiting process,” Morris said.
Morris’ quarterback evaluations go beyond football, though. Watching prospects play other sports can sometimes be just as effective.
For Ward, his talent on the basketball court also played a role in winning Morris and his staff over.
“Really, we fell in love with watching (Ward) play basketball,” Morris said. “All-time leading scorer at his high school. Unbelievable shot. Kept his eyes up. Saw space extremely well.”
Morris also said he offered Mayfield and Mateer football scholarships on the baseball field. Football serves as the foundation, but baseball and
basketball are tools Morris uses to learn more about a kid.
“It’s hard to really tell their temperament and the way they interact with teammates with a helmet on when you’re evaluating them,” Morris said. “I think you can gather a lot of information about what kind of teammate they are (by watching them in other sports).”
Now, Morris will look to continue his track record of developing quarterbacks in Stillwater.
Mestemaker, like Ward, was a 0-star recruit. Mayfield, Mateer and Mahomes all carried 3-star honors. None were viewed as top-notch prospects, but Morris’ unique eye for passers gave him a different opinion. One that ended up being right.
“If I take a 3-star quarterback, nobody get mad at me,” Morris said. “Like, that’s all I can say, right?”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
The hire carried unusual gravity. OSU hadn’t conducted a head football coaching search since 2005, and the program’s reset made this decision a crucial one for Weiberg.
With the landscape of college football shifting rapidly — from realignment to NIL to the transfer portal — OSU needed a coach who could stabilize a roster, build relationships and compete immediately.
When describing what he looked for in a new head coach, Weiberg laid out a checklist. He sought “an accomplished coach with a track record of winning games and building programs, a leader who creates a culture young men want to be part of, a man that you would want your son to play” and more.
Morris emerged as the candidate who fit both OSU’s identity and its future, but the Cowboys weren’t the only ones pursuing him.
Interest in Morris nationwide accelerated the timeline.
“I knew there were other schools that had an interest in (Morris),” Weiberg said. “Maybe it was beyond interest. What I appreciated about him is that he made it very clear that he felt that this was the best fit for him as well.”
As the carousel spun, Weiberg didn’t want OSU trapped in the uncertainty that often derails coaching searches.
“Depending on how all the dominoes fell, I felt that there was a real possibility that there could be panic that starts happening,” Weiberg said. “People started filling out crazy things. I wanted to get Oklahoma State out of that as fast as I possibly could.”
Weiberg isn’t new to high-stakes hires. In recent years, he brought in Jacie Hoyt for women’s basketball, Steve Lutz for men’s basketball and David Taylor for wrestling — all of whom delivered quick results.
Now, Morris steps into one of the most important rebuilds in recent program history. He inherits a roster in transition, a fanbase hungry for wins and a program looking to bounce back.
But those close to the hire — including Weiberg — believe Morris is equipped to meet the moment. And if early doubt surrounds his arrival, Morris said that has only fueled him.
“When people tell me I can’t do something, it’s one of the greatest motivators I have,” Morris said. “I’m one of those kids that say, ‘All right, watch me. Watch me work.’”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Stacy Revere, Tribune News Service
Eric Morris played a pivotal role in helping Cam Ward become the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
OSU coach Eric Morris credited Kliff Kingsbury and Mike Leach for helping him learn how
Natalie Koepp, The O’Colly
OSU guard Amari Whiting looks to pass to Achol Akot under the basket.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly OSU guard Micah Gray defends an MSVU player.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly
OSU coach Jacie Hoyt’s daughter, Harlow, plays with Pistol Pete during the Cowgirls’ game.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly
OSU guard Jadyn Wooten shoots a floater.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly Stailee Heard drives to the basket against MSVU.
Natalie Koepp, The O’Colly The Cowgirl basketball team huddles during a timeout.
Natalie Koepp, The O’Colly
Jadyn Wooten and Achol Akot celebrate with Amari Whiting after a buzzer-beater.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly Micah Gray helps up Stailee Heard during a dead ball.
Andon Freitas, The O’Colly Haleigh Timmer shoots a 3-pointer against MSVU.
OSU eyes Top-25 spot entering Saturday’s Bedlam matchup
Parker Gerl CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Oklahoma State guard Kirk Cole grew up in Yukon and has watched Bedlam sports rivalries his entire life.
So, with another Cowboys and Sooners matchup approaching, Cole is already doing his part in embracing the storied in-state rivalry.
“My best friend and my father-in-law are OU fans,” Cole said. “So, I probably won’t even talk to them this week.”
OSU’s men’s basketball team is set to face Oklahoma on Saturday at Paycom Center at noon in Oklahoma City as part of a doubleheader with the women’s teams. A Bedlam game in itself is a big deal, but the undefeated Cowboys are also on the cusp of being ranked in the Top 25, and a win over the Sooners would almost certainly
give them that honor.
OSU has slowly climbed up the national ranks this season, receiving 54 votes in the latest AP Poll to put it two spots outside the Top 25. The Cowboys’ 9-0 record is also their best start to a season since 2006-07.
Coach Steve Lutz said Tuesday that he’s “very happy” with OSU’s strong start, but as he enters his second Bedlam, he knows just how much weight the result of Saturday’s game carries.
“(Bedlam) just means so much to so many people,” Lutz said. “It’s funny how our fans and our friends and people that you know and love and are dear to you, they go, ‘Man, it’s great, coach. You guys are 9-0 and No. 27 in the AP Poll. But if you lose this weekend, nobody really cares about all that other stuff.’”
OU is 6-3 on the
season, but it presents several defensive challenges for OSU.
Guard Nijel Pack enters Saturday averaging 17.2 points alongside three additional Sooners scoring more than 11 points per game.
And through nine games, the Cowboys’ offense has been their strength, while Lutz has consistently said defense is where his team has the biggest room for growth.
OSU most recently struggled in Phoenix last week against Grand Canyon, allowing the Lopes to shoot 48.6% from the field in the first half after giving up 83 points to Sam Houston in the game before.
If the Cowboys can hunker down and get more stops, Lutz said he believes they’ll be in a great spot for both Bedlam and the remainder of the season.
“There’s a large part
of the game where we play the right way,” Lutz said. “But then there’s a significant portion where we don’t play the right way, and we don’t dig in defensively, and we don’t get back, and we don’t get matched up and we don’t guard our man. If we fix that, man, I think we put ourselves in a really good position to have success.”
Saturday’s game also gives the Cowboys one more opportunity to face a Power Five opponent before Big 12 Conference play begins. OSU will have only three more nonconference games after it faces the Sooners before heading to Lubbock to play Texas Tech.
“I feel like this will be a good test to see where we’re at,” OSU guard Anthony Roy said. “I just look forward to the whole game atmosphere and environment.”
In the midst of a 10-1 start for the second straight season, Oklahoma State has faced criticism around who it has played.
On Saturday, the Cowgirls face their biggest test of the season.
OSU will renew the Bedlam series with Oklahoma, as the two sides didn’t face off last year, snapping a streak of 49 consecutive years the two sides played.
Entering the contest, OSU ranks 273rd in strength of schedule, as only four of its opponents have a winning record.
Now, the Cowgirls are tasked with their first ranked matchup of the year, as they prepare to face No. 9 OU on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
“Bedlam games have been the most intense, fan packed games that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here,” OSU coach Jacie Hoyt said. “Those are the types of crowds and atmospheres that we all dream of playing in. We’re really excited to get back to that.”
In Hoyt’s tenure leading the Cowgirls, Bedlam games have been high-scoring. This one has the cards for the same, as both OSU and OU rank inside the top five in points per game.
The Cowgirls enter Saturday in riding the high of scoring a program record 133 points against Mississippi Valley State, the most any NCAA school has scored on a Division One opponent this season, as well as setting the program record for most 100-point games in a season with five in just 11 games.
A big part of the Cowgirls’ success has been turning defense
into offense. They have forced 20.36 turnovers per game having scored 26 points per game off of turnovers.
While the Cowgirls have feasted on forcing opposing mistakes, the Sooners have played clean basketball and have shared the rock, averaging 1.5 assists per turnovers committed.
If the Sooners are able to get the ball into the front court, OSU will be faced with a mismatch on the interior as OU has a towering post player, someone the Cowgirls haven’t seen this season.
With the 6-foot-4 Raegan Beers down low, OSU will have its hands full. Beers is three inches taller than Achol Akot, who is the tallest Cowgirl who regularly sees minutes.
In her fourth season, Beers has been dominant, as she is averaging a doubledouble, scoring 16.9 points per game and grabbing 10.6 boards a game.
Alongside Beers, the Sooners have the No. 1 ranked freshman in Aaliyah Chavez. Chavez has taken college basketball by storm, as she is averaging 19.1 points and has turned into one of the best scorers in the country.
If the Cowgirls are able to take down the Sooners, Hoyt would not only pick up her first victory against OU but would also pick up her first road win against a Top 10 opponent.
While OU poses OSU with multiple challenges, the Cowgirls remain confident.
“We’ve done everything we need to do,” guard Jadyn Wooten said. “This team has so many weapons, I feel like we have every right to be confident.”
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Steve Lutz (left) and Porter Moser (right) will coach against each other for the second time in Bedlam.
Cox STAFF REPORTER
OSU’s Facundo finding stride at
Oklahoma State’s addition of Alex Facundo this offseason came with plenty of intrigue.
A former top recruit at Penn State, Facundo arrived in Stillwater with talent, experience and questions about what he could become after several interrupted seasons.
Ten matches into the year, he’s starting to answer them.
Facundo is 7-3 with five-match win streak, including a dominant run to the 174-pound title at Sunday’s Cougar Clash.
The No. Cowboy cruised through the bracket, earning technical falls over Northern Iowa’s Izzy Moreno and Missouri’s Danny Heiser, outscoring his opponents 36-5. Facundo didn’t surrender a takedown, and the final was awarded to him after Northern Iowa’s Jared Simma medically forfeited.
For OSU coach David Taylor, the performance reflected what Facundo has been building toward.
“(Facundo did) really good,” Taylor said. “(When) Alex came out of high school, he was a really big recruit. His freshman year was almost four years ago… he’s missed some time, so just
those reps — you can practice your reps, but competition reps are your best practice.
“As his last couple of matches (have gone on), he started to click on all cylinders, and this weekend, he really started to get the confidence in the reps back and looked really smooth.”
Facundo’s path to OSU has been far from linear. He redshirted, took an Olympic redshirt year, battled injuries
was one of the bigger adjustments — and a not so easy one.
“The cut to 174 was an experience for sure,” Facundo said. “I started in the summer. I was like 187, then I decided I was going to go down. It took a lot of discipline… but I feel a lot better at 174. It’s my natural weight — stronger, healthier, happier.”
What may end up defining Facundo’s season happened weeks before the
“I think this coaching staff is the best I’ve ever had. They really focus on what the guys need. There are no favorites; everyone is equal here.”
FACUNDO | 174-POUND WRESTLER
ALEX
and struggled to build momentum.
That’s part of why the change of scenery has felt refreshing.
“It’s been great. The people are awesome,” Facundo said. “When I first got here, we just got right into it.
Started training with David and we haven’t stopped since.”
The jump from 165 pounds to 174
Cougar Clash: the National Duals Invitational, where he faced one of the toughest four-match stretches anyone in college wrestling will see this year.
Facundo dropped decisions to No. 2 Patrick Kennedy, No. 3 Simon Ruiz and was pinned by No. 5 Matthew Singleton before defeating No. 4 Christopher Minto.
“I think that was really good because even at the national tournament, you’re not going to get No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 all in one tournament,” Facundo said. “I didn’t get any of the results I wanted, but it was a good metric to see exactly what I need to work on.”
Those lessons led to a realization — first uncomfortable, now invaluable.
“After the first day, it was like, ‘Man, what the heck’s going on?’” Facundo said. “After the third match, I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ Then my coaches came to talk to me and really helped me out. It sucked (at first), but I got to move forward… I know it’s not March, it’s November.”
Taylor has echoed that mindset. The goal isn’t December dominance; it’s March readiness, and Facundo feels the support behind him every day.
“(The coaching staff) is really good,” Facundo said. “David (Taylor) and Jimmy (Caldwell) were my guys back at Penn State… now we got coach Ward, coach Caldwell and coach Pearsall. Each one gives me a piece of advice every day.
“I think this coaching staff is the best I’ve ever had. They really focus on what the guys need. There are no favorites; everyone is equal here.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER
Kaytlyn Hayes, The O’Colly
OSU coach David Taylor said wrestler Alex Facundo has started “to click on
season.
Our photos from Eric morris’ introduction
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris stands alongside his wife, Maggie Morris, and two sons, Jack and George.
Payton Little, The O’Colly Eric Morris smiles during his news conference.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
Eric Morris’s introductory press conference in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Dec. 8, 2025.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly Eric Morris speaks with his son, George.
Chance Marick, The O’Colly Eric Morris speaks with the media in a breakout session of his introductory news conference.
The o’colly sports picks
ABOUT OUR GUEST PICKER:
Chance Marick is The O’Colly’s photo editor and is entering his second semester in the position. He is from Broken Arrow and is a sports media major.
GUEST PICKER LEADERBOARD
Raynee Howell: 10-0
Berry Tramel: 8-2
Nicole Auerbach: 8-2
McClain Baxley: 8-2
Katie Lehew: 7-2
Scott Wright: 7-3
Davis Cordova: 7-3
Shehan Jeyarajah: 7-3
Mason Young: 7-3
Patrick Prince: 7-3
Braden Bush: 6-4
Jacie Hoyt: 5-5
Kenny Gajewski: 5-5
Sam Khan Jr.: 5-5
Luke Mazza
Cayden Cox
Friday, December 12, 2025
2025 graduation edition
Music to her ears
Father performing at daughter’s graduation is ‘super special’
BY RAYNEE HOWELL I
Decked out in Scottish regalia with tuned bagpipes in hand, Tony Spurlock will stand among a band of pipers and drummers as he has for every Oklahoma State graduation for more than 10 years.
Tony Spurlock said he hasn’t felt nerves since his first few performances with the OSU Pipes and Drums band. His daughter Gracie Spurlock attended almost every performance with him, becoming his calm in the chaos.
“Having Gracie there was a little
Jesse Butler’s youthful offender status remains intact, but Payne County District Judge Michael Kulling considered the concerns of Butler’s victims during Monday’s review hearing.
The Office of Juvenile Affairs reported to the court that Butler, who pled no contest to 10 rape-related charges in August, has so far been in compliance with his approved rehabilitation plan.
His youthful offender status and compliance with the plan protects Butler from 10 years in prison.
Jessica Goodwin, an attorney for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Victim Services Unit, spoke on behalf of Butler’s victims. She explained to Kulling that the victims are concerned Butler may not be addressing his knowledge of wrongdoing through counseling as the details of the plan were sealed in a court document.
See BUTLER on page 6B
bit of stability… a little bit of it’s gonna be fine,” Tony Spurlock said. “It doesn’t bother me, but this time it might.” Saturday’s graduation is different for the pair. Gracie Spurlock will hear the sound of her father’s pipes, but instead of from a few feet
away, she’ll be in the chairs set out for the graduates. Tony Spurlock said the performance is even more special knowing Gracie Spurlock’s taking in the music from the perspective of a graduate.
See BAGPIPE on page 5B
Caleson Coon STAFF REPORTER
Camryn Grabeal put on her cap and gown in the spring graduation, despite being a December graduate, and is now ready to walk toward her future in the National Guard in 24 days.
After graduation, with a degree in biosystems engineering and a minor in communications, Grabeal plans to turn her now three-year internship into a fulltime job as a part of Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Design Squad.
Grabeal said her first summer interning under other workers at ODOT is what led her to fall in love with the community of the ODOT, and in return, civil engineering.
“Which I was shocked,” Grabeal said. “Because out of all the different types of engineering, civil engineering was the one where I was like ‘I do not want to do that.”’
Courtesy Eric Priddy
Tony Spurlock (right) is a piper in the OSU Pipes and Drums Band. He will get to play for his daughter Gracie Spurlock’s graduation Saturday.
HOA
Google
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
A protest emerges outside of Payne County Courthouse during Jesse Butler’s review hearing Monday afternoon; this protest was the second in less than a month.
Courtesy Camryn Grabeal Camryn Grabeal walked in the 2025 spring commencement but is a December graduate.
OU Faculty Senate leaders outline reforms for OSU faculty council
Megan Bradley O’COLLY CONTRIBUTOR
Faculty leaders from the University of Oklahoma visited Oklahoma State to share insights into how they updated their faculty senate.
During OSU’s final faculty council meeting of the semester Tuesday, Sarah Robbins, chair of the OU’s Faculty Senate, presented a comprehensive overview of OU’s transformational efforts to modernize and improve communication and representation of faculty.
The visit is a part of OSU’s broader effort to re-evaluate the structure of its faculty council. This invite included OSU’s shared governance reform special committee along with peer schools such as Kansas State, Texas Tech and the University of Utah.
Robbins explained, along with David McLeod and David Hambright of OU, that the faculty senate at OU has adapted to include representation for “nonregular” faculty. The charter revision, which passed in May,
increased the senate from 50 to 60 members to avoid displacing existing seats.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be a small lift,” Robbins said, explaining that revising the charter requires a 20 percent vote of the entire OU faculty. “So, we wanted to take care of a lot of things all at one time.”
Robbins said communication is at the center of their governance model. Subsequently, OU established a campus-wide summary “In Case You Missed It,” after each meeting. Additionally, a new committee of the whole session was introduced for more open and less formal discussions, rather than the formality of traditional procedural meetings.
“Before, we had a lot of senators just listening to rehash what the administrators had presented to us,” Robbins said. “So, this change has altered how we view the Senate.”
Faculty members at OSU had questions regarding the issue of under-representation, particularly as it relates to large colleges such as Arts and Sciences. While Robbins recognized there is an
issue, she said there is sufficient internal diversity within the faculty, preventing one college from being able to control or dominate Senate decisions. Robbins also said the revamp now guarantees smaller colleges at OU are granted representation.
Hambright, a current senator and a former chairperson of the Senate, also joined Robbins at the meeting to discuss how OU balances the need for transparency with the need to maintain a trusting relationship with the upper-level administration.
OSU faculty expressed the idea that shared governance will be most effectively developed as a result of an ongoing exchange of ideas and building trust between faculty and administration, a point Hambright brought up as a positive for the changes to OU’s faculty senate.
“We gain a level of trust with the upper-level administration that allows them to share information with us,” Hambright said. “We have to find a balance between our obligation to be transparent versus our obligation to maintain a trusting relationship.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Leaders of University of Oklahoma’s faculty senate attended OSU faculty council’s last
to share insights about the inner workings of its system. new position with the City
On This day
1995. 30 years ago.
The idea of marrying in college may scare a lot of students, but one-third of college-age people marry with the hope that the relationship will last a lifetime.
As young adults date and form serious relationships, many of them ask themselves if their love means forming a lifetime commitment.
According to 1988 statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce, 43.3 percent of women and 31.4 percent of men had married at least once by age 24.
This desire to form a lasting relationship applies to OSU students as well.
Dusty Jackson, an architecture freshmen, currently is shopping for an engagement ring with his girlfriend Heather Alexander, an interior design junior.
Jackson and Alexander, like many young couples, are trying to build a strong foundation for a lifetime together. But they’re aware of the dangers inherent in marrying, particularly at their age.
“It seems like I’m totally gungho about it, but I’m not. It’s a scary concept making a lifetime decision,” Jackson said. “I’ve only lived one-fourth of my life, and I’m making a decision for the last three-fourths of it. But there’s no substantial reason for me to feel scared.”
It was nice knowing ya
Raynee Howell CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Whether I was writing the frontpage feature or sketching the layout on the whiteboard in Paul Miller 108, the news and lifestyle section has been shaped, in some way, by me over the last 3.5 years.
Saturday, when I cross the stage at Gallagher-Iba Arena, the torch will pass on. I’ll be saying goodbye to the place that sparked my passion for journalism and became a second home. I’m leaving with more than 250 bylines — but even more memories. My time in various editor roles helped me learn more about myself, this industry and where I want to go.
Co-Editors-in-Chief
Raynee Howell & Parker Gerl editorinchief@ocolly.com
Design editor Katie Lehew design.ed@ocolly.com
Social media editor Bryson Thadhani news.ed@ocolly.com
But this semester as co-editor-in-chief challenged me and taught me more than I thought I could learn.
Just weeks before classes started, our adviser accepted a new job. Parker Gerl and I had to put our heads together and our fingers on our keyboards to keep the newspaper and website running for 16 weeks. Our efforts mattered, but we couldn’t have done it alone. Alumni stepped in each production day to share their time and experience.
Jason Collington, Patrick Prince, Matt Clayton, Tim Landes, Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Kelly Hines and others — thank you. You taught us lessons no classroom ever could. The staff would ask me at the beginning of every week, “So… who’s gonna be here this week?” Your impact reached far beyond what you probably expected.
To my editorial board and staff: thank you for trusting me, for working hard and for believing in what we were building each week. You made it possible.
If you ever spoke with me for an interview, thank you for trusting me with your story and your words. I hope I honored it.
And to future generations of The O’Colly: when you walk down that long hallway and see 10 people look up at you, don’t be afraid. In that room with the misty blue walls, everyone wants you to succeed.
If you let them, they will guide you and encourage you, and somewhere along the way, they’ll become your friends. They’ll make leaving for graduation one of the hardest things you’ll ever do.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant photo editor Payton Little photo.ed@ocolly.com
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
meeting of the semester
of Stillwater on Thursday.
Raynee Howell
Faculty advice to graduating seniors
career it is just the beginning of a lifetime of learning, Cox said.
Aliyah Young STAFF REPORTER
If you tell your friends “I can’t wait ’til it’s cold so I can layer,” and “My style is better in the winter,” now is your time to show out.
Don’t pull up in just hoodies and sweatpants; live up to your word. Follow this style guide to elevate your winter looks while keeping warm.
Starting with the basics: thermals, long sleeves and sweatshirts are the way to go. They are great underpieces, acting as a base layer for you to add on.
If plain long sleeves and thermals are too ordinary for you, spice it up by adding funky patterns and interesting textures. Flannels are great underpieces for layering, bringing in color and pattern.
Jean jackets, bomber jackets and leather jackets are a few of the many alternatives that will instantly take your look to the next level.
The cold can make us compromise on fashion, forcing us to pick warmth over style. Don’t let the cold win. Here are a few tips for wearing lighter clothes in frigid weather.
Skirts Still want to wear skirts? Don’t be discouraged. Fleece tights will keep you warm and stylish. Opt for tights with cool patterns and colors to add interest to your outfit.
The fall semester is at its close and with it comes another graduation.
Oklahoma State faculty have all been in that situation before, oftentimes more than once and have a plethora of knowledge and tips to share with the graduating seniors.
The path that everyone takes to reach graduation is different and a professor who is familiar with that is Nate Lannan, who finished his doctorate this semester.
“The journey has been a winding one, full of switchbacks and cloverleafs, and it is from that perspective that I offer this advice: keep your blinders off,” Lannon said. “Embrace the opportunities life gives you, even when it is not a part of your plan. Becoming a college professor was never on my radar. What crazyawesome path will you follow?”
The craziness of the path to reach a degree is only the start of the winding path of life that the graduates will walk. Many of the professors offered advice on starting that path.
“Graduation marks not an end, but the beginning of discovering who you want to become,” said Anshuang Fu, assistant professor of finance. “Embrace uncertainty with courage, invest in your skills and surround yourself with people who uplift you. Your future is built step by step — be consistent, stay humble, and trust the process.”
Getting a job out of college and starting the career you’ve been working toward can be an exciting first step, but it can also feel like a last step as you close the chapter on your college life. One professor said it’s a positive to have the chance for a new beginning.
“Your first job is just the beginning — what matters most is your willingness to learn, adapt and grow,” said Lynn Boorady, department head in the department of design and merchandising.
Taking a step into a new beginning in a world outside of university can create many chances to make mistakes. Rachel Cox, an instructor of professional practice in accounting, said to not be afraid to make those mistakes.
“Never stop learning about your field; put your knowledge into action and appreciate the value of what you learned, applying it to your workplace, society, the world, and to yourself,” said Pamela Abit, grant manager for the department of biosystems and agricultural engineering. Learning is something that does not stop after graduating, going into your
Graduating in December provides a unique set of rewards and challenges compared to graduating in the spring.
Entering the workforce in December puts you into a unique situation where companies are preparing for the year ahead, Boorady said.
That uniqueness can cause an uneasy feeling as the job search happens and careers are started. Staying confident in the skills that you have built, staying proactive in searching for opportunities and being open to unexpected paths are pieces of advice that Boorady gives.
OSU is more than just a place to learn the skills and knowledge for a career; there are social and life skills that are learned in it. The Cowboy Code provides a way to be able to learn more than just academics.
“You’ve also developed character qualities as a Cowboy alumnus that will benefit you for the rest of your life,” Cox said.
Some students at OSU work either on campus or off campus but it is a different beast to work in the career field chosen.
Learning what people are expecting is an adjustment for graduates.
Managers value problem solving in their employees even more so when it is a new hire, said Jerry Rackley, assistant department head of the school of marketing and international business.
“Employees who ran to their manager for help every time they had a problem did not get promotions, bonuses and recognition,” Rackley said. “On the other hand, employees who learned how to solve problems and take solutions to their managers were the ones who advanced. It was a key life lesson and success factor for me to learn this early in my career.”
The journey of making it to graduation has started the preparation of forging the next generation of difference makers in Oklahoma and beyond.
“You will do so much good for so many people — your family, your friends, your community — if you remember that no action is too small to make a difference and that every relationship you forge strengthens the civic bonds that make for a more peaceful and prosperous country,” said Howard Sanborn, the head of the department of political science.
“Keep this knowledge close, fortified by your academic lessons and enduring friendships, and you will find that many of life’s harder decisions become far easier to make.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
If funky isn’t your thing, try a classic preppy look. Trade that Nike Tech in for a quarter-zip and embody your preppy persona. Go the extra mile and layer it with a collared shirt, paired with slacks.
Coats and puffers tend to all look the same. They hide your outfit and overtake your style. Instead of grabbing the puffer, go for a bomber jacket.
Shorts Can’t let go of the shorts? Try thicker denim jean shorts. Leg warmers are a cute way to enhance your aesthetic and keep you warm. If the leg warmers don’t cut it, try out capris. The mix between shorts and pants might be your perfect combo. This winter, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Follow this style guide and use your own creativity and you are guaranteed to break some necks.
Marcus Mesis STAFF REPORTER
File Photo
Professors work directly with students during the semester. Now, they have advice for graduating seniors set to walk the stage Saturday.
Daisy Gower, The O’Colly
The temperatures are beginning to drop and students are dressing warmer.
Feeling the effects
Students lean on caffeine to get through finals week
Audie Martin STAFF REPORTER
During finals week, some college students reach for energy drinks to power through late-night study sessions; however, the potential health effects could be more prevalent than students realize.
As cans pile up, nutrition experts warn that frequent consumption may come with more health risks. Oklahoma State associate professor of nutritional sciences, Sam Emerson, said he believes energy drinks can be safe when used in moderation.
“I’m not saying it’s all good, so to speak, but it’s just kind of part of that young adult lifestyle where a lot of times you’re staying up late, getting up early and you’re kind of leaning on caffeine to help you function throughout your day,” Emerson said. “I don’t think any of us would say that’s the best way to live. That’s just kind of what is often adopted when you’re a young adult.”
For Emerson, moderation means consuming energy drinks once or twice a week at most. Someone who does not have a health predisposition will likely not see any health risk increase “in the long haul,” he said.
To Eric Mashburn, a mechanical engineering junior, what began as a “sweet treat ritual” has become an aid in getting through large amounts of homework. Mashburn said energy drinks for him are used as “a tool, not a lifestyle.”
“I had one every Thursday in the afternoon as a sweet treat,” Mashburn said. “And now I use it (energy drinks) for if I ever have to take an exam or if I need a lot of homework done. That’s why I take it. So, I’d say maybe roughly once or twice a week.”
Consuming energy drinks in moderation isn’t typically a cause for concern, but they can still cause negative side effects. Health effects can range from increased anxiety and insomnia to heart palpitations and shakiness.
For Mary Lytle, a zoology senior, energy drinks can sometimes make her feel uneasy, despite drinking them only once or twice a week.
“Sometimes they can make me shaky,” Lytle said. “Like, if I drink one that has too much caffeine.”
Understanding the caffeine amount in popular energy drinks can help students gauge how much they are
consuming. For example, while an 8.4 fluid ounce can of Red Bull provides 80 mg of caffeine, Celsius drinks provide about 140 mg (based on cans being 200 mg per 12 fl oz).
Less than 400 mg of caffeine a day is marked as “safe,” according to the American Medical Association. Drinking high levels of caffeine at an unhealthy frequency can make a student subject to unexpected health consequences.
Ingredients such as taurine, B vitamins, citric acid and sugar can be found in various energy drinks, acting as stimulants and additives to give users an energetic effect.
“They’re all stimulating the central nervous system, turning up the heart rate, promoting vasoconstriction, promoting alertness and all of those things,” Emerson said. “And so, yeah, they’re kind of synergistic. They work together and (they are) probably additive on top of each other in terms of that stimulation effect.”
However, the long-term effects of energy drinks are still highly understudied. Emerson said one of the bigger concerns can be not just consuming energy drinks by themselves, but rather what happens when drinks are mixed in with alcohol.
“Sometimes people can think it prevents the effects of alcohol, but it’s not,” Emerson said. “It’s like masking it. Which sounds like the same thing, but the impairment is still there. So, it really just makes it more dangerous.”
The compounding of alcohol and caffeine can be a concern and is best for students to avoid the combination if possible.
For those who may struggle with a high caffeine dependency, Emerson recommended gradually stepping away from caffeine intake.
“You have to come down from it slowly or else you’re going to have really uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms,” Emerson said. “Creating a plan for steadily decreasing caffeine over the course of weeks, maybe even months, so that you can continue to function and you’re not just coming off it cold. But I would honestly recommend that to someone who’s drinking 800 milligrams of caffeine in a day. Because, I don’t think anyone thinks that’s healthy, but you kind of get to that point and you got to keep doing it or else you’re going to have withdrawals.”
Addy Blankenship contributed to this report.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Penny discontinuation affects local gas stations
said it can the discontinuation of the penny is both good and bad.
The penny is out of circulation, which has hurt a lot of businesses around the United States, including some in Stillwater.
In response, businesses, such as OnCue, have started to add systems to round up or down. Although in Oklahoma it isn’t illegal to round up, OnCue has established that they will now start rounding down by the nearest 5 cents.
Laura Aufleger, the president of OnCue, said the decision to round down was made in consideration of its customers.
“When we started looking at the situation... it’s hard because we know that times are pretty tough for a lot of people right now and it just didn’t seem fair to us to round up or charge somebody more for something,” Aufleger said. “And so, we did what we thought was in the best interest of our customers in the situation. We were like ‘Yeah, we’re going to probably take a hit on it, but we’d rather make it the best situation possible for our customers.’”
Aufleger said it hasn’t hurt sales, but it will definitely affect profitability. The company is keeping an eye on that, and will see what time will tell, she said.
Some customers in Stillwater seem thankful for OnCue’s decision but conflicted about the current situation with the penny. Davin McDowell, a Stillwater resident and customer,
“Well, I think it’s good that I don’t have to have a bunch of pennies anymore, but I’m worried to see how it affects employees being paid.... whether we will get more money or less money from our employer,” McDowell said. “But I’m thankful that OnCue is trying to save me some money in the future.”
How it may affect employees at different companies is not as clear, but Aufleger said the loss of the penny will not affect OnCue workers or their pay in the future.
“The company just really had to absorb the cost of it... thankfully (there’s) no effect on our employees,” Aufleger said.
Resident Rylee Sewell wasn’t fond of the loss of the penny. The U.S. penny has been in circulation since 1793, and last month, the last pennies were made. It will remain legal tender but will slowly fade out.
Sewell said people deserve to be able to continue to use their money. Aufleger said the situation worked itself out for the company, but originally it was also a hard shift.
“Well, really and truly, it seems like it wasn’t very well thought out, and it just kind of hit all of a sudden, and we couldn’t get pennies anymore with any of our banks or anyone,” Aufleger said. “And so moving forward, we really hope that the legislature will be able to find some kind of resolution with the situation.”
FUN PENNY FACTS
FACT 1: The first official penny was introduced in 1793.
FACT 2: The last penny was ceremonially pressed Nov. 12.
FACT 3: Each penny cost nearly four cents to make.
FACT 4: Abraham Lincoln was pressed onto the penny for his 100th birthday.
FACT 5:
In WWII, some pennies were made out of steel to save copper resources for weapon manufacturing.
Payton Little, The O’Colly Nutrition experts say energy drinks can be safe when used in moderation.
Caden James STAFF REPORTER
Bailey Schmitz, The O’Colly
OnCue started rounding purchases down five cents after the penny was discontinued.
Bagpipe
Continued from 1
“To know that she’s there, not listening because she is with me or has to, but she’s listening to it as a moment in her life… a milestone… that just means the world to me,” Tony Spurlock said. “But to know that Gracie is not going to be standing there with me. I mean, it’s kind of hard to say now; she’ll be out in the seats, and it’s going to be a little more difficult and a little bit more emotional.”
Graduations became the backdrop of Gracie Spurlock’s childhood. She met former OSU presidents Burns Hargis and Dr. Kayse Shrum and received VIP tours at the O-Club in the football stadium and the student athlete center in GIA. It only made her fall in love with the school more.
“To me (OSU) was the motherland,” Gracie Spurlock said. “I got to walk around wherever I wanted. I thought it was super duper cool, and it was always super fun being able to hang out with my dad.”
This time, the trip to Stillwater for graduation holds more weight for Tony Spurlock as one of the graduates he’s playing for is his own daughter, and to her, that is incredibly special.
“That’s super special to have him involved in my actual graduation,” Gracie Spurlock said. “A lot of parents obviously do not get that chance to be that involved, so it’s a super big deal for us.”
OSU influenced her long before her father began playing with the band in 2014. Tony Spurlock is an OSU-Okmulgee alumnus and OSU memorabilia fills the walls of the Spurlock home in Tulsa. The family photobooks remain filled with pictures of Gracie Spurlock in Cowboy attire throughout stages in her life.
Gracie Spurlock’s parents always joked that OSU would be the only college they would pay for when the time came.
“We’ve always been a huge OSU family,” Gracie Spurlock said. “I was born into it. There are baby pictures of me and OSU gear and pictures of me in front of Edmon Low (Library) when I’m itty bitty, posing. And so it’s always been a huge thing.”
Now, Gracie Spurlock has fulfilled the family tradition, graduating with a
Continued from 1
But Grabeal said when looking for an internship the spring before, the Lord continued to open doors for her and inevitably led her to where she is now.
However, before she begins civilian life as an Oklahoma State graduate, Grabeal will head off to basic training for six months.
Grabeal said joining the army had always been in the back of her mind, but her doubt always held her back. Until she began relying on her faith instead of herself.
“And so I prayed about it,” Grabeal said.
Grabeal asked that any doors not intended for her to walk through be closed as she drove to retake the ASVAB last summer. Although she’d taken it in high school and done well enough for recruiters to attempt to recruit her, it had been five years since that time.
“And I ended up getting a higher score than I got back in high school,” Grabeal said. “And then every time I worked through the enlistment process — it was like doors just flung open.”
Because of her high score, Grabeal was able to enlist at a higher ranking and officially swore in Aug. 4.
Grabeal said she was always drawn to the National Guard as it’s such an elite thing to be a part of the 1% that chooses to serve the country and do something difficult.
“And to be willing to lay their life down for other people, which is what Christ does, right?” Grabeal said. “I get to do something that I get to follow a path that Jesus kind of took, which is really cool.”
Not to mention, Grabeal always liked the look of the uniforms.
Grabeal said a lot of what is going on in the U.S. today makes her grateful she chose to enlist as she sees many people sitting by idly saying “That’s not my problem,” even though it’s a blessing to live in the U.S.
“And we only live here because we stand on the shoulders of people who died for it,” Grabeal said.
Lord to do that in isolation.”
Although she still serves at her church’s worship team and attends weekly Bible study, Grabeal said having her priorities and to-do lists has been the key to balancing everything on her plate this semester. Her academics, at 13 credit hours, were the lightest they had ever been for her time in college. She said her internship at ODOT is essentially work study, so that was helpful in preparing for the engineering exam, which she passed Oct. 21.
Grabeal said that in physical preparation, she had to view the gym as mandatory or it was easy to make excuses to not go. Although when preparing before the test, Grabeal said that was the time when the gym took a backseat to studying, which took 25-30 hours of her time for about a month.
“But that all means that my house has stayed pretty messy,” Grabeal said. “And some of my healthy meals that I ate had to be Chipotle. It’s just prioritizing and trying to figure out, you know, what has to stay and what can go — at least for now.”
Also in the state of preparing, Grabeal has begun a podcast called “Faith in Formation,”
A mentor and friend, Jennifer Cheatwood, is the one who encouraged her to start the podcast, which is something she’d wanted to do for a long time. Cheatwood told Grabeal to speak of her journey as a woman going through basic training for the first time with a Christian perspective.
“Within the next week, she had already gone to the podcast studio,” Cheatwood said.
She regarded Grabeal as a diligent person who has many different aspects to her than others may realize. And one of her most treasured things about Grabeal is her pure heart when serving for the Lord. Grabeal said she hopes to help others walking a similar journey.
“I can report on all the things I learned,” Grabeal said. “How I survived basic, and things that helped me or didn’t help from a Christian perspective.”
bachelor’s in philosophy on Saturday. Even though this chapter is ending, OSU will always have a special place in her heart for the memories she created with her father before she even set foot on campus as a student.
“Even at her younger age, I’d be like ‘Hey, let’s look around the campus, and let’s look in Heritage Hall, and let’s go to these other places where everybody’s focused on the ceremonies themselves, so we can look at the football field, and we can look at the other pieces of memorabilia, walk around campus, visit Eskimo Joe’s sometimes, if we’re a little peckish,” Tony Spurlock said. “It’s those times that you form these bonding moments. And that was probably the second largest thing that I ever wanted out of doing these commencements, other than showing my love for OSU.”
A few years before Tony Spurlock joined the OSU band, he found handcarved bagpipes online, specifically made by a manufacturer on the island of Hebrides. His journey as a piper began when he learned to play and became a part of the Tulsa Metro Pipe Band.
As a huge OSU fan, complete with his own bright orange truck, the thought of playing as a part of the OSU Pipes and Drums band was a goal for him. Once the kilt was approved as part of the uniform, he was all in.
“My very first time, one of the other pipers was not going to be able to attend,” Tony Spurlock said. “And I reached out to him, and I said, ‘Hey, could I borrow your kilt?’ I had everything else of the regalia, and he let me, and I drove up there, and it was amazing.”
That decision led him to an opportunity other parents don’t always get. Not only will he get a front-row seat to his daughter walking across the stage in Gallagher-Iba Arena, but the pair is also planning a special moment.
“He’ll be able to meet me after I get my diploma holder after I walk the stage; he’s hoping that he’ll be able to meet me, maybe at the row that I’m in or something,” Gracie Spurlock said. “If he can give me a hug and tell me congratulations, that’ll be super special to me because nobody else gets to do that. For him to just be the first person I’d see, it’d be really great.”
Instead of choosing to complain about it, Grabeal is choosing to take a different posture by enlisting and preparing for what is to come.
“So, I’ve done a lot of prep — physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and financially,” Gabreal said. “And so I had to pull back from a lot of the things I was doing because I can’t allow my cup to be filled and allow myself to be strengthened for basic training unless I’m allowing the
Going forward, Gabreal said she believes in investing the time for the values each person holds, which will bring forth community. She said it’s not always fun when you’re doing it alone, but when you let other people into your story, you’d be surprised at how much more enjoyable and memorable things become.
“That’s my big takeaway,” Gabreal said. “You get out of college what you put into it.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy Eric Priddy
Gracie Spurlock (left) attended many of her father, Tony Spurlock’s, performances in the OSU Pipes and Drums Band, including spring and winter commencements.
Courtesy Camryn Grabeal
Camryn Grabeal
Kulling, as a result, unsealed the youthful offender court report and the receipt of restitution, but the clinical progress report and the community service report remain sealed.
A small crowd of protesters camped outside of the Payne County Courthouse an hour before Butler’s review hearing. The crowd chanted “No means no,” and waved signs in protest of Butler’s sentencing; the second protest on the courthouse lawn in less than a month.
Butler alongside his mother and sister were escorted out of the courthouse after the hearing through a back door away from the protestors.
The unsealed court documents revealed Butler paid $3,392 in restitution and was placed on the most intensive OJA plan, which began Oct. 6. The report required updates to supervision, education, therapy, community service, technology restrictions and more.
Butler must check in daily on a phone call to relay his plans for the day and visit the OJA office once a week. Butler missed the daily-check in twice, which resulted in him having to meet in-person twice a week for each missed phone call. Butler also continues to participate in weekly counseling sessions with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Terry Masters, but the progress report for the sessions remain sealed.
Butler was ordered to complete more than 100 hours of community service through the CLEAN Program, which stands for Cleaning our Land, our Environment and our Neighborhoods. The program denied his participation.
Butler began work at a different nonprofit agency Dec. 2, completing 17 hours of community service before the review hearing. Kulling said Butler has “quite more to do to be in compliance.”
The plan also requires him to attend
a Sexual Abuse Victim Impact Panel, but OJA, according to the court report, is having trouble locating one and may request the court to approve a domestic violence course instead.
Since Butler was granted youthful offender status, his case has hit national news outlets and exploded on social media. The court report addressed a rumor circling on the internet that he was on the app Tinder after being required to delete all social media from his phone as part of the plan. Butler denied the accusation and no evidence was found.
One protester from Cushing, who goes by A. Miller, continues to share information about the case online. She encouraged her friends from other states to join the fight for justice through signing petitions and calling for Special Judge Susan Worthington and District Attorney Laura Thomas to resign.
“It’s these girls that need our support,” Miller said. “It’s these girls who are being failed by the system; a system that supports people who have money, who are in higher-up places, that like to cover up things and the people that are complacent in such cases as well.”
Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, was also among the protesters, speaking about his effort to file a grand jury for an investigation into the Payne County court system. He said his previous grand jury was denied, but he is gathering signatures to refile.
“This ain’t about Democrats or Republicans,” Humphrey said. “If you don’t know that rape is wrong, then there’s something wrong… We should all be able to come together and agree this stuff is wrong. And it is time that we fix this court system and demand justice.”
Butler’s second review hearing is scheduled for April 24 at 1:30 p.m. Kulling scheduled the second review between Monday’s review hearing and Butler’s 19th birthday, which is when he is required to have completed the rehabilitation plan.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
A child sits on the curb and holds up a sign outside of the Payne County Courthouse during Jesse Butler’s review hearing Monday afternoon.
Bryson Thadhani, The O’Colly
A. Miller, a resident of Cushing, holds a sign in support of Jesse Butler’s victims.
Teaguen Harbour, The O’Colly Stillwater residents protest Jesse Butler’s sentencing and the status of Judge Susan Worthington’s job after she granted Butler youthful offender status.
Teaguen Harbour, The O’Colly
Tori Grey protests Jesse Butler’s youthful offender status and sentencing at the second protest on the courthouse’s lawn in less than a month.
Stillwater HOA continues lawsuit against Google
Caleson Coon STAFF REPORTER
The Homeowners Association president, Doris AL-Harake, first filed a lawsuit against the four companies involved with the construction of the $3 billion Google data center project across the street from Park View Estates on Aug. 19, due to red silt pouring over into a once-beloved pond along with several other issues.
The HOA is in litigation as two of four companies, Kipper LLC, a subsidiary of Google, and Manhattan Construction Group, have taken responsibility for the Park View Estates neighborhood’s property to be repaired. That property being the pond, an amenity for the residents, was polluted during construction of the upcoming data center, which is only the first of six potentially able to be built on the property.
“They are in the process of making one data center — there’s supposed to be six,” AlHarake said. “So, we’ve already had an issue with one data center, I just want to make sure we don’t have any more issues.”
The United States leads in quantity, hosting an estimated 5,530 data centers in 2023, which accounts for nearly 40% of the world’s total capacity, according to Sci-Tech Today. Information on the specific project plan can be found on the City of Stillwater’s website.
Al-Harake said she prefers having the attorney, Gary Chilton, to discuss with the two companies and serve as a reminder to not forget about them as all they are asking is for the damage to be repaired.
“Park View Estates is seeking reimbursement for the cost of restoring and remediating the pond to its original condition — which is the centerpiece of the entire neighborhood — compensation for the loss of use of the pond and for inconvenience and annoyance, along with the costs incurred pursuing the lawsuit,” Chilton said in a statement.
At least 16 data center projects, worth a combined $64 billion, have been blocked or delayed as local opposition mounts to the developments, according to Data Center Watch.
Among the residents, the pond was a favored amenity of Park View Estates, but Al-Harake believes both sides are working to get the matter resolved.
Al-Harke said the Park View Estates wildlife has also suffered since trees and grass have been cleared out because of the construction.
“We used to have geese and cranes and ducks and all kinds of deer and wildlife out there by that pond,” Al-
Harake said. “We used to walk over there, feed the ducks, feed the geese and that has been nonexistent for a very long time.”
Although Al-Harake said there is hope for the lawsuit to be settled out of court to repair the pond.
“We are hopeful the case can be resolved promptly so that Park View Estates can focus on restoration and remediation of its pond back to its original position,” Chilton said in a statement.
Google owns the land, and the City of Stillwater remains only as code enforcement, AlHarake said
“That’s a reason why it’s so scary that we don’t have any oversight committees on any of this, because basically — they’re free,” Al-Harake said. “Nobody is looking over it and that legislation needs to change.”
Dawn Dodson, chief of public affairs for City of Stillwater, said city staff and partners appreciated the discussions and input received regarding the data center project during community meetings and presentations
at city council meetings, but their involvement ended at the establishment of the Tax Incentive District.
“As a reminder, the City of Stillwater’s involvement was managing the public process of the Tax Incentive District (TID) establishment,” Dodson said in a statement. “The City worked alongside other taxing jurisdictions, such as Stillwater Public Schools, Meridian Technology, Payne County Health Department and Payne County to review and approve the TID. This is a private company’s project.”
Other issues mentioned were the floodlights that pointed toward the neighborhood and made it difficult for the residents to see clearly. As well as the cutting down of trees being a mess along the fence line, AlHarake said, and both issues have since been resolved after calling code enforcement. However, she doesn’t always have the time to be their watchdog, she said.
As of late, there have been issues with the main entrance, which is intended to be Richmond Road, but it has yet
to be cemented as it is written in the plans.
For the time being, they have to enter off Perkins Road and Crystal Hayes, who’s lived on Bootleg Hill for 62 years, directly across the data center on east Richmond road, has also been greatly affected by this issue.
“Now, there’s road dust from people driving — this is red dirt,” Hayes said. “And it covered us, and covered us and covered us. My pond, the front 40 of this pond was nothing but mud. I still had livestock that were swimming around it and things like that.
“We’d eat dirt every day.”
From the very beginning, Hayes said they have asked who was going to be their watchdog and who was going to be in this construction process.
“And verbatim was, ‘Well, we’ll send somebody,’” Hayes said. “That agreement was never in writing during construction.”
Hayes also said the noise is another issue as she recalls hearing a constant hum or waking up to a lawn mower outside her window on
Saturdays or Sundays.
“I was here first,” Hayes said. “And I have rights too, and I have rights to have my last years, quiet.”
Gayla Dollar, a resident of the Park View Estates neighborhood for 41 years along with her husband, Douglas Dollar, said the construction of the data center has been devastating. For Dollar and her husband, the amenities are what drew them to the Park View Estates neighborhood. Dollar said she’s still seen the pond turn orange every time it rains, and although they consider orange to be their color, they prefer their pond not to be.
Despite having thoughts about moving, Dollar said it’s hard to leave it all behind. She said she’s in full support of the lawsuit all the way as the issues have affected not only her property value, but her peace of mind.
“I’m not happy, and I think they should be sued for everything,” Dollar said. “You know, you can’t even put a price on what they’ve taken away from us.”
TRUST THE LORD! (Part #1)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (Jn.14:1 NIV)
Jesus had just told his disciples of his betrayal. He also told to them of his leaving and they could not go with him. I am sure that it seemed to the disciples that everything was “caving in, falling apart.” The future seemed so uncertain. Then Jesus speaks these words; DON’T BE TROUBLED; TRUST ME!
Jesus tells them that he is going to the Father (God) and in his house there is plenty of room. He tells them that he is going to make a place for them all and he will return to take them there. As we look around us there is much uncertainty about this planet that we live on; safety is a premium, and what about when death comes? What is going to happen to you and me? Many are betting on losing consciousness and never
awakening. They live on that assumption. However, Jesus tells us all are going to experience a resurrection from the dead; some to everlasting life and others to be condemned . (Jn.5:28-29, Dan.12:2)
Again, the Lord Jesus makes things clear to his followers: “I am going to my Father’s house to prepare a place for you. I will return to get you and take you to be with me.” when asked about the way to this wonderful place, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No
Chance Marick, The O’Colly
HOA members in the Park View Estates neighborhood pay dues for amenities, including the pond. Dues have kept the pond maintained for 50 years from mowing around it to restocking it with fish.
No love triangle has topped Jacob, Bella and Edward in “Twilight” until now.
Instead of a werewolf and a vampire, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) has to choose to spend eternity with her first love or her second husband in “Eternity”
Joan grapples with her own death while trying to decide between the man she lost more than 60 years ago and the man she started a family with. Before she arrives in the afterlife, she is a cancer-ridden grandma bickering with her husband Larry (Miles Teller) in the car on the way to a baby shower. Larry chokes on a pretzel and dies. Yeah, it was that sudden.
The viewer has no time to adjust to the abundance of foreshadowing that makes you chuckle when it dawns on you. Or how quickly Larry kicked the can. Joan says to Larry that no one dies at a baby shower. Larry dies in the next scene, conveniently after a grandchild brings out a picture of the first husband, Luke (Callum Turner).
After his death, Larry arrives at the junction, the afterlife bus station, in a state of pure confusion with pink confetti from the baby shower still in his hair. He meets his afterlife coordinator (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who informs him he has seven days to choose a world to spend his afterlife in. Randolph’s character is exactly what the movie needs. A person who is not taking the death and despair of the junction too seriously. She reads right through Larry’s personality traits and makes jokes at his expense. The bond she forms with Larry also takes on a storyline of its own, reminding her why she took the job as a coordinator: to help people find their way.
Yet, Larry decides to move into an eternity after one week of waiting for Joan. Once someone chooses a world, they can’t go back to the junction and choose another. On his way out the door, he passes Joan at the junction and chases her down. But he was not the only one waiting for her.
The bartender who had been serving Larry all week was Joan’s first husband, Luke.
It becomes a battle between Larry and Joan’s afterlife coordinators, and themselves, to set up Joan with Larry or Luke. Joan’s afterlife coordinator is team Luke. He spent 67 years as a bartender waiting for Joan to show up to spend eternity with him. Larry only waited a measly week before he was on the way to Beach World.
Joan had to make a choice. She is indecisive from the beginning. She hasn’t seen Luke since he died in a war and never experienced the life she wanted with him. And well, Larry was her husband.
Men Free World was at full capacity or the movie could’ve ended there. Instead, the rules are bent for the three and Joan is granted a free trial to spend a day in two different eternities with each of them.
The age of the deceased characters was another world-building trait that made this movie unique. After death, they reverted back to the age of their happiest self. Joan was younger than when she met Larry, and Larry was the age he was when he first married Joan. It was a heartbreaking realization for Larry, but he selflessly encourages Joan to go after Luke and live the life she never had with him.
And that, of course, was her mistake. Joan didn’t realize what she had until it was gone.
It’s a tale about loving your person for who they are, even if they are a cranky old person who loves pretzels too much. It’s about a love that is more than the pretty moments; it’s about knowing each other’s quirks and bickering in the car.
Even with Luke waiting decades and Larry waiting days, there is an intricacy to building a life with someone; one that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
Lessons like these are sprinkled throughout the movie. It makes you cry into your popcorn bucket at a monologue about lifelong love, but it still keeps you on your feet. Cry first and chuckle a second later at a dead and drunk Dean Martin impersonator singing “Everybody loves Somebody” to Joan on Larry’s behalf
It’s the perfect blend of grief, love and humor that makes a rom-com great.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Treaty Oak Revival embodies what it means to be West Texas degenerates in the band’s newest studio album.
A Red Dirt band based out of Odessa, Texas, just released their latest album, “West Texas Degenerate.” The album consisting of fourteen tracks, came out on all platforms Nov. 28. The record quickly climbed its way up to land No. 1 on top rock albums and americana/folk albums; this being the band’s first No. 1, as well as No. 21 on Billboard 200.
The record includes features from artists such as William Clark Green, Muscadine Bloodline and Gannon Fremin & CCREV. This record is the band’s third album since 2021. The band is coming off a two-year interval after releasing their defining album “Have a Nice Day” in 2023, so it is fair to say that this new album was highly anticipated for fans.
“We’re just a band from Odessa, Texas, chasing a dream, and the fact that it’s connecting like this is all because of the people listening, sharing, and showing up to the shows,” the band shared on social media. “We don’t take a single stream, ticket, or chart position for granted. Thank you for giving this album a life way bigger than us.”
“Bad State of Mind” and “Happy Face,” both singles previously released in the last couple of years, were re-released with the album. The streaming numbers of these two singles prove the eagerness from fans awaiting the new album.
“West Texas Degenerate” dives into themes of heartbreak, desire and substance abuse through the band’s recognizable raw and gritty sound. The album starts off with an intro track featuring Edgar Viveros of the emo band, Ben Quad. The track is a brief dialogue from Viveros expressing his admiration towards the band’s sound.
“Withdrawals,” features an Oklahoma-based Red Dirt band, Gannon Fremin & CCREV. This track stands out from the rest of the album because of Sam Canty, Treaty Oak’s leadman and Fremin’s, leadman of Gannon Fremin & CCREV, blend of voices. More collaborations between
these two bands would do wonders for Red Dirt fans.
“West Texas Degenerate,” the title track of the album, is a song that references Canty’s degenerate actions. Canty’s lyrics take the listeners through the hardships of working for West Texas oil fields out in the desert. He feels like a degenerate through his actions such as substance use, burning through money, driving a diesel truck and even entertaining the idea of spending a night in jail. William Clark Green, a country singer, took on a feature for this tune. This piece of music would be perfect for the fans to get rowdy at Treaty Oak’s concerts.
“Shit Hill” explores Canty’s history of substance abuse through the hook, “Don’t tell me that I’m drunk when you never met me sober.” Canty’s ability to open up about his personal experiences allows listeners to have an appreciation for his vulnerability. The track’s lyrics make this one of tunes that listeners can relate to.
“Sunflower” is a slower paced ballad about a girlfriend. This song exhibits the band’s capability to broaden their gritty country/rock sound and rather explore a softer approach.
“Blue Star” has strong and meaningful storytelling about a doomed relationship. The band released a music video for the track featuring fellow Texan artist, Koe Wetzel, less than a week after the album release.
The, “Outro” track deserves recognition because of the hilariousness of its lyrics. “I’m gonna buy some crack at the radio shack” is the opening line, showcasing Treaty Oak’s humor and personality. This took a storm on social media, with people appreciating the band’s sense of humor.
A common theme that Treaty Oak Revival has been able to stay consistent with are the catchy hooks in all of their albums, EPs and single releases. Treaty Oak has proved with each album release it has found its sound and have seemed to master it. You can catch the band, along with Gannon Fremin & CCREV, performing at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center on Dec. 19.
Raynee Howell CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
A24, Tribune News Service
Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) meets her first love (Callum Turner) at a train station between life annd afterlife while second husband (Miles Teller) looks on.
Payton Little ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Sam Canty, the frontman of Treaty Oak Revival, performed at Calf Fry in May.