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Cowboys Have Options as Quarterback Woes Continue
Oklahoma State wide receiver Sam Jackson V (18) warms up before an NCAA football game between Oklahoma State (OSU) and Tulsa at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oklahoma State Cowboys, reeling at 1-4 after a 41-13 drubbing by Arizona, brace for a make-or-break Big 12 home tilt against the Houston Cougars this week. Their passing game has been virtually non-existent this season, and things aren't looking very promising. With quarterbacks Hauss Hejny and Zane Flores out due to injuries, interim head coach Doug Meacham hands the keys to Sam Jackson V at Boone Pickens Stadium. Amid the quarterback chaos, the Cowboys' depth chart hints at untapped potential.

Sam Jackson V

Sam Jackson V is no stranger to the quarterback position. He was the No. 1 quarterback in Illinois out of high school following a 847-yard receiving season as a sophomore. He committed to TCU and completed one pass that season, a 62-yard strike against Oklahoma State in 2021. He played one more season for the Horned Frogs before transferring to Cal. He threw for 556 yards during his sophomore campaign and again transferred to Auburn.

He played in nine games in his first season at wide receiver, where he hauled in a pair of catches for 63 yards. He made the move to Stillwater and showed some promise early at wide receiver. With the Cowboys struggling at quarterback, Jackson V made the move to quarterback a week ago, where he completed three passes for 27 yards and rushed for another 13 yards. He will now be asked to take over the reins full-time against the Cougars of Houston.

Banks Bowen

Bowen is the son of current interim DC Clint Bowen and moves into the backup quarterback role for the Pokes on Saturday. Bowen threw for over 4,000 yards and rushed for another 2,000 yards during his high school career in Kansas. He saw his first action a week ago against Arizona, where he completed one pass and rushed for 19 yards on three carries.

Bowen, in all likelihood, will be preparing for a redshirt season, but the Cowboys will take full advantage of his four-game limit this season. Don't be surprised if you see a heavy dose of Bowen against the Cougars on Saturday.

Noah Walters

Walters may be the biggest unknown on the roster this season for Oklahoma State, but Cowboy nation has been screaming to see the quarterback over the past two games. As a sophomore for North Alabama, Walters threw for 2,346 yards to go along with 21 passing touchdowns. He rushed for another 387 yards during the season.

He then went dark... Walters enrolled at UCF but didn't play football and was offered a spot by the Pokes following the injury to Hejny early in the season. He has had time to learn the playbook and may finally see the football field this week.

Oklahoma State is searching for a spark, and the quarterback position could do just that this week. Will the coaching staff allow Jackson V to create some offense with his athleticism or will they look to a new face to spark a turnaround? Only time will tell, and it appears we have plenty of time to figure it out in Stillwater.


This article first appeared on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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