STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) 鈥� Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris said he recently shot and killed an armadillo that was damaging his yard.
Morris, the former North Texas coach hired to revive a struggling program in Stillwater, described his overnight encounter with the armored mammal during a session with reporters this week.
鈥淢y brain鈥檚 going constantly and so … I don鈥檛 sleep very well,鈥� he said Tuesday. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a couple of armadillo problems tearing up my lawn. Finally, a couple of days ago I just popped up at 2:30 (a.m.) because I couldn鈥檛 sleep and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to go outside and luckily I found him.鈥�
It was the first encounter with an armadillo for Morris, who said it 鈥渨as crushing my yard, my flower beds, digging everything up.鈥�
Morris made quick work of the animal and gave new meaning to 鈥淧istols Firing,鈥� a popular slogan and hand gesture used by Oklahoma State fans and teams.
鈥淗ad to send a text message to my neighbors,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 apologized for the gunshot. I am in the country, so it was legal. But I did get rid of him.鈥�
Oklahoma State, which went 1-11 last season, plays its 2026 opener on Sept. 5 against Tulsa. Morris, who went 22-16 in three seasons at North Texas, was hired to replace Mike Gundy, the longtime Cowboys coach last September.
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