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Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy announced Friday that former Cowboy student-athlete and coach Doug Meacham is returning to the Cowboy football program as its offensive coordinator.
Meacham, who was an Oklahoma State offensive lineman from 1983-87, previously served on Oklahoma State’s coaching staff from 2005-12 and worked with tight ends and inside receivers. He also worked as an OSU graduate assistant from 1989-91.
In his seven seasons as an FBS offensive coordinator, Meacham’s offenses have averaged more than 440 total yards, more than 270 passing yards and more than 32 points per game.
“We are very excited and fortunate to bring Doug Meacham back as our offensive coordinator,” coach Mike Gundy said. “He brings years of experience on the offensive side of the football and experience as a coordinator with play calling duties to our team. Doug is very well-respected by his peers in our profession. He will put together an offensive staff that will provide firepower and be fun to watch for the Oklahoma State fans.”
Oklahoma State is now one of eight schools where Meacham has been an offensive coordinator. He previously coordinated offenses at TCU (2014-16; 2021), Kansas (2017-18), Houston (2013), Samford (2002-04), Henderson State (1999-00), Jacksonville State (1997-99) and Georgia Military (1994-96). He also served in the role for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL.
Most recently, Meacham worked at TCU from 2020-24, serving various roles that included offensive coordinator and working with wide receivers and tight ends. The 2024 Horned Frogs finished the regular season ranked No. 7 in the FBS in passing offense (317.6 yards per game) and was among the top 30 in total offense, passing efficiency, scoring offense and red zone offense.
He coached JP Richardson to All-Big 12 recognition in 2023 as TCU finished seventh in the FBS in passing offense and No. 11 in total offense.
Meacham also coached TCU’s Taye Barber and Derius Davis into All-Big 12 honors in 2022 as the Horned Frogs reached the College Football Playoff National Championship. Davis was a fourth-round NFL Draft pick of the Los Angeles Chargers while Barber, a four-time All-Big 12 recipient, signed a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meacham was TCU's offensive coordinator in 2021, a role he previously held from 2014-16 when the Horned Frogs had record-setting offenses and ranked among the nation's leaders in several major statistical categories. His 2021 offense ranked 11th nationally in both passing efficiency and third down conversion percentage, and he was part of a 2020 TCU team that ranked No. 20 in the FBS in rushing offense.
Prior to returning to TCU, Meacham was the offensive coordinator for the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks, and before that he served as the offensive coordinator at Kansas for the 2017-18 seasons. His 2018 unit turned the ball over just 11 times to rank as the fourth fewest in the nation and helped the Jayhawks rank second in the nation in turnover margin, while his first KU unit in 2017 produced three All-Big 12 honors and turned in the second-best single game receiving total in school history as Steven Sims Jr. recorded 233 yards against Kansas State.
Before that he had his first coaching stint at TCU as an offensive coordinator from 2014-16. The 2016 unit ranked No. 29 in the FBS in both total offense and passing offense, despite having to replace a Heisman candidate quarterback in Trevone Boykin.
In 2015, for the second straight year, TCU set numerous single-season school records. Additionally, the Horned Frogs ranked third nationally in total offense (562.8 yards per game) and seventh in scoring (42.1 points per game).
Meacham's first season at TCU in 2014, saw the Horned Frogs become the nation’s most improved offense in total yards (+188.2 ypg) and scoring (+21.4 ppg). TCU’s 21.4 points per game improvement broke the Big 12 record of 19.1 set by Oklahoma in 1999 (35.8; 16.7, 1998) and was the largest improvement by any team since Northwestern went up 24.0 points between 1999-00.
The 2014 Horned Frogs ranked second in the nation in scoring (46.5 ppg) and tied for fifth in total offense (533.0 ypg). TCU set 26 school records for offense in winning its first Big 12 championship as well as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with a 42-3 victory over Ole Miss.
Meacham was a 2014 finalist for the Broyles Award, recognizing the nation’s top assistant coach.
Prior to TCU, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston for the 2013 season. He guided the Cougars to finish with the No. 29 passing offense in the nation at 280.5 yards per game while the offense also played a big role in helping UH lead the nation in turnover margin.
Before Houston, Meacham spent eight seasons (2005-12) as the tight ends/inside receivers coach at Oklahoma State. He was the Cowboys’ passing game coordinator in the 2008 and 2009 campaigns. Meacham was part of two of the most successful eras in Oklahoma State football history, first as a student-athlete (1984-87) and then during his tenure as an assistant coach.
The Cowboys ranked in the top 10 nationally in offense and averaged at least 40 points in five of Meacham’s last six seasons in Stillwater. Oklahoma State was in the top five in the country in total offense in the 2010-12 campaigns, when it scored more than 50 points 15 times, broke the 60-point mark in seven contests, 70 points twice and the 80-point plateau once.
Meacham coached 2012 first-team All-Big 12 receiver Josh Stewart into one of the best sophomore seasons in OSU history with 101 catches for 1,210 yards and seven touchdowns. Stewart’s 101 receptions were the fourth-most in school history and his 1,210 receiving yards trailed only Justin Blackmon (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys) on the all-time OSU list for sophomore wideouts.
Inside receiver Josh Cooper (Cleveland Browns) and tight end Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit Lions) were among other OSU standouts coached directly by Meacham.
Meacham was instrumental in establishing a record-setting offense at Samford. He directed an attack in 2004 that set several school records, including passing yards (2,986), pass completions (256) and completion percentage (59.8).
Prior to Samford, Meacham worked the same kind of magic at Henderson State, where he was offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. During the 2000 season, Meacham coached an offense that broke two Division II national passing and receiving records, four Gulf South Conference marks and nine school passing and receiving records.
Meacham’s history of record-breaking offenses, however, began before his stint at Henderson. Upon joining the staff at Jacksonville State in 1997, the Gamecocks went 7-4 and recorded the biggest turnaround in Division I-AA. During his tenure at Jacksonville State, Meacham’s offensive unit broke 21 school passing and receiving records.
Meacham also spent three years as the offensive coordinator at Georgia Military College. He first joined the GMC staff in 1991 and served as offensive line and tight ends coach. In 1994, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and helped guide the school to an impressive 35-8 record during his tenure.
During his playing days at Oklahoma State, Meacham was on teams that participated in four bowl games (1983 Bluebonnet, 1984 Gator, 1985 Gator and 1987 Sun). He was a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Cowboys and had a string of 35 consecutive starts. The Cowboys were 34-9 during his time in Stillwater.
Meacham earned All-Big Eight honors and was an Honorable-Mention All-American as a senior. He was a captain of the 1987 Sun Bowl team that defeated West Virginia. Meacham blocked for both 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders and two-time Big Eight Player of the Year Thurman Thomas.
In high school, Meacham was a three-year starter and two-time all-district selection at Arlington’s Sam Houston High School.
Meacham graduated from Oklahoma State in 1988. He and his wife, Kendall, have three children: Peyton, Cole and Brooks.