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2009 Aug 29
Big 12 Breakdown: No. 3 Oklahoma State
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Husker Locker will be counting down and breaking down each of the teams in the conference. We hope you view this series as more interesting, comprehensive and definitive than what you may find elsewhere. Where we can make strong takes – we will.
We rank the teams 12 to 1 in overall strength. Then we’ll provide for you the North/South breakdown – and the preseason All Big 12 team, as well.
Enjoy!
Today: No. 3 Oklahoma State
Coach: Mike Gundy
2008 Record: 9-4
What’s Changed Since 2008: OSU opened its new Xanadu football facility, among the swankiest in college football. The Cowboys also went out and bought A Winston Wolf, so to speak, in defensive coordinator Bill Young, who’s supposed to come in and fix a defense that gave up 56, 61 and 42 points in three of its last four games. And the expectations changed. Super booster T. Boone Pickens projects a calm, friendly exterior, but he didn’t bankroll an overhaul of the program just so the Cowboys could guard a Taco Bell.
2009 Non-Conference Schedule: Every game is at home, but the first two are challenging: Georgia and Houston. OSU is better than both, but it must clear the mental hurdle of Georgia’s name in week one and avoid a letdown in week two vs. the Cougars. The non-conference slate finishes with a rebuilding Rice team and Grambling.
2009 Conference Schedule: Manageable, with road games at Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State before Bedlam at Oklahoma to end the season. Texas in Boone Pickens Stadium on Halloween. You won’t get a crazier night in Stillwater than that.
Offense: Balanced Spread
Coordinator: Mike Gundy – He calls the plays during drives, and gameplans - by himself, with his back turned to the field – while the defense is on the field. Gunter Brewer has the title, but it’s nominal. At any rate, Gundy is an excellent coordinator. He mixes spread and West Coast principles together for the league’s sturdiest offensive design; OSU can run downhill with two tight ends, or spread out with four wide receivers. Last year, the Cowboys rushed for an average of 245 and passed for an average of 242. Can’t beat that.
Strength: Exceptional skill players. Seriously – exceptional. Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant are the nation’s best running back and wide receiver, respectively. Hunter is quick-footed, instinctive runner – think Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams – with a nose for the end zone and the patience to wait for blocking. Bryant, meanwhile, is a cross of Steve Smith and Lee Evans who’s deadly effective in the slot. A possession receiver blessed with good separation skills and takeoff speed. At quarterback, Zac Robinson benefits from the excellence around him, but his feet make him a dangerous dual weapon. Robinson gets a little… too courageous at times, and needs to avoid injury. Russell Okung is the nation’s best pass-blocking left tackle, too.
Weakness:Not much, frankly. Bryant and Robinson can’t get hurt.
Defense: 4-3 or 4-2-5
Coordinator: Bill Young – Architect of Kansas’s one-year defensive renaissance in 2007. Worked with Miami last year. He’s a bit of a gun for hire, frankly. He’s here to win a Big 12 Championship.
Strength: The linebackers. Andre Sexton moves from strong safety to a hybrid safety/linebacker role, and he’s the most active, disruptive player on the defense. Orie Lemon and Patrick Levine are complete players who handle pass coverage pretty well. Perrish Cox is a top-shelf cornerback and kick returner. Defensive end Ugo Chinasa could be ready to make the leap to all-conference caliber in 2009.
Weakness: OSU couldn’t pressure the quarterback last year (only 15 sacks all season) and gave up 4.3 yards per carry. If a team had a good offensive line, the Cowboys were pretty sunk. OSU was badly exposed – beaten up, really – in the Holiday Bowl vs. Oregon, which amassed 565 total yards, 307 on the ground. OSU has to start with the front four, and go from there. Too often in recent years, the front just hasn’t been very good.
Special TeamsExcellent. Dez Bryant and Perrish Cox are the best punt/kick return combo in America. Dan Bailey made 15-19 field goals. Joe DeForest was hired to solely focus on special teams, and it shows.
Intangibles: OSU hasn’t beaten Texas or Oklahoma in five years, despite many chances, especially vs. the Longhorns. Gundy’s teams, in general, struggle in big games. For a couple years, that was related to talent, but that’s not the case now. The other intangible is Gundy himself. He’s part of pop culture thanks to his rant two years ago, and that both works for and against him. No matter what OSU becomes this year – national title contender or disappointing flop – he’ll be the story.
Best-Case Scenario: 11-0 heading the Norman. It’s absolutely possible.
Worst-Case Scenario: Dumping the first two games and struggling from there. It’s absolutely possible.
Our Take: So much hinges on the first game vs. Georgia. We like OSU there, and vs. Houston (whom we’re picking to upset Texas Tech) but we still want to see the Cowboys beat Texas and Oklahoma when it counts. Until then, we must predict 10-2, with an outside shot at the BCS, depending on how OU fares with its difficult schedule. Otherwise, a Cotton Bowl tilt with old friend Les Miles and LSU.
We rank the teams 12 to 1 in overall strength. Then we’ll provide for you the North/South breakdown – and the preseason All Big 12 team, as well.
Enjoy!
Today: No. 3 Oklahoma State
Coach: Mike Gundy
2008 Record: 9-4
What’s Changed Since 2008: OSU opened its new Xanadu football facility, among the swankiest in college football. The Cowboys also went out and bought A Winston Wolf, so to speak, in defensive coordinator Bill Young, who’s supposed to come in and fix a defense that gave up 56, 61 and 42 points in three of its last four games. And the expectations changed. Super booster T. Boone Pickens projects a calm, friendly exterior, but he didn’t bankroll an overhaul of the program just so the Cowboys could guard a Taco Bell.
2009 Non-Conference Schedule: Every game is at home, but the first two are challenging: Georgia and Houston. OSU is better than both, but it must clear the mental hurdle of Georgia’s name in week one and avoid a letdown in week two vs. the Cougars. The non-conference slate finishes with a rebuilding Rice team and Grambling.
2009 Conference Schedule: Manageable, with road games at Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State before Bedlam at Oklahoma to end the season. Texas in Boone Pickens Stadium on Halloween. You won’t get a crazier night in Stillwater than that.
Offense: Balanced Spread
Coordinator: Mike Gundy – He calls the plays during drives, and gameplans - by himself, with his back turned to the field – while the defense is on the field. Gunter Brewer has the title, but it’s nominal. At any rate, Gundy is an excellent coordinator. He mixes spread and West Coast principles together for the league’s sturdiest offensive design; OSU can run downhill with two tight ends, or spread out with four wide receivers. Last year, the Cowboys rushed for an average of 245 and passed for an average of 242. Can’t beat that.
Strength: Exceptional skill players. Seriously – exceptional. Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant are the nation’s best running back and wide receiver, respectively. Hunter is quick-footed, instinctive runner – think Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams – with a nose for the end zone and the patience to wait for blocking. Bryant, meanwhile, is a cross of Steve Smith and Lee Evans who’s deadly effective in the slot. A possession receiver blessed with good separation skills and takeoff speed. At quarterback, Zac Robinson benefits from the excellence around him, but his feet make him a dangerous dual weapon. Robinson gets a little… too courageous at times, and needs to avoid injury. Russell Okung is the nation’s best pass-blocking left tackle, too.
Weakness:Not much, frankly. Bryant and Robinson can’t get hurt.
Defense: 4-3 or 4-2-5
Coordinator: Bill Young – Architect of Kansas’s one-year defensive renaissance in 2007. Worked with Miami last year. He’s a bit of a gun for hire, frankly. He’s here to win a Big 12 Championship.
Strength: The linebackers. Andre Sexton moves from strong safety to a hybrid safety/linebacker role, and he’s the most active, disruptive player on the defense. Orie Lemon and Patrick Levine are complete players who handle pass coverage pretty well. Perrish Cox is a top-shelf cornerback and kick returner. Defensive end Ugo Chinasa could be ready to make the leap to all-conference caliber in 2009.
Weakness: OSU couldn’t pressure the quarterback last year (only 15 sacks all season) and gave up 4.3 yards per carry. If a team had a good offensive line, the Cowboys were pretty sunk. OSU was badly exposed – beaten up, really – in the Holiday Bowl vs. Oregon, which amassed 565 total yards, 307 on the ground. OSU has to start with the front four, and go from there. Too often in recent years, the front just hasn’t been very good.
Special TeamsExcellent. Dez Bryant and Perrish Cox are the best punt/kick return combo in America. Dan Bailey made 15-19 field goals. Joe DeForest was hired to solely focus on special teams, and it shows.
Intangibles: OSU hasn’t beaten Texas or Oklahoma in five years, despite many chances, especially vs. the Longhorns. Gundy’s teams, in general, struggle in big games. For a couple years, that was related to talent, but that’s not the case now. The other intangible is Gundy himself. He’s part of pop culture thanks to his rant two years ago, and that both works for and against him. No matter what OSU becomes this year – national title contender or disappointing flop – he’ll be the story.
Best-Case Scenario: 11-0 heading the Norman. It’s absolutely possible.
Worst-Case Scenario: Dumping the first two games and struggling from there. It’s absolutely possible.
Our Take: So much hinges on the first game vs. Georgia. We like OSU there, and vs. Houston (whom we’re picking to upset Texas Tech) but we still want to see the Cowboys beat Texas and Oklahoma when it counts. Until then, we must predict 10-2, with an outside shot at the BCS, depending on how OU fares with its difficult schedule. Otherwise, a Cotton Bowl tilt with old friend Les Miles and LSU.
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Tags: big 12 breakdown, mike gundy, oklahoma state, dez bryant, zac robinson, kendall hunter
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