legelegel
08-05-2007, 03:14 AM
Once again, defense the key for OSU (http://newsok.com/article/3098916)
By Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman
STILLWATER - Who says Oklahoma State football never plays good defense?
Back in 1984-86, few campus squadrons were as scoreboard stingy as Pat Jones' Cowboys. Those dobermans of Leslie O'Neal and Rod Brown, Mark Moore and Matt Monger, gave up 12.3, 15.7 and 17.4 points a game.
Think Mike Gundy and Larry Fedora would jump at 17.4 points a game?
Another OSU football season arrives, and another season that will be determined by the defense. For the better part of 20 years, OSU has been trying to produce a defense its offense could be proud of.
Why has offense been so far ahead of defense in Stillwater?
"I'm not sure other than the obvious," said Gundy, who has been part of 17 of the last 22 OSU seasons. "For whatever reason, we've had some really great offensive players."
This is no mere pressbox rant. No simple chat-room theory or coffee-shop banter. Gundy and his staff have discussed the same thing. Why does defense always seem to be OSU's weakness?
They don't have an answer, but they do have a solution: Put better players on protecting the goal line.
"In our recruiting, we're trying to bring more speed and skill on that side of the ball," Gundy said. "Like a (true freshman) William Cole. William Cole's playing corner, instead of somewhere on offense."
Another example, from yesteryear: R.W. McQuarters. Probably the most talented Cowboy since Barry Sanders could have played flanker, and did in small doses. But Bob Simmons made McQuarters a full-time defensive back, and it paid off in 1997.
OSU's best defense of the last 20 years included future NFL cornerbacks McQuarters and Kevin Williams, and defensive line star Jamal Williams. New coordinator Rob Ryan injected the Cowboys with aggression and attitude, and OSU staged a renaissance season.
Now, another new coordinator, Tim Beckman, has been summoned to change the culture.
"Sometimes, the most important thing is the attitude and the approach," Gundy said. "Not necessarily the X's and the O's. The most important thing is whoever's in charge and what they instill in those players and how they react to that person as a coach."
Beckman claims no knowledge of OSU's defensive history but says an attitude adjustment always helps.
"It's a new era," Beckman said. "We've got to build something here. Let's start building it now.
"A mindset that you have to go out there and play as many plays as necessary, but you've got to keep them out of the end zone. That's the bottom line.
"It's not the X's and the O's. It's building relationships and building unity and teaching them what defense is all about."
Quality defensive linemen don't hurt, either. Jamal Williams was an interior force, as were O'Neal and John Washington in the mid-1980s. OSU had another such behemoth, Kevin Williams, on the 2002 team but didn't take advantage defensively.
OSU can have a decent season solely riding its offense. We know this because we saw it a year ago, when the Cowboys went 7-6 despite allowing 28 points a game.
Let's be fair. It's tougher than ever to play quality defense. Rulemakers love to boost the offense. Penalty flags routinely tilt against the defense. Not even the best of defenses in 2007 will give up 12.7 points a game.
But 20 points a game is not an outrageous goal for a team with high aspirations. If OSU is to have a special season, now or ever, defense must carry its weight.
"It'd be great to start something a little different," said linebacker Donovan Woods, whose brothers are part of OSU's legacy of offensive stars and who himself quarterbacked the 2004 Cowboy team that went 7-5 despite a so-so defense.
If Beckman's defense can make strides, so can OSU's football fortunes. Until that happens, Fedora's offense will have to be explosive just to get the Cowboys to seven wins.
By Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman
STILLWATER - Who says Oklahoma State football never plays good defense?
Back in 1984-86, few campus squadrons were as scoreboard stingy as Pat Jones' Cowboys. Those dobermans of Leslie O'Neal and Rod Brown, Mark Moore and Matt Monger, gave up 12.3, 15.7 and 17.4 points a game.
Think Mike Gundy and Larry Fedora would jump at 17.4 points a game?
Another OSU football season arrives, and another season that will be determined by the defense. For the better part of 20 years, OSU has been trying to produce a defense its offense could be proud of.
Why has offense been so far ahead of defense in Stillwater?
"I'm not sure other than the obvious," said Gundy, who has been part of 17 of the last 22 OSU seasons. "For whatever reason, we've had some really great offensive players."
This is no mere pressbox rant. No simple chat-room theory or coffee-shop banter. Gundy and his staff have discussed the same thing. Why does defense always seem to be OSU's weakness?
They don't have an answer, but they do have a solution: Put better players on protecting the goal line.
"In our recruiting, we're trying to bring more speed and skill on that side of the ball," Gundy said. "Like a (true freshman) William Cole. William Cole's playing corner, instead of somewhere on offense."
Another example, from yesteryear: R.W. McQuarters. Probably the most talented Cowboy since Barry Sanders could have played flanker, and did in small doses. But Bob Simmons made McQuarters a full-time defensive back, and it paid off in 1997.
OSU's best defense of the last 20 years included future NFL cornerbacks McQuarters and Kevin Williams, and defensive line star Jamal Williams. New coordinator Rob Ryan injected the Cowboys with aggression and attitude, and OSU staged a renaissance season.
Now, another new coordinator, Tim Beckman, has been summoned to change the culture.
"Sometimes, the most important thing is the attitude and the approach," Gundy said. "Not necessarily the X's and the O's. The most important thing is whoever's in charge and what they instill in those players and how they react to that person as a coach."
Beckman claims no knowledge of OSU's defensive history but says an attitude adjustment always helps.
"It's a new era," Beckman said. "We've got to build something here. Let's start building it now.
"A mindset that you have to go out there and play as many plays as necessary, but you've got to keep them out of the end zone. That's the bottom line.
"It's not the X's and the O's. It's building relationships and building unity and teaching them what defense is all about."
Quality defensive linemen don't hurt, either. Jamal Williams was an interior force, as were O'Neal and John Washington in the mid-1980s. OSU had another such behemoth, Kevin Williams, on the 2002 team but didn't take advantage defensively.
OSU can have a decent season solely riding its offense. We know this because we saw it a year ago, when the Cowboys went 7-6 despite allowing 28 points a game.
Let's be fair. It's tougher than ever to play quality defense. Rulemakers love to boost the offense. Penalty flags routinely tilt against the defense. Not even the best of defenses in 2007 will give up 12.7 points a game.
But 20 points a game is not an outrageous goal for a team with high aspirations. If OSU is to have a special season, now or ever, defense must carry its weight.
"It'd be great to start something a little different," said linebacker Donovan Woods, whose brothers are part of OSU's legacy of offensive stars and who himself quarterbacked the 2004 Cowboy team that went 7-5 despite a so-so defense.
If Beckman's defense can make strides, so can OSU's football fortunes. Until that happens, Fedora's offense will have to be explosive just to get the Cowboys to seven wins.