Memory Lane – a rocky road for OSU defense
Published: 9/27/2006 9:04 PM
Last Modified: 9/27/2006 9:04 PM
For months, Oklahoma State fans read and heard the same rap – that the Cowboy defense has more depth, more speed and a greater understanding of coordinator Vance Bedford's system.
After the Cowboys were so dominant in three nonconference victories, fans probably began to believe that this defense might be pretty good on a consistent basis.
And then Saturday happened. A 34-25 loss at Houston. Cougar QB Kevin Kolb cooked the Cowboys with 75 percent passing, 313 yards and four TD passes. The Cougars had 509 total yards.
Kolb's excellence was countered by an extremely shaky performance by the Oklahoma State defense. For Cowboy fans, Kolb's play probably sparked painful memories of the 2005 season, when the OSU defense was a quarterback's best friend.
Against the Cowboys last season . . .
* Missouri's Brad Smith had 377 yards of total offense (184 rushing, 193 passing). He averaged 10.2 yards per rush attempt. The Tigers prevailed 38-31 in Stillwater.
* Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal had 413 total yards. He passed for 263 and three scores, and he ran for a career-high 150 and one TD. The Aggies blasted O-State 62-23 in College Station.
* In Stillwater, before a national television audience, Texas' Vince Young rolled up a school-record 506 total yards. He finished with 267 rushing yards -- the most ever by a Texas quarterback. He passed for 239 yards and two TDs. Texas rallied from a 28-9 deficit to win 47-28.
On Monday, when questioned about his defense, Bedford got a little heated. On the subject of fans who might have doubts about the Cowboy defense, Bedford said, "If people want to jump off the ship, you tell them to go right ahead. I'm not going to let them back on.''
Bedford is only human – a competitive, emotional human whose defense was embarrassed at Houston. He will work feverishly to have the Cowboys ready for something more positive at Kansas State (Oct. 7, 2:35 p.m. kickoff).
It is possible that Kolb might be the best QB OSU will face this season. It also is possible that if the young Cowboy linebackers and secondary personnel don't learn to tackle better and make plays in pass coverage, other quarterbacks could be destined for career-best Saturdays when they face OSU.
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
