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OSU: Three storylines

OSU's Keith Toston breaks into the Texas Tech secondary in the third quarter Saturday. STEPHEN HOLMAN / Tulsa World
 
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 11/16/2009  2:27 AM
Last Modified: 11/16/2009  1:04 PM

Defensive rankings: During the first season with Bill Young as the coordinator, no one could have expected this type of improvement from the Cowboy defense. Oklahoma State is now No. 7 nationally in rushing defense (up from 52nd last season) and 32nd in total defense (up from 93rd). Five consecutive opponents — including Texas — have been held below the 100 mark in rushing yards. In conference play, the Cowboys have allowed only 2.7 yards per rush attempt. In Big 12 games, OSU's rushing defensive has been better statistically than Nebraska's and Oklahoma's.

Thursday game: Against Colorado, Oklahoma State will play a Thursday game for the first time since Sept. 8, 2005. In the second game of the Mike Gundy era, the Cowboys were 23-3 winners over Howard Schnellenberger-coached Florida Atlantic. The Cowboys are playing their first Thursday home contest since Aug. 31, 1995, when the Bob Simmons era began with a 64-21 loss to Nebraska.

Toston's bid for 1,000: In the final home game of his career, OSU senior running back Keith Toston needs 42 yards to become the 13th Cowboy player to record a 1,000-yard rushing season. On 22 carries against Texas Tech, Toston netted 76 yards. His 1-yard, third-quarter touchdown gave OSU its first lead of the game. A career backup until Kendall Hunter was injured on Sept. 12, Toston has scored 10 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards per attempt this season. In 2007 and 2008 combined, he had 140 carries. This season, he has 177.
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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8 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

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MexiMike, Tulsa (11/16/2009 8:31:50 AM)
The run defense has been solid so far but we really haven't played anyone that can actually run the rock. Texas is pass happy and Iowa State is...well, Iowa State.

I have a feeling we won't really know how good our run defense is until we play OU.
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what now brown cow, (11/16/2009 9:47:22 AM)
yeayyeyayyy should of been a cowboy.. We have played teams that ran on other teams and not on us. I chose to take that as what it is. Not whine that somehow those teams were just not ready to run when "we" played them. Please note in the B12 compared to all other b12 teams playing each other we are no. 1 in run (and not because every one only passes). Dang good sounding to me expecially after the last couple years. Bill Young has come home and taught us some run stopping and defense stopping techniques and attitude. hope that cowboy stays around a long time.
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warrenT, (11/16/2009 10:05:09 AM)
Actually, Iowa State, Texas A&M, and Texas all fair better on the ground than does OU.
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MexiMike, Tulsa (11/16/2009 10:22:12 AM)
Hey, trust me, I want to see us get it done. No whining here, I just know that in the past OU ran the ball effectively against us even if they were pass happy.

No, we didn't have Bill Young's defense implemented at those times and I am very optimistic about it now.

I hope that after Nov. 28th comes I can say I was very, very wrong. It will be the best crow I have ever tasted.
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BOBO1, (11/16/2009 10:28:43 AM)
Yup....OU stats are not that great on the ground..some of you must be reading too many slanted articles on the Sooners. What many do not consider is that we have played more of and some of the best offensive teams in the nation. Our biggest challenge will be the Sooner defense not the offense. Our pass defense has improved dramatically... we played Houston, Tech, and Texas. All top rated offenses. We shall see how OU fares against Tech. They also have not come up against a better running / passing attack as OSU. Lets not get ahead of ourselves yet though and overlook the Buffaloes. I say slaugher them in the 1st. half and polish up your playing and let our subs take over and get experience in the second half and rest up our 1st. string...although keep Hunter in to get more reps and perhaps Toston long enought to get his 1000 yards...Toston deserves all of the accolades he can get for his play this year. We need a comfortable lead but not the classless routs that Sooners like to do every chance they get.
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Big John 2009, (11/16/2009 11:46:19 AM)
I hope Toston can get to the 1000 yard mark. What an accomplishment for him and our offensive line.

GO POKES BEAT COLORADO !!!!!
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dcook102158, wewoka (11/17/2009 1:50:33 AM)
I have been a fan of the cowboys since 1969. I have been there for highs and lows, much more lows,but have always stayed with the cowboys every game they played. The 2009 cowboys are deserving to be remembered as one of the most complete team in cowboy history. Lets all give all that we have to support the cowboys in their final three games. OSU COWBOY fan 4=ever
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TMS, (11/17/2009 3:00:00 PM)
OU doesn't have much of run game. They have to throw which is worse for OSU given their defense. OSU has two RB's better than OU.
 

 
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