MORGANTOWN — The West Virginia University football team doesn’t think the Oklahoma State defense it sees on paper is what the Mountaineers see on film, nor is it what they think they’ll face when they visit the Cowboys at 4 p.m. Saturday in Stillwater, Okla. (ESPN2).
On paper, the Cowboys’ defense looks like an afterthought — a unit that ranks 117th among 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing yards allowed, 120th in passing yards allowed and 129th in total defense. It’s a group that just gave up 42 points last week in a loss to Kansas State, OSU’s second-straight loss that knocked them out of the Top 25.
“You don’t look at the paper,” WVU offensive coordinator Chad Scott said. “You look at the paper, it looks that way, but if you look at the film, it doesn’t look that way.”
When WVU (2-2, 1-0 Big 12) and Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) clash Saturday, the Mountaineers expect a game Cowboy defensive unit that may be struggling in the more-surface stats, but remains effective in several areas when you dig deeper.
WVU head coach Neal Brown quickly rattled off all three categories where Oklahoma State is still successful earlier this week.
“Where they really stick out is takeaways, third down and the red zone,” Brown said. “They’ve done a really good job in those three areas. And traditionally, regardless of who the coordinator is at Oklahoma State, they’ve done a really good job in those three areas.”
Under second-year defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo, a St. John Central graduate and Shadyside native, the Cowboys are tied for 16th nationally with nine turnovers forced, three fumbles and six interceptions. They’re 24th nationally in red-zone conversion defense at 72.2%. And they’re tied for a respectable 49th nationally in third down conversion defense at 34.62%.
Before Kansas State’s explosion last week, the most Oklahoma State had allowed in a game was 31 points in a win over Arkansas after two overtimes. The most allowed in regulation was 22 points in a loss to Utah.
“We have to do a good job of showing guys film so they can see how they actually run around and disrupt plays,” Scott said. “They may give up a lot of yards, but they don’t give up a lot of points, and that’s what (the WVU offense has) to understand.
“They’re efficient when they get into the red zone,” he continued. “They may give up a lot of yards from the 25 to the 25, but they do a good job once they get into the red zone of keeping guys out of the end zone.”
For his part, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy wasn’t pressing the panic button this week following the Kansas State loss. His defense allowed 559 yards of total offense — 300 rushing and 259 passing — and KSU quarterback Avery Johnson threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. Gundy said some of those big plays weren’t defensive breakdowns, rather a good football player making people miss.
“Sometimes you have to look at it and say, ‘Hey, that guy made a good play,'” Gundy said. “I watched (former Louisville and current Baltimore Ravens quarterback) Lamar Jackson do that. I know what we’re coaching and I know what we’re teaching, but we also have to be fair to them and say the guy made a good football play. Sometimes, that’s going to happen.
“We saw (former Oklahoma and current Arizona Cardinals quarterback) Kyler Murray do it all the time,” he continued. “What are you going to say, ‘We’ve got to get new players?’ Before long, you’ll have a whole new team. He’s going to do that to everybody. So there wasn’t anything in those areas that were glaring.”
Gundy mentioned that WVU quarterback Garrett Greene has the dual-threat capability that could create the same kinds of issues as KSU’s Johnson. Against Kansas, Greene threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns and added 87 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Stopping Greene could get more complicated depending on linebacker Nick Martin’s status. Martin, a preseason All-American and an All-Big 12 first-teamer last season, left the KSU game with an apparent knee injury. Gundy did not have a clear idea on Martin’s availability at his Monday news conference.
Regardless, Brown said Oklahoma State’s disappointing defensive numbers shouldn’t leave WVU’s offense resting on its laurels. That unit has struggled at times, too, evident in its 12 points scored against Penn State in a season opening loss. And WVU’s five interceptions thrown has the team tied for 92nd nationally in that category.
“We haven’t arrived yet in any phase of the game,” Brown said. “So our guys are crazy if they’re thinking that.”
— Story by Derek Redd
TWEET @DomPostSports
