Oklahoma State: The Most Underrated Defense in the Nation Belongs to the Cowboys

The Oklahoma State Cowboys appear to have just one major flaw: their defense. However, this defense is not the eyesore that national analysts will tell you it is. The Cowboys defense gets a bad rap, especially among those who don’t watch this team play.

The Stats

This is the biggest area that contributes to the misconception. The Cowboys rank 110th in total defense, giving up on average 455 yards per game and rank 62nd in points allowed giving up around 26 per game. On offense the Cowboys are ranked second in the nation in points scored and yards per game.

If one looks at those stats alone, one sees a bad defense that is carried by a spectacular offense.

Now let me give you a contrasting stat. The Cowboys are number one in the nation in turnover margin, with a margin of plus-19. Skeptics assume this number is a result of their prolific offense, and that it does not reflect at all on their defense.

While the Cowboys offense has done a good job of limiting their turnovers (just 10 all season), the Cowboy defense has been even better at forcing them. This season, they’ve forced a nation-leading 29 turnovers. No one knows the turnover-forcing ability of the OSU defense better now than Robert Griffin III of Baylor, who threw as many picks in one game against the Cowboys as he had the entire season.

The Truth

To understand this Cowboy defense, one must look at more than just stats. The Baylor game on Saturday was a perfect example.

The Cowboys allowed Baylor to gain over 600 yards of total offense, yet the Bears didn’t score at all in the first half and had just three points going into the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys used multiple red zone and fourth down stops to keep Baylor from getting the ball in the endzone. Those things just don’t show up as clearly in the box score as yards and touchdowns.

Here's something that does show up, yet for some reason, analysts don't often look at it. The Cowboys rank 25th nationally in defensive pass efficiency, which isn't great but it's at least average (compared with the "terrible" that people use to describe this defense). They also rank 10th in red zone defense, which is pretty stinkin' good.

Is this Cowboys defense a shutdown elite squad? Absolutely not.

However, it is unfair to judge them on that standard because they aren’t built to be that kind of unit. Their bend-but-don’t-break philosophy relies on allowing yards but limiting big plays and touchdowns. Baylor is a big-play offense, and their struggles had a lot to do with OSU’s defense forcing them to work their way down the field.

By keeping everything in front of them, the defense forced Baylor (and other teams they’ve played this season) to move more slowly than they’d like. Teams are bound to commit more turnovers when they are forced to use more snaps to get their regular amount of yards.

The Cowboy defense plays a certain way because of its offense. They are on the field more often because of how quickly their offense scores and cannot afford to play as tightly as many defenses do.

National analysts judge the Cowboys defense against other units that are built differently personnel-wise and built on different principles. The lack of respect they are getting is based on this clear misunderstanding of what they are and how they do what they do.

This Cowboy defense is the most underrated defensive unit in the nation.