Kansas State at Oklahoma State: Why the Cowboys' Defense Is Underrated

After a 2008 season that saw Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oregon pick apart the Cowboys defense, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy lured Miami (FL) defensive coordinator Bill Young back to the Big 12 to bring some balance to the offensive-oriented Pokes. Young had been a coordinator at Kansas during their 12-1 2007 season before leaving for Coral Gables.

Make no mistake about it, even since Young's arrival, the Cowboys have been led by their offense, asking the defense only to give the offense a chance to win games. In fact, the 2011 unit has allowed less than 20 points only once. However, as Auburn proved last year, a national title can be won without an elite defense. The 2010 Tigers' defense made plays at the key times, and the 2011 Cowboys have been similarly opportunistic.

DE Jamie Biatnick has emerged at rush end with seven sacks so far this season, good for third in the Big 12. The secondary has consistently come up with key turnovers, as cornerbacks Brodrick Brown and Justin Gilbert, as well as linebacker James Thomas, all are in the top five in the Big 12 in interceptions. 

The team as whole has picked off 17 passes, the most in the nation and five more than any other Big 12 team. With Texas Tech and Oklahoma, two teams who love to throw the ball, on the schedule over the next month, the Pokes' secondary will have plenty of opportunities for more takeaways.

Not only have the Cowboys forced turnovers in the air, but they've also recovered 12 fumbles, again leading the conference. Combined with only 10 giveaways, Oklahoma State has a whopping plus-19 turnover margin in only eight games. Only Virginia Tech had such a beneficial margin in all of 2010.

The 185 yards per game allowed on the ground must get better, and the defensive front will get a good test from Colin Klein and Kansas State on Saturday night. You'll never confuse the Cowboys defense for LSU or Alabama, but you also won't confuse the Tigers or Tide's offense for Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon.

Gundy and Young have a plan for what the defense needs to do to win games, and it's worked beautifully for eight games. Can it hold up for five more wins in order to hold the crystal ball two months from now? Clemson reverted to "old Clemson" last week. Whether or not "old Oklahoma State" rears its ugly head again will be the lasting legacy of the 2011 Cowboys.