The Oklahoma State Cowboys finished the 2009 season with a respectable 9-4 record, but it was still a disappointing campaign considering how high the goals were set. Head coach Mike Gundy and his staff felt they had a team capable of winning a Big 12 title, but they couldn't conquer perennial powers Texas and Oklahoma. While there is always pressure to win, especially at a place like Oklahoma State which invests so much money in its football program, the expectations shouldn't be as high this season. The Cowboys must replace a lot of key starters on both sides of the ball. The offense has the potential to be dangerous with Mike Leach disciple Dana Holgorsen taking over offensive coordinator duties. And I can't say enough about the job defensive coordinator Bill Young has done. His unit ranked No. 4 (31st nationally) in the Big 12 in both scoring and total defense last season. But with only three starters back, it will be tough for Young to build on last year's results.
Offense: 26-year-old, former Major League Baseball prospect Brandon Weeden is all set to take over the starting quarterback job following the departure of Zac Robinson. Weeden has the type of strong arm that Holgorsen covets in his offense. Holgorsen helped Houston lead the nation in total offense last season, and he did so by throwing the football. Oklahoma State was one of the weaker passing teams in the country in 2009, but it was one of the better running teams. In fact, the Cowboys have led the Big 12 in rushing offense each of the last four seasons, averaging 187.8 rushing yards per game last year. While Holgorsen has a passing mentality, it would be foolish of him not to play to his team's strength. Kendall Hunter has the potential to lead the Big 12 in rushing is he gets plenty of totes. He is coming off an injury-plagued season, but he showed us all what he can do when he ran for 1,555 yards and 16 scores as a sophomore. It is a bit of a concern that four starters must be replaced up front, but the coaching staff really likes the junior crop that is expected to step in.
Defense: Young showed that a year can make a big difference. In 2008, his defense ranked No. 93 in the country in total yards allowed. His unit improved 62 spots in 2009. The Cowboys were especially a strong run-stuffing unit, ranking No. 11 nationally by allowing only 95.8 yards per game on the ground. I'm confident in the job Young is doing, but a step back seems inevitable with so many starters to replace. The return of linebacker Orie Lemon has Young optimistic that his "D" can still be respectable. Lemon missed all of last season with a knee injury, but he has made a full recovery. Young expects him to be the leader of his defense and one of the best middle linebackers in the Big 12. Safety Markelle Martin is another All-Big 12-caliber performer and defensive ends Ugo Chinasa and Jamie Blatnick are quality edge rushers. The big question mark is the defensive tackle position. They are undersized there and don't have much quality depth. With this in mind, I don't see Ok lahoma State being as effective in stopping the run.
Prediction: 5th Big 12 South - Mike Gundy has produced consecutive 9-4 seasons, but unfortunately a step back seems inevitable with all that was lost. Still, another bowl trip is very much in the cards, and the Cowboys could be competing for a Big 12 title as soon as 2011. Check out my 2010 Big 12 football predictions to see how I have the rest of the conference playing out.
Jimmy Boyd's award-winning football picks will keep you beating the college football odds all season long!
0