College Football Playoff: 5 reasons Oklahoma State wins 2017 national championship
4. Athleticism in Defensive Front Seven
Oklahoma State should have one of the top offenses in the nation in 2017, but the Cowboys have many more questions on the defensive side of the football. Five starters return from what was a mediocre unit last season, which ranked 53rd nationally in scoring defense (26.5 points allowed per game), No. 82 in rushing defense (193.5 yards allowed per contest), 84th in yards allowed per play (5.93), 92nd in total defense (446.3 total yards allowed per game) and No. 98 in pass defense (252.8 yards surrendered per contest).
Overall, the Cowboys lost 44 percent of their defensive production from last season, according to SB Nation Bill Connelly’s calculations. Graduation forced Oklahoma State to replace two starters on the defensive line, two in the linebacker corps and two in the secondary, leaving the team without a truly veteran unit on the defensive side of the football.
Nevertheless, there is reason to be optimistic about what remains. Safety Tre Flowers is one of the nation’s best and has NFL talent. Middle linebacker Chad Whitener is back for his senior season and will lead what could be an even more athletic linebacker corps. Hopes are high for junior Justin Phillips and converted defensive back Kenneth Edison-McGruder, in particular.
On the line, ends Jarrell Owens and Cole Walterscheid return, as well as Jordan Brailford and Tralund Webber, the team’s leading returner with six sacks a year ago. Trey Carter, a projected starter on the interior is a former end with terrific athleticism for a tackle.
It will take time for the front seven to gel, and depth is always a concern in the fast-paced Big 12, but the Cowboys have as athletic a group as there is in the conference, giving them more than a fighting chance of keeping up with the league’s top offenses.