While breaking down Oklahoma’s prospective depth chart on defense the other day, the size and weight balance of their roster really stood out. Mike Stoops really wasn’t building a defensive roster that was friendly to a major change in approach. After his initial run at the Big 12 in 2012 where the Sooners ran a … [Read more…]
All of the fall camps are wrapping up so there’s some details out now on how different teams are coming together. Here’s a look around at some of the interesting notes that have been cropping up. Oklahoma State One fun detail to come out recently was Mike Gundy noting that his team would have probably … [Read more…]
Ian Boyd: Coach, last year with the new defensive coordinator, you brought a lot of pressure, finished 10th nationally in sacks, but gave up 32 and a half points per game. Will the approach on defense change this year in year two to something more conservative or will you guys run it back and look … [Read more…]
Gary Patterson is a nut when it comes to scouting opponents, I’ve heard from multiple offensive coaches at B12 media days that game planning for Gary Patterson’s defense is one of the toughest challenges in the league. Naturally, his defense is designed to be flexible within the constraints of playing four-down, base personnel. Here’s the … [Read more…]
Over at Inside Texas I have a piece up I’ve been putting together since Big 12 media days with quotes from Tom Herman and Sam Ehlinger that have illuminated the apparent strategy for the Longhorn offense in 2019. In short, the plan is to put a greater emphasis on RPOs this coming season, giving Ehlinger … [Read more…]
I’ve written about the Wisconsin Badgers quite a few times over the last few years. I may mention them again soon to relate the full story of this exchange I had with Gary Patterson: The Badgers also came up in this recent piece where I described which teams derive the greatest strength from monopolizing in-state … [Read more…]
Of course the Baylor staff is as well aware of the 2018 defense’s shortcomings as anyone in the media and understand that there’s an opportunity with the 2019 schedule to make another leap as a program if they can solve some of their problems from a year ago. The Bears play seven home games in … [Read more…]
Klieman’s Wildcats have a few players on defense that could potentially make for an unexpectedly strong group in 2019. This defense was one of the league’s best at the start of the decade with S&P+ top 25 units in 2012 and 2013 and then still another solid group in 2014 that finished 42nd. Then some … [Read more…]
The zone blitz is immensely difficult to rely on as a strategy in the Big 12. There have been a number of defensive coaches that came into the Big 12 with a background in utilizing the most cutting edge from zone blitz world only to fall upon hard times. Some notables: Manny Diaz who took … [Read more…]
Baylor is a trendy dark horse pick in the Big 12 for this coming year. Perhaps not as a champion but at least as a contender. In my estimation the group they have to beat out for that consists of Texas Tech, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas. I’m already ready to rule … [Read more…]