There is so much known about this veteran heavy Cowboy team going into 2024 that it’s hard to cling too heavily to any wonders entering the season. But there have been talks of defensive tweaks in the second season under coordinator Bryan Nardo.
Nardo specializes in a 3-3-5 defense after OSU dealt with a four-down front for many years prior. It doesn’t appear the Cowboys will abandon Nardo’s base philosophy, but this spring they did start experimenting implementing some more four-down looks.
“A lot of that would determine who we’re playing,” Gundy said at Big 12 Media Days. “There’s been a lot of talk about it. It’s been probably blown out of proportion, but I asked our defensive staff to be able to play some three-down and some four-down on first and second down — not just third down. Most teams on third-and-medium and long and extra long are gonna be in a three-down front. But on first and second down, I wanna be versatile and play some three-down and some four-down.
“I’m not sure at this point we can do that. We worked on it in the spring, and I liked what we saw. We haven’t arrived anywhere near that area yet, so I have to watch us the first two weeks in August and determine whether we’re good enough at some three-down and some four-down in normal down-and-distance situations.”
It makes sense that the looks the Cowboys show could vary depending on the opponent. It might also make sense given OSU’s personnel to be a little more versatile this season.
Collin Oliver made 11.5 sacks as a true freshman while playing a part of a four-down front. That number dropped to five sacks as a sophomore before he moved back to linebacker in 2023. In his first season as a linebacker, Oliver tied for the team lead with six sacks and made 15.5 tackles for loss (the same amount he made as a freshman). Now listed as a 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior, Oliver could be in for a big year with the versatility he could provide the Pokes either off the edge or at linebacker.
Oliver is still listed as a linebacker on OSU’s roster, but with all the talk of three-down and four-down looks, I asked him at Big 12 Media Days what I should call him when I write about him.
“Edge rusher — edge,” Oliver said. “They like edge. I got told I need to be saying I’m an edge rusher, so edge.”
OSU ranked 10th in the Big 12 in scoring defense last season — giving up 28.6 points a game. The 441.8 yards a game OSU gave up was actually worst in the league.
There’s certainly more to that than three-down and four-down looks. Gundy said if his defense minimizes big plays and tackles better, things will be better in 2024.
OSU also had an inexperienced secondary in 2024 that should be better with an extra season of experience under its belt.
But the wonders of Oliver coming off the edge and in turn perhaps moving Kendal Daniels closer to the ball is an intriguing idea to ponder here in mid-July. It’s also intriguing to see what general steps OSU’s defense will take in Year 2 under a Nardo.
It sounds as if the first few weeks of fall camp will be paramount in just how multiple OSU’s defense is. This is an ideal Gundy has followed no matter the side of the ball in that he’d rather be really good at a few things than average at a lot of things.
“It gives you more flexibility,” Gundy said. “The issue with being a three-down or a four-down is you eliminate a defensive lineman or you eliminate a safety or a backer — whatever your choice is. It gives you a little more flexibility. The disadvantage could be if you’re trying to do too much, and you’re not good at anything. That’s the decisions we’ll have to make in the first two weeks of fall practice.”
Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.