One Cowboy Was Cheated More Than All Others in Big 12 Honors

STILLWATER – Nothing like a postseason All-Big 12 football team absent of Sooners (only three and all on offense) and of Cowboys (only two and both on offense) to get the Bedlam rivals in an uproar and focused together at the same entity. The Big 12 released it’s All-Big 12 team and honors on Thursday as voted by the league’s coaches. Each coach votes on players from other teams and cannot vote on his own, but after seeing a defense without any Oklahoma State or Oklahoma players, two of the better defenses in the league. Oklahoma State started hot and was in the top three in pass defense and pass defense efficiency. 

I get it. To the victor got the spoils and Iowa State led the way, but TCU had three first-team defenders and some of that looks like some preseason hype carried over. Oklahoma State had wide receiver Tylan Wallace and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins on the first team and both were deserving, although hard to see a guy honored that opted out with two games to go. Jenkins did deserve it.

Sure, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Malcolm Rodriguez were fifth and seventh in the conference in tackles, but the three linebackers on the first team ahead of them were in the top four. 

Both those Cowboy linebackers made the second team as did Rodarius Williams and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel. but Tre Sterling received honorable mention. That is a joke!

Sterling was tied for ninth in tackles and second among league safeties with 61 stops, 43 unassisted. He had two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. Both came as huge plays in games the Cowboys win in conference play. Sterling was 10^th and the only defensive back in the top 10 in tackles for loss. He also recovered two fumbles. No safety in the Big 12 made more plays, more game winning plays than Tre Sterling. 

Some of the other Cowboys missing may have been snubs, but leaving Sterling off the first-team was wrong, leaving him off the second team was flat out stupid.