Defensive Line for Spring: A Mixture of Injury, Experience, and Youth

STILLWATER – As we’ve reported, between super seniors returning; a large number of quality walk-ons over the past several seasons that have stayed with it; and the January arrival of some 15 new players that include freshman scholarship players, scholarship transfers, and a couple of talented walk-ons; Oklahoma State has more players out for spring football than likely since the days of unlimited scholarships. Mike Gundy and his staff are dealing with 115 plus players in practice. There are some and they are actually some very influential players, primarily on defense, that aren’t available to do everything.

“There will be certain guys that won’t be (practicing) in spring like Devin Harper, Trace Ford, Collin Clay. Guys that we had to repair (surgically) from the season,” Gundy outlined. “Those guys are doing well. We will cut them loose in June. We don’t want them to go through spring ball. Alex Hale (kicker is another), so we’ll wait till June to let those guys go.”

Harper is a linebacker, Ford is a defensive end, and Clay is a defensive tackle. The majority of the rehab group are on defense. In fact, one position has been compromised more than any other.

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Jim Knowles this spring.

“You know it is interesting, but we are down all three of our Leos, Trace (Ford), Brock (Martin), and Tyren Irby,” explained defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. “That is one position that we are going to get a lot of other guys playing at this spring, but they (rehabbing players) are all progressing really well right now and doing more than we expected.”

Leo is the defensive end position that has the most exotic responsibilities in the defense. You know the Leo ends from the past as Emmanuel Ogbah, Jordan Brailford, and more recently Martin and Ford with a little Calvin Bundage mixed in. This position has to be able to play the run, drop into zone coverage as part of zone-blitz schemes, and be an elite pass rusher off the edge. The Leo is the Cowboy’s defense version of a Swiss army knife.

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Tyler Lacy is a leader among the defensive line.

“I think it will give us a chance to identify, like you said, some guys are going to jump out when we start pass rushing,” Knowles continued. “A lot of guys are going to get a chance to go. I think it will be some of the bigger guys like (Tyler) Lacy. I think he is coming into his own. (Kody) Walterscheid is going to get a chance to play and he is great.”

There may be some cross training with the other defensive ends and Knowles may discover some situations where he may want a bigger, more physical and stout defensive line in the game. That could allow moving a big, athletic player like Lacy at the Leo.

The other opportunity that this spring and absence of experienced Leo ends opens up is the identification and the development of the next generation of the position. Two January arrivals that look like they are part of that includes junior college transfer Nathan Latu from Snow Junior College and the next in the Edmond Santa Fe line of succession at the position for the Cowboys in freshman arrival Collin Oliver.

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Latu this spring in the chute.

“Then Latu the transfer, I love the way he runs, and he is going to get more of a chance to rush the passer because the Leos aren’t there,” Knowles explained. “Then Collin Oliver is next in the line. You talk about incoming freshmen, he should still be a senior in high school, but he is going to get a chance to play this spring. This is the best kind of situation because there is no pressure on him. Trace and Brock and Tyren are all coming back so he can play this spring without any kind of pressure and see what he can do in terms of rushing the passer.”

If the past, both for Santa Fe players at Oklahoma State and for Oliver from what he did as an All-State player in high school, is any indication then he will do fine. It gives the spring on the defensive side of the ball some freshness.

Fresh is good in spring, but as we’ve seen some including with the offensive line last season you don’t want a lot of fresh in the fall.