Steve Sarkisian Says Mike Gundy ‘Reinventing’ Cowboys

When Texas faces Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Longhorns will face one of the defense — yes, defenses — in the country

When you think of Oklahoma State, you think of offense. Head coach Mike Gundy has put together some of the most prolific offenses in the Big 12 and coached some of its most explosive offensive players, including Dez Bryant.

But, when Texas faces Oklahoma State on Saturday, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian says he has an appreciation for how Gundy has revamped his Cowboys, to the point where their defense might be more worrisome than their offense.

“One thing I appreciate about him is he, they've kind of reinvented themselves in Stillwater, where they were pass-happy and trying to outscore you,” Sarkisian said. “They're a defensive football team, a veteran team, they play tough, they play physical and they run to the ball. So they've kind of reinvented themselves. They have a different identity and that's a sign of a really good coach, that you can play to the strengths of your team.”

The proof? Well, after five games the Cowboys haven’t given up more than 23 points to any opponent. In their two Big 12 games, the Cowboys held Kansas State to 20 points and Baylor to 14 points. Looking at the nation, the Cowboys rank No. 19 in total defense, giving up just 305.2 yards per game; No. 12 in rushing defense, giving up 91 yards per game; and No. 50 in passing yards allowed with 214.2 yards per game. The Cowboys are also No. 24 in scoring defense, giving up 18.6 points per game.

These are national rankings that Big 12 fans usually associate with the Cowboys’ offense. And, while the defense has seen a resurgence, the Cowboys’ offense is, for now, a middle-of-the-road unit nationally, as it ranks No. 89 in scoring offense with 25.4 points per game.

While Gundy certainly deserves credit for changing his stripes, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles deserves a hat tip, too. The former Duke defensive coordinator joined the Cowboys for the 2018 season and, in each season, he and his defense staff have made the Cowboys statistically better on that side of the ball:

2018: 32.5 points and 452.5 yards allowed per game

2019: 26.8 points and 412.3 yards allowed per game

2020: 23.5 points and 379.0 yards allowed per game

What this means for Texas is that it will play, most likely, the best defense it has faced to this point this season.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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