Oklahoma State football stock report: Bryan Nardo, Pokes defense on rise after Utah game

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State football hit both ends of the spectrum with its play in Saturday’s 22-19 loss to Utah.

The best defensive performance of the season, and an offensive collapse that is hard to wrap one’s head around.

And the offensive ineptitude created some difficult situations for the defense, like the second quarter, when Utah back-to-back possessions of 11 plays or more, and OSU countered with a three-and-out in between.

“You can’t keep going out there the whole game,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said of his defense. “(Utah) got 81 plays, and they don’t even play fast. So the tempo they play, if we would have played a little better on offense, it probably only would have been like 65 plays, but they had to keep going out there.”

Add fatigue from the incredibly hot day — the temperature peaked at 100, but surpassed 160 degrees on the turf — and some of OSU’s tackling issues make a little more sense.

Gundy was bothered by Utah’s 4.8 yards per rush, but 110 of the Utes’ 249 yards came on two carries, a 48-yarder by quarterback Isaac Wilson and a 62-yarder by running back Micah Bernard. Those were Utah’s only rushes of more than 14 yards.

So even in defeat, the defense has some positives to take from Saturday’s game. Now, the Pokes need to turn that into further growth this week when they travel to face No. 23 Kansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday in Manhattan.

Here’s a look at this week’s stock report:

More: Oklahoma State football grades vs Utah: Cowboys’ defense has up-and-down day against Utes

Oklahoma State’s Talyn Shettron (2) tries to get by Utah’s Sione Fotu (12) in the second half of the college football between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and the Utah Utes at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept., 21, 2024.

Oklahoma State stock report

Stock rising

Bryan…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/oklahoma-state-football-stock-report-101521288.html

Author : The Oklahoman

Publish date : 2024-09-24 10:15:21

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.