So who knew? Turns out T. Boone Pickens couldn't buy football success at Oklahoma State. What the school was really waiting for was a SB Nation blog to document the journey.
Cowboys Ride for Free joined the SB Nation network shortly before the season started giving representation to everyone in the Big 12 minus Baylor. What's followed is a run by the Oklahoma State Cowboys who boast the top offense in the country and now sit just a couple wins shy of a Big 12 South championship and their first shot at the Big 12 championship.
As we do every week, we've asked a few questions of our friends over at Cowboys Ride for Free and they've been kind enough to oblige. And if anyone sees Bryant "Big Country" Reeves in the stands Saturday, tell him I said hello.
RCT:
Headed into the season OSU looked like a major question mark. They had lost a tremendous amount of their contributors from a season ago and yet somehow they sit on the brink of winning the South. What would you credit this to? Recruiting? Coaching? Why has the transition been so smooth?
Cowboys Ride For Free:
The transistion has been smooth becuase we have coaches that believe in the program. Yes, we got a lot of money from T Boone Pickens - and that's helped with facilities, but Gundy is an excellent recruiter. He's great at recruiting players and coaches.
The young talent we have now is better than it's ever been. Sophomores and Juniors are making a huge impact. More importantly, he's a great leader. He saw that the defense wasn't where it needed to be, so he went and got Bill Young (Thanks, BTW!). He saw that the offense wasn't where it needed to be and he went out and got Phil Collins.
I honestly can't say enough about our coaching staff, and I really think that's why we're on the brink of winning the South.
RCT:
2. #1 offense in the country with a brand new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback. What do the Cowboys do so well offensively that makes this thing go?
Cowboys Ride For Free:
The relatively new offensive line has done an excellent job protecting Brandon Weeden and opening holes for Kendall Hunter. It seems simple, but I think that has been the key. Weeden is good enough to make any throw if he has time. Justin Blackmon is uncoverable - and can catch just about anything. Kendall Hunter is the best running back in the Big 12. They do it all very, very well.
RCT:
3. If you had to describe a potential weakness that a team could single out on the Cowboys, what would it be?
Cowboys Ride for Free:
Youth and inexperience on defense. They've gotten better with each game but are still young and prone to penalties at inopportune times
RCT:
4. Defensively the Cowboys are coached by Bill Young who was with the Jayhawks during our Orange Bowl run of 2007. What has he brought to OSU in the last two seasons and how has he managed against the explosive offenses around the Big 12?
Cowboys Ride for Free:
Bill Young is the man. He took us from 75th to 31st in scoring defense last year and he's turned our defense into a turnover forcing machine. We rank 5th in the nation with 27 takeaways. We've only lost 3 games in the Big 12 under Young. OU, UT and NU. Not too shabby.
RCT:
5. This is going to be like a 10 part question. How do you see this one playing out? Then does OSU beat OU in Bedlam to win the Big 12 South? and can OSU beat Nebraska to win the whole thing? Follow up to that, what will T. Boone Pickens do if that happens? And for the record I was on the OSU bandwagon since non-conference play. I should have stuck by my guns but I let the masses sway me to move them back down against my better judgment.
Cowboys Ride for Free:
I can smell Tostitos. How's that for a simple answer to a 10 part question?
Hmm...the smell of Tostitos?