How good can the Cowboy defense be?
STILL WATER—Jim Know les' excitement was genuine and emphatic.
The Oklahoma State defensive coordinator believes he has a group of players capable of taking yet another step forward in Knowles' third season with the Cowboys.
OS U showed noted improvement on defense a year ago, and returns 10 starters this season, plus several reserves who made important contributions.
“I think we are poised to really take the next step ,” Knowles said. “The leadership is great. Everybody knows what they're doing. They're in the right places and playing fast.
“It's been full speed ahead and I think we got a real chance to be good.”
The defense returns 11 of its top 12 tacklers from a year ago, led by Amen Ogbongbemiga and Malcolm Rodriguez, plus picks up the added boost of senior linebacker Calvin Bundage returning from a season-long injury.
The defensive line lost only one player out of its primary nine-man rotation, anchored by tackle Cameron Murray, who emerged as a stalwart noseguard with 30 tackles, 6.5 of them for loss.
“As a unit this whole camp, we've been locked in,” Murray said. “We got a different type of swagger, different type of mindset going in.
“The defense this year I feel like is gonna be really good. This camp is really showing how good we can be.”
The Cowboys gr a duat ed starting corner back A.J. Green, but moved twoyear starting safety Jarrick Bernard-Converse to cornerback and added graduate transfer Christian Holmes from Missouri. Bernard-Converse and Holmes are battling for playing time opposite fourthyear starter Rodarius Williams.
The Cowboy defense allowed 32.5 points per game in Knowles' first season of 2018, and dropped that number to 26.8 last season.
“I feel like we had a great finish to last year,” Knowles said. “We really helped the team win some games. We have a shot to have everybody healthy. I see veteran players who know what to do and have a lot of speed.
“I see more depth than ever and a chance to be a wellrounded unit.”
Report: OSU will allow 25% capacity for football games
Oklahoma State officials are working on seating plans for football games at Boone Pickens Stadium that will allow for 25% capacity because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report.
That would allow for slightly less than 14,000 fans, of which 2,500 will be students, according to Pokes Report, which first broke the news citing a source inside the athletic department.
The athletic department and ticket office will be releasing the details on configuration of the seating next week, per the report.
Tulsa resumes practice after COVID-19 shutdown
After a nine-day break, the Tulsa football team was set to return to practice on Friday afternoon, t he university reported.
Tulsa s hut down practice last week when the team underwent COVID-19 testing. Eight players tested positive, and eight others were in direct contact with those athletes.
The players eligible to participate in practice on Friday have tested negative twice in the last seven days and have been involved in strength and conditioning activities and team meetings over the past week.
T u l s a i s s c h e d u l e d t o open the season Sept. 12 at Oklahoma State.