OSU’s Offensive Line Poor Overall But Slowly Getting Better

While Oklahoma State’s offensive line has steadily progressed on the run-blocking front, there is still a lot of room to grow in one of the most important facets of the game.

There’s no doubt that the most important player to the Cowboys’ success is Mason Rudolph. The record-setting junior has almost single-handedly turned this program around. He is 20-5 as a starter, but he’s been sacked at least once in every game this year. Taking care of him should be priority number one.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys are currently 105th in the nation in sacks allowed, having given up 27 through ten games. That 2.7 per game is a step back from last season’s average of 2.46 and just marginally better than 2014’s abysmal 3.08.

Let’s take a look at the Cowboys’ allowed sacks by year.

For six years the Cowboys ranked in the top three in the conference and top 15 in the country at protecting their QB. Since then the numbers are drastically worse.

That should be no surprise to any of us. We’ve belabored that point over the last three years.

What should surprise us is that the Cowboys aren’t making any marked improvement on this front. In fact, as mentioned above, the Cowboys are on pace to take a step backwards this year. Given how good the run game has been, this is somewhat surprising.

I will say, the last few games have been better. OSU only allowed four sacks total against WVU, KSU and Tech in the last three outings. That’s a marked improvement from the first seven. It’s no mistake that two of the best yards-per-play outings of the Gundy era have come in the last two games.

#okstate has averaged 9+ yards per play in just nine games in the Gundy era. Two have come in the last two weeks. pic.twitter.com/9x1JpzvJFL

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) November 14, 2016

Sack numbers aren’t just about protecting your quarterback. They are about protecting drives. Possessions are like gold to a coaching staff. If you break down a football game by the numbers, there are a finite number of opportunities to score. Each time your quarterback is sacked you lose a down and put your drive “behind the chains” so to speak.

You can gain or lose an edge with turnovers and big plays. But while that’s worked out for the Cowboys at times, those can’t be depended on. Doing so is playing with fire. See Texas Tech. That’s why I don’t get too bent out of shape when Mike Gundy plays a bit conservatively. He knows that for every Rudolph-to-Washington 82-yard connection there is the possibility for a pick-six or a some other horrifying event.

The Cowboys end the season with two tough road games. They figure to be underdogs in both. Can their O-line take care of business, protect Rudolph better and give Mike Gundy a fighting chance against TCU and OU to win the Big 12? We’ll see.