How Will OSU Replace Its Star Defensive Ends in 2016?

Emmanuel Ogbah and Jimmy Bean combined for just under three tackles for loss per game last season. Emmanuel Ogbah and Jimmy Bean are not on Oklahoma State’s roster in 2016. That’s bad news for a defense that ranked No. 68 in the country in points per drive allowed on defense. It’s also bad news for a defense that Mike Gundy recently

“We’re not going to be as deep in the secondary as we were last year, and certainly we’re not going to be as deep on the defensive line,”Gundy said before the Spring Game.

Gundy is right about that. There are currently only four defensive ends listed on the OSU roster with one more (Tralund Webber) headed over from junior college for the 2016 season. Still, the ones Gundy has could be special.

“I really liked Jarrell Owens and Brailford,” said Gundy after the Spring Game. “I like the pressure we were getting from those guys. They’re young guys who need to make plays for us. Obviously filling big shoes with Bean and Ogbaw.

“They’re physical. They’ve shown signs of improvement. I think Jarrell has a chance to impact a little earlier in the season based on his strength. But Jordan is coming on. I like where they are for the youth. Trey [Carter] has had a good spring. I thought in the scrimmage we had a week ago that Chris Carson and Trey Carter were the two players who made the most progress over the last two weeks. Trey is a young guy.

“I don’t think they can match those two guys we had. I’m not saying they couldn’t at some point in their career, but they’re certainly not in that ballgame right now.”

Glenn spencer agrees with his boss.

“I can’t say now they’re going to be near the production of Jimmy and Emmanuel,” Spencer told the Tulsa World, “but that’s our job to get them as close to that as possible.”

The drop off will certainly exist. It has to when you’re losing two guys to the NFL draft, but hopefully Gundy and Glenn Spencer are able to plug the dam with some studs for a while on the defensive front (despite the lack of depth) and let the rest of the defense help out where possible in disrupting and creating turnovers.

“That’s the plan — to have the same type of production,” Brailford told the Tulsa World about replacing Ogbah and Bean. “Those two were very good. We want to make a name for ourselves.”

If not, it’s going to put even more pressure on Mason Rudolph and Co. to score as quickly and as often as possible next season.