Oklahoma State University Athletics
Football Practice Report - April 2
April 02, 2012 | Cowboy Football
April 2, 2012
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State football team was in full pads Monday for a nearly two-hour practice on the grass fields adjacent to Gallagher-Iba Arena. After practice, defensive coordinator Bill Young talked about the defensive line:
On the importance of Cooper Bassett and Nigel Nicholas to the defensive line:
"We get great leadership from both of them. They make the checks, they get us lined up, they coach up the other players and get them ready to go."
On the interior of the defensive line:
"It's much better. Chris Littlehead and Anthony Rogers are so much better than they were a year ago. The addition of Calvin Barnett has allowed us to move Nigel Nicholas outside and he is really playing well. Davidell Collins is also much-improved over what he was a year ago."
On Calvin Barnett's playing style:
"He's got great leverage. He's about 6-2 and 300 pounds with tremendous lower-body strength. He uses his hands well and separates and just plays with good technique. He's done a good job picking up the system - much better than most junior college players that have come in. He has caught on a lot better."
On how Christian Littlehead has improved:
"Just the experience of being there and doing it and seeing those pictures over and over and over. Everything is coming together for him."
On how the move outside has been for Nigel Nicholas and Cooper Bassett:
"It's gone very well. Nigel is a very athletic guy. We originally recruited him to be a defensive end. We plan on rotating Cooper in to stay fresh and play solid football for us."
On the atmosphere among the defensive linemen:
"They play with a lot of emotion and they're really striving to get better. As a group, they want to be better and be a strong part of our defense and not a weak part."
On James Castleman and Jimmy Bean:
"James Castleman and Jimmy Bean both are guys that need a million reps and they're getting them. They're getting better and better as time goes by. It's a little bit like Anthony Rogers and Davidell Collins and Chris Littlehead - it doesn't just happen overnight. Playing on the defensive line is such a physical position and then you have the mental aspect involved too with all the checks and adjustments. It's not easy to play there."
On the strengths of the Oklahoma State defense:
"We have eight starters returning. Last year, we lost eight starters, so the strength is in the numbers. We've got some guys who played at a high level last year who have stepped it up this year and we'll need them to step it up in the fall. We've got a chance to be a very solid defense. We've got to continue to force turnovers, score on defense and give the offense good field position."
