Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Greg Bullard
A Defensive Line Golden Era
April 03, 2018 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Since Joe Bob Clements joined the Oklahoma State football coaching staff in 2013, the defensive line has flourished.
While the effect of a good defensive line is not always seen on the stat sheet, there is tangible statistical evidence – especially in the area of tackles for loss and sacks - that Clements is presiding over one of the golden eras of Cowboy defensive line play.
Consider that each of Clements' five seasons in Stillwater have produced a team tackles for loss total that ranks among the top 10 single-season marks in school history and during his tenure, the OSU defensive line has averaged 25.7 sacks per season. For perspective on that, in the three years prior to his arrival, Cowboy defensive linemen averaged 19.5 sacks per season.
In each of Clements' five seasons in Stillwater, at least one of his defensive linemen was recognized as a first-team All-Big 12 performer.
By controlling the line of scrimmage, Clements' troops have played a significant role in the Cowboys posting 10-win seasons in four of Clements' five years in Stillwater.
Most recently, Clements' 2017 defensive line finished with more tackles for loss than any other defensive line unit during the Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State (2005-present), as the 2017 defensive linemen combined for 53.5 tackles for loss. The previous record was 52, set in 2016. Additionally, the Cowboy defensive line amassed 189 yards from sacks and 277 yards from tackles for loss in 2017, both of which rank as the most for a defensive line during the Gundy era at Oklahoma State.
Among Clements' standout pupils at Oklahoma State is defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who earned first-team All-America honors in 2015 and was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award presented to the nation's top defensive end. Ogbah earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors from both the coaches and the Associated Press that season after finishing fourth nationally in sacks and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss. Ogbah set a single-season OSU record with 19 quarterback hurries and went on to be the first pick of the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor finished 2016 as the FBS leader with four blocked kicks and his 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks were the most for any interior defensive lineman in the Big 12. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from both the coaches and the media. Taylor recently wrapped a rookie season with the Miami Dolphins in which he recorded 18 tackles in 13 games played.
While the effect of a good defensive line is not always seen on the stat sheet, there is tangible statistical evidence – especially in the area of tackles for loss and sacks - that Clements is presiding over one of the golden eras of Cowboy defensive line play.
Consider that each of Clements' five seasons in Stillwater have produced a team tackles for loss total that ranks among the top 10 single-season marks in school history and during his tenure, the OSU defensive line has averaged 25.7 sacks per season. For perspective on that, in the three years prior to his arrival, Cowboy defensive linemen averaged 19.5 sacks per season.
In each of Clements' five seasons in Stillwater, at least one of his defensive linemen was recognized as a first-team All-Big 12 performer.
By controlling the line of scrimmage, Clements' troops have played a significant role in the Cowboys posting 10-win seasons in four of Clements' five years in Stillwater.
Most recently, Clements' 2017 defensive line finished with more tackles for loss than any other defensive line unit during the Mike Gundy era at Oklahoma State (2005-present), as the 2017 defensive linemen combined for 53.5 tackles for loss. The previous record was 52, set in 2016. Additionally, the Cowboy defensive line amassed 189 yards from sacks and 277 yards from tackles for loss in 2017, both of which rank as the most for a defensive line during the Gundy era at Oklahoma State.
Among Clements' standout pupils at Oklahoma State is defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who earned first-team All-America honors in 2015 and was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award presented to the nation's top defensive end. Ogbah earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors from both the coaches and the Associated Press that season after finishing fourth nationally in sacks and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss. Ogbah set a single-season OSU record with 19 quarterback hurries and went on to be the first pick of the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor finished 2016 as the FBS leader with four blocked kicks and his 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks were the most for any interior defensive lineman in the Big 12. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from both the coaches and the media. Taylor recently wrapped a rookie season with the Miami Dolphins in which he recorded 18 tackles in 13 games played.
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