‘Not a Him Issue’: OSU Defenders Say Poor Execution Not Cassity’s Plan to Blame for Road Losses

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There’s no question that linebacker Ethan Wesloski took this one personally.

He wore it all over his face during his postgame interview Saturday night as the Cowboys defensive leader mostly just repeated the same message over and over again when asked about the defense’s road struggles, particularly at Houston and Iowa State.

“Just got to start faster,” Wesloski said. “And we got to play to the standard that we know we have … It starts with me. I got to play better, I’ve got to start faster, and I think that effect will ripple throughout the defense.”

Morris, to some extent, set the agenda after the 51-49 loss with his response to a question about whether the Cowboys maybe overlooked the Cyclones.

“I hope not,” Morris said. “If so, we learned a valuable, valuable lesson today. And two, we’ve got to figure out maybe this thing on the road. We haven’t been great on the road this year. This makes us what, 1-3 on the road, I think.”

There’s no number or real explanation for the loss at Tulsa that fits any larger narrative this season, outside of it being the first game of the season and Morris hadn’t learned to kick instead of going for it on fourth down in the red zone with this offense yet.

Throwing that game and the FCS contest aside, Oklahoma State went 1-2 on the road and 3-0 at home.

There are a few prominent defensive splits.

It’s clear OSU’s defense has done its best work at home this season, but until Saturday night it felt like that was largely due to the quality of offenses faced on the road.

ESPN’s efficiency ratings rank Houston’s offense 10th and West Virginia’s 25th. Meanwhile, UCF and Colorado rank 74th and 87th, respectively. Oregon checks in at 61st, but given the Ducks’ struggles at QB after leaving Stillwater, it seems unfair to consider that here since Oklahoma State faced an Oregon offense in its prime, deserving a much higher ranking.

However, even after Saturday night’s upset of the Cowboys, ESPN still ranks Iowa State’s offense 49th. So what gives? Is OSU’s defense just doomed to stay home regardless of where the game takes place?

“It hurts, it hurts, especially when you know Drew and them are rolling,” defensive end James Williams said. “It is the same thing that happened in the Houston game. Built ourselves a hole and can’t ever climb out of it. It sucks, it is such like a white noise feeling. We know what we have to go out there and do, and we’re not executing it well enough.”

Despite Wesloski’s mantra of just needing to start faster, OSU’s defense arguably started with its fastball in each of the last two road games. At Houston, Oklahoma State’s defense started with an interception, then bounced back from a second-drive touchdown to force a punt.

At Iowa State, the Cowboys gave up a touchdown, then intercepted a pass and forced a three-and-out. In both games, the true defensive collapse began on the opponent’s fourth drive.

Iowa State scored four touchdowns and added a field goal on its next six drives. Houston made it 3-for-3 on touchdown drives. Things turned around in both games around the start of the fourth.

OSU forced two punts, including one three-and-out, on Iowa State’s final five drives, which included only one touchdown and two field goals.

OSU also forced a 3-and-out against the Cougars while giving up another touchdown and allowing them to exhaust the game on another drive during the same stretch.

“Everybody has got to play together,” James said. “If you guys go back and look at every single one of the plays, there is something that somebody is not doing we are not executing on a high enough level, and I know it is kind of a basic answer, but it is literally what it is.”

Wesloski also referenced guys, including himself, who played out of structure at times. Williams acknowledged this has caused defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity, usually described as laid back, to become frustrated with the Cowboys’ inability to execute his vision

“And I don’t blame him,” Williams said. “He is not calling a bad game. I’m sure he will come up and tell you guys ‘yeah I could have made better plays.’ It is not a him issue.”