Protecting QB1 (Whoever It Is) Will be Paramount to OSU’s Success in 2019

It’s fun to talk about quarterbacks. Especially when those quarterbacks are either NFL Draft picks or future NFL Draft picks. Quarterbacks get clicks. So do running backs, wide receivers, Cowboy Backs, first-year coordinators, revamped defenses, Rickie Fowler and literally anything to do with Mike Gundy’s hair.

Offensive linemen? Not so much.

And yet it’s often there that we should start. You can trace Oklahoma State’s success (and honestly the success of most teams in college football) by tracing how good or bad their offensive lines are. In fact, let’s do just that. Here’s a look at OSU’s national ranking in sacks allowed and its national ranking in wins in the modern Gundy era (since 2010).

It’s not really a difficult concept. In 2011 they had elite line play behind a first round QB and nearly won the whole Tostito. In 2014 and 2018 they had bad line play behind not-NFL QBs and narrowly won seven games each year.

That’s reductionistic and probably not totally fair considering the impressive stretch from 2015-2016 where they got fairly lousy offensive line play but still won 20 combined games. This also doesn’t take into account run blocking, how long QBs hang on to the ball or the fact that few teams throw the ball as often as OSU does. But I don’t think anyone disagrees with the broader point that better offensive line play is better and a harbinger of great teams.

There was an inflection point when Josh Henson was hired in 2017 as he hauled in 300-pounder after 300-pounder following a dearth of bodies at that position. Then there was confusion when he left for Texas A&M. But unlike many college coaching scenarios, the cupboard was far from bare. It was loaded up.

Whether new offensive line coach Charlie Dickey can keep the turnstiles churning on the recruiting front remains to be seen, but we do believe he can coach and do so in a way that utilizes every ounce of what Henson left him. You have to both recruit and coach well to sustain success for a long time, but the more pressing issue is also the one Dickey seems to be great at.

“We love coach Dickey,” said center Johnny Wilson. “He brings a lot to the table technique-wise. He’s coached a lot of good players, and we’re lucky to have him here. Not really differences. Just the new guy in, we had to get used to him a little bit. After the spring, we all love him. He’s a good guy. He’s a really good coach. We’re excited to see what the season has for us.”

Mike Gundy, also excited about what the season has, knows the importance of the big dudes up front providing time for the Chubas and Tylans of the world do do Chuba and Tylan things.

“We need to compete,” said Gundy after the spring practice. “A lot of that has to do with players up front. Sometimes skill players can get you into that … but more so with the guys up front. Hopefully with Coach Dickey it will start up there.

“I want them to compete. That means their preparation to get to that point and then play with a little bit of an edge in the games and play that way consistently. Even when they make a mistake or something doesn’t go good. They have to continue to play that way. We’ll know a lot more as the season goes on. That’s the direction we’re going and that’s where we hope we get to.”

There is reason for hope, too. After allowing 34 sacks (good for No. 102 in the country last year) and averaging 4.8 yards per carry (40th), Gundy insinuated recently that this offensive line is going to be a lot better.

“I think we’re considerably further ahead than we were at the end of the year last year,” said Gundy. “I thought pass protection [in the spring game] was awesome. I’ve noticed it over the last two weeks. I don’t think there’s anybody on the second group that’s ever played college football, and they’re protecting fairly well against a defense that’s fairly aggressive. If I was evaluating them in protection [in the spring game] I thought it was excellent.”

Gundy doles out praise like this like I dole out candy corn to my kids. So it’s eye-opening when we see it. Wilson said he wants to be meaner and “move guys out of there.” Gundy said he’s seeing a trajectory of improvement. If the Pokes get the QB play they’ve traditionally gotten in this modern Gundy era and that positive trajectory of OL work continues, the Pokes could be headed back toward the 10-win mark in 2019 and beyond.