Standing between Texas and a Big 12 title is another three-down lineman, three-safety defense
One win separates Texas from a fourth Big 12 Championship in school history. The Oklahoma State defense hopes to keep the Longhorns separate from the end zone on Saturday, and it’ll use a scheme common throughout the league in order to do so.
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Cowboys defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo runs the three-down lineman, three-safety “Flyover” scheme the Longhorns have seen often this year. While it gave Steve Sarkisian fits at times during his first year in Austin, especially Barry Odom‘s Arkansas defense, the third-year Texas head coach has found success against it this season.
Rice, Wyoming, Houston, Kansas State, TCU, and Iowa State all run a version of the scheme, with a couple of those teams springing it on Sarkisian and the Longhorns without warning this season. On each occasion, Texas settled in and found opportunities for yards and points.
| Team | Texas rushing | Texas passing | Texas total yards | Score |
| Rice | 39 att, 158 yds, 1 TD | 22-for-36, 300 yds, 3 TD | 458 yds | 37-10 Texas |
| Wyoming | 31 att, 185 yds, 1 TD | 11-for-21, 131 yds, 2 TDs | 316 yds | 31-10 Texas |
| Houston | 37 att, 141 yds, 2 TDs | 25-for-32, 219 yds, 2 TDs | 360 yds | 31-24 Texas |
| Kansas State | 37 att, 230 yds, 2 TDs | 19-for-37, 248 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT | 478 yds | 33-30 Texas (OT) |
| TCU | 41 att, 165 yds, 2 TDs | 22-for-33, 317 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT | 482 yds | 29-26 Texas |
| Iowa State | 34 att, 123 yds | 23-for-33, 281 yds, 2 TD | 404 yds | 26-16 Texas |
| Average | 36.5 att, 167 yds, 1.3 TDs | 20.3-for-32, 249.3 yds, 1.83 TDs, 0.5 INT | 416.3 yds | 31.2 ppg |
What used to give Sarkisian problem after problem no longer does. Oklahoma State has their own twist on the defense, as it’s one akin to the system Texas utilized in 2017.
Current Longhorn players discussed the Cowboys scheme on Monday.
“You definitely need to run the ball to open up other areas in that Joker defense,” Kelvin Banks said. “I feel like we definitely take pride in going forward, being able to run the ball, and being able to protect the quarterback.”
Said Ja’Tavion Sanders, “they’re all playing for each other. They all are playing their roles. They all know how to play that defense, and that’s why they’re so good.”
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On Monday, Sarkisian noted the quality of the Oklahoma State linebacker trio of Nickolas Martin, Collin Oliver, and Xavier Benson within the scheme.
“They’ve got three very, very good linebackers who impact the game,” Sarkisian said. “They rush the quarterback extremely well. They tackle really well. They force turnovers really well. They fly around the field. Those three guys, Oliver, Benson, Martin, they’re big time players.”
Oklahoma State ranks 13th in the 14-team Big 12 in total defense, 10th in rushing defense, and 12th in passing yards allowed. While the system has been something that’s stood in the way of Texas in the past, the Cowboy defense this year doesn’t have the looks of one that will accentuate previous Longhorn struggles against the system via personnel or scheme advantages.
But for the Texas offense on Saturday, Nardo’s defense is the final test before the Longhorns can await in earnest the results of the College Football Playoff’s final rankings.
