The defense had another solid day, forcing 5 Mountaineers turnovers, including 4 interceptions of Will Grier. Once again, the run defense was incredible, holding the Mountaineers to 62 yards on 30 carries. Justin Phillips led the way with 6 total tackles, and AJ Green had a breakout game with 2 interceptions.

I have talked a lot about the defense in this series of articles this year, and rightfully so. The narrative is that the Big 12 does not “play” defense because of the high scoring offenses. However, it cannot be understated how good the Cowboy defense has been this year. Young at nearly every position group, they have stepped up and have been getting better every week, this is going to be key for the rest of the season.

The defensive line has been a key to the success of Oklahoma State’s defense this season. Guys like DeQuinton Osbourne and Jordan Brailford have had a lot of success this season. One guy that has gotten lost in the mix this year is Cole Walterscheid, but he had a fantastic game against West Virginia. He is my unsung hero this week. Walterscheid had 3 tackles, one for loss, and a sack (it should have been two sacks, but it was negated by a questionable horse collar tackle penalty).

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

He has been a great edge rusher for the Cowboys the last two years. He came on strong last season, playing in place of the aforementioned Brailford, who missed all of last season with an injury. He only has 11 tackles through 8 games this season, but what he has been able to do is provide continued depth on the defensive line for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys rotated 4 guys in and 4 guys out during drives. Having that type of depth is important, especially against high-flying offenses. If Walterscheid can continue to produce, he will be a part of the success of the defense as the Oklahoma State tries to contend for a Big 12 title.

Sophomore running back Justice Hill is one of those young stars. When Mason Rudolph and James Washington run out of eligibility, the next wave of offensive stars will be called on.

Hill showed growth mentally and physically through spring practice and summer workouts, the O’Colly’s Marshall Scott said.

The next starting quarterback after Rudolph for Oklahoma State remains a mystery. Hill is one of the sure things that Mike Gundy and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich have.

Rudolph is the only Cowboy listed among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy in 2017, according to Odds Shark. Hill would need a significant jump in his stat line to be considered for the award this year.

The expansion of Hill’s role in 2018 would be the biggest reason for a Heisman campaign. Hill eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark as a freshman and should be even better in 2017.

He’s a good change-of-pace from the high-powered Oklahoma State passing attack. Moreover, Hill is the clear-cut starter. With junior Jeff Carr and freshman Chuba Hubbard, among others, competing for the backup job, Hill will receive the heaviest workload.

With Hill in the spotlight, he’ll have the opportunity to establish himself as a dark horse candidate for the Heisman in 2018. Hill would need another 1,000 yard season with at least 10 touchdowns this season to show he’s a legitimate Heisman contender.

Other Big 12 players that could compete for the Heisman Trophy in 2018 include Texas quarterback Shane Buechele, West Virginia quarterback Will Grier, and Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. Hill would be the best option for the Heisman among Big 12 running backs that are projected to return in 2018.

This would be a good get for the Cowboys

Some potentially good news for Oklahoma State football. On Friday, Union High School 4-star receiver CJ Moore named the Cowboys among his top six schools.

Oklahoma State joins Oregon, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Nebraska, and Mississippi State. The 2018 prospect had offers from 21 schools. He made an official visit to Stillwater back in July

What’s interesting is that 247sports had Oklahoma as the favorites to land the 6-foot-5, 175-pound receiver. However, as you can see above, the Sooners didn’t even make Moore’s list.

It would good for the Cowboys to keep a talent like Moore close to home. Let’s be honest, more often then not the top talent in the state heads down the road to Norman, or out of Oklahoma completely. While OSU’s receiving corp is deep and talented, it would be a huge win for Mike Gundy and Co. to add a kid like Moore to the roster.

Check out Moore’s HUDL highlights below.

The Cowboys had some 2018 prospects in Stillwater this weekend

Recruiting season never truly ends.

On Saturday, Oklahoma State played host to two 2018 4-star recruits; Tight End Mustapha Muhammad and Inside Linebacker Chad Bailey.

Muhammad and Bailey are teammates at Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas.

Muhammad, a 6-foot-4, 235 lb. tight end has offers from more than 30 schools, including Clemson, Texas, LSU, Florida State, and others. In 2016, he caught 29 passes for 430 yards and four touchdowns.

Check out his HUDL highlights.

Muhammad is obviously a highly coveted player, and while there is mutual interest between he and the coaches, I’m not sure how high Oklahoma State really is on his list.

Teammate Chad Bailey also made the trip this weekend. According to 247Sports, he doesn’t currently have an offer from Oklahoma State. I expect that could change shortly.

Last year, the 6-foot, 238 lb. linebacker totaled 99 tackles and 5 sacks, forced 3 fumbles and nabbed 2 interceptions.

Right now, Oklahoma State has a tight end in Nic McTear and linebacker in Blake Barron, committed to the 2018 class.

The senior wide receiver will take a redshirt, and will be eligible to play for the Pokes next season.

Marcell Ateman will sit out the remainder of the season, and will take a redshirt, Mike Gundy announced in his weekly Monday press conference. A redshirt season in 2016 makes Ateman eligible to return in 2017.

In 2015, Ateman caught 45 passes for 766 yards and five touchdowns. He was poised for a breakout senior year until a foot injury derailed him for what would eventually become the entire season.

Ateman returning for a sixth season is big news for a couple reasons.

James Washington could turn pro after this season.

Washington leaving for the NFL would leave a void on the outside for the Oklahoma State offense. Ateman returning for a sixth season would make him the most experienced player on the team, and a leader for the offense.

If James Washington DOESN’T turn pro after this season, watch out.

The Oklahoma State offense would feature James Washington, Marcell Ateman, former 5-Star LSU transfer Tyron Johnson, Jalen McCleskey, Dillon Stoner, and Tylan Wallace. My goodness. That could potentially be the best wide receiver group, not only in the Big 12, but in the country.

The next few weeks will tell us a lot about the roster for the 2017 season, but one thing we know is that OSU will return valuable experience on the edge. In the Big 12, that matters. A lot.

Advanced scouting helped the Pokes discover a weaknesss in the place-kicking unit of the ‘Horns.

In the first half of the 49-31 loss by the Texas Longhorns to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Saturday in Stillwater, the Cowboys were able to tie a school record by blocking three point-after attempts by the Longhorns.

In fact, all of those blocks came in the first half, on three consecutive tries.

‘‘It was happening with the guards over loading it,’’ said head coach Charlie Strong during his post-game press conference.

‘‘They were pressing one side of it and coming through. What we needed to do was get all the way to the second guy…the first guy was pinning the guard and the second guy was running through. He was stepping right over the center.’’

NCAA rules prevent three players standing shoulder to shoulder targeting a blocker on point-after attempts and also prevent contact on the deep snapper for one second after the snap.

As Strong described, Oklahoma State defensive tackle Vincent Taylor was sliding past Holbrook and into the backfield (highlighted with the long arrow below).

This rule is rather difficult to interpret and enforce — if the officials rule that the player coming through the A gap makes contact with the deep snapper before one second expires, it’s a penalty. However, if the deep snapper makes contact with the defensive player first, then the one-second window doesn’t apply.

So by creating space with one defender getting push against the guard, Taylor then shot through the gap and forced Holbrook to attempt to block him. That’s one interpretation at least.

One might also argue that Taylor wasn’t able to fully avoid Holbrook when he was still in his stance from the snap, but it’s difficult to tell who initiated the contact because deep snapper Jak Holbrook does appear to attempt to block Taylor going past him.

Oklahoma State essentially put the officials in the position of deciding whether or not Taylor made contact first and the ruling did not go in favor of Texas.

‘‘How we’re schemed up, the center is just a small guy, he’s not a big enough guy where he can snap and then raise up,’’ Strong said.

The first-year deep snapper this season is Holbrook, a third-year sophomore from McCaullum who is at 5’10 and 204 pounds. Now listed as 30 pounds heavier than he was in high school, Holbrook is still small for a college deep snapper.

By comparison, the 2015 deep snapper, Kyle Ashby, was listed at 234 pounds last season, in addition to having two inches in height on Holbrook.

Ashby was consistent enough to earn a scholarship from Texas prior to the 2015 season, but he opted not to return for his senior season for unknown reasons. Perhaps he was a scholarship casualty since the ‘Horns added the four former Baylor signees during the summer, similar to what happened with place-kicker Trent Domingue at LSU.

In any case, Holbrook is now the starter, but the staff does have another option at the position — freshman Michael David Poujoul, who is listed at 6’3, 215.

An Offense-Defense All-American in the 2015 class, Poujoul was also rated as the No. 6 long snapper in the country, but he recently joined the team and doesn't have the experience of Holbrook.

And his extra reach and 10 pounds of mass on Holbrook might not have been enough to stop Oklahoma State defensive tackle Vincent Taylor.

‘‘That can be corrected,” Strong said. “When we missed the field go it was more penetration but it was just a miss. We can get that corrected.’’

On the block by Taylor, the Texas place-kicking unit had an opportunity to tackle Taylor, but he returned to favor to his point guard growing up playing basketball, safety Tre Flowers, and was able to connect on an option-style pitch after making eye contact with his longtime friend.

The fact that the two have played sports together for so long and could effectively communicate and execute that play was some bad luck for the Longhorns.

The second block appeared to feature a confusion in blocking assignments — the Oklahoma State defensive tackles lined up over the right guard on this play and sophomore Patrick Vahe appeared to try to help the left guard with the opponent lined up over Holbrook. When that happened, the Cowboys player lined up over Vahe was able to slip past to record the second blocked point-after attempt.

On the third failed point-after attempt for Texas, Vahe wasn’t able to get a quick block on Taylor, who may have committed a penalty on this particular play by making contact with Holbrook immediately after the snap, even though the Longhorns deep snapper appeared to remain in his stance and did not appear to initiate contact.

Whatever other adjustments the ‘Horns make to the place-kicking unit this week, sending the first and third blocks to the Big 12 office for review and comment would at least alert officials to pay more close attention next week in the Cotton Bowl if the Sooners attempt similar tactics.

Otherwise, Strong and his staff will have to decide whether making personnel changes to insert the larger Poujoul gives Texas the best chance of avoiding more blocked point-after attempts or whether an emphasis on the backside guard giving better help to the deep snapper will solve the problem.

However the Texas coaches decide to fix the issue, the in-game solutions weren’t adequate and cost the ‘Horns five points, with Caleb Bluiett’s saving shove out of bounds on the return of the third block keeping that count from hitting seven points.

Given the continued issues on special teams, allowing three blocked point-after attempts in one half to a better-prepared opponent and failing to properly adjust and execute speaks poorly of this Texas team — both the coaches and the players.

After allowing another blocked point-after attempt and two-point return against Notre Dame, this has now happened too many times this season.

If the coaches and players can’t get this right moving forward, there’s no question about who will receive the blame for it and be held accountable as a result.

And deservedly so.

Justin Blackmon was found guilty today for his December 2015 DUI.

Alexander Beiersdorf (@zanderb81) has done it again. This hype video is fantastic.

Check out OSU's Cowboy Football preview with interviews from quarterback Mason Rudolph and head coach Mike Gundy.

And Mike Gundy sans the #Gullet.

The Cowboys offer a speedy receiver prospect from the Dallas area.

Osborne is a three-star tackle who also held offers from Memphis, Indiana and New Mexico.

Here are Osborne's stats from the last two years per 247Sports.

Osborne will join another former Kilgore J.C. Ranger, senior linebacker Jordan Burton.

The juco transfer will add depth to the defensive interior headlined by the likes of junior Vincent Taylor, senior Motekiai Maile, sophomore Darrion Daniels and junior Vili Leveni (who missed 2015 due to injury).

Check out Osbornes’s hudl highlights.