NORMAN — If Oklahoma was taking its defensive backfield of eight weeks ago into Stillwater Saturday, the six-point betting line might be a little closer.
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That OU secondary, which had little confidence and no help in the way of a pass rush, was lost and bewildered.
Since then, the secondary has been broken down and built back up with different players in different places. And it's playing as well as any secondary in the country, just in time to face Oklahoma State.
But not since its overhaul has OU's defensive backfield faced a group of receivers like the Cowboys will put on the field Saturday.
D'Juan Woods, Adarius Bowman and Brandon Pettigrew have accounted for nearly 1,800 yards receiving this season.
Compounding the problem for OU, the Cowboys have shown in recent years that they can throw the ball on the Sooners, especially in Stillwater.
On OU's last two trips to Boone Pickens Stadium, OSU has 564 passing yards and 73 points.
In 2002, Rashaun Woods set a school record with 226 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 12 catches.
Even in a year when the Cowboys couldn't throw the ball very well, they threw it against Oklahoma. Two years ago, Donovan Woods completed just eight of 20 passes, yet posted 207 yards and a touchdown in a 38-35 OU win.
Had he completed nine passes, the Cowboys would have upset the second-ranked Sooners.
A potential game-winning pass went just beyond the outstretched hands of a wide-open Prentiss Elliott in the final minute.
This year's Cowboys might not put up big numbers through the air — they rank No. 10 in the Big 12 during conference play with 188 yards per game — but they make big plays in the passing game.
And they have something none of their previous teams had — Bowman.
The 6-foot-5 junior leads the Big 12 and, at one point this season, led the nation in receiving yards per game. He can put up gaudy numbers — 300 yards and four TDs against Kansas — and he can make plays after the catch.
Coach Mike Gundy and offensive coordinator Larry Fedora like to move Bowman around, lining him up wide or in the slot.
But Bob Stoops doesn't expect any difficulty keeping up with where he's at.
"You see him," Stoops said. "He's big and he's No. 12, so you can always find him."
But covering him might be a different story. The Sooners' only defensive back comparable to Bowman in size is nickelback Nic Harris, who is 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds.
Harris is capable in coverage, but he doesn't have Bowman's speed, so keeping up with the wideout could be tricky.
"You have to be aware of how you line up and what you're asking people to do," Stoops said. "We're very aware of where he's at and what we have to do, trying to work against him."
Both OU cornerbacks, Marcus Walker and Lendy Holmes, will get their chances in coverage, as will strong safety Reggie Smith and maybe a linebacker or two.
Smith was a big key to the rebuilding of the OU secondary when he moved to strong safety in the fourth game of the season.
"It solidified us from a consistency standpoint, being in good position, being in position to make some big plays," OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "It maybe negates people wanting to attack that particular area of the field."
Consistency, not only in their performance, but in the people around them.
"Every week we had a different person moving somewhere," Smith said. "We just got consistent and got comfortable with each other since we had four set guys out there the whole time."
And the Sooner DBs are finally getting the help they need in the way of a pass rush. OU has 10 sacks in the last four games after managing just nine in the first seven games.
"Sacks aren't the whole indicator," Stoops said. "We haven't had very many quarterbacks that have been very comfortable, sitting there and just taking there time, throwing wherever they want."
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