Beckman expecting much from defense

STILLWATER — Asked to describe Oklahoma State's new defensive coordinator, senior linebacker Jeremy Nethon compared Tim Beckman to strength coach Rob Glass.

"I call him Coach Glass' twin,” Nethon said. "Coach Glass is my home boy. I love Coach Glass. Coach Beckman is the same way. He expects a lot. But it's expectations we can achieve if we do things the right way.”

Whether OSU improves dramatically next season might be determined by how much the defense improves under Beckman.

It's only spring. The real measuring stick will be this fall, starting with the season opener at Georgia.

But when fans get their first look at Beckman's defense Saturday at the Orange-White spring game, they will see a flexible defense that demands aggressiveness and emphasizes putting pressure on quarterbacks.

"We're blitzing more,” linebacker Patrick Lavine said. "Rather than sitting back, watching what the offense does, we're way more aggressive. I like this defense a lot. I think fans are really going to like how we get after people.”

A three-time nominee for the Frank Broyles Award, presented each year to the nation's top assistant, Beckman coached defensive backs the past two years at Ohio State. Before that he was Bowling Green's defensive coordinator for six years.

Beckman's endorsements from Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer, BCS title game coaches, were a big factor in coach Mike Gundy's choice of who would replace Vance Bedford. "The thing I like is the accountability he holds the defensive staff and defensive players,” Gundy said. "He's helped me learn some things. But the bottom line is you have to slow people down.”

OSU's defense hasn't slowed down many teams recently. Last year the Cowboys finished 7-6, defeated Nebraska and capped the season with a win over Alabama in the Independence Bowl.

Much of OSU's success was attributed to the nation's seventh highest scoring offense. The Cowboys, ranked 89th in total defense, lost four games decided on the game's final play.

But with seven returning starters, nine if you include senior defensive ends Nathan Peterson and Marque Fountain, the defense should improve.

"If we perform like we can people won't look at Oklahoma State just for their offense,” Nethon said. "They'll see our defense will hustle, be aggressive, get to the ball and force turnovers.”

Beckman has adapted to players he inherited. Donovan Woods, a former quarterback, is now a hybrid linebacker. Rod Johnson, the starting middle linebacker last season, will play some defensive end.

"He has a national runner-up ring and a whole lot of bowl rings,” Johnson said. "He knows what he's doing. His defense is perfect for what we have, which is a lot of athletes who can run and can make plays. One thing we'll definitely do better is pursuit.”

Beckman has made changes besides moving Woods and Johnson. There are different coverages and multiple schemes. Martel Van Zant will exclusively play boundary cornerback to utilize his size.

"The most important thing we can do as coaches is to find a scheme that fits our players,” Gundy said. "Everybody can draw up good plays on a board. But what plays can you put on the board that your players can execute?”

Because Beckman has had only six weeks with his new team, and he's installed only 50 percent of his scheme, what are realistic expectations for Saturday's spring game?

"When the fans leave the stadium I want them to say, ‘Those kids played hard,'” Beckman said. "I told the kids, ‘I don't (care) about your talent. I care about how hard you play, how consistent you do it. Don't give fans a bad image of what this defense is about.'”

Now that spring practice is nearly over, having seen the defense challenge an experienced, talented offense, is Gundy excited about what Beckman has accomplished in such a short time?

"If we stop people next season that's what will excite me,” Gundy said. "But there's no question in my mind we'll be better for a lot of reasons, the most important being players are running to the ball and are buying into what he's coaching.”