To say the Oklahoma State defense is a work in progress at this point, might be an understatement. Last season the Pokes secondary stood apart, but now they're just standing. Standing and holding the weight of a thousand questions. Can they overcome inexperience? Who will step up? Will they come together? Will they be ready?
It's Glenn Spencer's job to get his unit prepared to face these questions. Florida State is going to show up in Arlington on August 30th whether the Pokes are ready or not.
"I'm happy they're progressing" Glenn said outside of practice on Tuesday. "They've got to understand it's got to come faster. I said, 'don't get upset if you're getting coached hard, because we've got to get some of you ready to play, and you're not ready to play yet.' Are they trying? Yes. Is the desire there to be good? Yes. They've just got to learn, and so we've got to find a way everyday to make it happen faster."
Spencer has never been one to mince words. He tells you exactly how the cow ate the cabbage.
"That's what bothers me now, there's no consistency. You know, even our older guys have to get more consistent. We've got a lot of guys that might have played some in the past, but they haven't been a consistent starter, so their expectations are a little higher now." Glenn Spencer said. "The bar is not going to lower. The bar is going to be high, so the expectations are the same. We've got to just keep demanding that they get it down, and they get it down fast."
So that's it. It's all over. The defense isn't ready, and the Pokes are doomed to be the next casualty scalped by the garnet and gold....
Not by a long shot. The defense might not be ready yet, but they aren't supposed to be ready after one week of fall camp. They've known the challenge ahead of them all summer. That motivation has pushed them to keep getting better. The talent is there. It's just a matter of getting them into position to be able to make plays on every down.
"Every day they come out and want to get better. We've got a chance if they keep that attitude."