Oklahoma State’s 2021 defense was one of the elite units in the country and one of the best (if not the best) defenses in school history. Then it said goodbye to half of its starters, virtually all of which are in the back end of the defense. The Cowboys may be deeper and more talented along the defensive line thanks to the return of Trace Ford, but only one player that lines up behind the line (safety Jason Taylor II) returned as a regular starter.
So, attrition led to miscommunication, and green players gave up big plays.