Gary Patterson defends Big 12 defenses after Bedlam criticism
Big 12 teams are sick of hearing that they don’t play defense just because this year’s version of Bedlam produced 114 combined points in Oklahoma’s 62-52 win over rival Oklahoma State.
On Tuesday, TCU’s head coach and some players were asked about the high-scoring affair in Stillwater. Nobody said it was an indictment of the respective defenses in the conference.
Gary Patterson, whose 8-1 Horned Frogs beat Oklahoma State 44-31 earlier this season, defended the defenses in the conference.
Gary Patterson on if a 62-52 Bedlam hurt Big 12's reputation: "No. Everybody should have to play those two offenses. Then they’d find out."
— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 7, 2017
TCU safety Nico Small offered an even better quote that helps make the point.
TCU S Nico Small on criticism of Big 12 defenses: "That's like saying you're a bad boxer because you lost to Mike Tyson."
— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 7, 2017
TCU will have to visit Norman to face Oklahoma this weekend, so the last thing they want to do is tick off the Sooners with some bulletin-board material. Still, their answers are consistent with what Lincoln Riley also said this week.