LaDainian Fields has gone from being one of the few holdovers on Oklahoma State’s defense to one of its most disruptive pieces.
That was the vision Eric Morris had in fall camp. The new Cowboys head coach saw enough in Fields to talk openly about all-Big 12 potential, but he also made clear what needed to happen: Fields had to start making more plays on the football.
Now he’s doing exactly that.
Fields picked off two passes against Colorado, added eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, and earned all-Big 12 co-defensive player of the week honors for the performance. On Tuesday, he also picked up Jim Thorpe Award player of the week recognition, an award for defensive backs.
That stretch has turned what once looked like a quiet all-conference possibility into a legitimate season-long case.
The numbers back it up. Fields now leads the Big 12 with four interceptions, and three of those have come in the last two games.
He opened that run by jumping a tipped pass on the first possession against Houston, a play that set up an Oklahoma State field goal. The Cowboys still lost that game 35-32, and Fields wasn’t in the starting lineup that day, with Kollin Lewis getting the nod instead.
Afterward, Morris said Oklahoma State was still trying to find the right combination at cornerback.
Whatever response that created, it showed up against Colorado.
Both of Fields’ interceptions came after halftime in the Cowboys’ 57-24 win. One came in the third quarter and the other in the fourth, and the first one slammed the door on any lingering Colorado comeback hopes. The Buffaloes committed three turnovers in the game, while Fields’ two picks each led to field goals for an Oklahoma State offense that piled up nearly 600 total yards.
The advanced numbers tell a similar story. In Pro Football Focus grading, Fields posted his best two games of the season over the last two weeks.
Against Houston, he logged a 62.4 overall defensive grade, an 81.1 tackling grade and a 60.6 coverage grade. Against Colorado, his overall grade climbed above 70 for the first time this year at 71.2, with a 69.2 coverage grade.
His tackling grade dipped to 52.1 in that game, though he had posted tackling grades of 76 or better in each of the previous three weeks.
The broader picture is pretty simple: Fields is becoming the kind of corner who changes games.
The tackling is a plus. The interceptions are the difference.
For a cornerback, coverage is the currency that matters most, and coaches want that position to create the kind of plays Fields has made over the last two weeks. If that continues, Morris’ preseason talk about all-Big 12 honors won’t feel like hype anymore.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State's Recruiting Surge Just Picked Up Another Intriguing Sign
Stillwater linebacker Bryson Brown added another local name to Oklahoma States growing recruiting momentum, giving the Cowboys a defender with a hometown connection and a bit of late-cycle intrigue. Browns commitment also fits the broader pattern of Oklahoma State building early buzz on the defensive side, as the program continues to stack pieces for its next class.
Browns decision is notable because it comes after a recruiting path that had already taken him elsewhere, and because the timing lines up with a shifting landscape for both programs. Baylors coaching change opened the door for movement, while Oklahoma States strong start under Eric Morris has helped make Stillwater look like an increasingly appealing destination for defensive prospects. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces A Telling Test Iowa State Could Expose
Oklahoma State heads to Jack Trice Stadium on Oct. 31 with a ranking next to its name and plenty of numbers that make the matchup with Iowa State look intriguing on paper. The Cowboys offense has been one of the nations most productive, and the comparison with the Cyclones is the kind of deep dive that can tell you more about a team than the record ever will, especially when the conversation turns to yards per game, turnovers and special teams.
Iowa State also brings enough balance to make this more than just a test of firepower, because its defensive profile and overall efficiency can stress a ranked opponent in ways that box scores do not always show. For Oklahoma State, the real question is whether its offensive edge travels well enough to hold up in a road game where every hidden yard, every possession and every special teams snap could swing the night. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Still Has A Real Big 12 Path If One Thing Breaks Right
The Big 12 race still has a few twists left, and Oklahoma State is hanging around long enough to keep the conversation going. With Utah, Arizona, BYU, the Cowboys and Texas Tech all jockeying for Arlington, the remaining schedules matter almost as much as the standings themselves, and Oklahoma States position is more encouraging than it might have looked a few weeks ago. The title picture is crowded, but there is still a believable route for the Cowboys if the right results fall their way.
What makes it interesting for Oklahoma State is how much of the leagues math is tied to a handful of games that could reshape the bracket in a hurry. The Cowboys need help elsewhere, of course, but they also have a chance to control their own part of the equation in the coming stretch, with one matchup looming larger than the rest as a potential separator in the chase for the conference championship game. If that one breaks in OSUs favor, the rest of the path starts to look a lot clearer. [Read more 🡒]