Tyler Lacy Quietly Dominant in Oklahoma State’s Season-Opener

STILLWATER — Tyler Lacy may not seize as many headlines as Collin Oliver, Brock Martin and Hint Ford due to his decrease sack numbers, however his significance to the Cowboys’ defensive entrance is tough to overstate.

In Oklahoma State’s 55-48 victory in opposition to Central Michigan on Thursday night time, Lacy had 5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Stable numbers, however take it from his defensive coordinator, Lacy does greater than what the stat sheet says.

“It’s these issues that you simply by no means see,” Derek Mason stated. “It’s his constant knockback. It’s his capacity to vary the road of scrimmage. There have been a whole lot of occasions tonight the place the road of scrimmage acquired modified by Tyler Lacy. He put arms on individuals. I assumed he did a great job of creating the working again go east and west [north and south in BPS].”

Probably the most Tyler Lacy factor ever occurred within the first quarter after Tom Hutton pinned Central Michigan on its 1-yard line. Listed at 6-foot-4, 285 kilos, Lacy blew proper previous the Chippewas’ proper deal with on the snap and compelled working again Lew Nichols to divert his path proper right into a ready Lamont Bishop, who tackled Nichols for a security. Lacy didn’t get credited for the deal with, however he made the play.

The security supplied OSU with a spark, because the Cowboys went on to rattle off 30 straight factors earlier than halftime.

Lacy’s PFF grade of 78.3 ranked highest amongst Oklahoma State’s defensive starters. That rating trailed solely Nathan Latu amongst OSU’s defenders, however Latu performed simply 14 snaps to Lacy’s 62. Due to his dimension and athletic capacity, Lacy is ready to transfer throughout the Pokes’ defensive entrance. And with a bevy of edge expertise like Oliver, Martin and Ford, Lacy’s capacity to slip into the center of OSU’s defensive position makes him all of the extra useful. He spent as a lot time within the inside as he ever has Thursday.

With Lacy pushing again the road of scrimmage, the Cowboys recorded 13 tackles for loss in opposition to the Chippewas. OSU did that simply as soon as final season, its sport in opposition to Texas Tech the place the Cowboys shut out the Pink Raiders.

Though OSU’s big-time sack getters may get increasingly more of the credit score because the season goes alongside, there may not be a greater professional prospect on the Cowboys’ 2022 roster than Tyler Lacy, and in the event you watch carefully for it, he’ll present you why.