Big 12 football: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State defenses will get some quarterback relief in 2013

The total defense improvement was similar.

Every team improved; 11 of the 12 by at least 40 yards a game. Kansas State improved by 144 yards a game. OU improved by 129 yards a game, from 412.8 yards per game in 2008 to 283.8 in 2009. OSU's improvement was almost as dramatic, from 427.0 to 319.1.

In 2010, the numbers started climbing again, and by 2011, when the QBs included Griffin, Brandon Weeden, Ryan Tannehill, Landry and Klein, it was back to the absurd football of 2008.

Young's 2011 OSU unit led the conference in scoring defense, 25.4. More defenses (three) allowed greater than 500 yards than allowed less than 400 (two).

But Young is unemployed after his 2012 defense allowed 30.0 points a conference game, which still was good for fifth in the Big 12.

OU's 26.7 points allowed in 2012 changed Mike Stoops' status from savior to nepotism hack, yet that ranked second in the league.

Only two Big 12 teams allowed less than 400 total yards per game. Kansas and Baylor allowed more than 500 each. TCU's league-leading 371.2 yards allowed would have ranked just eighth in 2009.

But the great quarterbacking returned. Games lengthened, formations spread and defenses again were endangered.

Now comes 2013 and what appears to be another significant quarterback dip.

Glenn Spencer and Mike Stoops and every other Big 12 d-coordinator are much obliged.

Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@opubco.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel.