re: Why can’t Big 12 teams play defense?

I don't think it's a matter of not playing defense as it is to the styles of offenses they run. If you want to keep up with OK and OSU you better get a coordinator that passes the ball alot or you can't keep up. If you pass alot, and score quickly, you are putting your defense back on the field sooner. Over the course of a game they just can't keep up that pace and are gassed. Look, if the Big 12 teams played grind it out, running style of football their defenses would be better.