Oklahoma
5 keys to an Oklahoma Sooners win over the Baylor Bears
The Oklahoma Sooners tackle the Baylor Bears in a recreation that might assist set the tone for the rest of the season because the Sooners look to complete sturdy.
Baylor is available in at 5-3 and 3-2 in Large 12 play, having picked up wins over Texas Tech, Kansas, and Iowa State. They’ve but to play TCU, Texas, or Kansas State. With wins over their last 4 video games, the Bears would earn a visit to the Large 12 title recreation. They nonetheless have rather a lot to play for.
Oklahoma has an opportunity to play spoiler on this contest if they’ll come out the gates quick and discover some operating room towards a “stout” Baylor defensive entrance. Listed here are this week’s 5 keys to the sport.
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Sluggish Richard Reese and Baylor Working Recreation
Sep 17, 2022; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears operating again Richard Reese (29) scores a landing towards the Texas State Bobcats in the course of the second half at McLane Stadium. Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports activities
The Baylor Bears common 201 speeding yards per recreation. The Oklahoma Sooners enable 189 yards per recreation on the bottom. The Sooners had been significantly better towards the run vs. Iowa State, limiting the Cyclones to simply 66 yards on 27 carries.
The Bears pose a considerably more durable problem for the Oklahoma protection. They received’t fully shut down Baylor’s speeding assault, however they’ve acquired to discover a strategy to sluggish it down. If they’ll restrict the affect of the operating recreation even somewhat bit, it would go a protracted strategy to serving to the Sooners win the sport.
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Proceed to Deal with Nicely
Sept. 10, 2022; Norman; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) and Oklahoma Sooners linebacker David Ugwoegbu (2) rejoice in the course of the first half towards the Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities
Over the past two video games, the Sooners have considerably improved their tackling, lacking fewer than 10 tackles in every of the wins over Kansas and Iowa State. If that continues this week, it could go a protracted strategy to serving to Oklahoma decelerate Richard Reese and Baylor’s speeding assault.
Reese has pressured 27 missed tackles on the season, which is seventh within the Large 12, and is tied with Bijan Robinson with the second-most runs of 10 or extra yards, with 24, 5 behind Oklahoma’s Eric Grey.
The diminutive Reese could possibly be an issue for the Sooners in the event that they aren’t in a position to deal with properly.
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Be Marvelous
Sep 10, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners large receiver Marvin Mims (17) reacts after scoring a landing in the course of the second half towards the Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities
The Oklahoma Sooners had been in a position to beat Iowa State all whereas Marvin Mims had arguably his worst recreation as a Sooner. However that’s not who the participant is. Marvin Mims is likely one of the greatest gamers within the Large 12, and Oklahoma will want him to bounce again and have a stable day towards the Bears.
The Bears are top-of-the-line run defenses within the nation and permit the fewest yards within the Large 12. Their sturdy defensive entrance will put the Sooners’ run recreation to the take a look at. However the place Oklahoma would possibly discover essentially the most success is thru the air.
The Bears enable 223 yards per recreation on the season. In opposition to West Virginia, the Bears allowed J.T. Daniels to throw for 283 yards.
There might be alternatives for the Sooners to win within the air, however they want their No. 1 large receiver to rise to the event.
Get off the sphere
Oct 8, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) reacts in the course of the first half towards the Texas Longhorns on the Cotton Bowl. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities
Regardless of their defensive success every week in the past, the Sooners struggled to get off the sphere on third and fourth down towards Iowa State.
Baylor ranks twenty fifth within the nation, changing 47.7% of their third downs 47.7% and are 18th within the nation on fourth down at 67.7%. Baylor takes benefit of all 4 downs. They’re fourth within the nation within the variety of fourth-down makes an attempt.
It’s crucial that when the Sooners get Blake Shapen into third and lengthy conditions that they maintain them in fourth and lengthy conditions. If Baylor will get fourth and quick, they’re most likely going to go for it, and so they’ll most likely convert.
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Play sideline to sideline
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – OCTOBER 29: Defensive lineman Siaki Ika #62 of the Baylor Bears reacts in the course of the first half of the sport towards the Texas Tech Purple Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Lubbock, Texas. (Picture by John E. Moore III/Getty Photos)
Eric Grey has been a big-time catalyst for the Oklahoma Sooners. His capability to interrupt runs of 10 yards or extra has helped the Sooners tremendously this season. In opposition to a Bears crew permitting simply 112 speeding yards per recreation, it’s going to be powerful sledding for the Sooners’ operating recreation as soon as once more.
Whereas they need to proceed to run no matter its effectiveness, the Sooners want to make use of the cross early and sometimes to power the Bears to account for it, and again off the operating recreation.
Get Baylor’s large defensive tackles working sideline to sideline within the passing recreation with large receiver screens and jet sweep motion. Get the ball to Jalil Farooq and Gavin Freeman within the run recreation to offer a various method to fixing Baylor’s defensive entrance.
Power them to defend all the area.
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Story initially appeared on Sooners Wire