Oklahoma’s season comes down to only two video games in an try and turn out to be bowl eligible. The primary of these two video games happens on Saturday when in-state rival Oklahoma State involves city.
Within the wake of the Sooners loss to Oklahoma State a yr in the past, this system went by means of a stunning 24 hours. Lincoln Riley left for USC, the 2022 class started to disintegrate, and several other Sooners entered the switch portal. It was a stunning collection of occasions, however all of it paved the way in which for Oklahoma to herald Brent Venables.
At 5-5 in his first season on the helm, Oklahoma should win this sport, and the Venables’ protection could have its arms full.
Oklahoma can be lining up throughout from one of many Huge 12’s higher quarterbacks, Spencer Sanders. Even whereas competing by means of accidents this season, Sanders has thrown for two,261 yards, 16 touchdowns, and solely 5 interceptions whereas finishing 58.5 p.c of his passes. He’s additionally run for 628 yards and two scores, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He’s the engine for this Oklahoma State offense, and with out him, the Cowboys aren’t practically as productive.
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His weapons may even take a look at Oklahoma as properly, which brings us to this query: How will the Sooners’ protection carry out? We’ll discover out Saturday night, however listed here are 5 guys that might be instrumental in serving to the Sooners’ protection decelerate the Cowboys.
Ethan Downs, DE
Sep 10, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Ethan Downs (40) in motion in the course of the sport towards the Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities
Final yr, Ethan Downs was a freshman, incomes situational snaps to spell Nik Bonitto or Isaiah Thomas final yr. On this yr’s Bedlam contest, he’s a full-fledged starter and should have had the perfect sport of his profession towards the West Virginia Mountaineers when he totaled 6 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack to associate with one other quarterback hurry as properly.
But, Garrett Greene nonetheless ran for 100 yards on Oklahoma. Downs can be instrumental in setting the sting to stop Spencer Sanders from fleeing the pocket and dashing the passer towards Oklahoma State’s skilled offensive line.
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Jalen Redmond, DT
Baylor’s Blake Shapen (12) seems to go as Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond (31) makes a sack throughout a school soccer sport between the College of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Baylor Bears at Gaylord Household – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. Ou Vs Baylor
Regardless of not reaching the sack numbers of his early seasons, Jalen Redmond has rounded himself right into a reliable participant for Oklahoma this yr. Week to week, it looks as if he’s essentially the most constant performer, which is what the Sooners wanted after shedding so many our bodies alongside the line of defense.
Like Downs, Redmond goes up towards an skilled Cowboys offensive line. Stunts and twists might not be as sensible with the specter of Spencer Sanders within the run sport. So the Sooners might want to win their particular person matchups. Redmond has the flexibility to win these one on ones and can want to take action this week.
Danny Stutsman, LB
Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman (28) celebrates a sack on Kent State’s Collin Schlee (19) within the third quarter in the course of the school soccer sport between the College of Oklahoma and the Kent State Golden Flashes on the Gaylord Household Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept., 10, 2022. Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Sophomore linebacker Danny Stutsman was the subject of debate on Tuesdayas Brent Venables downplayed any detrimental critiques of Stutsman’s efficiency this yr.
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Brent Venables is aware of linebackers and his numbers and the video games themselves Stutsman has left all of it on the market. He’ll want that very same hearth and desperation this week. Sanders and the Oklahoma State offense prefer to assault each inch of the sphere on the bottom and via the air. Stutsman has been fairly stable in his protection drops the final three weeks, nabbing two interceptions. Can he get one other one?
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Robert Spears-Jennings, S
Safeties coach Brandon Corridor works with gamers because the College of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) holds fall camp observe on the rugby fields on Aug. 16, 2022 in Norman, Okla. [Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma has seen a number of members of its 2022 recruiting class contact the sphere this yr. One of many extra athletic gamers in that group is security Robert Spears-Jennings.
Hailing from Damaged Arrow, Spears-Jennings will get to participate in his first Bedlam sport. He’s seen his snap rely rise in current weeks, and he recorded 4 tackles towards West Virginia.
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If Spears-Jennings sees the sphere, there’s an opportunity Gundy tries to assault the younger security as an alternative of making an attempt to assault Billy Bowman. Will Spears-Jennings reply the decision? We’ll discover out this weekend.
Jaden Davis, CB
Sep 3, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive again Jaden Davis (4) in motion in the course of the sport towards the UTEP Miners at Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities
Jaden Davis will strap up his pads one final time at residence on Saturday towards Oklahoma State. Whereas his profession has been up and down, Davis will get a possibility to exit in an enormous means if he can present some sticky protection towards one of many higher small receivers within the nation, Brennan Presley of Oklahoma State.
Presley is barely 5-8, however he’s shifty and swift. It’ll be a troublesome matchup for Davis, however Presley is a favourite of Sanders. His 47 catches lead the crew, and he’s second in yards at 544. They want him, and if Davis can restrict his touches, Oklahoma can be in a greater place to win this sport.
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Since a historic season for Oklahoma City a year ago, this team has fortified itself on several fronts just under 40 games into the 2024-25 season.
From rounding out its defense with veteran Alex Caruso, bringing on Isaiah Hartenstein to provide some rebounding padding to letting the young guns grow and blossom into their game, the Thunder has many strengths.Another massive strength of theirs this season has given them many opportunities to come back from deficits and come out on top in tight games.
There are two ways to create more opportunities for shots on the basket outside of solid team defense. The first—rebounding. Without staying afloat on the defensive boards, that is a recipe for disaster and hands the opponent easy shots on goal after the rebound and deflates a defense if it’s repeated. The second—generating turnovers.
That is what Oklahoma CIty is excelling at this season. Their rebounding troubles a year ago eventually seeped in to its playoff performance and was a large part in its ultimate exit against the Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder is still in the bottom half of the league in rebounds per game this season, but that’s a massive improvement from its bottom-four placement a year ago.
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With that improved, the Thunder already gain an upper hand. But coupled with how often this team generates turnovers defensively along with greatly limiting its own turnovers has landed them in the top five of field goals attempted per game.
Through 39 games, Oklahoma City has tallied just 474 turnovers to place second in the NBA in that category. Inversely, the Thunder comfortably lead the league in steals with 451 on the season, or 11.6 per game. Naturally, Oklahoma City leads the league in both points off turnovers and opponent points off turnovers.
It’s a game-changer to have this success in taking care of the ball while also the whole team acting as a ball hound. If the Thunder sustains this, it’s difficult to see anyone in the Western Conference besting them as of now.
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PROVO, Utah — Trevin Knell scored 13 of his 18 points before halftime and reserve Dallin Hall scored 14 points and BYU ended its three-game losing streak by beating Oklahoma State 85-69 on Tuesday night.
Richie Saunders scored 12 points and Egor Denim and Keba Keita each scored 10 points for the Cougars (11-5, 2-3 Big 12).
Jamyron Keller and Bryce Thompson scored 15 points apiece and Abou Ousmane 13 for Oklahoma State (9-7, 1-4).
The Cougars built a 17-6 lead and never trailed. BYU went on an offensive onslaught and outscored the Cowboys 25-9 in a 10-minute span and led 42-15 after Dawson Baker made two free throws with 3:23 before halftime. BYU went to the break shooting 15 for 25 and led 46-26.
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But after an 8-of-31 (25.8%) shooting performance in the first half, Oklahoma State started on a blistering 22-5 run in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half and drew within 51-48 on 8-for-10 shooting with Keller going 3 for 3 from 3-point range.
BYU regrouped and went on an 11-2 run for a 62-50 lead with 10:28 left and stayed ahead by double digits for the remainder.
Oklahoma State hosts Colorado on Saturday. BYU will make the 45-minute drive north on Interstate 15 to face Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
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New Orleans looks to normalcy as it mourns New Year attack victims
Normalcy has begun to return to a stricken yet defiant New Orleans – after a U.S. Army veteran drove a truck into dozens of New Year’s Day revelers.
In the wake of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on the famed Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order creating an advisory council of first responders and intelligence personnel in hopes of better protecting Oklahomans and state infrastructure from such an attack.
Stitt issued an executive order on Monday concerning the Secure Oklahoma NOW (Not on Our Watch) Initiative. He said Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton would lead the advisory council.
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In one of the largest domestic terrorist attacks in U.S. history, 168 people and three unborn children died as a result of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, something Stitt noted.
“Sadly, Oklahomans are familiar with the devastating impact terrorists can have on our communities,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to stay vigilant and prepared. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety will bring together experts from law enforcement, emergency management, and public safety to develop a comprehensive guide to protect our high-value targets and major events, ensuring we are always one step ahead.”
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In addition to Tipton, the advisory council will feature the state’s secretary of public safety, Tricia Everest, who will supervise the initiative. Other members will be a sheriff from a county with a population above 500,000, a sheriff from a county with a population below 500,000, a police chief from a town or city with more than 100,000 residents, a police chief from a town or city with fewer than 100,000 residents, a chief from a university police department and a representative from the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.
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The only two counties with a population of more than 500,000 are Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Only four Oklahoma cities — Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman and Broken Arrow — have a population above 100,000.
The 12-person council also will include the president of the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center or their designee and one at-large member appointed by the governor.
The council will create and publish a written guide of minimum security and safety protocols for use by public and private stakeholders responsible for managing large-scale events. According to Stitt’s order, the guide should reflect best practices and emerging strategies in public safety.
The first meeting of the council must be by Feb. 27, according to the order, and the first edition of the guide is scheduled to be published and submitted by May 30, with updates to be made annually.
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“In our world today, it’s more important than ever to make sure our law enforcement is prepared for any situation,” Everest said. “We have been able to mitigate multiple threats with our effective partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement. I appreciate the governor’s efforts to streamline those partnerships and ensure Oklahomans are safe regardless of the situation.”
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