Oklahoma-Texas: Three Keys to the Game

DALLAS — Oklahoma is a 9-point underdog Saturday in opposition to rival Texas. It’s the primary time in 13 years the Sooners aren’t favored to win the Crimson River Shootout.

After back-to-back losses for under the second time since 1999, OU’s again is up in opposition to the wall. The Sooners have been badly blown out final week at TCU, however in a rivalry recreation like this, each side know the opposite has an opportunity to steal victory.

Listed below are three issues OU should do to go away Dallas with a win on Saturday afternoon:

Wind the Clock

Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby likes to run his offense with excessive tempo. That’s what he would favor.

However the Sooners have confirmed again and again by means of 5 video games this season that up-tempo isn’t at all times an excellent factor.

On this case, it may be a catastrophe.

Shortly giving the ball again to a potent Texas offense — particularly in opposition to an OU protection that’s reeling from lack of consistency and insecurity — would work to Oklahoma’s detriment.

Lebby must scheme up the Texas protection so the OU floor recreation can wind clock and shorten the sport. If Texas has greater than 11-12 possessions, the Longhorns’ possibilities of profitable go up. Oklahoma gained’t win a shootout with this offense.

First up, Lebby can discover a set of performs or personnel packages that backup quarterback Davis Beville (or juco switch Normal Booty, or freshman Nick Evers, if it involves that) is comfy with and has operated with success in observe. Discover what they like, and ideal it.

Second, contain the quarterbacks within the run recreation. Evers appears an excellent match, though Micah Bowens may present his worth right here.

Third, work the play clock. There’s completely no must snap the soccer with greater than 10 seconds displaying. That doesn’t match what Lebby desires to do, however good coaches alter to their personnel.

And fourth, with a scary lack of expertise at quarterback, there’s no purpose to play a bunch of broad receivers. They’re not nice blockers, and also you’re not going to throw them the soccer anyway. Lebby ought to deploy numerous heavy personnel — tight ends Brayden Willis, Daniel Parker and perhaps freshman Jason Llewellyn, plus Tawee Walker, who received a snap or two at fullback at Nebraska, or perhaps line up some jumbos within the backfield on quick yardage performs — and double his efforts on working the soccer.

Bust Out

That’s every part for the protection: take the busts out of the playbook.

When requested about communication breakdowns and gamers not getting the suitable indicators, defensive coordinator Ted Roof stated the Sooners don’t have any calls that permit for receivers to run 20 yards previous the defender.

However you won’t realize it by watching final week’s recreation at TCU. 

If Roof is asking one protection however the safeties assume they’re enjoying a unique protection, the result’s regularly a landing for the opposite group. 

In opposition to Texas, Roof ought to streamline the decision sheet and simplify the communication course of. The Longhorns are ok to attain 40 with out assist from the OU protection. If the Sooners don’t remove the busts, Texas will attempt to rating 60.

Dynamic Duo

Texas has certainly one of faculty soccer’s greatest working again/broad receiver tandems in Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy. It’ll be close to not possible to cease them each. 

So specializing in the one who’s assured to get the soccer 20 instances or extra — Robinson — may very well be the best choice. Quarterback Quinn Ewars’ return to the lineup means coach Steve Sarkisian will take a look at the OU secondary deep. 

The Sooners must attempt to get to Ewars by means of standard strategies, with an occasional blitz blended in, however can’t compromise their defensive integrity to get there. Worthy will get his catches — 6-8 might be the suitable quantity for the OU protection — however Woodi Washington and Jaden Davis and D.J. Graham and the security corps merely must restrict his yards after catch. 

It’s Robinson that the OU protection can’t afford to let roll unchecked down the sector. Fanatical effort to the soccer and gang-tackling Robinson is on the prime of OU’s defensive to-do checklist. Including a security to the field may be the one approach to do this, however that might permit for an enormous day from tight finish Ja’Tavion Sanders or wideout Jordan Whittington over the center. 

Nonetheless, that’s preferable to Robinson speeding for 225 yards.