Oklahoma’s Improved Special Teams Failed to Make a Positive Impact at Texas Tech

Oklahoma’s particular groups have been peculiar in Saturday’s loss to Texas Tech.

Dropping its sixth sport of the 12 months, OU left lots on the sector within the 51-48 loss in extra time at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.

From the beginning, the Sooners (6-6 general, 3-6 Massive 12) did not execute within the third section of the sport.

Texas Tech (7-5, 5-4) return man Jordan Brown popped a 67-yard kickoff return on the primary play of the sport to set the Purple Raiders up on the Oklahoma 35-yard line.

“We had some good performs,” OU coach Brent Venables stated of the particular groups play after the sport. “However it’s been a unit that’s carried out very well all 12 months and tonight, I didn’t suppose we executed on plenty of performs very effectively.”

Oklahoma defensive lineman Jordan Kelley erased the protection bust on the following play, forcing a fumble, however the opening kickoff was an early indication of the evening to come back on particular groups.

For probably the most half, the improved emphasis on the third section of the sport has helped the Sooners this season.

Coming into the ultimate sport of the season, OU was 2-for-2 on pretend subject objective makes an attempt, changing a type of efforts right into a key landing in opposition to the Iowa State Cyclones.

Up 14-0 within the first quarter in opposition to the Purple Raiders, the Sooners tried a 3rd pretend subject objective.

The play seemed to be arrange for tight finish Brayden Willis to catch the ball and switch upfield for a landing, however the dependable playmaker dropped the ball and handed Texas Tech its first jolt of momentum.

Oklahoma has been extra aggressive on kickoff returns this 12 months, returning 24 kicks versus the 12 kickoffs the Sooners have been permitted to return final 12 months.

That aggression hasn’t essentially resulted in additional environment friendly play, nevertheless. The Sooners are averaging 20.04 yards per return this 12 months, which is just about the identical as OU’s 20.33 yards per return in 2021.

There have been main enhancements in punt returns this 12 months.

The Sooners common 13.27 yards per return, the 14th-best mark within the nation, a a lot better outcome than the 5.75 yards per return Oklahoma posted within the closing 12 months beneath Lincoln Riley.

However neither of these areas have been a optimistic for Venables’ staff on Saturday evening.

Within the first quarter, Marvin Mims had an 18-yard punt return wiped off the board by a holding name on true freshman Jaren Kanak.

Jeff Lebby’s offense nonetheless scored on the drive, however the OU offense needed to begin its march by itself 7-yard line as an alternative of the getting going from the Oklahoma 31-yard line.

Earlier than halftime, the kickoff return staff price the Sooners much more subject place.

Jalil Farooq mishandled a kick he tried to truthful catch, which means Oklahoma took over on the 8-yard line as an alternative of the 25.

On Texas Tech’s subsequent kickoff, the Sooners once more bungled the truthful catch, and Gavin Freeman recovered a muffed kick to set OU up on the 14-yard line.

Lastly, a pair of subject targets turned the sport decisively in favor of the Purple Raiders.

As Texas Tech kicker Trey Wolff lined as much as attempt to ship the competition into extra time with eight seconds left on the clock, Venables burned a timeout to attempt to ice the kicker.

Although not an unusual technique in soccer, there was only one downside with the choice — OU blocked Wolff’s first subject objective try because the referees have been whistling the play useless for the timeout.

Wolff then stepped up and knocked by way of his second effort, sending the sport to extra time.

Within the second, Venables hoped the magnitude of the kick would get the very best of Wolff, because the Purple Raider kicker had already missed an additional level on the evening.

“I assumed, there’s a possibility for him to consider it,” Venables stated. “Hadn’t been nice on the day so far as the sector targets. Thought there’s a possibility to attempt to get in his head. It’s a strain second, a giant kick, and we blocked the primary one.”

Zach Schmit, Wolff’s counterpart on the OU sideline, was unable to step up and convert his strain kick in OT. The Sooner kicker missed his fifth subject objective of the season on Oklahoma’s offensive possession in extra time.

OU’s sideline thought the kick handed by way of the uprights, however Venables stated after the sport that the results of the sector objective was not reviewable by the officiating crew.

“I wasn’t watching, I used to be sort of hoping within the again,” OU operating again Eric Grey stated. “However after I noticed the replay I believe it went by way of. … After they did the replay and it appeared prefer it went over the upright. It was positively whacky. A bizarre feeling.”

A lot went fallacious for the Sooners to blow a 17-point lead on Saturday evening. Nobody error could be singled out as the explanation why Oklahoma misplaced the sport, however a number of errors on particular groups did nothing to snap momentum again up for the Sooners to assist flip the tide of the sport.

“Didn’t suppose we performed nice, clearly,” Venables stated. “Missed the sector objective, didn’t execute the pretend, gave up a giant kickoff return, had a penalty on an excellent return by Marvin — had a holding penalty. Extremely inconsistent.” 

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