Oklahoma Football Rewind: Sooners Outgun, Outlast the Frogs

Oct 4, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; A pylon bears the TCU Horned Frogs logo and the Big 12 logo in the end zone during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The 2016 Oklahoma football season took a turn for the better over the weekend, but it wasn’t without some anxious, nervous moments at both the beginning and end.

The Sooners outlasted the 21st-ranked TCU Horned Frogs in a wild one Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.

It was a vintage Big 12-style football game: Both teams scored points aplenty, and at timed defensive football appeared to be purely optional.

Even though there were warts associated with this win, it’s still a win and a good start to Big 12 play for the Sooners, who now move on to focus their attention on the annual tussle with hated archrival Texas.

Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners safety Steven Parker (10) intercepts a ball in front of TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Deante Gray (20) during the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Defense Improves…but Can Still Get Better

Throughout the first three games, the main culprit in Oklahoma’s two losses was the porous defense, in particular the secondary.

Even though the Sooner defense allowed 449 passing yards and five touchdowns through the air, the defense had enough stops, especially during the second and third quarters, to hold off TCU.

A key to this defensive resurgence of sorts was the increased pressure by the Oklahoma defensive line on TCU quarterback Kenny Hill. The Sooners pressured Hill often and sacked him four times for 34 yards, two of those coming from redshirt junior linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, who sacked Hill twice. Defensive tackle Matt Romar also got in on the action, sacking Hill once and pressuring him constantly.

Mike Stoops found his creative mojo, constantly dialing up blitzes and disguising coverages to confuse Hill. And even though TCU at times read those blitzes and made the Sooners pay, there’s no doubt that the defensive pressure took the TCU quarterback out of his rhythm and comfort zone and helped tremendously.

Can the defense get better? Absolutely.

Any time a defense gives up 449 passing yards and five touchdowns to an opposing quarterback, it’s cause for concern. But the Sooner defense shut down the Horned Frogs running game, allowing only 65 rushing yards and a paltry 2.2 yards per rush.

This strength against the run bodes well for next week, when the Sooners will face a Longhorn team that may be missing the services of at least one and possibly both its best runners.

Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook (11) catches a touchdown pass past TCU Horned Frogs safety Nick Orr (18) during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Balance a Key To Success

While the Sooner defense turned TCU into a one-dimensional, pass-only team (albeit one that fared very well against the Oklahoma secondary) the Sooner offense turned in its most balanced performance of the young season.

Oklahoma rushed for 260 yards and put the ball in the air for 274 more, as Lincoln Riley crafted a game plan that fully maximized Oklahoma’s vaunted running attack.

The tale of the tape tells the story: Joe Mixon ran for 109 yards and one score on 16 carries, while Samaje Perine ran for 101 yards and two scores on 17 carries. Baker Mayfield got in on the running action as well, tacking on 72 yards and two scores with his legs.

In the passing game, the Mayfield we saw all of last season was back at the controls. He was crisp and efficient, connecting on 23 of 30 attempts for two scores.

But perhaps the most encouraging statistic of the day was Dede Westbrook’s monster game, to the tune of 158 receiving yards and two touchdowns. If the Sooner passing game is to continue improving, Westbrook must emerge as a legitimate number one target for Mayfield.

As the Sooners get ready for Texas, they must be encouraged by the fact that the Longhorn defense has been missing in action during the past couple of games. If Oklahoma is able to come into the Cotton Bowl with the same balanced attack they brought to Ft. Worth, Longhorn Nation may be in for a long day on Saturday.

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Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners place kicker Austin Seibert (43) kicks a field goal against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Consistency Is Still Elusive

True, the Sooners won in a thrilling nail-biter. The final score, however, should not have been that close, except that Oklahoma managed to squander a 25 point lead and let the Horned Frogs stage a spirited comeback that nearly resulted in a historic Sooner meltdown.

During the second and third quarters, Oklahoma absolutely exploded, outscoring the Horned Frogs 42-3 as the Sooners turned a 14 point TCU advantage into a 25 point Oklahoma lead. But, the fourth quarter belonged to the Frogs, as they knocked the Sooners back on their heels and scored 22 unanswered points.

If the Sooners harbor any hope of winning a 10th Big 12 title, they must figure out a way to stay consistent throughout four quarters of play. Offenses in the Big 12 are simply too explosive, and taking the foot off the gas means an opponent can get back in a game very quickly.

One of the culprits behind Saturday’s near meltdown was, once again, the Sooners’ still troublesome secondary.

During the fourth quarter, TCU quarterback Kenny Hill twice connected with Taj Williams, once for 64 yards and then again for 74 yards. Mike Stoops must figure out how to stop the defensive breakdowns in the secondary and also put sufficient pressure on the quarterback to disrupt the high-octane Big 12 offenses.