Sterling Shepard, Sooners storm past Tulsa in rout

TULSA, Okla. -- This season, we knew the Oklahoma offense was going to lean heavily on load-bearing Trevor Knight at quarterback and Sterling Shepard at receiver.

Past that, there were few answers and a lot of issues, including the loss of top receivers, both on and off the field, and three running backs.

But it appears to be maybe Knight and Shepard are enough.

Both were sensational Saturday in Tulsa in Oklahoma's 52-7 victory. Both together are good enough to carry the Sooners this season.

Knight isn't unlike other quarterbacks. He and they will tell you every receiver is the same and none are more important than another, and that's true. To an extent.

The Sooners might need three running backs to be successful this season and an experienced offensive line, but they only need one go-to receiver and a guy to get him the ball.

And that's something Oklahoma has. Shepard caught eight passes for 177 yards, both were career bests, and Knight looked like the kind of quarterback who beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in Saturday' 52-7 walk-over of Tulsa. 

Receiver Jalen Saunders is gone off of last year's team and with it the Sooners lost their best possession receiver and punt returner. Gone is receiver Dorial Green-Beckham who lost his appeal to the NCAA to be able to play this season for the Sooners. And gone are three running backs from last season, all of which did different and effective things.

That leaves Shepard and not much else who's a known commodity. It doesn't mean the Sooners won't have an established receiving group by later this season, or even quicker than that, and certainly the Oklahoma running back group has done more than many imagined through two games so far. But we all kow college football elite is not built on a "by committee" approach.

Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow, Vince Young, even Bryce Petty of Baylor, if you want to remember back as far as last year.

A great player is what we remember. A great player makes others good enough to provide a background, a supporting cast and stability.

Shepard is WR-1. He's the first choice on a team that doesn't have any other established No. 2.

"He can compete for a one-on-one ball as well as anyone," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "But we're going to need the entire unit to grow and mature."

They can grow and mature. In the meantime, find Shepard.

Knight completed passes to seven other receivers not named Shepard on Saturday, but when it came to looking down the field Knight only had eyes for Shepard who has four-career 100-yard receiving days and now is ranked 15th in school history in receptions with 108.

Knight would be best served to spread the ball around. So would Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but when Randy Moss lines up on one end and Marvin Harrison is on the other, it would be an error on their fault not to look in that general direction.

Knight missed Shepard on a number of downfield passes, passes that could have been thrown better, but the point is, Knight was looking for him.

And it's easy to see why. Through two games, Shepard has 12 catches and a pair of receiving touchdowns. 

"He's a leader and a competitor, too," Knight said of Shepard. "He always wants the ball in his hands. That's the type of guy you want out there. You feel comfortable with a guy like that out there. We missed a few of those shots that were easy throws and I need to correct that. He did a great job and we eventually got that one."

Knight just feels comfortable with Shepard. Understandable, because no one else has credentials like Shepard does. But they will as long as QB-1 throws it to WR-1.

A good quarterback can make a receiver, but when a good receiver makes a quarterback looks good, the offense becomes even better. Shepard is the kind of player who can do that. He's equal parts security blanket – catching a 54-yard shovel pass on the first play of the game – and flash.

"Sterling does a good job of being explosive," Knight said. "I was just trying to put it up there for him. There were a couple of missed balls, deep. We just need to get on the same page."

If Knight and Shepard get on the same page, everyone else will be, too.

Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK