At the top of the pecking order, the Oklahoma Sooners continuously step onto the gridiron with a large target painted on the back of the program. Knowing a handful of plays ultimately decide the outcome of any given contest, the perennial Big 12 favorite suffered defeat at the hands of lesser talent. Now, a blueprint sits on the table for any and all opposing teams to use. But, what exactly is that plan?
Refuse to Turn the Ball Over
It all starts on the defensive side of the ball. Since taking over as the defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch consistently highlighted turnovers as the singular key leading to success. Expecting a minimum of two per game, the Sooners have failed to complete the task in each of the five conference contests. In fact, the only turnover in conference play comes by way of a fumble recovery coming against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. That means the newly installed Grinch defense has not created a turnover in four consecutive games. Resulting in a -5 turnover margin through the month of October, there’s plenty of room for improvement. Possessing plenty of talent on the roster, the inverse of the original statement must also be true. A lack of turnovers leads to a lack of success on the field.
Dominate the Time of Possession
Built upon the idea of getting off the field quickly, OU starts out aggressive on the defensive side of the ball. Rushing the passer while creating havoc in the backfield led to much success early on. With the schematics well documented on tape, opposing offensive coordinators are able and willing to leverage the onslaught in an attempt to inflict damage against the Sooner defense. The result means keeping an already thin defense on the field for extended periods of time. Previously, the Texas Longhorns converted on third down 42.86% of the time resulting in a single score outcome. Following suit, the Kansas State Wildcats converted at a clip of 46.15% throughout sixty minutes of play resulting in yet another seven point contest. Needless to say, keeping the ball out of Jalen Hurts hands has proven to be a successful strategy. This stat is best measure in time of possession…something Oklahoma rarely wins due to the ability to score quickly. The best example this year has been KSU’s 38:08 to OU’s 21:52 in Manhattan over the weekend. No other team on the schedule has produced such a lopsided result.
Limit Big Plays
Known for the ability to score at will, Lincoln Riley consistently outpaces coaches on the opposite side of the field. Relying up big plays from some of the best skill players in the country, the Sooners rarely run into a team with playmakers of the same caliber. On the season, Oklahoma has recorded passing plays of 40+ yards on fifteen separate occasions. Utilizing a plethora of ball carriers, the program also boasts twenty-eight rushing plays of 20+ yards over the same span of time. In the only loss of the year, the Sooners recorded three such plays resulting in a significant dip in comparison to the season average.