What Oklahoma needs to do offensively in Ames on Saturday night isn’t complicated. That doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy though. The Sooners were their own worst enemy last weekend against Kansas State. With all due respect to a Wildcat defense that pounced on opportunity, OU still posted 35 points, 28 first downs, and 517 yards.
It was the repeated pressing of the self-destruct button that led to Oklahoma’s demise last weekend, and that’s exactly where we’ll start with this week’s offensive keys.
Limit Turnovers
We get it. This is a young team. With a young team comes mistakes with the football. That said, last week was ridiculous! Three interceptions thrown by Spencer Rattler, a fumble by Seth McGowan, a blocked punt, and a turnover on downs. In all, that’s six turnovers. That’s six times Kansas State got the ball with momentum on their side. Six opportunities removed to put points on the board. That’s six, drive-killing mistakes!
This team has to be better at taking care of the ball. You can’t give the ball to your opponent six times and expect to come out ahead on the scoreboard.
Play Clean
We’ll forever wonder what would have happened had Tyrese Robinson not been flagged for holding on Spencer Rattler’s fourth quarter scramble. That was just one of many mistakes made on the day by an offensive line that took a physical beating on Saturday.
To be fair, it wasn’t just the offensive line though. Austin Stogner got in them mix with a holding call as well. Also, it goes beyond that as well. The Sooners were flagged for an illegal receiver down field and had a botched snap on fourth and short.
Hopefully they got it all out of their system and will be ready and focused to play much cleaner in Ames.
Run The Ball
This is always going to be one of my offensive keys but especially this week against Iowa State. The things that I’ve said before still apply here. Running the ball gives you greater access to the playbook. It also helps keep a young quarterback comfortable.
Something else running the ball will do on Saturday is to help attack the Cyclones 3-man front. If Oklahoma’s offensive line can shoot through those gaps and into the second level of the Iowa State defense then it should open up some nice opportunities for T.J. Pledger and Seth McGowan.
The Sooners have run for 124 and 130 yards in the first two games of the season. They’ve failed to produce a back with a 100-yard performance this season. That could change on Saturday if they make a concentrated effort to attack the 3-man front.
ISU is allowing 108.5 yards per game on the ground.
Take Advantage Of Speed
Iowa State’s defense has a speed issue. There’s really no nice way to say that. It’s out there. We’ve seen it on film for two games now and the Sooners absolutely must take advantage of that.
This is where running the ball effectively helps you out. It causes the safeties to creep up and then allows you to get behind them with speed. This should be a game in which Charleston Rambo shines. Marvin Mims isn’t a bad option either in terms of a candidate to sneak behind the Cyclone secondary.
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