Open Post | Tuesday, December 10th
Posted on: December 10, 2019
Sooners Sunday Brunch | Big 12 Champions
– Charlie S
First and 10: Incomplete pass
Second and 10: Incomplete pass
Third down: Sack
Fourth down and 20: Incomplete pass
Cue the celebration as the Sooners won their fifth consecutive Big 12 Championship by beating Baylor on the shoulders of their ‘Speed D’ defense in overtime.
(Credit to @SoonerGridiron for putting this great sequence together on Twitter)
Let me repeat that…the Oklahoma Sooners won a championship because of their defense.
If I had told you at the beginning of the year that OU would win their fifth consecutive Big 12 Championship, I’m pretty confident in saying that most of you would would have thought that the offense was the main contributing factor and the defense did just enough to allow them to continue their historic reign over the conference.
I know I would have thought that.
Today is not a day to look back on what might have been if Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray had had this defense, today is a day to look forward as to where this defense can take the Sooner program in the present time and future.
When Lincoln Riley hired Alex Grinch as the defensive coordinator this past offseason, he handed him a unit that ranked 101st in total defense last year. Most people claimed they would have been happy with a top 50 defense…well Grinch and Roy Manning and Brian Odom did much better than that with largely the same pieces as last year. Coming into the Big 12 Championship game, the Sooners defense was ranked 26th in total defense.
Grinch brought his ‘Speed D’ to Norman and the dividends were immediate. He took a defensive roster which was lacking confidence and direction and turned them into a disciplined and largely assignment sound unit which carried the Sooners over the last quarter of the season to the Championship.
Lincoln Riley calls ‘Speed D’ an effort based defense. While it is still a work in progress, and getting better each and every week, there was no better evidence of the ‘effort based’ mantra than what took place in the fourth quarter of the game last night.
With just over five minutes left in the game, the Sooners had a 23-20 lead and had Baylor pinned deep in their own territory and they were facing the third-string Baylor QB in true freshman Jacob Zeno. On first and 15 from around the five-yard
line, Zeno faked a bubble screen and hit wide receiver Chriss Platt with a quick pass on the left side of the field. Sooners safety Pat Fields took a rough angle and missed the tackle and Platt had nothing but green in front of him as he raced down the sideline toward the goa ahead touchdown. The only issue for Platt was…he had Tre Brown behind him…
Platt had a solid four-yard head start on Brown but the Sooners speedy cornerback, who was injured only minutes earlier in the game, would not quit in his pursuit. Brown closed the four-yard cushion and eventually pulled Platt down 80 yards down the field.
The Sooners defense regrouped and recovered following that play and they bowed up and held Baylor to a field goal that tied the score. If Baylor had gone on and scored a touchdown, with the way the OU offense was struggling, I don’t believe we are here today talking about their fifth straight conference championship.
Tre Brown made the play of the game…perhaps the play of the season with an effort based play. The Sooners defense made a bunch of those type plays over the last quarter of the season including Parnell Motley’s forced fumble against Baylor just three weeks ago and DTY chasing down a would-be touchdown earlier in the year.
In prior years, we have all witnessed the Sooners defense basically quit when the would blow an assignment or get beat by a good play by the opposing team. Alex Grinch and his defensive staff have changed the culture and the mindset of this group, which consists of largely the same personnel as last year.
The defensive line has been the anchor of the improved defense as they consistently create pressure and for the most part control the line of scrimmage. The inside linebacking corps have been improving throughout the season and they are very, very good when playing assignment sound football. Kenneth Murray is downright scary when he is not trying to be superman as his speed and athleticism can take over series in any given game. The RUSH position has two budding stars in Nik Bonitto and true freshman David Ugwoegbu who had been thrown into the fire following a season-ending injury to starter Jon Michael Terry. The cornerbacks have upped their game and Parnell Motley may be the first Sooner defensive back drafted since Zack Sanchez. Last night I was worried when Bookie went out but Justin Broiles stepped in and the Sooners didn’t seem to miss a beat. Pat Fields and DTY, who were pretty awful in the beginning of the season have become steady and solid and DTY has actually become one of the better safeties in the conference in my opinion.
There will be plenty of time to discuss the offensive issues (Who would have ever thought that would be the case) as the Sooners find out where and who they will be playing in the College Football Playoffs. Yes, CeeDee Lamb had another huge night and the but right now, for this Sunday Brunch, let’s all sit back and dine on the tasty meal that the Sooners defense has prepared for you.
Another big 12 Championship and another trip to the College Football Playoffs. Wait till Grinch gets ‘his’ guys. Talk about something to look forward too!
Sooners Offer 2020 JUCO DT Joshua Ellison
– Charlie S
The Sooners have extended an offer to JUCO 2020 DT Joshua Ellison (6’2″ 295) out of Blinn College.
As Super K mentioned earlier this week, this offer was not unexpected and K has confirmed that he will be taking an official to Norman next week:
“***First, a new defensive lineman’s name to know is that of Joshua Ellison. Ellison is a JUCO defensive tackle out of Blinn who had been committed to TAMU up until last night.
He announced his decommitment and I reached out to him to see if OU has been in touch. It turns out, they have.
Ellison said that coach Thibs reached out to him and that Ellison has plans to make it up to OU for a visit next weekend (13th – 15th).
This doesn’t have any connection to Alfred Collins. I imagine this interest is more about concern over Perrion Winfrey but that’s a bit of speculation. I have heard that Ellison is quite talented so it could also just be that the Sooner see him as a player.”
Ellison is a former Texas A&M commit and the Sooners are making a late push here which looks like it could be fruitful.
Recruiting Quick-Hitters | Eaton, Alfred and Jase
– Super K
***Joshua Eaton tells me that Oklahoma is expected to come by and see him today.
We told you last week that if Eaton had to sign today, it would be OU. Nothing has changed. Eaton spoke with Lincoln Riley last week and the Sooners remain confident.
***This past week, I exchanged a few text message with the mother of Alfred Collins, Ms. Benita Collins.
She said there are no immediate plans to do an in-home visit but said that coach Thibs will be back by the school today to see Alfred.
Texas did an in-home with Alfred late last week. Sources on both sides feel pretty good about where they stand. Again, Collins isn’t signing until National Signing Day in February.
He’s going to make one of these squads better and he’s going to be a problem for the other.
***We continue to check on the situation with Jase McClellan. We noted last week that there is some concern Alabama could flip him late.
I think we’ve discovered where some of this is coming from. It sounds like there are some non-family members around him that feel Alabama is a better fit for him and they may be expressing that view to Jase.
He’s been committed to OU for a long time and has done so despite overtures from a lot of big time programs. So, my guess is that he will ultimately sign with Oklahoma.
Kendall Dennis & Josh Eaton | Quick-Hitters | Mailbag & Update
– Super K
***This is Kendall Dennis note is really more of a mailbag than an update. LincolnHawk had asked if we’ve heard anything since Kendall Dennis picked up the Clemson offer. I wanted to respond to that in a separate note so it wouldn’t get lost in the comments.
We have a tie in the area and believe we can get an update later today. The writer we are linked to in the area plans to drop by the school later today. So, if there is much substance to what we get, we’ll pass it along.
I do wonder if Dennis himself really won’t know much until after the Clemson visit. So, it may be minimal.
Also, it looks like Oklahoma is in Lakeland to see Dennis, today…
Lakeland Football@LHSDreadnaughts
Thanks to Coach Manning @CoachRoyM from college football playoff finalist Oklahoma for stopping by to check out our guys and our program !!! #NAUGHTS #BoomerSooner @OU_Football
22810:36 AM – Dec 9, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy20 people are talking about this
***Also, it looks like Josh Eaton has picked up a Georgia offer…
Blessed to receive an offer from The University of Georgia. I have been paying close attention to my recruitment process . I just want to make the right decision. Focusing on my future development and making sure I join a winning culture. @CoachCwarren @RoSimonJr
47211:39 AM – Dec 9, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy70 people are talking about this
Eaton still has his Alabama official visit scheduled for this upcoming weekend.
Eaton is obviously at school but I exchanged a few texts with him and here’s where this thing just got interesting…again.
He tells me that he plans on taking an official to Georgia in January. He was expected to sign early. Perhaps OU can convince him to follow through with an early signing but this is what he is telling me as of right now.
TFB Randoms | Visits, Targets, Top 5’s & Accolades
– Charlie S
*** 2020 offensive line commit Aaryn Parks (6’4″ 320 Fort Washington, MD) tells me that the Sooners will be conducting his in-home visit on Friday.
I would assume Bedenbaugh and Riley would stop in on 2020 offensive line commit Anton Harrison (6’5″ 320 Washington DC) while they are out east as well but I have yet to be able to confirm that with him at this time.
*** 2020 defensive back Decamerion Richardson (6’2″ 176 Bossier City, LA) let me know that he expects the Sooners to make their way down to see him this week.
If you recall, last week I posted his communication with OU has been increasing in a ‘Name to Know’ piece. He does not have a firm date for when he is expecting OU to come by, but I will let you know when/if the visit occurs.
*** As many of you saw on Twitter, elite 2021 wide receiver Mario Williams (5’10” 165 Plant City, FL) announced his top five which includes Oklahoma.
As K has reported, we feel good about where OU stands with him and we expect them to be deeply involved in this recruitment until the end.
*** Sooners center Creed Humphrey is one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy.
The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the top center in the country annually and it’s a huge honor for Creed to be among the finalists.
More on Kendall Dennis
– Super K
First, apologies for the incessant updates. You know it gets hectic during this time of the year and we like to just feed you the information as we get it.
As you know, Roy Manning went out to see Kendall Dennis today. Was told that Manning not only met with Kendall at the school but also visited Dennis’ mother.
Kendall’s mother and step father accompanied him on the visit to OU.
Take this for what it’s worth but we were told that the family would like to see Kendall at Oklahoma.
I caveat that with a “take this for what it’s worth” because Dennis hasn’t yet taken the OV to Clemson and perhaps that will change things for the family. But as of now, it seems mom and dad want him at Oklahoma.
That is significant because at the very least, Oklahoma is still very much in this thing going into the Clemson visit. There was some thought that once Clemson offered, the Clemson visit was really just a formality and a commitment to the Tigers was inevitable.
I do not think that is the case, now.
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