Open Post | Weekend, September 10th – 12th
Posted on: September 10, 2021
Western Carolina | Visitor List
– Charlie S
The Sooners first ‘Home Game’ of the season is set for Saturday night against Western Carolina and with that, official visits begin!
We all know OU played at home last week, however, the game was originally set to be played in New Orleans and did not have any official visitors based on the short turnaround.
This week, OU will bring in three commits and one priority target for Official Visits:
***OL Jacob Sexton (6’5 285) out of Edmond, OK – OU Commit
***OL Pancake Hunter (6’2 315) out of Orange, TX – OU Commit
***TE Jason Llewellyn (6’5 240) out of Aledo, TX – OU Commit
***DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (6’3 280) out of Lakeland, FL
Obviously…Dindy is the one you will all have the most interest in, but it will be a nice opportunity for OU to further solidify the 3 commits who will be in town.
Expected Unofficial Visitors
*** 23 QB Malachi Nelson (6’3 180) out of Los Alamitos, CA – OU Commit
*** 23 WR Makai Lemon (6’0 180) out of Los Alamitos, CA – OU Commit
*** 23 WR DeAndre Moore (5’11 180) out of Los Alamitos, CA – Possible
*** 22 OL Devon Campbell (6’3 310) out of Arlington, TX – Possible – *Confirmed 9/9 9:00am
*** 23 OL Cayden Green (6’5 310) out of Lees Summit, MO
*** 23 TE Luke Hasz (6’3 220) out of Bixby, OK – OU Commit
*** 23 DB Braxton Meyers (6’1 185) out of Coppell, TX
*** 22 DB Robert Spears Jennings (6’1 195) out of Broken Arrow, OK – OU Commit
*** 23 LB Anthony Hill (6’2 225) out of Denton, TX
*** 22 LB Kobie McKinzie (6’2 245) out of Lubbock, TX – OU Commit
*** 22 DB Jayden Rowe (6’3 210) out of Tulsa, OK – OU Commit
Devon Campbell Visit Confirmed
– Super K
As you know, yesterday we listed Sooners 5-star OL target, Devon Campbell as a possible visitor for this upcoming weekend.
We have been able to confirm that Devon will be in Norman for an unofficial visit this weekend.
Campbell’s uncle confirmed that the plan is for them to make a return trip to Norman in order to get “the experiences he needs to make that final decision”.
I know a number of people have Campbell pegged to Texas, but I get the sense that the family is still very much in the decision making process.
As you know, Devon took an official visit to OU this past summer. So, this return trip is a step in the right direction. And, with other OL commits on campus this weekend, that can’t hurt.
Position Group Progress Report | Game 1: Tulane
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 7, 2021
Checking out how the position groups performed in the Sooners win against Tulane. Coming into the game, OU was the heavy favorite over the Green Wave.
This will be the first progress report of the season and as you can all imagine, the Sooners set a pretty low bar.
Let’s see how things shook out against Tulane.
QB: 2*
Let’s cut right to the chase…If I am a Heisman Voter, Spencer Rattler’s campaign did not get off to a great start…that is if Heisman voters actually watched the game because his stats were quite different from reality.
Rattler was 30 of 39 for 304 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.
Not terrible stats, but not indicative of his day. The first interception was a bad decision. Throwing into double (some would call it triple) coverage is never a good idea and the fact that he had several other options wide open (Gray had nobody within 10 yards of him underneath on the left side).
Fine. Mistakes happen, he was all amped up. I get it.
However…the second interception was a throw behind Stogner. Bad throw…even worse decision as Marvin Mims was behind the coverage and streaking free. Rattler locked in on Stogner, made a bad throw, and paid for it.
The missing ding to the stat line…was another interception he threw which was negated by a phantom pass interference call against Jadon Haselwood in the second half.
The offense mustered 3 points in the second half and Rattler looked very similar to the Spencer Rattler pre-Texas last year as compared to the hyped-up Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler many predicted based on the way he closed last season.
I didn’t see much passion nor leadership as the Sooners were struggling and that was one of the few questions I had about Rattler coming into the season.
I don’t want to talk about footwork or pocket presence…he has shown the ability to make special and routine throws from all over the place. I am more concerned about heart and head. Where are they at right now?
RB: 3*
OU came into the game with two scholarship running backs in Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks.
Those are the only two running backs who carried the ball in the game.
They were average at best.
Kennedy Brooks was the more productive player on the day as he ran 14 times for 87 which is a 6.2 YPC average and he added a touchdown.
Eric Gray who started the game, ran the ball 9 times for 27 which is a 3.0 YPC average.
23 rushes for the Sooners backs for 114 yards. Average.
The pair combined for a whopping 1 pass reception (Gray) which resulted in a 6 yard loss on the very first play of the game. That is terrible.
Brooks looked like he regained his form after sitting out a year, but overall, I was left uninspired by their game.
I include Jeremiah Hall with the running backs, and while he won’t be mistaken for Dmitri Flowers in the pass game at this point, he does well enough. My issue with Hall is his blocking and pick ups. He had some issues in this facet last year and he had a few issues once again in not taking care of his assignment (go to that 4th and 1 play…not good).
WR/TE: High 3*
One of my concerns about the Sooners heading into the season was with the WR room as you all know.
Last year it was pretty much Marvin Mims and a mixed bag. Wease had moments, Stogner had some catehes. Stoops was steady. Overall the room had trouble getting separation and dropped way to many passes.
SURPRISE! Same story in game one with different names.
OU was without Wease and Stoops (Stoops will return this week, Wease will not) but Marvin Mims put on a show in the first half (had more out there if Rattler saw him) and the other guys…had their moments.
Was nice to see Haselwood get into the game as he had 4 receptions, but he was pretty much a possession guy who was not stretching the field much.
Woods came in with some great expectations and promptly dropped a potential touchdown. I mean…Wease…Woods…same story different names.
Outside of Marvin Mims, pretty much an average day for the WR/TE room with one caveat…I really liked what I saw from Mario Williams. Caught 6 passes for 37 yards and one ‘effort’ touchdown. He looks like the kid everyone was talking about.
I’m not ignoring Brian Darby, he had himself a nice game, but nothing earth-shattering.
Oh…Austin Stogner has got to be about done with getting set up in this offense by the quarterbacks. Dude is getting put in a position to get punished time and again. Brayden Willis was out there…just didn’t get any targets.
Overall, the unit got a ‘High 3*’ based largely on Mims and Williams who were ‘above average’ but pretty much everyone else was hovering at or below the average line.
OL: High 2*
I know y’all are calling for blood over the offensive line. I get it. They were by no means dominant. I also know you all are going to disagree with this progress report, and I also get that. It does not mean we all have to agree.
While the run blocking and effort (at times) of the unit was not consistent, they managed to keep pressure pretty much completely off of Rattler (much of the minimal pressure he got came when he abandoned the pocket, which was far too often). They did a really good job at pass pro for the most part (despite several early whiffs).
The run blocking was uninspired and inconsistent. Marquis Hayes was either incredibly out of shape or just completely uninterested at times. Tyrese Robinson did not look like the answer at tackle and Robert Congel looked like the back up center…which he is.
Chris Murray was a bit better, but his 2 false starts didn’t help his cause and Anton Harrison was hot and cold in regard to his ability to dominate his assignment. I have to be honest, I didn’t see Harrisons issue having anything to do with his strength it appeared to me to be more about his desire cause when he was on, he was really pretty stout. He just wasn’t ‘on’ enough.
This brings me to the best offensive line performance of the day and that went to one Erik Swenson. And it wasn’t particularly close. He was very good at both guard spots and the left tackle spot when he subbed in. Have to give credit where credit is due.
Andrew Raym did make a difference at center as the unit looked more comfortable and that was likely due to his calls at the LOS. Either way, I expect him to start going forward and that could push Congel back into competition at the guard spots, which would be welcomed in my opinion.
Guys…the offensive line was not atrocious. They were not great…they looked like a pretty average unit. I actually think the ranking should be ‘Low 3*’ but we will set the initial bar at High 2* as I am not a fan of some of the lackadaisical effort I saw.
You want great. You expect great. I agree with you. The OU OL should be great.
DL: High 3*
The best player on the OU front was not Perrion Winfrey. It was not Jalen Redmond or even Nik Bonitto (who did have a solid game).
It was Isaiah Thomas. When OU needed a play, Thomas was the guy who stepped up.
Reggie Grimes was another bright spot as he made his snaps count and impacted the game.
As I mentioned above, I liked what I saw out of Bonitto as he had a very good day rushing the passer. Kind of a bit lost in run defense at times. I do have to add that I liked Caleb more as his backup than I did Stripling. Only one game for Strip though and he was not terrible.
Overall, they looked like an average unit…this was Tulane they were playing. They got 4 sacks, had some consistent pressure at times (the last series of the game was their best series) but again…this was TULANE man.
‘One of the best defensive fronts in the country’ should have dominated…Tulane.
They were bullied in the first quarter which led to 14 points and they never took over the game.
I will say they did a good job in the run game as they pretty much shut it down aside from Pratt improvising, but aside from that last series…they never took over.
Pratt took a lot of hits, which means they were getting home…but most of the hits came a split second too late.
So on the day…they looked like a pretty average unit who had some moments.
LB: 1* (Last week 5*)
What the hell happened here?
Ugwoegbu had a pretty solid game. He led the unit with 5 tackles…but man that’s not even something to write home about.
Danny Stutsman flashed. That young man is going to take somebody’s job.
Brian Asamoah looked unrecognizable and in this case, I agree with PFF as he and DaShaun White graded out as 2 of the bottom three defenders on the day (they sandwiched Justin Broiles).
I just have no words here. This group was close to getting the Nebula ranking, but Ugwoegbu’s play and Stutsmans flashes saved them from that distinction.
They looked lost in coverage, slow to react, and atrocious tackling in space for the most part.
Jamal Morris got snaps but where was Shane Whitter? Gonna have to dig on that cause he was in the game on special teams.
I mean…it was difficult to even watch this unit.
Yikes. Lot’s of work to do here because as good as they looked at the close of the year last season, they looked incredibly lost on Saturday.
DB: Low 3*
Billy Bowman was the highlight of this group for me. He had 61 snaps, second-most of the secondary behind DTY and brought a lot of energy and effort to the field and was very close to making some big plays. The true freshman looked like a natural out there and I expect him to only get better.
DTY and Fields were…well…DTY and Fields. Generally in the right position, still taking some really awkward angles, and seen far too many times sliding off the back of the opposition.
Justin Broiles got 27 snaps. I like Justin Broiles. He is a really nice guy. I don’t understand how or why he got that many snaps. Bryson Washington was nowhere to be seen at safety.
The corners were ‘OK’. I thought Jaden Davis had a good showing but was a bit disappointed with the number of times I saw Woodi and DJ chasing guys across the field from well behind. Graham looked a bit suspect in the tackling game as well. Weird day.
The group had a couple of shots at picks but could not convert their chances. Bowman simply dropped one…where are all you guys who wanted him as a WR at? Just kidding, the kid went up to get it and just didn’t complete the play. He will.
Latrell McCutchin came in and got his feet wet and did a nice job bringing some energy to the table and looked pretty good at sticking to his man. I still think he is going to be an emerging playmaker for this team, just has to continue to get a fair amount of snaps.
Special Teams: High 4*
Brkic was awesome until he wasn’t. He had 3 field goals over 50 yards but then missed a chip shot (for him). Still a very good showing by him.
Bummed we didn’t get to see Turk punt the ball…he should have on at least one occasion we are all aware of.
The KR and PR teams were fine. Caught the ball and didn’t have any turnovers.
The coverage teams did their jobs for the most part as well.
By The Numbers | OU vs Tulane
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 7, 2021
Let’s check some PFF numbers from the OU vs Tulane game.
We will start on the defensive side of the ball…
Snap count:
Delarrin Turner-Yell – 69
Billy Bowman – 61
Woodi Washington – 58
Pat Fields – 55
Brian Asamoah – 52
D.J. Graham – 50
David Ugwoegbu – 49
DaShaun White – 47
Nik Bonitto – 46
Isaiah Thomas – 41
Jalen Redmond – 39
Perrion Winfrey – 36
Reggie Grimes – 28
Justin Broiles – 27
Josh Ellison – 26
Jaden Davis – 26
Kori Roberson – 25
Key Lawrence – 22
Isaiah Coe – 19
Ethan Downs – 13
Caleb Kelly – 13
Latrell McCutchin – 12
Marcus Stripling – 12
Jeremiah Criddell – 12
Clayton Smith – 11
LaRon Stokes – 11
Joshua Eaton – 10
Jamal Morris – 9
Kelvin Gilliam – 8
Justin Harrington – 8
Danny Stutsman – 7
31 players registered snaps on the defensive side of the ball…LB Shane Whitter and S Bryson Washington were not among them…let’s keep that in mind.
Top 5 Defensive Grades:
Nik Bonitto – 90.0
Clayton Smith – 82.8
Perrion Winfrey – 76.2
Reggie Grimes – 71.5
Billy Bowman – 69.5
Isaiah Coe – 69.5
Top 5 Tackling Grades:
Key Lawrence – 82.5
David Ugwoegbu – 80.1
Jaden Davis – 78.7
Woodi Washington – 77.9
Nik Bonitto – 77.4
Bottom 3 Defensive Grades:
Brian Asamoah – 51.9 (Lowest rated tackler)
Justin Broiles – 51.7 (Coverage number and tackling number dragged him)
DaShaun White – 39.0 (Just nothing good according to PFF)
Offensive Snap Counts:
Tyrese Robinson – 76
Spencer Rattler – 75
Anton Harrison – 74
Chris Murray – 68
Marquis Hayes – 60
Robert Congel – 55
Jadon Haselwood – 53
Marvin Mims – 43
Kennedy Brooks – 41
Austin Stogner – 40
Jeremiah Hall – 39
Eric Gray – 35
Michael Woods II – 35
Mario Williams – 32
Brayden Willis – 31
Erik Swenson – 26
Andrew Raym – 21
Trevon West – 16
Brian Darby – 15
Caleb Williams – 1
20 player rotation which did not include Wanya Morris
Top 5 Offensive Grades:
Brayden Willis – 83.3
Kennedy Brooks – 77.2
Erik Swenson – 77.1
Spencer Rattler – 73.1
Jeremiah Hall – 73.1
OL Run Blocking Grades:
Erik Swenson – 76.1
Anton Harrison – 72.8
Chris Murray – 66.3
Andrew Raym – 65.5
Marquis Hayes – 63.2
Robert Congel – 62.2
Tyrese Robinson – 52
OL Pass Protection Grades:
Erik Swenson – 85.3
Robert Congel – 85.1
Tyrese Robinson – 79.9
Anton Harrison – 77.9
Andrew Raym – 66.7
Marquis Hayes – 55.3
Chris Murray – 54
One on One | Western Carolina | What I Will Be Watching
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 9, 2021
Another week, another situation where there are few if any, interesting ‘One on Ones’ to make note of as OU takes on an FCS opponent in Western Carolina.
I’m going to keep it brief and simple as to what I will be watching.
1. Intensity and Focus: Can OU play a four-quarter game? They better be able to after last week’s performance. There should be absolutely zero reasons why each and every player on that field should not feel as though they are playing for their jobs. This team needs to play 4 quarters of high intensity football and I do not care who in on the field or who the opponent is. This brings me to…
2. Accountability for on-field performance: Riley and Grinch have been preaching it. Let’s see it. They have film from last week. There are multiple guys on both sides of the ball who should be fighting for their spots not only at the top of the depth chart, but just to be on the depth chart. Yes, it was ‘only one game’. But when you’re a 1 or a 2 and the 3 plays flat out better than you for game one…a game which you are fresh and should be hyped to play in…you deserve to be in a place where you are fighting for any role. Examples…Danny Stutsman should have earned himself some more snaps at LB. Erik Swenson should have earned himself some more snaps at guard. Clayton Smith should have earned himself more snaps at RUSH. Key Lawrence should have earned himself more snaps at both safety spots. Brian Darby should have earned himself more snaps at WR. Isaiah Coe should have earned himself more snaps at NG. There are others and I want to see them. Those guys earned it, make the guys in front of them earn it back, It should be about what you do with the snaps you get. Show me.
3. Coaches making in-game adjustments: If something isn’t working the way you like and you are not getting the results you desire, make the adjustment. I will be particularly interested in the third quarter, again, I do not care who the opponent is. This team needs to come out of the locker room and show they have made adjustments, not only to fix what didn’t work but to make what worked even more effective.
4. The Scoreboard Cannot Matter: This team has too much work to get done for the staff to be concerned about hurting anyone’s feelings or running up the score. You set expectations for your team and you need to use every minute of game time to help them reach and exceed those expectations by the end of the season. Example: If OU displays some issues in the passing game, do not quit throwing the ball if you are up by 28 points in the 3rd quarter. If OU has issues running the ball, do not take the starters out if you feel like you can still get some valuable work in even if you are up by 28. If the defense is having issues getting to the quarterback, play guys in different combinations until you see the results you are looking for…even if you are up 28. This is not a scrimmage even though the score may eventually look like it was. This is not the time to sit back after 30 minutes of football and pat themselves on the back. This is an inferior opponent and at the end of the game it does not matter how many points you run it up by. The only thing that matters is the team worked for 4 quarters to get better.
That’s it. I’m not looking at any ‘one on one’ matchups. I’m looking at OU and how they handle themselves following an embarrassing first game out.
