The Football Brainiacs

Image via Sooner Sports

* Establish The Run Early: This is what I hope happens. Well, to be fair, I assume is this what everyone in crimson and cream hopes will happen. If Lincoln Riley can establish the run early, in my opinion this should prove to be a relatively easy game for the Sooners. If however they come out of the gates slow, as we’ve seen be an issue in years past, this could get much harrier for Oklahoma. Especially if they were to fall behind early to a team whose head coach will surely have them believing no one was giving them a chance to win.

Even though, in reality, by the time this game actually kicks off so many “experts” will have picked Houston to win it would be much more contrarian (something we all know they can’t ever resist the urge to be) to actually pick OU.

But I digress.

However even you cannot truly establish the run game, what I want to see is a heavy dose of some play-action and attacking the middle of the field with the ‘born-to-abuse defensive backs’ mismatch that is Mark Andrews.

* Who Will Be Mayfield’s ‘Go-To Guy’: Will it be Andrews? Or Dede Westbrook? Or Nick Basquine? Or will any of the receivers have the look of ‘that guy’ to try and replace Sterling Shepard as Mayfield’s first-look when he drops back to pass.

In the first game of the 2016 season, I won’t be at all surprised if we don’t see someone stand out to that extent. After all, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if there are two or three guys who present themselves as consistent threats. But if we do see one (or more) guys really establish themselves, it could be a very promising sign of things to come.

* Playing Off: I know for a fact I’m not alone when it comes to OU defensive backs routinely lining up 5-7 yards off the line of scrimmage making you want to pull your hair out. “That one Baylor drive…” needs no further description and will forever haunt the nightmares of many an OU fan for years to come.

But this isn’t about the past, it’s about Saturday. And the reality is no matter who won that starting CB spot opposite Jordan Thomas was likely to get picked on early and often. And while I’m not as high on Thomas as A LOT of other OU fans seem to be, I can certainly understand the logic behind the thinking of opposing offenses looking to challenge OU’s other corners first rather than Thomas.

Again, that would almost assuredly have been the case no matter who won the job. But couple that with someone of Dakota Austin’s stature, and it only enhances that target on your back.

Now someone who knows things told me the OU coaches saw on film a lot of the same things I tend with respect to how much of Houston’s offense last year involved them throwing the ball sideways. Thus, if you’re playing 5-7 yards off you make the quarterbacks job much, much easier and make it essential for your DBs to tackle in space or give up big chunks of yards.

So the plan is should be to get up closer to the line of scrimmage to help take away those short, quick, easy throws. On the flip side, assuming OU does employ that type of approach (please sweet baby jeezus), common sense would tell you expect Major Applewhite, Houston’s OC & play-caller, to have Ward take a couple shots down the field early on. With the hope being even if they aren’t necessarily successful, it backs off the OU defensive backs just enough to open up some of that short, underneath stuff Ward is so fond of throwing.

Let’s (pray?) hope the plan is to get up tight and stay there throughout. Because if you allow Ward those easy throws, in addition the threat he presents as an athlete at the QB position, it could prove to be a very, very long day for this OU defense.

* The O-line: Self-explanatory.

* The LBs: Also, self-explanatory. play the rust off, atypical type of opener for OU/Stoops, had all offseason to prep for this game, do they start slow as were accustomed to seeing in recent years

* Kickoffs: While also still handling both the place-kicking and punting duties, Austin Seibert will now also take on kickoffs as well. And he has some big shoes to fill because his predecessor, Nick Hodgson, was one of the top KO guys in the country for the past two years. Something I think a number of OU fans have taken for granted, though that may be me not giving people enough credit.

If Seibert cannot consistently put the ball into the end zone on kickoffs, I’m really curious to see how OU’s kick return coverage holds up if for no other reason it’s something we just haven’t seen much of the last couple years because of how good Hodgson was. Surely you don’t need me to remind you how covering kickoffs has been a problem in years past…

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What will you be watching for early Saturday afternoon?