Weekend Open Post | August 30 – September 1st
Posted on: August 30, 2024
Know Your Opponent | Temple – 2024
– Charlie S – Posted on: August 26, 2024
Head Coach – Stan Drayton (3rd Season)
Offensive Coordinator – Danny Langsdorf (3rd Season)
Defensive Coordinator – Everett Withers (2nd Season)
The Temple Owls are coming off a disappointing 2023 season that saw them go 3-9 (as they have in each of the previous 3 seasons) in head coach Stan Drayton’s second season. They also went 3-9 in Drayton’s first year at the helm and while Drayton has received a ton of props for changing the culture at Temple, results on the field have yet to trend in a positive direction. Folks, this is a bad football team that has not won a road game since September of 2021 and the prospects of a solid year for the Owls are not great as they were pillaged in the transfer portal.
On Offense…
Temple wants to run the ball as you would suspect with a former running back coach as the head man. The problem is, they haven’t figured out how to do that effectively. In 2023 they ranked 121st in the country in rushing offense (95 ypg) while averaging 3.4 ypc. So they were forced to throw the ball and they actually did a good job of that in 2023 as they ranked 24th (276 ypg) in the country…the issue here is that their QB left for Rice through the transfer portal.
QB #11 Forrest Brock or #12 Evan Simon (Rutgers Transfer)
RB #31 Antwain Littleton
TE #81 Landon Morris
– The offense will be handed to either former backup at Temple in Brock or the Rutgers transfer in Simon. Neither has much of a history at the college level but I expect to see both QBs play against OU out of necessity.
– Littleton at RB transferred in from Maryland and he has a chance to be good and has a punishing style, but he will need a lot of help to find success on Saturday and I just don’t see where that help will come from.
– Morris, the TE hasn’t played any college football in his three year career that started at Syracuse. He transferred to Utah before the season at Syracuse and sat out again in 2022 before transferring to Temple and sitting out again last year due to the double transfer rule.
WR #80 Zae Baines
WR #10 Dante Wright
WR #86 Xavier Irvin
– The WR group is not overly impressive, but Baines and Wright each posted over 30 catches last season.
– Baines is their large target at 6’3 while Wright and Irvin are of much smaller stature. So you’re gonna have a bunch of little guys out there trying to find their way through the OU defense. Thats always fun until they get popped.
LT #75 Luke Watson
LG #52 Eric King
C #57 Grayson Mains
RG #79 Wisdom Quarshie
RT #56 Kevin Terry
– The offensive line was not terrible last season for Temple. They were actually pretty solid in pass pro but they did struggle in the run game.
– Grayson Mains is a new add at center, and he transferred in from Georgia.
– Their tackles are young as Watson is a sophomore and Terry is a RS freshman. If the OU EDGEs cannot find success against this group, thats not a great sign for the Sooners.
On Defense…
Temple’s big change in the 2024 season compared to the 2023 season can be found on the defensive side of the ball, as new DC Withers has implemented a 4-3 scheme. His goal is to give his athletic linebackers more opportunities to make plays. They need something to change, because in 2023, they ranked 121st in total defense and 124th in rushing defense.
DE #91 Cam’Ron Stewart
NT #96 Latrell Jean
DT #97 Allan Haye
JACK #30 Tra Thomas
– Temple generated 22 sacks last season, which was decent enough, but again, they were overall bad on defense.
– Thomas had 3 sacks and he appears to be the leading man on the DL for the OWLS as they did not get much pressure from the middle.
MLB #22 Eric Stuart
WLB #10 Tyquan King
OWL #26 Ihsim Smith-Marsette
– Stuart (JUCO) and King (ECU) transferred in and are pretty blank slates in regard to a history at this level. They both have decent size (6’2) but not clear on what types of players they will be for the Owls.
– Smith-Marsette was a backup last year who saw very little action
LCB #27 Elijah Deravil
SS #19 Andreas Keaton
FS #29 Javier Morton
RCB #13 Torey Richardson
– The owls struggled to create turnovers last season (3 interceptions) and they return no starters who recorded a pick.
– All four of the projected starters for Temple are transfers into the program.
– Keaton has 5 career interceptions from his days of playing at WCU
Overall thoughts…
– OU faces better competition than Temple on a day-to-day basis in practice. This game has a 40 point plus spread…and that may be low. Realistically, the Sooners could come out and treat this as a spring game in regard to the personnel they use.
– However…they should not (and will not) treat it as a spring game. There is too much work to be done and too many valuable learning experiences out there to be had.
– The Sooners should be able to dominate both sides of the ball and basically name the score in this game.
– I do not think it is too much to ask for to see the defense pitch a shutout. Anything over 10 points allowed could be considered a bad sign (of course that depends on a bunch of other things).
– The offense, particularly the line and the running backs, need to take this opportunity to get in sync and on the same page prior to facing better competition.
– I expect this game to be over by the third drive of the game for all intents and purposes.
Update | Grading the ’25 Class | Offensive Line
– Charlie S – Posted on: August 26, 2024
Back in early July, I wrote a piece where I handed out grades for the ’25 class at that time.
I noted I would update accordingly.
With Michael Fasusi choosing the Sooners last week, I have updated their grade.
Back on July 3rd, I wrote THIS about the offensive line class:
“OL: 3 commits: Ryan Fodje, Darius Afalava, Owen Hollenbeck – Grade on July 3rd: B minus – Class incomplete – Targets remaining: Lamont Rogers, Michael Fasusi, Other
Right now, Bedenbaugh has three priority targets committed. Each of the commits projects to be a future starter and potential NFL draft pick. With the grade sitting at a B minus, if OU lands Lamont Rogers, the class jumps to an A. If OU lands Lamont Rogers and Michael Fasusi, it’s an A plus without question.”
Here is my new grade:
OL: 4 commits: Ryan Fodje, Michael Fasusi, Darius Afalava, Owen Hollenbeck
– Grade on August 26th: A plus – Class likely complete.
Bedenbaugh has landed 4 priority targets, and in my opinion, 2 of the top 4 offensive tackles in the class. Add in Afalava who is very underrated, in my opinion and Owen Hollenbeck and OU currently has one of, if not the top OL class in the country for the ’25 cycle.
I could see Bedenbaugh and company kicking the tires on a high-ceiling guy from the high school ranks (preferably another swing guy like Afalava) or monitoring the portal for an experienced guy at the end of the year. Either way, whether or not there are any additions, this class is outstanding and an A+ class.
One on One’s | Oklahoma vs Temple – 2024
– Charlie S – Posted on: August 27, 2024
Team 130 for Oklahoma opens up their 2024 season with a home game against Temple on Friday night!
The Sooners kickoff their inaugural SEC season with a matchup with the outmanned Owls.
OU is coming off a 10-3 season and Temple is riding a 3-season streak of finishing 3-9.
This game does not feature any substantial one-on-one match ups for the Sooners, so I came up with a couple things I will be paying close attention to once the game kicks off!
One on One Number One:
OU QB Jackson Arnold vs Ghosts of the Alamo Bowl
The last time we saw Jackson Arnold play against someone other than OU defenders was in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona. On that night, the first-time starter at quarterback for the Sooners had four turnovers, including three interceptions. You could make a case that not all of the interceptions were his fault, but you can also make the case that he got lucky the Wildcat defense did not secure a couple more interceptions. Jackson Arnold needs to leave all that in the past and start building his confidence in the first three games of the season ahead of SEC play.
I want to see a composed Arnold lead the Sooner offense for as long as he is in the game. OU faces no threat against Temple, but Arnold cannot afford to approach the game in any other mode than attack mode. He needs to be in control of the offense and confident in his decision-making. With a less-than-stout opponent, Arnold is going to have to challenge himself on each and every play to make the best decision as well as the best execution possible. I expect Sooners OC Seth Littrell to put Arnold in some difficult spots with his play calling at times (intentionally) to at least simulate some urgency and conflict. This game needs to be the start of the process of exorcising some demons from the Alamo Bowl…because no matter what anyone tells you, every athlete who has failed so spectacularly as he did in the Alamo Bowl has some internal voices in their head until proven otherwise.
One on One Number Two:
OU EDGE Room vs Temple Offensive Tackles
Plain and simple, over the course of the first two years of the Brent Venables era in Norman, the EDGE room has not been a room that has stood out in a positive manner. In year one, the EDGE room lacked efficiency in the pass rush game as well as any sort of consistency versus the run game. In year two, OU did make an improvement on the EDGE, particularly against the run game, but they still did not provide an explosive pass rush.
Simply put…I think this team goes as far as their EDGE room takes them this year. I know a lot of people point to the QB position and the offensive line as the largest factors in how this season plays out for OU, and I agree they both will play a large role, but for me, the EDGE room will tell the tale.
The way this OU team is constructed, the defense is clearly the side of the ball where OU is looking to make their money. In other words, OU is counting on the defense to be the side of the ball that consistently plays at a very high level which would allow them to have a chance to win every game. If the EDGE room cannot get pressure on the opposing QB while also maintaining effectiveness and integrity when it comes to defending the run, well the rest of the defense just had their job become that much more difficult. If you’re not causing the opposing QB to move or see shadows, they will pick you apart as the backend can only cover for so long.
The OU EDGE room has too much talent to not be effective. I will be watching the game against Temple with a focused lens on the EDGE room. Yes, Temple can and will do things to mitigate a pass rush, such as play action, RPO concepts, and two step drops with quick throws to the flats. However, there is no reason, no reason whatsoever, that the OU EDGE room does not go out and win enough battles to put some numbers on the board and some quarterbacks on their backs. Temple does not have a great offensive line, particularly at the tackle spot. The Sooners need to create pressure and pay it off in order to build confidence and faith in themselves as they go from game to game.
One on One Number Three
OU Special Teams vs Last Years Special Teams for OU
Again, this is more about chasing away some demons than anything else. Last season, the OU Special Teams were not so special aside from a couple of punt blocks from young Peyton Bowen.
Place kicking was an adventure.
Punt returns were a circus.
Kick returns were pretty much non existent.
Punting was putrid until they made a change of personnel.
Coverage in the return game was solid for the most part, but even there they got a little lackadaisical as the season wore on.
The Sooners went out and made a change at Special Teams Coordinator as they brought in Speical Teams guru Doug Deakin from San Diego State.
I have no words of wisdom or predictions on how OU special teams will fare this season, but I do know Brent Venables has made them a priority once again and took measures to improve that aspect of his team.
Seeing some new names as returners is a solid start and also getting a look at a new place kicker in points situations will also be among the things to pay attention to!
Relevant Predictions
– Super K – Posted on: August 27, 2024
A few relevant predictions for this season…
***OU’s old stomping ground – The Big 12. The Big 12 actually has a lot of decent teams – Kansas State, Okie State, Arizona, Utah, Tech, etc. So this is a tough one to call but I’m going to take Iowa State to win it all this year.
***OU’s old coach – For USC, I think this could be a rough year for Lincoln. I wouldn’t be surprised if the USC faithful are scratching their head by the end of the season.
***OU’s biggest rivals – Texas is getting a lot of love this offseason but I don’t know if I see it. The two scariest things about Texas in the past couple years were Bo Davis and Xavier Worthy. Both are gone. The back end of Texas defense was protected by what Bo Davis developed up front. We saw Nick Saban’s defense was never the same after Bo left there. Offensively, they have a lot of weapons but I’ve talked to defensive coaches about Worthy and he terrified them. I see Texas as maybe at 8-4 type team.
***OU’s conference – I think I’m going to take the safe bet and pick UGA to win the conference. I know it’s lame but…
***OU’s team – I’m pretty torn here. I really like the talent OU has on defense. I really like the skill they have on offense. Bedenbaugh always gets the OL figured out but I think the combination of a this being a bit of a down/rebuilding year on the OL and facing a lot of NFL DL and the fact that they have essentially a freshman QB behind them, is going to make some rocky times. They will need the defense to get them through those times. They’ll also need a lot of growth early on.
I like the Sooners chances of having a pretty good first half of the season but I could see the second half of the season being tough.
Having said that, my mind is at two extremes. Either Jackson Arnold grows up quickly and is the guy we think he is or he doesn’t/isn’t and the Sooners are forced to play too good of defense for too long. Also, Brent showed in his first season of the Big 12 that shifting into a new conference can be a struggle.
So I’m looking at the Sooners being a boom or bust team this year. Either a playoff team (10-2 type) or a 7-5 type team.
Quick Hitter | Anthony Good to Go, Anderson Out for Temple
– Charlie S – Posted on: August 28, 2024
Brent Venables updated the availability of two of his wide receivers today ahead of the Temple game on Friday.
***Venables notes that Andrel Anthony will be available on Friday.
***Nic Anderson will be held out of action for the game against Temple.
***Also, Venables was noncommital in regard to which game DeMarco Murray would be sitting out. However, sources tell us it will in fact be the Temple game.
Sourced Team Notes | August 29th
– Charlie S – Posted on: August 29, 2024
One day away…
The Sooners open their 2024 season tomorrow as they host Temple.
Wanted to pass along a few notes prior to the season kicking off!
***I asked how the final 10 days of camp went for Jackson Arnold. Source said “Couldn’t have gone better.” Source added “No turnovers and made smart decisions most of the time”. Sounds like Arnold is right on time in regard to being as best prepared for the season ahead as he could be despite the limited experience. Really all you can ask for,
***Source did bring up the wide receiver room on their own. Was told “Really sucks that he (Jackson Arnold) won’t have Nic. In the spring Jay (Gibson) and Nic did a lot of work and those three were really connected. Just sucks neither will be out there for game one.” Source went on to say the outside WR room will be fine and they expect Farooq and a host of others to find plenty of success against Temple.
***That brings us to the difference between this year and last year as source noted “Inside, that’s a different story”. Source noted how big Drake Stoops was for OU last year, particularly after Andrel Anthony went down and Dillon Gabriel was looking for a new safety valve. He found that in Stoops but as source said “Deion Burks has the chance to change the game every time he touches the ball”. Source also noted that Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts present additional targets on the inside that just were not there last year. Very high on the inside wide receivers and tight ends.
***I asked about the status of the secondary, particularly corner, and source said “I doubt you see much of Woodi and Gentry, and that’s fine”. Source added that Kani Walker and Jacobe Johnson have stood out over the last part of camp while also listing off basically every corner as having a “really good” camp. It would make a lot of sense to rest anyone who is even the slightest bit dinged up against Temple. We will see how it shakes out, but sounds like Kani Walker has a lot of buzz on him still.
***Lastly, source said they expect the linebacker room to rotate a lot of bodies throughout the Temple game. Was told, “All of them are ready, that’s such a deep room there’s just no dropoff. I wouldn’t be surprised if Danny gets the least amount of snaps on Friday”. Now source did say that they don’t actually believe that (about Stutsman) but the more I think about it, again, the more it makes sense as it is a long season and Stutsman doesn’t need to add unnecessary wear and tear. But either way, it sounds like the linebacker room is playing at a very high level across the board.
***I did ask about the trenches, but source didn’t share anything noteworthy and things are pretty much holding steady in regard to what we have reported throughout fall camp personnel-wise. I was not able to get anything locked down at this time in regard to who will play and who will sit out and continue to heal up.
***Let’s football tomorrow!
