Weekend Open Post | September 12th – 14th
Posted on: September 12, 2025
Sunday Brunch | Ben Arbuckle Dials One Up
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 7, 2025
Last night, the Sooners scored a huge win over Michigan, and first-year offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle played a large role.
While the Sooners players did not perform perfectly and they missed some opportunities on offense, Arbuckle was masterful with his play calling, scheme, and game control.
Here were the things I was most impressed with:
1. Arbuckle brought out a balanced, adaptive game plan against a solid defense.
Arbuckle, who, as you know, hails from the Air Raid offensive tree, leaned heavily into a balanced approach by mixing quarterback runs, traditional rushing, and passing to create versatility. His willingness to go with the run, even late in the game, helped maintain control. After the game, John Mateer himself pointed out that Arbuckle “stayed disciplined to the run game… we got it done” during the clock-eating drive in the fourth quarter
2. The game-sealing 16-play drive sent a message to the team, the fans, and the country.
One of the most impactful examples of Arbuckle’s scheme was the masterful and methodical 16-play, 78-yard drive, which was a true masterclass in late-game execution. That drive chewed up 8 minutes and 27 seconds of clock, ultimately resulting in a field goal that sealed the win, and it largely came on the back of the oft-maligned offensive line group led by Coach Bill Bedenbaugh.
3. Arbuckle knew what he had with the flexibility of QB John Mateer
Arbuckle, who has now coached Mateer for two plus years, trusted his quarterback’s dual-threat capabilities. When the running game faced resistance and was sputtering a bit, Mateer became the primary ball carrier. This adaptability, and the number of times Arbuckle called Mateer’s number, appeared to catch Michigan a bit off-guard, and it repeatedly paid dividends
4. Despite the limited success early, Arbuckle kept spreading the defense and would dump-in Running Backs
Early in the game, Arbuckle used formation variety to spread Michigan’s defense, creating space for mismatches and QB runs. As the game wore on, he gradually incorporated more work for the running backs once the offensive line settled into more of a rhythm.
5. The scheme helped build confidence in an inexperienced offensive line.
Despite making four lineup changes along the offensive line, including starting true freshman Michael Fasusi at left tackle, Arbuckle and the unit grew into the game. Their steady improvement was critical, allowing both pass protection and run lanes to open up over time. I am not sure this will be the final iteration of the line (I could see some tinkering at RT and LG), but I am pretty confident that Michael Fasusi will be your left tackle going forward for the next 3 seasons.
Overall, I feel like that was the most well-coached and complete offensive game plan in the entirety of the Brent Venables era.
Position Group Progress Report | Game Two: Michigan
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 8, 2025
Checking out how the position groups performed in the Sooners’ 24-13 win over Michigan in a matchup of Blue Bloods!
Oklahoma was a 5.5-point favorite, and they covered the spread!
This will be the second progress report of the season. I will include the previous week’s ranking (preseason ranking in this case) at the top of each position group’s report in all subsequent progress reports!
Let’s see how things shook out against Michigan.
QB: High 4* (Last week: High 4*)
John Mateer was the talk of the town all week. Last week he started out as the media darling and a certain Heisman finalist, and by the time the game rolled around, some in the media were trying to convice folks he would not even complete a forward pass due to bad mechanics.
Mateer wasn’t perfect, but he was exactly what OU needed on this night as he led the team like nobody has since the Baker Mayfield days. He was ok in the pass game and relentless in the run game. He finished by going 21-34 with a touchdown and a pick in the air, and he ran 19 times for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gutsy effort and NEVER lost his composure.
Best player in the room this week: John Mateer
RB: 2* (Last week: 1*)
Jadyn Ott got the start, and it was supposed to be his coming out party. It didn’t work that way, as Ott only had 4 carries.
True freshman Tory Blaylock seemed to be the guy most in sync with his offensive line and the play calls once again, and while he only averaged 2.7 YPC on his 9 carries, he seemed to be the guy OU would turn to when they absolutely needed something from the backs. Amazing recovery for a guy who seemingly had his arm amputated after the last game, according to some folks.
Little shoutout to Jovantae Barnes. He had the highest YPC average at 4 on his 6 carries, and as I noted last week, he does still bring some value to the room when used correctly.
Best player in the room this week: Tory Blaylock
WR: 4* (Last week: High 4*)
What we had here was a functioning wide receiver room in a big game, which hasn’t happened in Norman in quite some time.
Deion Burks led the way with his 7 catch 101 101-yard performance. Not only did he lead the team in receptions, but a couple of them came in big spots. He added one touchdown.
The only other receivers to record receptions were starters Isaiah Sategna (4-44) and Keontez Lewis (3-36). Sategna also had a big drop on an attempted 3rd down conversion, but he bounced back nicely from that later on.
As for Lewis, he just seems to be the right guy in the right spot when the sh@t hits the fan. Feels like there is a solid relationship there between Mateer and Lewis, and that will pay off down the line, I would imagine.
Best player in the room this week: Deion Burks
TE: High 4* (Last week: Low 4*)
How about Jaren Kanak. Dude is quickly working his way toward becoming a legend in these parts. What a story through 2 games.
Kanak was very physical in the blocking game and is learning quickly how to out leverage the defenders.
In the pass game, he is showing really nice hands and great concentration and that was on display on the first drive of the night as he stabbed a ball out of the air down the seam and tipped it to himself for a 31-yard reception on 3rd and 9 to keep the drive going.
Will Huggins was pretty good from what I saw in the blocking game.
Best player in the room this week: Jaren Kanak
OL: 4* (Last week: 3*)
Bill Bedenbaugh was handed the game ball by head coach Brent Venables following the game. That’s really all one needs to know, in my opinion.
Bedenbaugh started four different players this week than he had in the first game, and that is because three of them (Simmons, Ozaeta, and Fasusi) were not available last week. As for center Jake Maikkula, Bedenbaugh watched game one and saw that he was a better option than Troy Everett. That’s exactly the thing you want to see…guys who won jobs out there on the field.
Fasusi played extremely well, and I won’t even bother to caveat that with the ‘for a true freshman in his first game’ tag. He flat-out played left tackle very well against a good defensive front.
Felt like the guard spots were still a bit shaky at times, and OU will have some time to work on that cohesion and perhaps try a different look, but it felt like the tackles and the center spots played well. As a matter of fact, when Fasusi got dinged up, Logan Howland came in fresh and destroyed a couple UM defenders in his 9 snaps on that last drive. I would not hate to see Howland get more run throughout the game, which could perhaps get Derek Simmons a look at a guard spot should Bedenbaugh check that route.
Best player in the room this week: Michael Fasusi.
DL: High 4* (Last week: Low 4*)
Just a strong night all around for this group from the top of the depth chart to the bottom. You had Damonic Williams and David Stone causing very obvious havoc all night. Jayden Jackson got on the sack stat sheet with his play and Gracen Halton had his moments where he gave the Michigan OL all they could handle. Even Markus Strong, who only got 4 snaps, was out there in a big moment.
These guys were very good all night, controlling the Michigan run game, and the one long run that OU surrendered really was more about a coaching call than the play of this group. While the stats are not eye-popping at this time, I think a lot of that can be attributed to the offenses they have faced getting the ball out quickly and using some max protection.
Best player in the room this week: Damonic Williams (could have been Stone or Jackson, I went with Dam for what he brought emotionally)
EDGE: High 3* (Last week: 3*)
Hey, during the game I asked if anyone had seen PJ Adebawore…after a rewatch, he may have actually played the best game of his career.
R Mason Thomas and Marvin Jones Jr got the start and they played the most snaps, but PJ came in and actually was very assignment sound and looked as though he was doing a little less thinking out there and a lot more playing.
While RMT was a focus for the UM offense, I thought MJJ took advantage of that and had a really impactful night.
Best player in the room this week: Marvin Jones Jr.
LB: 5* (Last week: 3*)
Hi, my name is Charlie, and I’m here to apologize to Owen Heinecke, as I was not familiar with his game.
Owen had the kind of night I guarantee he dreamed of as a kid growing up as a Sooner fan. He led the team in tackles, was credited with a pass defense, and had a moment on Owen Field that will be turned into a poster for him to have once his playing career is over. Dude is a ball of energy, and on this night, he was a really good linebacker.
Heinecke’s breakout actually overshadowed what normally would have been a huge story for the defense…the arrival of Kobie McKinzie. Against UM, Kobie was everything Danny Stutsman was for OU for the past 3 years, as he was assignment sound, very decisive, and very confident. McKinzie was laying some serious wood out there and looked to be in control of the entire defense.
Then we get to Kendal Daniels, who had one of the best halves of a football game by a cheetah that we have seen since that position arrived in Norman. Daniels was an absolute menace in the first half, and again, there are already posters being shipped as a result of his destruction of Justice Haynes on a swing pass. Daniels faded a bit as the game went on, but he made his mark for certain.
Meanwhile, all Kip Lewis did was go out there and be second on the team in tackles behind Heinecke, and played solid and fundamentally sound football. Really nice night for this entire group.
Best player in the room this week: Owen Heinecke
CB: Low 4* (Last week: 4*)
Felt like this group did a really nice job in what they were asked to do.
Courtland Guillory is the best corner on the team right now, and I don’t think it is particularly close, but having Gentry out there is when this backfield is really on the verge of being special.
Williams got dinged up and gave way to Devon Jordan, who was solid enough, but had a couple of moments where he got away with a little more than you would like to see.
With Gentry’s injury luck, you have to hope Kendel Dolby (who I think plays this week against Temple) and Eli Bowen make their return here in the near future, just to build some of that depth as OU only used three corners against Michigan.
Still, no real complaints about their performance at the end of the night aside from some issues where the communication and execution with the safeties was lacking.
Best player in the room this week: Courtland Guillory
S: High 3* (Last week: 4*)
I’m basing this rating more on what ‘could’ have happened as opposed to what ‘did’ happen.
There were some obvious situations where Venables left his safeties in precarious positions because of his lack of concern about the UM passing attack, but there were also some clear communication issues in regard to the coverage they were supposed to run.
Do not get me wrong, I thought RSJ and Peyton Bowen played very well in defending the run, aside from the 75 yard TD run to start the second half (where I thought that was more on the call than the actual play), but there were some cases where the handoff and pick up of receivers was not well executed by the back end.
I expect them to clean it up a bit as they go forward.
Best player in the room this week: Robert Spears Jennings
ST: Nebula (Last week: 4*)
The community spoke, and I listened.
The special teams had no ‘special’ in them against Michigan.
Punter Grayson Miller was the only guy who did his job (he did it well).
As the late, great Dean Wormer would say…”Muffing punts, dropping kickoffs, and roughing the kicker is no way to go through life, son.”
Best player in the room this week: Punter, Grayson Miller
What Could be and What Could be
– Super K – Posted on: September 9, 2025
Let’s take a step back.
After Lincoln Riley left, why did we all like the idea of the Brent Venables hire? Many reasons, I’m sure, but I think for most OU fans, they were sick of watching OU play horrible defense. They were tired of the off-season arrests and antics. And they were fed up with being a good Big 12 team and then getting walloped against the elite SEC teams.
Brent gave folks the sense that they could have longevity, a physical defense, and the proximity to the state of Texas and its offensive talent and offensive coaching intelligentsia, ensuring the Sooners would always field a great offense.
It just made too much sense.
The reality has been less than most expected. But man, sometimes Brent gives you a glimpse of what you thought a BV run team could be.
We saw it in the Nebraska game three years ago. We saw it in the first half of the Texas game a couple of years back. We saw it in the Alabama game last year.
And we saw it last Saturday night against Michigan.
Following the Nebraska game, things didn’t go so well. Following that Texas game, the Sooners had some letdowns. And by the time the Bama game rolled around, it was too little too late.
So, what do we make of this? Is this time different?
I don’t know, but man, when Brent shows you that vision you had of what Sooner football can look like, it is something to behold.
It’s a punishing defense, a la OU vs FSU back when BV’s defense was laying out the Seminoles and they were carting those poor kids off.
And with Mateer and Arbuckle, it seems to also be a high-flying attack.
So, I’m asking what could be and what could be?
Could it be that all the pieces are finally in place?
Or could it be that we are being set up for another rug pull?
Again, I’m not sure, but whatever happens, the pieces here appear far better than the Sooners have had under BV’s tenure.
The issues are…
***We’ve also known BV can destroy an offense that plays in the box. What happens as the Sooners start to face more spread attacks? That will begin this upcoming weekend against Temple, albeit with a lot less talent.
***Michigan has an excellent defense. But the Sooners schedule is tough and they will face a number of defenses with Michigan’s defensive talent.
***The Sooners really could have blown Michigan out. Mistakes kept Michigan in the game. Is that just part of this OU team? Or can the Sooners clean everything up? The national pundits seem to think so. That performance the other night really sold a lot of folks on OU. The Sooners need to capitalize on this momentum.
There are a number of questions that we want to have answers to until the Sooners face more diverse competition.
All offseason, we talked about how talented this team is on paper. We now know they are talented on the field.
What we are waiting to see is whether this was a moment of brilliance that quickly recedes, or was it the beginning of a very talented team getting better and better and finally realizing what we all envisioned a BV team could be?
This is why I’ve maintained my boom or bust prediction for the past two years. With as many letdowns as the Sooners have had under BV, you can never discount that original vision for what it could be.
Sourced Team Note | Jadyn Ott’s Role
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 9, 2025
***We have been asking around, trying to get to the bottom of the mystery that is Jadyn Ott and the running back rotation.
***Last night, we had a source in the building who provided their take on the situation.
***As you know, Ott was listed third on the initial depth chart against Illinois State for the opening game.
***Last week, he was atop the depth chart and started the game, but he only got four carries, which was fewer than both Tory Blaylock and Jovantae Barnes.
***Source was rather blunt in their assessment and simply said, “You gotta earn it at Oklahoma”.
***Source later added that Ott is not a disgruntled kid or a bad guy or a problem maker…rather, Tory Blaylock and Jovantae Barnes simply outperformed him in fall camp (which Ott was injured for a chunk of) and they both performed better against Michigan in their opportunities after a strong week of practice for Ott.
***I would look at that as a positive for OU, actually. There is tangible evidence for the rest of the team to understand that nobody is handed anything when it comes to playing time at Oklahoma. Yes, Ott was a high priced addition from the transfer portal, but he was not handed the starting gig despite other guys having better camps than he did.
***Ott went out, had a very good week of practice ahead of Michigan, took the starting spot back and earned that opportunity. Now, we just have to see him take that next step and seize on said opportunity.
***Competition is a good thing, and the running back room is getting healthy, and there will be even more competition throughout the week and into the games as we move forward.
***I’ve been hard on DeMarco about his rotations, but I absolutely agree with the approach that you have to earn your snaps.
Post Michigan Recruiting Notes
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 9, 2025
***As you all know, OU hosted a ton of recruits for the Michigan game.
***Most of the 2026 commits were in the house, and OU planned on having a couple ‘26 guys who were uncommitted or committed elsewhere in town as well.
***The two main targets we were tracking were OL Daniel McMorris, who is a local Norman kid and recently decommitted from Minnesota, and EDGE KJ Ford, who is committed to Florida, out of Duncanville, TX.
***McMorris made it in, Ford did not. McMorris did not pick up an offer, and his recruitment will continue, and the Sooners will remain in contact with Ford and look to host him down the line.
***As you know, if you have been part of the community for any amount of time, we generally do not pay much attention to the next cycle, in this case 2027, until the current cycle is in the books.
***However, I did mention on Sunday evening that Palisades Park, California, wide receiver Demare Dezeurn is a guy to keep an eye on in regard to pulling the trigger, and now, a couple of national and local guys have also predicted him to land at OU.
***2027 quarterback Peyton Houston was in the building, and as you know, we trended him to OU last week. He will announce his decision on the 15th of this month, and the Sooners did nothing but strengthen their position with him and his family on the visit. Houston is supposed to head to Baton Rouge this weekend to watch LSU. I am not certain that the visit will come off, but still, OU will be tough to beat.
***As far as some other guys that OU made a big impression on and you could see return visits from:
***LB Cooper Witten (Argyle, TX)
***DB Montre Jackson (Garland, TX)
***RB Andrew Beard (Bogart, GA)
***EDGE Zane Rowe (Denton, TX – One time OU Commit)
***DB Jerry Outhouse (Fort Worth, TX)
***CB Joshua Dobson (Fort Mill, SC)
***LB Case Alexander (Washington, OK)
***OL Gus Corsair (Hays, KS)
***OL Jackson Roper (Engelwood, CO)
***DL Elijah Harmon (Inglewood, CA)
***RB Mason Ball (Jacksonville, AR)
***CB Mikhail McCreary (San Antonia, TX)
***WR Julian Caldwell (Argyle, TX)
***Now…in today’s day and age, recruitments this far out get complicated by, yes, the NIL negotiations. OU will not go all Texas Tech on the recruits and make promises they may not be interested in keeping in 18 months. A guy like Jalen Brewster is someone OU will be in with as long as they want, as an example, but he likely is not near a decision, yet OU is in a good position.
***You know Brent Venables’ policy about not committing until you are done with the process, and not too many of these guys are ready to be done with the process at this point, so, hence, all the hype for the potential of oodles of commitments was just a set up really.
***Every recruit or family member I have checked in with raved about their time on campus. I have yet to come across anyone who felt neglected or not made a priority…which is quite remarkable when you think about it.
***Overall, OU knocked it out of the park. As mentioned above, I think you get a couple of commits in the near term, and they set themselves up for success in the long term.
Know Your Opponent | Temple – 2025
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 10, 2025
Head Coach: K. C. Keeler – (first season)
Offensive Coordinator: Tyler Walker – (first season)
Defensive Coordinator: Brian Smith – (first season)
Temple is 2-0 on the season as they opened with a 42-10 win over UMass, and last week they dispatched Howard by the score of 55-7.
The Owls entered the 2025 season coming off four consecutive 3-9 seasons, and in the offseason, they fired head coach Stan Drayton and hired K.C. Keeler.
While they have not been tested by anything resembling a ‘good’ football team, there definitely is a fresh mindset in the building, but still, at this time, they are not likely to be favored in many, if any, of their remaining games.
On Offense:
Under head coach K.C. Keeler and offensive coordinator Tyler Walker, Temple has adopted a balanced, physical offense built around a revitalized run game supported by improved offensive line play and an effective passing attack. The scheme emphasizes quick-strike capability. Quarterback Evan Simon has delivered explosive plays and efficiency, while the backfield, led by Jay Ducker, generates strong yardage and keeps defenses honest. The line’s cohesion has paved the way for over 300 rushing yards in a game, allowing Temple to attack defenses between the tackles before striking deep in the passing game
Quarterback
- #6 Evan Simon, QB – Retained starting role, and dominating early. In Week 1 vs. UMass, he matched the school record with 6 touchdown passes, completing 19-of-25 for 248 yards and no interceptions. Through two games, he’s tied for third nationally in passing touchdowns with 9, and his mobility hasn’t been too shabby (12 carries for 55 yards).
Running Backs
- #20 Jay Ducker, RB – Transfer from Sam Houston and leading the backfield. Through two games: 29 carries, 215 yards, 1 TD, 7.4 avg (107.5 yds/game)
- #29 Hunter Smith, RB – Complementing Ducker well, averaging 8.3 yds/carry, also has 1 rushing touchdown
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
- #88 Peter Clarke, TE – Leading the team in receiving yards: 119 yards and 2 TDs so far.
- #17 JoJo Bermudez, WR – Team-high 8 receptions for 111 yards.
- #11 Kajiya Hollawayne, WR – Provided a 24-yard TD in Week 1, solid production.
- #81 Colin Chase, WR – Contributing with approx. 4–5 receptions for ~30 yards
Offensive Line
- #55 LT – Kevin Terry, with #71 Giakoby Hills also in rotation
- #52 LG – Eric King
- #57 C – Grayson Mains
- #54 RG – Jackson Pruitt
- #77 RT – Diego Barajas
***Their performance has been a bright spot. Temple’s line paved the way for 520 rushing yards in two games. They largely use zone-blocking schemes.
On Defense:
Under new defensive coordinator Brian Smith, Temple has installed a flexible, NFL-style system that alternates between 3-4 and 4-3 fronts based on matchups and personnel, emphasizing adaptability and physicality. The defensive strategy prioritizes pressure on the quarterback, aiming to significantly improve the previously low sack production, while relying on a veteran secondary to execute tight-man coverage. So far in 2025, that approach has translated to dominant second-half performances, no points allowed after halftime, and a stout rush defense limiting opponents to just 185 yards on the ground in the first two games
Defensive Starters:
Front:
- DE – #0 Sekou Kromah – Strong, high-motor edge rusher with good hands; disruptive against the run.
- NT – #8 Allan Haye – Space-eating interior lineman; holds the point of attack well to free linebackers.
- DT – #40 Demerick Morris – Quick off the ball; uses leverage to collapse pockets inside.
- DE – #55 Sultan Badmus – Veteran with length and strength; dependable setting the edge.
Backers:
- RUSH – #25 Cam’Ron Stewart – Explosive pass rusher; breakout performer in 2025 with multiple sacks early.
- WLB – #33 Curly Ordonez – Sideline-to-sideline speed; excels at chasing plays down in space.
- MLB – #22 Eric Stuart – Defensive leader; strong tackler and communicator in the middle.
- SLB – #10 Ty Davis – Physical at the line of scrimmage; effective against tight ends and the run.
Secondary:
- LCB – #19 Jaylen Castleberry – Sticky in man coverage; good ball skills to challenge throws.
- SS – #29 Avery Powell – Tough, downhill safety; reliable in run support.
- FS – #15 Javier Morton – Veteran captain; rangy defender who reads plays well.
- RCB – #24 Ben Osueke – Athletic, long corner; good at disrupting receivers off the line.
- NB – #14 Louis Frye – Versatile; covers slot receivers well and adds blitz pressure.
Bottom line…
***The Owls are riding high and feeling good under a new coach and some really nice early season performances which can only help with the buy in of the team and their belief in their new head coach.
***I would not be at all shocked to see Temple go out and score more points against OU than Michigan did. I said what I said, and I base that largely on the positioning of the game on the schedule as well as Temple being a lot less conservative than Michigan, and chances are, at some point, they hit on a couple of the OU busts that Michigan missed. I think it is likely that Temple struggles if and when they get into the red zone, but a couple of guys lost on the backend could give them some highlights.
***I am not saying I expect Temple to go out and put up 25 points, but I do think there is a world where they get 20/21 (late score against depth players for OU) as OU will be defending a much different type of offense than they have in the first two weeks. Both Illinois State and Michigan were one-dimensional (almost by their choice) offenses, while I think Temple is going to come out and throw everything they have at OU…which will actually serve as a nice tune-up for Auburn, IMO.
***I believe the Sooners’ pass rush will find some paydirt this weekend and the first unit should be able to control the line of scrimmage quite effectively.
***Offensively, the Sooners likely will focus on getting the traditional running game going and going into the game, I expect all of the running backs to combine for far more carries than John Mateer will get. But should things bog down, OU can always turn to Mateer.
***Feels like this could also be the week where we see some receivers other than Burks, Sategna, and Lewis get some real run.
***If anyone is slightly injured or sore for OU, chances are they will not see the field.
***While I see Temple potentially scoring more points than Michigan did, I also see OU scoring a lot more points against Temple than they did against Michigan. This could be one of those games where the fan base wants a dominating defensive performance, but the Sooners may try some new things out there, with some young guys, which can cause some busts.
***I do believe OU will control the lines of scrimmage and it will become more and more pronounced as the day goes on.
***At the end of the day, I think OU scores in the 40s and Temple could challenge the 20-point barrier.
Sourced | Staff Staying Grounded
– Super K – Posted on: September 11, 2025
A few quick notes here…
***Been checking with sources close to the program to see how they’re feeling about the team post Michigan.
***Hearing that they knew coming into the season this was their best and most complete team. They know the guys are hungry…
***But they recognize that the Michigan win is just the Michigan win. There is a lot of season left and…
***Yes, Michigan has SEC players but they play in the SEC and they’re going to face that kind of talent or better every week.
***Also, one source did note what a lot of folks have noted, that they still aren’t at full strength. They have two talented DBs coming back very soon and…
***The Sooners best WR has yet to see the field.
***I’m not getting that delusional confidence type vibe that we might have heard earlier in BV’s tenure. There is optimism but an understanding that the road is long and they have to face a lot of talent every week.
***Also, hearing similar to Charlie on Ott. Basically, it’s whoever earns it at practice. Again, like Charlie, I completely agree. You can’t have a culture of entitlement. Ott is a good kid and he’s understanding that the Oklahoma way is to compete and get on the field.
One on Ones | Oklahoma vs Temple – 2025
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 11, 2025
The Sooners take on Temple in the third game of the season and it is the first road trip for OU of the season.
Both OU and Temple are off to 2-0 starts on the season and while that is big news for the Owls, they really haven’t played anyone with a pulse to this point.
There are no real one on one matchups that jump out to me, so I am just going to write some basic ‘to-do’s’ to make this a solid first road trip for the Sooners!
Let’s have a look!
Defensively speaking:
When Oklahoma’s defense takes on Temple, its priority goal will be to disrupt the Owls’ rhythm and force them into uncomfortable situations. Temple’s offense in 2025 leans on quick passing, RPOs, and tempo to keep defenses off balance. That means OU’s defense will want to:
***Win early downs: limit Temple’s run and short passing game to force 3rd-and-long situations.
***Pressure the quarterback: Temple’s offense depends on timing; disrupting the pocket with OU’s front will take away their rhythm.
***Tackle well in space: Temple uses screens, slants, and perimeter plays to spread defenses thin, so OU must swarm and finish tackles.
***Prevent explosive plays: keep the Owls from flipping the field with deep shots or broken plays, which will neutralize their offensive spark.
In short, OU’s defense will want to dictate the tempo, take away Temple’s easy reads, and make them play left-handed.
Getting offensive:
The priority goal of the OU offense against Temple will be to dictate the pace of the game and stress the Owls’ defensive front. Temple’s defense relies on effort, discipline, and trying to keep everything in front of them, but they can be worn down by tempo and physical play. For Oklahoma, that means:
***Establish the run game early: forcing Temple to commit extra defenders in the box and opening up the pass.
***Using tempo and spacing: OU’s offense under Ben Arbuckle thrives when it pushes the pace and forces defenses to simplify coverage.
***Attacking matchups in the secondary: Temple has some scrappy DBs, but OU’s athletes on the outside give them an advantage that should be exploited.
***Staying efficient on early downs: avoiding 3rd-and-long situations prevents Temple from dialing up pressure looks.
Overall, the Sooners’ offense will want to wear Temple down, control the rhythm, and create explosive plays off balance once the Owls are stretched thin.
