Be better against the run
Oklahoma has been stingy with its run defense all season long. They rank 20th nationally in rush defense, surrendering 108.8 rushing yards per game and 3.35 per carry.
Texas Tech junior running back SaRodorick Thompson has been the Red Raiders’ leading rusher in each of Tech’s past five games, but he’s only eclipsed the century mark once in that stretch.
OU wasn’t flat-out awful against Kansas in run defense, but it was still disappointing that freshman KU running back Devin Neal was able to record his second-highest rushing total of the season with 100 yards on the ground versus the Sooners.
“I think it kind of became the theme, specifically in that first half, the inability to get stops in the run game. That just eats away at some yardage and creates some situations in second and medium, second and short. Really disappointed in not stopping the run there, specifically early, although I’m not sure we got a whole lot better as the day went,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said after the win against Kansas.
For a Texas Tech offense that comes limping in after a dismal second half versus K-State, one of the keys defensively for Oklahoma is to position itself in better downs and distances by locking down the Red Raiders’ run game.