[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://soonerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
Every team has them. They’re the guys that championship teams can’t live without. They aren’t always your best players, but they’re the players that show up in the big moments and make the big plays. Or they’re the guys that quietly go about their business and simply do their job in a big moment.
They’re called “glue guys.” They’re the guys on the roster that hold the team together.
Late in the fourth quarter of the Sooners thrilling comeback win over the Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma’s glue guys came through in big ways.
Af Oklahoma scored to make it 41-39, Spencer Rattler found Drake Stoops at the front of the end zone to complete the two-point conversion attempt and tie the score for the first time since it was 0-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Oklahoma’s leader, the elder statesman, Caleb Kelly came up with arguably the play of the game. As Xavier Worthy, who’d been killing the Sooners all day, was fighting through tacklers to gain extra yards, Kelly smartly went after the football and ripped it away from the dynamic freshman receiver. Nobody knew what happened, but Kelly had the ball and immediately went over to the Sooners’ fanbase to celebrate the turnover. After replay review confirmed it, OU was set up with fantastic field position with a chance to take the lead.
CALEB KELLY. pic.twitter.com/RkATRUxzYC
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) October 9, 2021
On Oklahoma’s ensuing drive, Kennedy Brooks was able to take the direct snap and work his way through the Texas defense to give the Oklahoma Sooners their first lead of the game. How was he able to do it? Behind fantastic blocking from his offensive line and glue guys Brayden Willis, Drake Stoops, and Jadon Haselwood.
KENNEDY BROOKS GIVES OKLAHOMA THE LEAD. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/NDrHfAo01r
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) October 9, 2021
The Sooners were able to win the game on the exact same play, run the same direction, with the same guys out front leading Kennedy Brooks to the end zone for the 55-48 lead.
The Sooners star players showed up in Saturday’s win, but that game isn’t won without the contributions of other guys on the roster making big-time plays for the Oklahoma Sooners.
While it’s the Caleb Williams’ or Marvin Mims’ of the world that will get all of the attention, the work that guys like Jadon Haselwood, Drake Stoops, Brayden Willis and Caleb Kelly put in shouldn’t go unnoticed. They were fantastic on Saturday and will continue to feature prominently in the Oklahoma Sooners’ success.