Tag: 2021 Oklahoma Sooners Football

Sooner Rewind: Samaje Perine runs wild, sets NCAA single-game rushing record

On a stormy day in November, history was made as Samaje Perine set the NCAA single-game rushing record with a monster performance against the Jayhawks.

For a program that’s won just six Big 12 games and 22 overall since the departure of former Kansas head coach Mark Mangino, Oklahoma’s had several memorable moments against the Jayhawks since.

There was the infamous Baker Mayfield crotch grab late in the third quarter during the Sooners’ 41-3 win in Lawrence back in 2017. Before that, though, then-OU true freshman running back Samaje Perine ran wild on a lightning-delayed, rainy day in Norman.

Late into November of the 2014 season, the Sooners were without starting quarterback Trevor Knight who was on the mend from a neck injury. Oklahoma turned the signal-calling duties over to Cody Thomas and relied heavily on the run game to race away from Kansas, 44-7.

Fans that braved the weather were witnesses to a Sooners’ running game treat. Perine authored a monster NCAA record-setting day on the ground. One week after Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon set the NCAA single-game rushing record, Perine one-upped it and broke that mark, carrying 34 times for 427 yards.

It got started with a bang. The Pflugerville, Texas product took his first tote into the end zone on a 49-yard touchdown run. Perine finished with five rushing touchdowns on his record-setting day, adding touchdown runs of 33, 34, 66, and 27 yards.

That performance left former OU head coach Bob Stoops marveling.

“The guy is just so exceptional in everything that he does. We were thinking about resting him, and then someone said he only needs 35 more yards, and you know, that’s just too close not to do it, and there’s too much time left in the game,” Stoops said of Perine’s historic performance immediately after the win.

Perine set the record in style, too. He broke the mark on a 42-yard run with 12:16 left in the fourth quarter.

Afterward, Perine delivered a hilarious response when asked if he would be watching ESPN to catch highlights and reaction to his legendary performance.

“No, I’m probably gonna watch cartoons,” Perine said as the media gathering laughed. That’s when everyone learned he was a fan of Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo.

There’s no telling if Perine still catches cartoons in his downtime, but he did get some good news just this morning when the Cincinnati Bengals activated him off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Perine still holds that NCAA single-game rushing record and also owns the record for career rushing yards in Oklahoma football history with his 4,122 career rushing yards.

2 Sooners are Pro Football Focus’ highest graded players through week 2

2 Oklahoma Sooners have the highest Pro Football Focus grades at their position through the first two weeks of the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners leveled the Western Carolina Catamounts 76-0 on Saturday in Norman. Oklahoma was dominant on both sides of the football, as Spencer Rattler threw five touchdowns to four different receivers while the defense terrorized WCU into four fumbles and eight tackles for loss.

To say every single Sooner shined in the blowout win would hardly be hyperbole. In total, 13 receivers, three quarterbacks, four running backs, and 25 different defenders got a piece of the action in a game neither OU nor Western Carolina will soon forget.

But two particular Sooners – one on each side of the football – have stuck out to Pro Football Focus through week 2, earning the highest grades at their positions (behind a paywall).

Up Next: An H-Back is PFF’s top-graded Tight End in the Power Five

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This under the radar receiver could make an impact vs WCU

This Sooner had the best game of his career in week one. He could take his next step tonight versus Western Carolina

The Sooners enter tonight’s game against Western Carolina without the services of Theo Wease, who is anticipated to miss several weeks with a lower leg injury. While Oklahoma’s receiving corp is at its best with Wease on the field, his absence allows other Sooners further down the depth chart to make an impact on game day.

Last week, Mario Williams and Jadon Haselwood did a nice job replacing Wease’s production in OU’s 40-35 victory over Tulane. The tandem combined for 10 catches and 84 yards against the Green Wave, with Williams scoring his first career touchdown behind solid blocking by Haselwood. 

But while Williams and Haselwood were complimenting No. 1 option Marvin Mims, another Sooner was having his own career day against Tulane. 

Brian Darby had just one catch in eight games played in 2020. The 6-0 wide out comfortably surpassed last season’s total with three catches for 26 yards in week one. 

Quarterback Spencer Rattler looked toward Darby in numerous third-down situations. The sophomore moved the chains on 3rd and 12 in the first quarter before picking up four yards on 3rd and six in the second. Rattler attempted to connect with Darby on another third down midway through the third quarter but would sail the ball over the receiver’s head. 

Spencer Rattler’s readiness to target Darby on numerous third downs against Tulane could indicate his trust for the second-year Sooner. Tonight’s game against the Catamounts should provide a clearer picture of how Oklahoma plans to use Darby this season.

Offensive keys vs Tulane for the Oklahoma Sooners

Offensive keys to the game for the Oklahoma Sooners in their week one matchup with the Tulane Green Wave.

It’s time.

No more speculation, no more reports about training camp battles and who could conceivably win this spot or that spot. We can all shift our attention on a week to week basis about the opponents in front of Oklahoma.

Another journey to try and scale the proverbial college football mountain begins in less than 24 hours.

Offensively, Oklahoma is lead by one of the presumptive Heisman favorites in QB Spencer Rattler. His development is a significant part of Oklahoma realizing the lofty expectations headed into this season.

Rattler’s great and he’ll elevate the Sooners, but he can’t do it all on his own. Here are the offensive keys as they start the game against what is likely to be a very spirited Tulane team.

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Oklahoma vs Tulane: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

As the Oklahoma Sooners kick off the 2021 season with the Tulane Green Wave, our Sooners Wire staff provides their predictions.

It’s Christmas Eve for Oklahoma Sooners football. Time to finish up that last-minute tailgate shopping or wrap up those chores that might try to invade your Saturday and get ready for the start of the 2021 college football season.

We made it!!!

While week zero provided some action, Ohio State and Minnesota kicking off on Thursday night and the Sooners taking on the Green Wave in a little more than 24 hours, feels like the real start of college football season.

We’ll be doing this every week throughout the year, so follow along as our staff predicts every game throughout the Oklahoma Sooners 2021 season. So, let’s kick it off with what our Sooners Wire staff says about who will win — and why — when the Sooners host the Tulane Green Wave.

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Trio of Sooners make Todd McShay’s top 50 prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft

3 Oklahoma Sooners make Todd McShay’s list of top 50 draft eligible prospects heading into the 2021 college football season.

Less than three weeks before the official start to this year’s college football season and 2022 NFL Draft talk is starting to come in hot and heavy. Todd McShay, one of the most well known draft experts in the industry posted his preseason Top 50, a ranking of his top 50 draft prospects entering the new season. Three Oklahoma Sooners made the Top 50.

McShay, like many others holds Spencer Rattler’s pro prospects in high regard. So much so, he comes into this season as his number one prospect. His scouting report on Rattler reads as such:

Rattler shows quick feet both in the pocket and extending plays, and unleashes a fast release to get the ball out, often changing his arm angle to make impressive off-platform throws. He has plenty of arm strength, but his accuracy stands to improve a bit. And I’d like to see him process plays a little faster at times, as he stays on his first read too long too often. He might not yet be a finished product, but Rattler has all the tools to be a franchise QB in the NFL, including the ability to pick up yards with his legs. – McShay

Rattler has immense potential with his otherworldly arm talent and the athleticism to make a few plays with his legs.

He really put it together towards the end of the season as he settled in after being benched in the Red River game against Texas. Rattler led the Sooners to another Big 12 title and a Cotton Bowl drubbing of the Florida Gators.

If OU is to match their national title expectations, Rattler will most certainly have to live up to this number one ranking while still improving.

On the other side of the ball for OU, anticipation grows as the defense under Alex Grinch has started to transform the narrative about the Sooners’ defensive efforts of late.

McShay nabbed two of their most important pieces in his rankings. OLB Nik Bonitto and defensive linemen Perrion Winfrey slotted in at spots 12 and 29.

“Disruptive” and “rangy” were the words used to describe Bonitto’s game. He cited Bonitto as being a little light for an edge rusher but his ability to stack tight ends and use his hands would help him quite a bit.

Winfrey’s size creates a bit of  a conundrum for NFL teams. Where does his size allow him to fit best? McShay suggests he would play well as a 4-3 defensive tackle or a 3-4 defensive end. Winfrey has to improve gap discipline and his counter moves with his pass rush heading into this upcoming year. Oklahoma will need both to take another step forward as they continue to rewrite the story about Oklahoma’s defense after many years of subpar performance.

All three prospects are key cogs in a machine that is starting to figure it out this summer. The next step for all three is a final season that could solidify their professional aspirations and beckme Oklahoma icons en route to their eighth  national championship.

247Sports picks the Oklahoma Sooners to win the 2021 Big 12 Championship

Brandon Marcello of 247Sports picks the Oklahoma Sooners to win the Big 12 Championship in 2021.

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It isn’t simply because the Oklahoma Sooners are the six-time defending Big 12 Champions. It isn’t because they’re returning their starting quarterback or that they have one of the best coaching staff’s in the country that the Sooners are the favorites to hoist the conference title again in 2021. It’s that this is as complete and talented a team as this fantastic coaching staff has had to work with in the five years of Lincoln Riley’s tenure.

Brandon Marcello of 247Sports predicts the Oklahoma Sooners will win the Big 12 Championship yet again in 2021.

Oklahoma once again led the Big 12 in scoring offense in 2020, but did you know the Sooners had their best defense (statistically) since 2009? Yup. The Sooners allowed only 21.7 points per game under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. If the defense improves again, perhaps Oklahoma can win its first playoff game.

With a season of experience under Rattler’s belt, the Sooners will be difficult to slow down in 2021. They should run away with a seventh straight conference title on the way to their fifth playoff appearance. – Brandon Marcello, 247Sports

Unlike the offense from 2020, this is an experienced group ready to build off of a season that saw them finish 11th in the country in yards per play and third in the Power 5 in points per game.

With a year under their belt, Spencer Rattler and Marvin Mims are ready to take their games to the next level. The return of Kennedy Brooks and the incoming transfers of Eric Gray, Wanya Morris, and Mike Woods provide the Sooners with a ton of experience up and down the depth chart.

But it’s the defensive side of the football that has people the most excited. With a veteran and talented group in their own right, they have a shot at building off a defensive performance that saw them finish 21st in the nation in scoring defense in 2020.

Much of that success came in the second half of the season after allowing 40 points per game to Iowa State, Kansas State, and Texas in their first three Big 12 games. The Sooners held their conference opponents to just 17 points per game over the final seven games of the season.

This is an Oklahoma Sooners team that is ready to take the next step. They’re a veteran group that played a lot in 2020 and learned from their early-season mistakes. There are lofty expectations for the Sooners as they enter 2021, but that’s nothing different than what Spencer Rattler’s dealt with his entire playing career.

As Rattler and Lincoln Riley set the tone, this could be the year the Sooners break through the College Football Playoff’s glass ceiling. There will be challenges along the way, even in Big 12 play, but this Oklahoma Sooners team should overcome any would-be challengers for their Big 12 crown.