Tag: 2021 Oklahoma Sooners

Pro Football Focus projects a breakout for one Sooners wide receiver

The Oklahoma Sooners will have one of the best offenses in college football in 2021 and Jason Haselwood should be a big part of it.

The Oklahoma Sooners bring back their top three receiving options from the 2020 season: Marvin Mims, Theo Wease and Austin Stogner, to catch passes from Spencer Rattler in 2021. But one of the most important players the Sooners have returning has been dubbed a breakout possibility for the Sooners, wide receiver Jadon Haselwood.

Though Haselwood comes into the 2021 season as arguably the fourth receiving option in the passing offense, his size and athletic ability give him a chance to lead the Sooners in receiving.

In Pro Football Focus’ College Football Preview magazine, it projected Haselwood to be the Oklahoma Sooners breakout star.

Haselwood suffered a torn ACL last offseason, an injury that limited him to only three games in 2020, but he did show some flashes. As a true freshman, he earned a respectable 72.4 grade that featured 2.52 yards per route run, zero drops and a 50% contested-catch rate. He flashed advanced ball skills and made highlight-reel grabs look routine. – Pro Football Focus

Haselwood’s ability to win in contested-catch situations fits really well with Spencer Rattler’s gunslinging mentality. Rattler showed in his first season at quarterback he was unafraid to throw the ball up and allow receivers to make a play. The problem is Mims and Wease aren’t the athletes Haselwood is. They rely more on their route-running and ability to find openings in zone coverage to make plays down the field.

Haselwood, on the other hand, displayed his athletic ability in the Big 12 Championship and will be further removed from the ACL injury that kept him out for nearly all of 2020.

He’s an underrated route runner, and his sure hands will give Rattler another reliable weapon in the passing game. On 33 career targets, Haselwood has yet to drop a pass.

As the Sooners look to get more out of their wide receiver group in 2021, Haselwood’s size and athleticism give the Sooners an option they didn’t have last year. Someone that can win even when covered.

Which under the radar Oklahoma Sooners will make a big impact in 2021?

Every championship contender needs glue guys who help keep the roster together. They may not start for the Oklahoma Sooners, but here are several role players that will have a significant impact.

Every team that is a championship contender has to have a lot of talent. However, when one of your starters goes down with an injury or needs a breather, championship contenders must have enough depth to minimize the talent drop-off. Championship teams also need role players who are good at what they do and are the glue of the roster.

The Oklahoma Sooners appear to be as talented as any team in the country heading into the 2021 football season. Another thing they have going for them heading into what could be a special season is several role players who will have significant impacts for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma Sooners 2021 offensive depth chart projection 3.0

With the departures of three skill position players and an offensive lineman, the Oklahoma Sooners depth chart has seen some turnover in recent months.

Over the last couple of months, the Oklahoma Sooners offensive depth chart has been hit by players getting dismissed from the program. Back in May, it was Trejan Bridges and Seth McGowan on the way out. Yesterday, the University of Oklahoma dismissed Mikey Henderson from the program after an alleged incident involving all three.

Stacey Wilkins entered the transfer portal, and while it doesn’t appear that he’s found a new home yet, it’s likely he’s playing elsewhere in 2021.

While it’s a loss for the program on the depth chart, it creates new opportunities. In particular, a guy like Marcus Major benefits greatly from sliding up the depth chart. Overlooked a bit because of Seth McGowan in 2020 and still a bit because of LSU transfer Tre Bradford, Major has an opportunity to find a role as the team’s third running back.

Much of the depth chart remains unchanged, though the Spring Game gave us more insight into how the center competition is unfolding. Andrew Raym looks to be leading the pack at this point, but with Summer workouts ongoing and camp around the corner, the competition is still up for grabs. Don’t count Robert Congel or Chris Murray out just yet.

Even with the departure of Trejan Bridges, the Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver group looks incredibly deep. They return their leading receivers from 2020 in Marvin Mims and Theo Wease on the outside. Jadon Haselwood, who figures to get time at all three wide receiver spots, could be a big slot for Lincoln Riley and the Sooners’ offense. His size and athleticism would be a huge mismatch for slot corners or safeties.

The Sooners will likely rotate each of their starters through the slot to keep defenses off-balance and exploit mismatches.

Though Henderson was making the switch from H-Back to running back this offseason, he would have still been able to give you some snaps behind Jeremiah Hall. Now that will fall to Brayden Willis or Austin Stogner, who are more traditional tight ends.

Derrick Moore commitment a sign of Oklahoma’s defensive resurgence

With the commitment of Derrick Moore from deep in the heart of Big 10 country, the Sooners are changing the narrative about their defense.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Oklahoma Sooners were struggling to get stops. The Mike Stoops days were fraught with high-scoring affairs that asked Baker Mayfield and the Sooners offense to score 40 points every week for them to have a chance.

For the program that once won a national championship with a 13-2 win over Florida State in the Orange Boal, this was a far cry from the early Bob Stoops era.

However, things have changed as Alex Grinch, and the defensive coaching staff have begun to end the narrative that the Sooners don’t play defense.

Back in 2015, the Sooners defense could only hold their opponents under 24 points three times in 13 games. In 2016, that number improved to four games under 24 points in 13 games. And, in 2017, the Sooners were able to hold opponents under 24 points five times in 14 games, but then that number fell back to four games with under 24 points in 2018.

In 2019, Alex Grinch’s first year as the defensive coordinator, the Sooners held half of their 14 opponents under 24 points in a game. In 2020, they held seven of their 11 opponents under 24 points.

Oklahoma has consistently had one of the best offense’s in college football for years. Typically they’ve been able to score 30 or more points on teams, and they won a lot of shootouts. However, that wasn’t a recipe for success because their defense couldn’t always get stops. In 2019, that started to change, and it continued to improve in 2020.

2020 wasn’t a perfect year, and it’s proof that Grinch and the coaching staff have work to do. In their two losses, they allowed 38 points to Kansas State and 37 points to Iowa State in back-to-back weeks. Against Texas, they allowed 31 in regulation, but the Longhorns stormed back with 14 points in the final five minutes of the game to send it to overtime, where it took a Woodi Washington interception to end the game in the fourth overtime.

In the big games against their top competition, the Sooners have to do better. However, the commitment of four-star defensive lineman Derrick Moore shows that the Sooners are on their way to changing the national perception of the Oklahoma Sooners’ defense. Ohio State and Penn State heavily pursued Moore. For the Sooners to land the top-flight pass rusher from Maryland (deep in the heart of Big 10 country) has to signify the good things happening for the Sooners defense.

Alex Grinch and the Sooners are building something in Norman. Although they lost Ronnie Perkins, Tre Brown, and Tre Norwood to the NFL, the Sooners still have a ton of talent that could make this unit the best they’ve had in the last decade.

Oklahoma Sooners selected to Pro Football Focus’ All-Big 12 Team

Pro Football Focus released their preseason All-Big 12 team and the Oklahoma Sooners were heavily featured with nine selections in all.

As we get closer to the start of the 2021 season, major media publications will begin releasing their preseason awards and all-conference teams. The Oklahoma Sooners figure to be featured quite prominently on many All-American and All-Big 12 squads. And that was the case as Pro Football Focus released their All-Big 12 team.

In all nine Sooners made the squad, headlined by quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Is TCU an under the radar threat to Oklahoma’s Big 12 Title reign?

Could scheduling allow the TCU Horned Frogs an opportunity to make some noise during the 2021 Big 12 season?

When the Oklahoma Sooners kick off the 2021 season, they’ll be in search of their seventh straight Big 12 Championship and their first national championship in now more than 20 years. Continue reading “Is TCU an under the radar threat to Oklahoma’s Big 12 Title reign?”

Austin Stogner the X-Factor in the Oklahoma Sooners passing attack

A look at Oklahoma Sooners tight end Austin Stogner.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ passing game is full of big-play threats. From Marvin Mims to Theo Wease, Spencer Rattler has a bevy of options to work with to put points on the board for the Sooners. Continue reading “Austin Stogner the X-Factor in the Oklahoma Sooners passing attack”

Oklahoma’s national championship optimism starts with the defensive line

The Sooners national championship hopes will rest on the shoulders of the defensive line.

There are high expectations for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2021. They have as high a ceiling for success as anyone in the country, including Alabama and Clemson. Lincoln Riley and the Sooners have been on the verge of National Championship contention for several years, but one thing was always missing.

A defense.

The offense we know is going to be good. That’s the standard for the Sooners heading into Riley’s fifth season as the head coach. But they’ve been held back each year by a defense that has struggled to get stops and create turnovers. That started trending in the right direction in 2020 as the Sooners defense began holding up their end of the bargain.

Now, despite the losses of Ronnie Perkins, Tre Brown, and Tre Norwood, there is a ton of optimism about this Oklahoma Sooners defense. That’s because the defensive line looks to be one of the best the Oklahoma Sooners have ever had.

Though he’s listed as a linebacker by most, Nik Bonitto operates as more of an edge rusher, and his nine sacks in 2020 led the Oklahoma Sooners. He was college football’s most productive pass rusher, according to Pro Football Focus.

Isaiah Thomas had a breakout season in 2020 with 7.5 sacks for the Sooners and is as productive against the run as he is as a pass rusher. With his ability to play on the edge and inside on passing downs, Thomas is as important of a defensive player as the Sooners have. Legal issues notwithstanding, he should have another great year for Oklahoma.

Bonitto and Thomas will be aided significantly by an improved interior defensive line. Jalen Redmond’s will be huge for the Sooners, and LaRon Stokes was an underrated part of the rotation last year. Perrion Winfrey is on many All-American watch lists.

Throw in potential contributions from Freshman Ethan Downs. OU Insider Recruiting Analyst Parker Thune mentioned on the Locked On Sooners Podcast as the incoming player with the best chance to contribute in year one.

“Ethan Downs is going to be an impact player for Oklahoma on the defensive side of the football this season. He’s a guy that my colleague Brandon Drumm and I have been pinpointing as a potential day one impact contributor for months and years now. It’s really no secret that he was pound for pound the most gifted in the state of Oklahoma in the 2021 class… Downs is a beast of an athlete. The absolute hardest worker you’ll ever encounter. Loves the weight room. Loves competition. Loves to just punch someone in the mouth. The way he just explodes off the edge and can dominate any opponent in the trenches is remarkable. He’s earned a lot of buzz early on. A lot of love from the coaching staff. A lot of love from his teammates… He’s just a classic old school, smashmouth style of football player.”

If the Oklahoma Sooners can get a pass rush off the edge from someone other than Bonitto and Thomas, it will pay huge dividends for Alex Grinch and the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

For the Oklahoma Sooners to get where they want to go in 2021, they’ll need the defensive side of the ball to be as good as many think it will be. The offense will be good, but as we’ve seen with this team in years past when they get to the College Football Playoff, a good offense isn’t enough to get you through to the National Championship game.

And while there might be questions at certain spots on the defense (cornerback), the Sooners look ready to contend with the guys they’ll deploy along the defensive front.

Could DJ Graham emerge as a starter at cornerback for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2021?

A look at how Oklahoma Sooners CB D.J. Graham performed in 2020 and how he projects in 2021.

It’s been well documented that the Oklahoma Sooners have struggled to find consistency at all three levels of the defense for years now. In 2020, the makings of a top-tier defense began to take shape as the defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and the linebacker and secondary groups started to carry their end of the bargain.

At cornerback, in particular, Alex Grinch and the Oklahoma defense began to find some players that could help lock down their passing game and create turnovers. Woodi Washington took over as a starter at one cornerback spot, and the Sooners will have some turnover at the others. Tre Brown and Brendan Radley-Hiles are gone, leaving opportunities for others to step up and show out.

Enter DJ Graham, the sophomore out of Keller Central High School. In Graham’s freshman year with the Sooners, he only saw 240 snaps as part of the defensive back rotation. Of those 240 snaps, 162 came in coverage. In that limited action, DJ. Graham was really good.

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In those 162 coverage snaps, Graham didn’t allow a touchdown, and his passer rating against was a mere 37.3, according to Pro Football Focus. He was targeted just 22 times in the passing game and allowed a reception just 10 times per PFF. That’s a 45.5% completion percentage against.

For reference, Radley-Hiles allowed a 57.1% completion percentage and a 77.2 passer rating.

Pretty good for a newcomer.

DJ Graham will compete for snaps with Jeremiah Criddell and Jaden Davis but has a chance to emerge as the starter opposite Woodi Washington.

Graham brings the length that Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch covets on the outside, and in his limited snap count in 2020, Graham showed that he has a nose for the football. In his six games, he came away with one interception and one pass deflection.

When opposing quarterbacks threw DJ Graham’s way in 2020, they didn’t find much success. His length and coverage ability closed down passing windows and didn’t allow anything easy. He’s a player to watch as the Sooners prepare for 2021. His presence along with Woodi Washington will help the Oklahoma Sooners secondary take a big step forward, making the 2021 Sooners’ defense a force to be reckoned with.

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Could Jadon Haselwood surprise and lead the 2021 Oklahoma Sooners in receiving?

A look at Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jadon Haselwood’s outlook in 2021. Could he lead the team in receiving?

2020 was a weird year for the Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver corp. Charleston Rambo was the guy expected to take a leap in production with the departure of CeeDee Lamb to the Dallas Cowboys. Yet it was true freshman Marvin Mims who led the way for the Oklahoma Sooners.

In a shortened season due to COVID-19 that limited the out-of-conference schedule for the Sooners and the rest of the country, the production at wide receiver dropped off from what we’ve become accustomed to. Mims led the way for Oklahoma with only 39 receptions and 627 yards. While his touchdown total (9) would have been fantastic in a typical year, the reception and yardage total left a bit to be desired.

Heading into 2021, Marvin Mims looks to be the odds-on favorite to lead the way for the Sooners in many receiving categories yet again. His chemistry with Spencer Rattler and deep threat ability give him a shot to surpass the 1,000-yard mark and be the Sooners leading receiver.

However, there’s another player that isn’t being talked about enough as a possibility to lead the Sooners—third-year wideout Jadon Haselwood.

I know what you’re thinking. Unfortunately, Haselwood hasn’t played much, and his two years with the Sooners haven’t lived up to expectations.

His first year with the Sooners was pretty solid in 2019. He totaled 19 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. I’m not sure you could expect more than that on a run-first team under Jalen Hurts and with CeeDee Lamb leading the way at wide receiver.

In the spring of 2020, when he was expected to be a huge part of the passing attack, he tore his ACL and was out until November.

First of all, the fact that he could make it back in less than eight months is absolutely incredible. That’s a testament to his work ethic and desire to be on the football field.

He had limited opportunities after his return to the field in 2020. Still working his way back, Haselwood had only four receptions for 65 yards. Still, he showed the raw athleticism that makes him such an intriguing weapon.

Heading into 2021, he’ll have a shot at more big plays. At 6-2, 208 pounds, his size gives him the opportunity to out position smaller defensive backs. In addition, his athleticism and ability to win contested catches will help him make some huge plays in the Sooners’ passing offense this season.

Haselwood’s playstyle fits really well with quarterback Spencer Rattler. As we saw in 2020, Rattler has a gunslinger mentality and is more than willing to throw the ball into contested areas. In 2020, that got him into trouble because he didn’t have players adept at winning 50/50 balls down the field. Marvin Mims and Theo Wease are good wide receivers, but their strengths lie in their ability to create separation using their route-running ability. Lincoln Riley isn’t expecting these guys to win jump balls down the field.

But that’s where Haselwood can thrive. He has enough route-running ability to create separation, but his athleticism allows him to win his matchups in a way that the rest of the wide receiver depth chart can’t. And that will suit Spencer Rattler just fine.

Spencer Rattler doesn’t shy away from double or triple coverage if he thinks he can make the throw. Unfortunately, that got him into trouble last year, and the benching was evident that his decision-making needed improving. However, Jadon Haselwood is the player that can erase a bad decision with his ability to win contested catches.

As we’ve seen in his last two outings, against Iowa State, and in the spring game, Haselwood’s catch radius, athleticism, and size give Spencer Rattler much bigger windows in which to throw the football. Jadon Haselwood’s traits will pay huge dividends for Rattler and the Oklahoma Sooners offense in 2021.

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