Tag: Andrew Raym

Pair of Sooners OL declare for 2024 NFL Draft

Oklahoma lost two starting linemen as Andrew Raym and Tyler Guyton both declared for the NFL draft on Saturday.

Along with replacing starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will head to Oregon, the Oklahoma Sooners will be trotting several new starting offensive linemen out next year as well. Saturday saw two of Oklahoma’s starters declare their intentions to enter the NFL Draft.

Tyler Guyton and Andrew Raym took to social media to express gratitude to the Oklahoma Football program before declaring their plans to forego any remaining eligibility and seek out the NFL.

For Tyler Guyton, this comes as no surprise. Guyton has been on mock drafts and prospect rankings as a consensus top 75 or 100 player all season. He was rock solid all year long and didn’t do anything to tank his stock. He should be drafted by the latest on the second day of the draft. This was Guyton’s first full year as a starter at Oklahoma since transferring from TCU. He helped hold down the right side of the Sooners’ offensive line after OU had to replace a third-round pick from last year in Wanya Morris.

Andrew Raym also plans to pursue his NFL dreams. Raym is a homegrown Sooner from Broken Arrow, Okla. He was a four-star recruit out of high school and had to follow in the footsteps of one of the best offensive linemen ever to put on crimson and cream. Creed Humphrey is an All-Pro in the NFL, so filling in his shoes at Oklahoma would always be a tough ask.

Raym was a mainstay on the offensive line for multiple seasons, and the Sooners will have to fill his spot at center as they head into the SEC. He put together some solid performances against tough interior defensive linemen in the Big 12.

Oklahoma got a commitment from Spencer Brown, a right tackle transfer from Michigan State who probably has the inside track to replacing Guyton at that spot. Things are a lot less straightforward at the center, but Troy Everett and Josh Bates are two early candidates who could take that spot.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Sooners offensive line marked by inconsistency

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line was up-and-down in 2023 but once again finished strong and the future is bright.

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line had an up-and-down season in 2023. They once again started the season slow, which has become a common theme in recent years.

But they were able to close the season pretty well, another common theme under Bill Bedenbaugh. It was a weird year for the offensive line that saw a lot of reshuffling up front.

They started the season with [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] as the starters along the line. At various points in the season, the line changed whether that was [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] or [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] working their way into the starting lineup.

This was a group I was very high on to start the season, so let’s take a look at how I thought they fared.

Oklahoma offers Michigan State transfer OT Spencer Brown per 247Sports

Oklahoma is pursuing offensive line help in the portal, offering OT Spencer Brown, a grad transfer from Michigan State.

Oklahoma’s offensive line will look quite different when they get set to start their first season in the SEC.

The Sooners have lost or could potentially lose every starter from the line that took the field for the first game of this season. [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are headed to the NFL. [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] and [autotag]Nate Anderson[/autotag] entered the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] today. [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] has yet to make his plans known, but there’s a real chance he will bolt for the NFL.

The offensive line changed throughout the season, and true freshman [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] usurped the left guard spot. He looks like the only penciled-in piece heading into next year. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] took over at right tackle after Guyton suffered an injury and will have the inside track at one of the starting tackle spots.

So, how does [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] construct the offensive line for new play-caller [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]? That’ll be something to monitor over the coming months, but we know that Oklahoma is unafraid of seeking help outside the building.

Oklahoma has offered Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown (subscription required), per 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu. Ole Miss and USC are also contending for his services. No visits have been set up as of yet, per Trieu.

A grad transfer, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Brown is a true mauler who could bring some nastiness and much-needed experience to the offensive line. He has one year left and could slot in at the other tackle spot that Sexton doesn’t occupy.

The Sooners look to be actively searching for offensive line help via the portal, and tackle is an excellent start. It’s conceivable they bring in possibly two linemen from the portal to add depth, at minimum, for the interior offensive line and tackle.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

15 highest graded Oklahoma Sooners on offense per Pro Football Focus for 2023

The 15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners on offense after the regular season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ offense had a banner year in 2023. A number of players had great seasons for an offense that finished No. 3 in the nation in scoring and No. 4 in total yards.

It was an offense that scored more than 40 points seven times and 50 or more three times.

Though there were times when the offense needed to be better, it was one of the best in the nation. Their performances against Texas, Iowa State, West Virginia, and TCU were incredible, helping propel the Sooners to a 10-2 record.

But who were the most important pieces to the offense? Let’s take a look at Pro Football Focus’ top 15 highest-graded players on offense from the 2023 regular season.

Minimum 188 snaps

Led by Dillon Gabriel, 6 Oklahoma Sooners named to All-Big 12 team

Led by a unanimous selection for Dillon Gabriel, 6 Oklahoma Sooners earned All-Big 12 honors.

The 2023 season finished on a strong note for the Oklahoma Sooners. After losing back-to-back games to Kansas and Oklahoma State, OU closed with three-straight wins over West Virginia, BYU, and TCU.

Against West Virginia and TCU, the Sooners scored 59 and 69 points.

It didn’t end with a Big 12 title game appearance, but Oklahoma showed that the 2022 season was a blip on the timeline of OU Football.

In their bounce-back season, several Sooners had career years and earned All-Big 12 honors with their performances.

Here’s a look at the Sooners who make the All-Big 12 first and second teams. The voting was done by the coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Center Andrew Raym discusses two snap-related turnovers from Bedlam loss

The Sooners had two snap-related turnovers on Saturday and their starting center breaks down what went wrong.

The center-quarterback exchange is the most important play in all of football. It’s what starts the play and depending on how clean it is can also determine if the play stays in rhythm or not.

On Saturday, the Sooners botched that exchange twice, resulting in two turnovers. The first one looked like it was a direct snap to running back [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag]. It was a little high but Barnes needed to catch it but after the bobble, he should have just gone down instead of trying to hand it off to [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

The second one was a play where [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] must have heard a clap and snapped it before Gabriel was ready. It hit him right in the shin and bounced forward also resulting in a turnover for the Sooners this time deep in their own territory.

Raym talked about those snaps after practice on Monday.

“I’ll take the blame on one of them,” Raym said. “On one of them, I maybe let the environment get to me. I heard something I shouldn’t have and went. I can’t take the blame for all of them.”

When plays like those go wrong, there are usually multiple factors as to why it didn’t work. Still having a three-year starter at center and a four-year starter at quarterback, you’d think those things wouldn’t happen. Especially not in a game like that. The shotgun snap has been an issue at different points this year. Whether it’s a bad snap or the running back direct snap, the Sooners have to clean it up.

Now Oklahoma has their backs against the wall. We’ll see if they can clean up the turnovers and come out swinging this week against West Virginia.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘We’ve just got a lot of issues’: Dillon Gabriel on how the Sooners can fix their mistakes

Dillon Gabriel isn’t sure how the Sooners fix their mistakes but he knows they better figure it out quickly.

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] was one of the few Oklahoma Sooners players to have a solid day against the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag] on Saturday. The Sooners quarterback completed 70% of his passes for 344 yards and had one touchdown but also one interception.

Surprisingly, Gabriel wasn’t asked to run the ball very much. Only running the ball four times for -7 yards, but most of that wasn’t actual quarterback run plays. During the game, the Sooners had two snap-related turnovers from three-year starter [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag].

One of which was a little high but running back [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] could have caught it. The other was at a pivotal point in the game and hit Gabriel in the shins resulting in a field goal for the Cowboys.

Gabriel talked to the media after the game about those snap-related turnovers. “Just didn’t catch the ball,” Gabriel said. “Fumbled it, and they get the ball. Just can’t happen.”

Those two plays resulted in two of Oklahoma’s three turnovers. The other was a deep ball Gabriel threw into double coverage targeting [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag]. The ball was underthrown, but Gabriel did get hit as he threw. This marks back-to-back weeks the Sooners have turned it over three times.

Gabriel was asked about all of the mistakes the team has been making. “I don’t know,” Gabriel said. “I wish we knew the answer so we could fix it. We’ve just got a lot of issues.”

If Oklahoma wants to salvage the season and still be a double-digit win team, they better find the answers to those questions.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Report Card: Offense’s dysfunction dooms Sooners chance to end Bedlam on top

Grading the Oklahoma Sooners by position group in their loss to Oklahoma State.

If Saturday was the last time Bedlam is played, the Oklahoma Sooners will always regret how things went in their final game against their in-state rivals. The Sooners will walk away from this game knowing they have dominated this series. There’s no debating that the Sooners have owned the Cowboys. But on Saturday, Oklahoma had the chance to put one final bow on this lopsided series, and they didn’t get it done.

Oklahoma State came out swinging, and the Sooners responded. But the most common theme was Oklahoma’s offense stalling on four different possessions once they got to the Oklahoma State side of the field. Most notably on the Sooners’ final drive of the game.

Defensively, Oklahoma played well enough to win. After getting bullied early, the defense found its footing and locked in the remainder of the contest.

In the end, the dysfunction and mistakes on offense put Oklahoma in a near-impossible spot. When it mattered most, they couldn’t rectify their own mistakes.

Oklahoma will move on and turn their attention to West Virginia. Before that, it’s time to pass out grades for Oklahoma’s performance against Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Oklahoma Sooners stunned by the Oklahoma State Cowboys in final Bedlam

The Oklahoma Sooners were unable to overcome three turnovers and a terrible no-call in the end zone and fall to Oklahoma State 27-24 in final Bedlam.

The Oklahoma Sooners and the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag] battled in another classic [autotag]Bedlam[/autotag] game.

Both teams started the game hot offensively. The Cowboys scored on their first drive on a 20-yard run by [autotag]Ollie Gordon[/autotag] and the Sooners answered with a 64-yard run by [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag].

On the next Sooners possession, Oklahoma tried a direct snap to [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] the snap mishandled and the Cowboys recovered the fumble. Oklahoma State capitalized on [autotag]Alan Bowman[/autotag] 13-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7.

The offense really couldn’t find a rhythm and the Sooners quickly found themselves down 17-7 early in the second 1uarter. But that’s when the defense really started to settle in for the rest of the game.

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] hit [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] on a six-yard pass to cut it to 17-14.

But just when it seemed like Oklahoma was getting things going, they regularly stalled once they got to midfield.

Trailing 17-14 to start the second half, Dillon Gabriel launched a deep ball to Brenen Thompson in double coverage. The ball was intercepted and Oklahoma State was able to put together a nice drive. The Sooners defense responded, stuffing Ollie Gordon on fourth and 1.The Sooners’ offense answered with a 23-yard run by [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] to take a 21-17 lead.

Oklahoma State had another great drive going before Gordon was once again stuffed on fourth down. However, Oklahoma couldn’t do anything with it, turning it over on downs on their next possession.

With the Oklahoma State Cowboys driving deep into Sooners territory, [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] picked off running back Ollie Gordon’s pass on a trick play to start the fourth quarter. Bowman returned it all the way to midfield. But again, the offense couldn’t capitalize to put the game away. After three straight runs, the Sooners were forced to punt.

A beautiful pooch punt put the Cowboys on their own three-yard line. But that didn’t stop them. Oklahoma State took the lead on a 97-yard drive that was aided by a pass interference call on Makari Vickers and a Brent Venables unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The official appeared quick with the flag on replay.

Gordon would cap it off with a one-yard run to give Oklahoma State the 24-21 lead.

The Sooners gave it right back to the Cowboys on their half of the field on an Andrew Raym snap that hit Gabriel in the shins and rolled straight to the Cowboys defensive line.

The defense responded to force a three-and-out, but the Cowboys would add a field goal to go up 27-21.

The next drive is where things get interesting. Gabriel hit [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] on a 46-yard pass to give Oklahoma a first down at Oklahoma State’s 16-yard line. The Sooners were stuffed on their first two plays and on 3rd and 12, Gabriel would fire a ball to Stoops in the end zone.  Stoops was tackled by the Cowboys defender allowing the ball to fall to the turf incomplete. There were no flags on the play, despite an official standing right there. Oklahoma settled for a field goal to make it 27-24.

The Sooners’ defense forced a Cowboys punt. Gabriel got the ball back on their 20-yard line with 1:46 to go in the game. Gabriel hit Stoops on a 21-yard pass. But again at midfield, the Sooners’ offense stalled again.

On third and 10, Jeff Lebby called a short slant to Jalil Farooq, who was only able to pick up five yards, setting up a fourth and five. Lebby dialed up another pass attempt that Stoops caught short of the first down marker and was tackled out of bounds before he could turn it upfield, turning the ball over on downs.

It was an unfortunate end for the Oklahoma Sooners who had numerous opportunities to take control of the game, but turnovers, mental miscues and poor officiating kept them from winning the game.

Drake Stoops had a phenomenal game, catching 12 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. Gabriel completed 70% of his passes for 344 yards and a touchdown. He also had a fumble and an interception.

Gavin Sawchuk and Tawee Walker had solid performances, helping the Sooners average 5.5 yards per carry in the game.

Getting the start in place of Danny Stutsman, Kip Lewis led the Sooners with 15 total tackles. Robert Spears-Jennings earned the first extended run of his Sooners career and finished second on the team with seven total tackles, including a pivotal fourth down stop.

Oklahoma’s defense did a nice job, limiting Ollie Gordon in key situations, still, the star running back ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns. The Sooners held Oklahoma State to 5 of 15 on third downs and 1 of 4 on fourth downs. The defense was good enough to win the game.

The Sooners’ three turnovers on offense had a huge impact on the outcome of the game.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys now put themselves on the road to the Big 12 title game with the win. The Sooners have now lost two in a row and head home to take on an underrated West Virginia squad.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners name captains for Week 9 contest with Kansas Jayhawks

The Sooners named their captains for Week 9 vs. the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Oklahoma Sooners hit the road this week to take on the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] in Lawrence. The Sooners are fresh off a hard-fought win over the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag].

On Monday, the Sooners announced who their captains would be for the conference showdown between two teams that have played 113 times.

This week’s captains are [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag].

Kanak, a Kansas native, is second on the team with 40 tackles. He’s also added 4.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. He’s in his first year as a starter, and each week looks to be getting better as he gets more comfortable playing the linebacker position. Something he didn’t do in high school.

Laulu has also had a really solid season since moving inside to defensive tackle. He ranks fifth on the team with 3.0 tackles for loss.

McCullough was the big offseason addition via the transfer portal. After a slow start due to an injury has come along these last few weeks. He has 20 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Rouse and Raym both help anchor an offensive line that ranks No. 15 in the nation in sacks allowed, with only eight this season. That time in the pocket has helped [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] and the passing offense be one of the most prolific in the sport.

The Sooners take on the Jayhawks at 11:00 a.m. as part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff game.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.