Tag: Brian Asamoah

Oklahoma Football: Sooners earning national awards recognition

As No. 4 Oklahoma continues winning, national awards recognition keeps pouring in for a number of different Sooners.

No. 4 Oklahoma is on a roll. The Sooners just beat Texas Tech 52-21 and are now a perfect 9-0 on the season.

Plenty of OU’s contributors are getting national recognition for their efforts. After passing for 402 yards and six touchdowns, true freshman quarterback Caleb Williams received the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the week award.

Oklahoma redshirt junior outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was named earlier this week as one of the semifinalists for the Bednarik Award.

Given out annually to the nation’s top linebacker, redshirt junior linebacker Brian Asamoah was announced as one of the 16 semifinalists for the Butkus Award.

Asamoah has notched 54 tackles this season and produced consistently. The Columbus, Ohio, native has recorded at least six tackles in six of the Sooners past seven games.

Meanwhile, redshirt junior wide receiver Drake Stoops was nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy which is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding player who began their career as a walk-on.

Stoops has become an important piece in Oklahoma’s wide receiver corps. Stoops currently has 14 receptions on the season for 177 receiving yards. He caught a 12-yard touchdown last week against Texas Tech.

Oklahoma senior safety Patrick Fields was also selected as one of 12 semifinalists for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is presented to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

The two-time team captain was also previously announced as one of the 13 finalists for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy. That is awarded to the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

On the gridiron, Fields has been a starter at one of the safety spots and a key contributor. Fields intercepted a pass against Texas Tech last week off a deflection by defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas.

Fields currently leads the Sooners’ defense with 56 tackles on the season. He also has 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup to his credit.

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

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Best Pro Football Focus Grades from Oklahoma’s win over Texas Tech

How did Pro Football Focus grade the Oklahoma Sooners in their 52-21 win over Texas Tech?

With their win on Saturday, the Oklahoma Sooners moved to 9-0 on the season and are well situated to make their annual “Championship November” run to the Big 12 championship.

With their toughest games on the schedule still to be played, Oklahoma will need to come out of the bye ready to play their best football of the season. If their performance vs. Texas Tech was any indication, they might be on the verge of streaking into December, a trip to Arlington, and hopefully a chance at the national title in the College Football Playoff.

The Sooners played a complete game in their 52-21 win over the Red Raiders and received standout performances from several players on both sides of the football.

Like we do each week, let’s take a look at how Pro Football Focus graded the Oklahoma Sooners in the win.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Tech: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Get ready for Saturday’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Tech Red Raiders with our Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

If you’re looking for the brightside of Oklahoma’s 35-23 escape of the Kansas Jayhawks, it’s that this team continues to prove capable of overcoming adversity early in football games.

Sure, it was against Kansas, and a better team might have run away with that one. But we’ve witnessed this team do it several times this season. In the Texas game and against West Virginia, things weren’t going well, but Oklahoma found a way to win the game.

And while style points matter for playoff consideration and positioning, isn’t it just about wins? If the Oklahoma Sooners are able to win all of their games, they’ll have a chance to contend for the National Championship despite a perceived lack of style points.

Texas Tech comes into this one facing adversity with the recent firing of head coach Matt Wells. Sonny Cumbie takes the reigns as interim head coach for a team that has underachieved since starting the season 3-0. They’ve gone 2-3, alternating wins and losses in Big 12 play.

In their most recent loss, Texas Tech had a 24-10 lead on Kansas State at halftime only to be outscored 15-0 in the second half.

Texas Tech has been an enigma this season. They came back from a 14-0 first quarter deficit and trailed 21-7 at halftime against Houston before going on to win 38-21. Then the next week, they trailed Stephen F. Austin at halftime to comeback and win again.

In looking at how the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Tech Red Raiders stack up statistically, on paper Oklahoma’s clearly the better team. Of course they were the far superior team last week and we remember how that turned out.

To help get you ready for Saturday’s matchup, check out predictions from our Sooners Wire staff.

Up Next: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

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Positional Report Card: How did the Sooners grade out in their win vs. Jayhawks?

In what turned out to be the Oklahoma’s worst performance of the season, how did each position group grade in this week’s Report Card?

Despicable. That’s it. That’s the word for Oklahoma’s collective performance against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Of course, they did enough in the second half to win the game and hop on the bus for Norman still undefeated. However, not one group put their best foot forward and it’s a start contrast from last week’s performance.

Some individual efforts were nice but collectively, position group by position group, this may have been the lousiest game of the year.

Without further ado, let’s look at the positional grades Oklahoma earned for their game against Kansas.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kansas Jayhawks: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Get ready for Saturday’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas Jayhawks with our Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

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The 7-0 Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on a Kansas Jayhawks team that looks to get their first win since week one. The Sooners are rolling, putting the college football landscape on notice as Caleb Williams became a dark horse Heisman contender over six quarters of action.

Oklahoma, who has dominated the Big 12 for much of its existence will take on a team that’s been at or around the bottom of the league for much of the last 20 years.

The Sooners currently enjoy a 16 game winning streak over the Kansas Jayhawks. The last time Kansas won, Bill Clinton was still President of the United States and I was a sophomore in high school.

We’re on our fourth President and I’ve got grey in my beard. That’s how long the Sooners have dominated this one-sided series.

As we look ahead to Saturday, let’s take a look at how the staff here at Sooners Wire think this game will go.

Up Next: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

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Report Card: Grading the Sooners following their 52-31 win over TCU

The Sooners dispatched TCU relatively comfortably. Let’s take a look at how each position group graded out in the 52-31 win.

For a while, it may have seemed like an afterthought to grade out the offense with A’s and B’s across the board. However, that time has arrived.  The offense was a bright spot, and the defense wasn’t as bad as maybe it appeared.

As we do each week, let’s look at how each position group graded in the Sooners 52-31 thrashing of the TCU Horned Frogs.

Quarterbacks: A

No need to beat around the bush here: Caleb Williams was phenomenal in his first start since usurping Spencer Rattler in Oklahoma’s thrilling come-from-behind win against Texas.

He dazzled the sold-out crowd in Norman and had national media in an uproar. Williams was 18 of 23 for 295 yards passing and four touchdowns, three of which made their way to Jadon Haselwood. He added 66 yards rushing, including the electric 41-yard TD run in the third quarter you can see below.

After that performance, there’s no need to speculate about who will be the quarterback as Oklahoma heads to the state of Kansas again for their second true road game against the Kansas Jayhawks.

The next step for Williams is to continue to mature and grow within the offense.

Up Next: Backs and Pass Catchers

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4 defensive players to watch as Oklahoma takes on TCU

Oklahoma is in need of a bounce back defensive performance and to get it, these four Sooners are vital against TCU.

While the offense continues to find itself and find its quarterback, the Oklahoma Sooners defense will have to continue to show up. After a very poor performance in the first half of the Sooners win against the Texas Longhorns, Speed D found its footing and was absolutely lights out in the second half to hold up their end of the bargain in the team’s improbable comeback effort.

Timely stops, better coverage, and better tackling all led to better results in the second half of the Sooners’ win.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will be hoping they can carry that second-half finish with them as they return home.

They now turn their attention to TCU, who’s offense has been pretty good in 2021.

They are led by Max Duggan and lining up in the backfield with him is former five-star running back Zach Evans and another solid running back in Kendre Miller. Out wide Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis, and Taye Barber are their main threats.

Who are the key Oklahoma defenders in this match-up? Here are four Sooners that are vital to Oklahoma’s chances of slowing down the Horned Frogs offense on Saturday night.

Up Next: It all Starts Upfront

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What can the Oklahoma Sooners do to defend Texas running back Bijan Robinson?

Slowing Texas running back Bijan Robinson is priority No. 1 for the Oklahoma Sooners. What will it take from the Sooners defense to limit his impact?

Oklahoma entered last week trying to solve a Deuce Vaughn problem. It emerged victorious, but it would be a stretch to stay the Sooners solved the Kansas State running back. If they thought that was hard, they’re going to hate what they have to do this weekend when they travel to Dallas, Texas, to take on the Texas Longhorns.

The Red River Rivalry has featured some amazing talents and this next iteration proves no different. The Longhorns no longer are dependent on quarterback Sam Ehlinger to throw and run them to wins. Instead, they have an offense centered around Bijan Robinson, a sophomore running back from Tucson, Arizona.

Robinson, a former five-star recruit, is quite the player. He can lower his pads and get the tough yards between the tackles. He can run the outside zone and stretch plays and beat you to the corner. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, too. Simply put, he can do it all.

He’s north of six feet and more than 200 pounds. A stark difference to Deuce Vaughn, who stood at 5 feet, 6 inches and less than 185 pounds. Robinson offers a different challenge.

Oklahoma’s efforts to stop Robinson will start with the interior defensive line. Without the versatile Jalen Redmond, the Sooners will have to rely upon Isaiah Coe, Josh Ellison and LaRon Stokes. All three have played quite a bit of football and have been a part of this game multiple times.

Challenging them will be a Texas offensive line that has struggled with protections and had to shuffle some new players in after losing Denzel Okafor to a season-ending lower leg injury. Oklahoma’s veteran front will have to impose its will. Expect the rotation of bodies to continue as Alex Grinch’s “Speed D” relies on max effort on every play. Pass protection and consistency sustaining run blocks have been issues as Texas has shuffled its offensive line in the absence of Okafor.

Texas will double Perrion Winfrey and hope it’s enough to spring Robinson into the second level. Awaiting him will be linebackers Brian Asamoah, DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Shane Whitter and maybe Danny Stutsman. These linebackers have looked much better playing downhill and filling gaps in the run game than in pass coverage. However, filling the gaps is one thing. Tackling is another. Robinson will not go down via arm tackling or getting caught flat-footed as they did against Vaughn in space. Contact, wrap up and finish. A team effort. Robinson led the NCAA in missed tackles forced in Week 5 and leads all of the Football Bowl Subdivision this season in missed tackles forced.

DaShaun White or Shane Whitter on tape looks like Oklahoma’s better coverage linebackers. In man coverage, they’ll likely be tasked to follow Robinson on outs, wheels, or the “Texas” route.

Robinson will get his touches whether Texas is winning or losing. He’s their best offensive player. Making Robinson accept tough yards and not giving the chunk plays is where Oklahoma should focus their efforts. If the Sooners cannot contain Robinson, there’s a real chance that Texas walks out the victors.

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2 Sooners to watch on defense in Week 5

2 Sooners who will be critical to the defensive effort in week 5

Whether or not Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson plays tomorrow, Oklahoma can still expect a big game from its pash rush. The Wildcats’ offensive line has surrendered 13 sacks against Thompson and backup quarterbacks Will Howard and Jaren Lewis through four games.

Oklahoma State shut down K-State’s passing attack in week four, limiting Lewis and Howard to just 198 total yards with a touchdown and an interception. The OSU defense recorded one interception, two sacks, and nine quarterback hurries against the reserve signal-callers.

If OSU could generate that much pressure against K-State, there is no reason to believe Oklahoma and its no. 1 ranked pass rush isn’t capable of doing the same thing. That’s why Perrion Winfrey is critical to a win in Manhatten.  

The Wildcats succumbed to multiple interior pass rushes last week. That should serve as a green light for Winfrey to force his way through the center of the offensive line and dirty up the jersey of whoever the Wildcats roll out at quarterback. He was the only Sooner to register a sack against a stout West Virginia offense last weekend, and he should find his job much easier tomorrow. 

But in order for Perrion Winfrey, Nik Bonitto, and the rest of the OU pass rush to key in on the quarterback, Kansas State must first become one-dimensional.

Brian Asamoah made a big impact in the ground game last week. He neutralized Leddie Brown, never allowing the running back more than three yards from scrimmage, and finished with a team-high nine tackles. Another big game is needed from the junior linebacker tomorrow when he faces the dangerous Deuce Vaughn.

A sophomore running back from Texas, Vaughn is the only certified game-changer on the Wildcats’ roster. He’s shifty, explosive, and is a master at breaking tackles by dropping his pad level.

But if Asamoah can help bottle up Vaughn, who accounts for 7 of K-State’s 13 touchdowns by himself, then OU’s defense is primed for another dominant outing.

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Best Grades from Pro Football Focus in OU’s win over WVU

Taking a look at the best grades from Pro Football Focus for the Oklahoma Sooners in their win over West Virginia.

The Oklahoma Sooners have started to find a way to win defensive battles in 2021. It’s a far cry from what the Sooners looked like just a couple of years ago when they had to score 40-50 points per game to win. The defense in those early years of Lincoln Riley’s tenure as offensive coordinator and then head coach were some of the worst years of defense this program’s ever seen.

The script has flipped for the 2021 Oklahoma Sooners. The offense has been inconsistent. They haven’t been able to run the ball as effectively as they’d like and the Sooners defense is carrying the day.

For the second straight week the Sooners were unable to reach 30 points while the defense held their opponent to fewer than 16 points. While we’d certainly like to see more points scored, the Sooners are going to win a lot of games if they can continue to keep their opponent to fewer than 20 points a game.

There will be challenges in the coming weeks with Kansas State, Texas, and TCU on the docket, but the Sooners defense looks more up to the challenge than at any other point in the last five years.

Let’s take another look at Saturday’s win over West Virginia through the lens of Pro Football Focus (Subscription required) and take a look at which Sooners graded in the top five of various categories.