Tag: Jackson Arnold

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Sooners loss to South Carolina

Turnovers and a poor performance on the offensive line sunk the Oklahoma Sooners in their week 8 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Oklahoma Sooners fell to 4-3 on the season with their loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. In the offseason, most observers would have chalked the Gamecocks off as a win in their preseason predictions.

I, and many others, underrated the Gamecocks and vastly overrated the Sooners. In particular, the turnover the Sooners faced on the offensive line this offseason turned out to be too much to overcome.

Sure, the wide receiver injuries and the inconsistent quarterback play haven’t helped, but on Saturday Oklahoma’s pass protection was inadequate and didn’t give either quarterback a chance. After the three turnovers to open the game put Oklahoma in a 21-0 hole, South Carolina was in a perfect position to get after the quarterback.

Ultimately, the Sooners are a long way off from being a contender in the SEC. There’s a lot of work to be done.

Let’s take a look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Week 8.

The Good – Defense Steps Up

The defense played really well. There might be a case to be made that South Carolina got conservative in the second half and that’s probably accurate. But they didn’t need to do anything more on offense to win the game.

But the defense did their job even in the first half.

Zac Alley’s unit gave up just one touchdown drive when South Carolina started on their side of the 50-yard line. Other than that, the Gamecocks were gifted with short fields by the offense.

The Sooners held South Carolina to 1.8 yards per carry, recorded six sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Can’t play much better than that, especially after the offense puts you in a 21-0 hole less than six minutes into the game.

More: Sooners Tumble, new No. 1 in SEC Power Rankings

Up Next: Turnovers Bad, but not all on QB

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Early turnovers, offensive ineptness doom Oklahoma Sooners in loss to South Carolina

The Oklahoma Sooners offense turned the ball over four times and allowed nine sacks in their 35-9 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Oklahoma Sooners were going to need at least a solid performance from their offense to have a chance against a talented South Carolina defense. And they didn’t get it.

Oklahoma turned it over on their first three drives. Two interceptions and a fumble by [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] The Gamecocks took advantage of the short field and took a 7-0 lead. South Carolina then forced a fumble of Hawkins and returned it for a touchdown, and then they got a pick-six on the third offensive possession for the Sooners.

That was the day for Hawkins, who was replaced by [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Less than six minutes into the game, South Carolina was up 21-0 and the hole was too big for an offense that has struggled during SEC play.

Oklahoma was held to just a field goal in the first half for the second straight week and trailed 32-3, the largest deficit the Sooners have trailed at half since the late 90s.

Though Arnold came in and moved the ball, the Sooners offensive line couldn’t hold up against a relentless South Carolina pass rush. The Gamecocks came through with nine sacks on the day. No player had more than one sack on the day.

It was going to be a difficult matchup for Oklahoma’s offensive line, but the Sooners struggled not just with the pass rush, but the Gamecocks coverage units made life difficult for the Sooners offense.

Oklahoma turned the ball over four times and nearly had several more turnovers in the game. South Carolina had just one drive that originated in Gamecocks territory. That one drive was an eight-play, 75-yard drive. Otherwise the Sooners’ defense forced eight punts and 254 yards of total offense, including just 185 yards in the first half.

Coming off the bench, Jackson Arnold finished the day 18 of 36 for 225 yards and a touchdown. The highlight came on a 54-yard touchdown strike to [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag].

True freshman and walk-on wide receiver Jacob Jordan led the Sooners in receiving with six catches for 86 yards. [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] played hard all day, carrying the ball 17 times for 70 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry for his best day of the season. Barnes also added four catches on five targets for 21 yards.

Still, it was a bad offensive performance for the Oklahoma Sooners who have yet to have a good performance in SEC play. The offensive line isn’t capable of providing enough protection for Oklahoma’s quarterbacks and the they haven’t gotten enough help from the players around them to be successful.

But the start to the game torpedoed any hope the Sooners had of winning the game. With the loss, the Sooners fell to 4-3 on the season and 1-3 in SEC play. Next week, Oklahoma goes on the road to face the Ole Miss Rebels.

More: 5 Takeaways from Oklahoma’s loss to South Carolina

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3 Oklahoma freshmen that need to standout this week against the Longhorns

Taking a look at three freshman not named Michael Hawkins Jr. the Sooners need to show up on Saturday.

Saturday is a massive moment in the Oklahoma football season. It always is when they take on Texas, but even more so considering how the season has unfolded.

The Sooners entered with the belief they had their quarterback of the future in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], only for doubt to be cast after he struggled for multiple games. Head coach Brent Venables benched Arnold for former four-star freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] to jumpstart his offense.

True freshman Hawkins showed grit and determination and, with his legs, added another component that helped give Oklahoma other ways to move the ball. He is set to start his second game and the first Red River game of his career this Saturday. His play as the team’s starting quarterback is paramount to Oklahoma’s chances of pulling off the upset of the No. 1 team in the country.

However, instead of focusing on the obvious, we wanted to highlight three other freshmen not named Hawkins who need to have big games for Oklahoma to pull off something it hasn’t done since 1982: beating Texas when they were ranked 10 spots or lower than their opponent.

Eli Bowen, CB

Texas has the best combination of wide receivers and quarterbacks that Oklahoma has faced this season. That much really cannot be argued. Quinn Ewers has incredible talent, and the combination of Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Moore, and Johntay Cook is formidable.

Oklahoma is likely not that worried about Texas’s run game as it is not nearly as dynamic and potent as last year with the departure of Jonathon Brooks to the NFL and injuries to multiple impact runners.

Oklahoma’s bigger worry should be containing the Longhorns’ passing attack. With a dynamic group of wide receivers, [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] must continue his terrific play on Saturday, no matter who he may be matched against.

Pro Football Focus has Bowen as the Sooners’ highest-graded cornerback through five weeks, and his coverage grade is third on the team. He’s adapted to college football fine, and now he’s become a contributor for the Sooners. He needs to play well every week.

Up Next: Dynamic skill player set to return

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How did Michael Hawkins Jr. ascend to start for the Oklahoma Sooners?

How did Michael Hawkins Jr. ascend to start for the Oklahoma Sooners?

The Oklahoma Sooners made a quarterback switch just four weeks into the 2024 season. Sophomore [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] had been the heir apparent to the departed Dillon Gabriel, but after a shaky first three games, Arnold looked overwhelmed in OU’s loss to Tennessee. During the offseason, the talk was about getting Arnold developed, but a month into the season, the narrative changed drastically. Some of that is on Arnold, but a lot of it isn’t.

However, three first half turnovers from Arnold in week four forced head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] to pull his starter and insert freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] into the game. The youngster settled in against the Volunteers and moved the ball in the late stages of the game, earning his first career start against Auburn the following week.

Though Hawkins’ stats against Auburn weren’t anything to write home about, he was impressive in the face of pressure and made big-time plays, serving as one of the undeniable heroes of OU’s comeback road win. He’s done more than enough to stay as the starter for next week’s game against Texas, and if he continues to play well, take care of the ball, and develop, he’ll likely be the guy for the rest of the season.

But who is Michael Hawkins Jr.?

Everyone expected he’d be Arnold’s backup for at least the next two seasons, but his time in the spotlight has come early. He has an opportunity to start a lot of games in Norman over the next few years if he can help turn this offense around in the lion’s den of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Hawkins’ father, Michael Sr., played cornerback at Oklahoma in 2002 before leaving to play for the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2005 as a fifth-round selection. He also played for the Browns, Vikings, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Raiders from 2006 to 2009.

Michael Jr. played at Allen High School, the former home of Kyler Murray. For his senior season, Hawkins switched to Frisco Emerson High School, leading his team on a deep playoff run in 2023. According to MaxPreps, during his senior season, he accounted for 3,039 passing yards with 41 touchdowns through the air and 1,192 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns on the ground.

As a star at both schools, he earned a four-star ranking from 247Sports Composite. He held notable offers from schools like Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, TCU, and Missouri but committed to OU on April 8th, 2023. His decision came down to the Sooners and the hometown Horned Frogs (after Kendal Briles made the move to Fort Worth), but his dad’s alma mater won out in the end. He signed with the Sooners that December and enrolled early in January as a part of the 2024 recruiting class.

Though he committed to play for former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, he never got to be coached by the current head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He stayed committed to new co-offensive coordinators [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag], and arrived on campus in a battle to back up Arnold. Hawkins beat out [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag] to become QB2, offering an intriguing glimpse of the future with his dual-threat capabilities.

In both spring ball and fall camp, there was buzz about Hawkins’ abilities on the practice field.

 

In 2024, Hawkins has completed 62.2% of his passes for 310 yards and a touchdown. He’s also ran for 101 yards and a touchdown. He showed off his big arm on the 60-yard completion to J.J. Hester and his great speed and athleticism during his first six quarters. And as important as that, he’s shown that the moment isn’t too big for him.

The Sooners have a date with the No. 1 team in the nation coming next Saturday, and they’ll need every bit of Hawkins’ abilities to shine on that day in Dallas.

Hawkins will become the first true freshman quarterback to start for Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout and provides a very exciting look ahead to what Sooner Nation hopes to see out of the quarterback position.

Fixing OU’s offensive problems isn’t all on Hawkins’ shoulders, nor should they be. The problems may not be fixable this season or even with the current coordinators. However, if OU can find more consistency in moving the football with some explosive plays mixed in, the country could be in for some trouble.

And it could be Michael Hawkins Jr. who is the face of it all.

Watch: OU Football interviews Michael Hawkins Jr.

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3 freshmen to watch for Oklahoma Sooners against Auburn Tigers

Who are three freshman players on OU’s depth chart to keep your eye on this week against Auburn?

The Oklahoma Sooners are 3-1. After beginning the year with three straight wins, they’re looking to get back into the win column following their first loss of the season last week. OU will head to Auburn for the first road game of the season and its first road game as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The Tigers are 2-2, having lost to Arkansas in Week 4. They’re looking for a bounce-back win as well.

With injuries galore for the Sooners, this game could be closer than previously expected.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] will look to young players all over the roster to step up at key positions. That includes some players who are playing their first season at the collegiate level.

Here’s your list of three true freshmen to watch in Week 5.

1. Michael Hawkins Jr., QB

[autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] will become the first true freshman to make his first career start on the road for the Sooners since Troy Aikman in 1984. Aikman played very poorly in that game, and OU fell to Kansas.

Oklahoma fans are hoping for a different result on Saturday, as Hawkins takes over after [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] was benched last week. The true freshman played his first meaningful snaps at this level last week and gave the struggling OU offense a bit of a spark late in the fourth quarter. It was too little too late, but Hawkins did enough to earn the start for the Auburn game.

Hawkins is a dual-threat at QB, but he will not have much help behind a shaky offensive line and without the top five wide receivers on the roster. If Hawkins can move the ball more effectively than what we’ve seen from Arnold and get the win, it’ll be considered a success, even if it isn’t pretty.

2. Zion Kearney, WR

True freshman wide receiver [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag] is one of the few healthy players left in OU’s wide receiver room that offer size. With Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony and Deion Burks all out this week, Oklahoma will try to piece things together to give Hawkins someone to throw the ball to.

Kearney hasn’t received much run so far this season, but against the physical cornerbacks Auburn employs on the outside, a bigger body will be needed to create separation. Jaquaize Pettaway should get plenty more looks in the slot this week, and Oklahoma needs something from the duo of Brenen Thompson and J.J. Hester. Cornerback Jacobe Johnson made the switch to wideout to offer a potential solution.

Kearney and Hawkins came to Norman in the most recent recruiting class, along with Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon, K.J. Daniels and Jacob Jordan. Maybe the chemistry of the freshmen can open the field up the passing game for the OU offense.

3. Reggie Powers III, DB

The loss of starting cheetah Kendel Dolby for the rest of the season is a big one for the Sooners. Dolby had begun to make the role his and had become an excellent player. Without him on the field, it’ll likely be Samuel Omosigho who steps up to be the starter, and Woodi Washington will probably see time there as well. OU is unsure if Dasan McCullough, who has played the position in the past, will be back this week.

One true freshman who could see a lot of snaps at cheetah on Saturday is [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag]. He’s a versatile player on the back end of the defense, capable of playing safety or cheetah. Before last week’s game, he was listed third on the depth chart at the position behind Dolby and Omosigho.

Powers will certainly be tested whenever he’s in there, but his future is bright at OU as part of the next generation of the defensive backfield in Norman. Just like so many other parts of the roster, injuries are forcing players to step into roles where they may not be ready.

We’ll get to see what these true freshmen have as OU takes to the road in week five.

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Brent Venables believes Michael Hawkins has ‘the right stuff’ to be successful for the Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners believe Michael Hawkins has what it takes to lead OU into matchup with Auburn.

The Oklahoma Sooners made a tough call at the quarterback position in their loss to Tennessee. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s three turnovers didn’t leave them a whole lot of choice. The Sooners turned to true freshman quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag], who will start this week for the Sooners.

Hawkins rewarded the Sooners with a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to give Oklahoma a little hope down the stretch. Brent Venables wasted little time naming Hawkins the starting quarterback this week against the Auburn Tigers. The Sooners’ coaching staff believes he gives them the best chance to find more consistency and production on offense.

Instead of going into this week with a quarterback competition, the Sooners’ brain trust saw enough in Saturday’s loss to Tennessee to feel comfortable with Hawkins.

“Maybe this will give us a better chance moving forward,” Venables said of making the switch to Hawkins. “Believe in Mike. Made that announcement for lots of reasons. Certainly didn’t want a decision like that to hang over anyone’s head. We’ve gotta get better. Sometimes, maybe change is good.”

Change, for change’s sake, wasn’t the goal. They had a comfort level with Hawkins after watching him for the last nine months in practice, in workouts and in meeting rooms. And his play supported the buzz we’d heard during all offseason.

“He’s a very talented guy, not a really experienced guy, but he has certainly shown that he’s got the right stuff to do it at different times since he’s been here,” Venables said during his Tuesday press conference.

No, Michael Hawkins doesn’t have a lot of experience, but what he lacks in experience, he makes up for with grit, determination, and an unwavering mindset. Beyond his immense physical talent, Hawkins made believers out of Kirk Herbstreit and a large portion of the fan base with his willingness to put it all on the line in the fourth quarter.

He was unfazed by the situation he was thrust into. As the game wore on, he became more comfortable with what he was asked to do. By the end, the broadcast crew, those in attendance, and those watching at home knew who the Sooners starting quarterback should be. And it didn’t take the Sooners coaching staff long to name their starting quarterback for Auburn.

While it was only a little more than a half of action, Hawkins showed off his potential, leading Oklahoma’s only two touchdown drives of the evening against a good Tennessee Volunteers defense.

It’s another tough spot this week for the true freshman quarterback, but he earned the opportunity to start for the Sooners as they make the trip to Auburn. He threw on time and made good decisions with the football. His incredible speed and athleticism will be the focus for a lot of defensive coordinators, but Hawkins showed he could beat a defense through the air.

The Sooners will need Hawkins to build off his strong performance against Tennessee and protect the football against a good Auburn defense. With the will and determination he showed, the Sooners are in good hands ahead of their first road trip of the season.

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Brent Venables shared more of what led to Dillon Gabriel’s departure

At Tuesday’s press conference, Brent Venables discussed what led to Dillon Gabriel’s departure.

In late November of 2021, the unexpected departure of then-head coach [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] sent shockwaves through the Oklahoma Sooners football program. Riley had been in charge for five seasons, inheriting the job from the legendary [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] in the summer of 2017 when Stoops retired.

Riley’s decision to become the next head coach at USC is one of the biggest and most surprising decisions in recent college football history. But, the Sooners bounced back, hiring [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] one week later. Venables, a defensive savant, hired [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] to be his first offensive coordinator, but the duo needed a quarterback to run the offense.

The cupboard was pretty empty in that regard. [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag], who had been OU’s starter entering the 2021 season, was benched halfway through the year. He entered the transfer portal the day after the regular season ended, the same day Riley’s defection to Southern Cal took place. [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag], who replaced Rattler under center, would enter the transfer portal later that winter and decided to follow Riley and become a Trojan. Suddenly, OU, the home of some of the best quarterbacks in the sport’s history, needed one desperately.

They found one in UCF transfer [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who was convinced by Lebby to forgo transferring to UCLA and instead come to Norman. The pair had worked together at UCF back in 2019 when Gabriel was a true freshman, and still had a very good relationship.

Gabriel arrived at OU and was immediately handed the starting gig as the only QB on the roster who had substantial college experience. Oklahoma struggled in 2022, going 6-7 in Venables’ first season at the helm. Gabriel and the offense showed some bright spots, but not enough to win more than six games.

In January of 2022, Lebby earned a commitment from [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], a quarterback out of Denton, Texas. Lebby had offered him in December, and locked in the five-star phenom to be the quarterback of the future in Norman. A plan began to form, one that would be locked in when Arnold signed with the Sooners in December of 2022, and Gabriel elected to come back to Norman for the 2023 season.

The plan was simple and has been done plenty of times all over the country. Gabriel would start one more season in 2023, with Arnold sitting behind him and learning from the veteran mentor. Gabriel would go pro after the season, and Arnold would step into the role and lead the Sooners into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in 2024 and beyond. His talent, upside, and potential seemed limitless, and Oklahoma looked to have their next guy.

But despite an excellent year where he improved as a player and OU improved as a team, Gabriel didn’t earn the kind of NFL grade he expected. He decided to use his final year of eligibility and stay at the college level. It’s a decision that happens a lot in college football, and Gabriel shouldn’t be blamed in any way. He made the best choice for his career. In addition, his offensive coordinator wouldn’t be returning to OU in 2024, as Lebby took the head coaching position at Mississippi State in November of 2023.

That’s where an article by ESPN staff writer Eil Lederman comes into play, featuring quotes from Venables’ media availability earlier this week about the circumstances surrounding Gabriel’s transfer to Oregon this offseason.

According to the article, “Gabriel asked for a meeting in the days following Oklahoma’s 2023 regular-season finale against TCU. During the meeting, Venables said, Gabriel outlined his plans to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and to opt out of the Sooners’ Alamo Bowl matchup with Arizona, citing the departure of offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and a desire to play closer to home among his reasons.”

Venables went on to say that it was Gabriel’s decision to transfer away from Oklahoma after not receiving the NFL grade he was looking for and that everyone was under the impression that Gabriel was going pro. The Hawaii native was also very far from home for two years in Oklahoma and is much closer now in Oregon. His close relationship with Lebby was instrumental in getting him to OU and their success together, and now Lebby had moved up in his career and wouldn’t be back.

“I did not know at that time that he wasn’t going to go to the NFL. … I didn’t even know I had to fight this fight,” Venables said. “I didn’t even realize that you were even considering coming back. And he says, ‘Yeah, but I just want to get closer to home.’ We hugged and shook hands. He was a little emotional and I was. It was all really good and positive … You can’t make a guy stay. The guy is trying to find the next thing; the next chapter for him. I’m sure there was probably some disappointment that (Gabriel) wasn’t more highly thought of in the NFL. He had an amazing year. He was a fantastic quarterback. But we didn’t run anybody off or things like that.”

Clearly, the two didn’t leave things on bad terms at all. Gabriel was asked about Venables’ comments this week and said, “Honestly, it’s so far gone; I just know God’s got me right where I need to be,” Gabriel said via OregonLive. “I got a smile on my face every day because I’m in Eugene, Oregon, around a bunch of great guys. Of course, those are guys (at Oklahoma) that are my brothers for life and guys I played with. It’s people I still talk to on the team — players-wise. You focus on what you can control and that’s right where I’m at. I’m happy. I know God put me right where I need to be, and I think that’s all that needs to be said.”

In an offseason story by The Athletic’s Christopher Kamrani (subscription required), Gabriel’s mom said that Arnold was another one of the motivating factors behind Gabriel’s departure. She said the former Sooners quarterback was concerned “Jackson might leave (if Gabriel stayed), and he didn’t want that for the program.”

So, saying that Gabriel was “cast off” by OU isn’t accurate. All parties involved (Gabriel and OU) felt they needed to do right by Arnold and own up to the promise that had been made and the plan that had been set up well in advance. Gabriel was actually helping the future of the program by not standing in the way of Arnold’s ascension to the starting role, which might have caused frustration in the younger player.

This discourse had reached a head this week because of OU’s poor start to the 2024 season, which culminated in Arnold being benched in the week four loss to Tennessee after three costly first-half turnovers. [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], who took Arnold’s place under center, has gotten the starting nod from Venables for week five against Auburn.

“Maybe this will give us a better chance moving forward,” Venables said. “I believe in Mike. I made that announcement for a lot of reasons. Certainly didn’t want a decision like that to hang over anyone’s head. We got to get better.”

Certainly, the Sooners have to get way better on offense. [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag], who replaced Lebby, have got to do a much better job of putting the quarterbacks in a position to succeed. But from Venables’ comments this week, it’s clear that everyone was just following the plan and keeping their promises to Arnold. Gabriel made the call to leave for a number of reasons, all of which are perfectly valid.

There was no choice made between Gabriel and Arnold. There isn’t much of a world where Gabriel was going to be coming back to OU in 2024, especially without Lebby. Arnold was always going to be the starter this season, and the topic has only come up because he’s had an unexpectedly rough start to the year and has (at least for the time being) been replaced in the lineup.

“I expressed to Jackson that this is a moment,” Venables said Tuesday. “Jackson’s going to have an amazing future and career. He’s going to play this game (for) a long time. All of that will work itself out in due time.”

Arnold still has a very bright future. He’s got all of the tools you look for but has struggled in some areas through four games. The turnovers against the Vols are what made the decision for Venables, and maybe Hawkins can perform better in the role.

Whether it’s at Oklahoma or not, Arnold can turn things around and have a very strong career. For right now, the focus shifts to Hawkins, as the true freshman now has an incredible opportunity in front of him. If he can take hold of the starting role, he could be the guy under center for a long time in Norman.

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Oklahoma Sooners have to find more consistent running game

If the Oklahoma Sooners want to better support their young quarterback, they have to find a more consistent ground game.

The Oklahoma Sooners offense has problems that go beyond the quarterback. Sure, inconsistent play in the passing game has an impact on the number of defenders an offense will face around the line of scrimmage, but even when the Sooners have had favorable boxes, it hasn’t helped.

Oklahoma ran for over 200 yards in week one against Temple. OU rushed for just over 180 yards against Tulane, buoyed by [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s near-100-yard day. But against Houston, the Sooners ran for just 75 yards on just 2.58 yards per carry. OU hit rock bottom against Tennessee when they averaged 1.1 yards per carry on 24 attempts. Yes, you read that right: 1.1 yards per carry.

Take the quarterback run game and sacks out of the equation, and the numbers look slightly better. It amounts to 17 carries for 37 yards. It’s still not good or even average, but it improves to 2.17 yards per carry. It’s a far cry from what this offense expects of their running game.

So far, Oklahoma’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, helped by Arnold’s big day against Tulane. However, that’s the lowest yard-per-carry average for a season since 2010, when the Sooners averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt.

With a rushing average that low, one would think the Sooners struggled offensively. But what did Oklahoma have going for it that season? Landry Jones was cooking, throwing for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns. Ryan Broyles had 1,622 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns. They had DeMarco Murray, who ran for 1,214 yards, 15 touchdowns, and averaged 4.4 yards per carry.

That 2010 team went 12-2, beat Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, and Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl.

This 2024 team has been a far cry from 2010, but there’s still time to turn some things around. Adjustments can be made, and the Sooners have already made a big one, inserting Michael Hawkins into the starting lineup. But the true freshman displayed his passing prowess. They didn’t try Tennessee deep, but Hawkins showed his passing ability on several throws to Jaquaize Pettaway, Bauer Sharp, and Zion Ragins. He had a good command of the offense. His speed is a threat in the running game and will put pressure on defenses.

If Oklahoma can find a more consistent passing attack, it will force teams to respect the pass and back a player out of the box against the run.

The Sooners had a lot of success running outside. Deion Burks ran a couple of jet sweeps for 18 yards early in the game, but the Sooners never went back to it. Jovantae Barnes had a 17-yard run on an outside zone play. According to Pro Football Focus, when the Sooners ran outside to the left, they gained 27 yards on two carries. But Oklahoma seemed intent on trying to establish the inside run game. They weren’t effective. When they ran between the tackles, Oklahoma gained just 17 yards on 13 carries, according to PFF.

Tennessee’s really good up the middle and the Sooners seemed content to run into the teeth of the defense.

Certainly, offensive line continuity has been an issue. The constant reshuffling due to availability hasn’t given them an opportunity to mesh, but playcalling and execution haven’t helped the run game either.

A lot of the issues have been in the run-pass option game, where Jackson Arnold struggled to make the right decisions with the football.

The run-pass option takes advantage of how a defense is aligned and allows the quarterback to make a choice based on what the defense does post-snap. If there are six or fewer players in the box, or near the line of scrimmage, it’s favorable for the Sooners and they need to run it. Arnold’s been choosing to pass in those instances. When there are more than six defenders in the box, that’s when OU should throw it, and Arnold’s been giving it to the running back in an unfavorable matchup for the offensive line. There have been opportunities to create yardage in the run game, but if the quarterback doesn’t make the right choice in the RPO game, it’s going to be difficult on the run game.

At his weekly press conference, Brent Venables indicated the Sooners would be cutting back on the number of RPO-based play calls. It won’t go away completely, but the Sooners are certainly going to scale back on and may return if Michael Hawkins Jr. proves more efficient in the RPO calls.

The Oklahoma Sooners are going to get more direct in some of their run calls, taking some of the guesswork out of it.

The Sooners have a tough task this week against an Auburn Tigers‘ defense that is allowing just 118.8 yards per game and 3.1 yards per carry. But the Sooners will need to find their rushing attack if they want to have more offensive success against the Auburn Tigers and better support their young quarterback.

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Sooners, Auburn’s Hugh Freeze featured on USA TODAY Sports’ ‘Misery Index’

Jackson Arnold’s performance against Tennessee and Hugh Freeze failures at Auburn highlight USA TODAY Sports’ Misery Index.

The Oklahoma Sooners fell flat offensively last week against Tennessee, losing at home by a score of 25-15 in front of a national television audience. OU was kept in the game by an excellent defensive performance, but first-half turnovers and offensive ineptitude led to the loss.

Now, Oklahoma needs to regroup and get to 4-1 heading into the first of two bye weeks during the regular season. They’ll head to Auburn in week five, but the national media is discussing the Sooners loss to Tennessee.

In that vein, Oklahoma found themselves on USA TODAY Sports’ misery index following the loss against the Volunteers. College football writer Dan Wolken had this to say about the Sooners:

… the actual story here is Arnold. He completed just 7-of-16 passes for 54 yards, threw an interception and fumbled in the first half when the Sooners were within sniffing distance of the end zone. He got pulled for [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], who wasn’t amazing but looked steadier and more confident in the second half. – Wolken, USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners need a steadier hand at the wheel as they continue to work through injuries at wide receiver and offensive line inconsistency. Hawkins proved more comfortable and has earned the trust from the coaching staff.

Oddly enough, OU’s opponent this week is also on the misery index, as Auburn is in the midst of a difficult 2024 season. The Tigers are 2-2, with losses to Cal and Arkansas, and desperately need a win on Saturday.

The reason you want Hugh Freeze to coach your program is to score points. That’s why you overlook the NCAA violations at Ole Miss, the inappropriate phone calls that got him fired and the general sense of phoniness that has made him college football’s version of Jimmy Swaggart over the last decade. It’s not a bad tradeoff, in theory. If you believe the entire sport is a cesspool, then Freeze is worth the bad publicity — as long as he’s winning. But in two years at Auburn, the cost-benefit analysis on Freeze has hit a snag. His team doesn’t win. It doesn’t score points. It isn’t entertaining to anyone, unless punting and committing an unusual number of turnovers (14 through four games) is your idea of a good time… Freeze version 2.0 just isn’t working in the SEC. And if you want to blame the quarterback position — neither Payton Thorne nor Hank Brown has looked the part — then you have to blame Freeze too. He’s had two years to improve that position, and so far there’s zero promise of a better future. – Wolken, USA TODAY Sports

Neither team is playing well offensively at this point, but the Sooners have displayed an excellent defense through four games. With a new starting quarterback in tow, as Hawkins takes over for Arnold, Oklahoma hopes the offense can find a spark and the defense can continue to shut down opposing offenses, starting with Auburn.

The Sooners and the Tigers will kick things off at 2:30 p.m. The game will broadcast on ABC.

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Where do Sooners land in CBS Sports’ new bowl predictions?

Where are the Oklahoma Sooners headed in CBS Sports latest bowl projections.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 3-1 heading into Week 5 of the college football season. After three nonconference victories at home, OU lost on Saturday night to Tennessee in their first [autotag]SEC[/autotag] game.

The Volunteers won 25-15, and the Sooners didn’t answer any of the lingering questions about their offense. In fact, there are plenty more of them now. Oklahoma will likely be without Nic Anderson for a significant period, and it is in the midst of a quarterback change.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team will hit the road for the first time in 2024, looking for a bounce-back win against the Auburn Tigers. Many national pundits have sold all or most of their stock in the Sooners for this season.

Maybe those folks will prove to be right, but there are silver linings in Norman.

Venables’ defense is legit. For the first time in a long time, Oklahoma is back on that side of the ball. There’s talent, depth and a defensive coordinator ([autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]) who has been on a roll. The special teams unit has made a couple of mistakes, but nothing too major, and has improved from last season.

However, that offense has flirted with the line between not very good and downright awful. A national TV audience watched the Sooners fall apart every time they had a chance to cut into an early Tennessee lead.

It’s led to a downturn in where some believe this team could be headed in the postseason. CBS Sports college football writer Jerry Palm published his weekly bowl projections, and he has the Sooners lower than a week ago.

Palm has predicted that Oklahoma will gain an at-large bid to the Las Vegas Bowl, a far cry from the lofty standard in Norman. The game would be played on Dec. 27, and he thinks the Sooners would face off against the Washington State Cougars.

Wazzu is in the Pac-12, one of two teams left behind (along with Oregon State) by realignment and the conference’s collapse last summer. The Las Vegas Bowl is still one of the bowl tie-ins for the Pac-12.

The Sooners and Cougars have played three times. OU is 3-0, with wins in 1938, 1967 and 2003. The most recent matchup between the two came in the Rose Bowl following the 2002 season, as the Sooners beat WSU by a final score of 34-14 in Oklahoma’s first appearance in the historic game.

The No. 8 Sooners toppled the No. 7 Cougars with a sound 20-point victory behind a Player of the Game performance from quarterback Nate Hybl in his final collegiate game. It was also the final game of Oklahoma’s second Big 12 championship season in three years.

The time has come for the Sooners to address and fix their many issues on offense. Otherwise, a phenomenal defense will be wasted and a season that began with so much optimism could be headed toward an unacceptable bowl destination.