Tag: Jacob Sexton

Report Card: Young linemen, running backs stood out for the Sooners

With the final report card of the year, the Sooners’ young offensive linemen and running backs offer hope for the future.

Just like that, season 128 of Oklahoma football is done. By record, they were the worst Oklahoma team since 1998, finishing under .500 (6-7) on the season. However, after the Sooners’ performance against the No. 13 Seminoles, it’s hard to suggest they were as bad as that 1998 team.

Their performance against a good Florida State team offered hope. It provided encouraging signs as we head into the offseason.

Before doing so, we take a look at each position group and grade Oklahoma’s performance from the 35-32 loss to the Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl.

‘They played physical’: Offensive line provides a lift in the Sooners run game

Oklahoma’s offensive line has a strong showing, helping the Sooners rack up more than 250 yards rushing in the loss to Florida State.

Oklahoma’s matchup with Florida State was going to be a difficult one upfront. The Seminoles came into the Cheez-It Bowl with a top-20 defense and boasted a really good group up front.

With [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] out due to injury and [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] and [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag] opting out, the Sooners started several players that were backups for much of the season in their 35-32 loss to the Seminoles.

Making their first starts were [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] and [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag]. [autotag]Aaryn Parks[/autotag] took over for Sexton, who was injured on the first drive of the game, and received his first extended action in a Sooners uniform. [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] made just the fifth start of his career. [autotag]Robert Congel[/autotag] and [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] were the only players up front that had started more than Guyton’s five games coming into 2022. Congel, who’d been a backup to Raym for most of the season, was starting his third straight game to close 2022.

It wasn’t always pretty. Oklahoma struggled in pass protection at times, but the Sooners’ offensive line helped OU have a great day on the ground, rushing for more than 250 yards. True freshmen Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk each ran for more than 100 yards. It was the first time since 1985 that the Sooners had a pair of freshmen run for more than 100 yards in a game.

The Seminoles came into the game allowing only 148 rushing yards per game at 3.9 yards per carry. Against a tough Florida State team, the offensive line rose to the occasion.

“The guys up front, they played physical, they played with purpose,” coach Brent Venables said after the loss. “The players played with a tremendous amount of physicality and toughness that we’ve asked from them. Coach (Bill) Bedenbaugh did a great job getting these guys ready. … I love the sense of desperation they played with up front.”

The Sooners received a sneak peek of what the future holds at offensive line in 2023. Certainly, there will be questions about how they performed in pass protection, but their work in the ground game was fantastic.

Take the sacks out of the equation, and the Sooners rushed for 289 yards at 5.9 yards per attempt.

It was a strong showing for guys getting their first extended playing time at the college level. With three starting jobs up for grabs as Harrison, Morris, and Murray head to the NFL, the offensive line’s efforts in the Cheez-It Bowl provided the start to the retooling process upfront.

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5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s 35-32 loss to Florida State

Oklahoma loses a nail-biter to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Here are five takeaways from the game.

Oklahoma’s season ended on Thursday night with a 35-32 loss to the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl — yet another one-possession loss this season.

While the final result is far from desirable, the performance the Sooners put forth, given the circumstances, was very commendable.

The Sooners started fast, going up 14-3 in the second quarter. Their fast starts have been a consistent theme this season. The Seminoles responded with a strong second-half push. Oklahoma answered after falling behind 32-25 to give themselves a chance, but it couldn’t put anything together on its final drive as it tried to earn a last-second field goal try.

With the loss, Oklahoma finished under .500 for the first time since 1998. Here are five takeaways from the Sooners’ performance.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 13 Florida State Seminoles: Sooners Wire staff predictions

The Oklahoma Sooners face a stiff challenge when they take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl. Here are our Sooners Wire staff predictions.

The 2022 finale is upon us as the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando.

Oklahoma will have to work without their starting offensive tackles, and arguably their best offensive player, Eric Gray. They still have a lot to work with on offense with Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, Jalil Farooq, and Drake Stoops. Jovantae Barnes and Jacob Sexton will make their first starts, which will provide a possible preview of a couple starters heading into 2023.

Get ready for the game by checking out our final Sooners Wire staff predictions of the year.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

With several key opt outs on the offensive side of the ball, Dillon Gabriel is going to need to play some pretty perfect football for the Sooners to win this game. Jacob Sexton and Tyler Guyton will have their hands full with a potent Florida State pass rush.

Consider this the Jovantae Barnes coming out party. He’s going to rush for over 100 yards and hit the end zone twice. Gabriel will throw for another two touchdowns.

The defense will show some improvement after the regular season finale and hold the Seminoles under 30 points.

Sooners 38, Seminoles 28

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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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Jacob Sexton draws tough assignment in first career start for the Oklahoma Sooners

Making his first career start, Jacob Sexton has an opportunity to shine with a tough matchup against Florida State’s Jared Verse.

Bowl opt-outs have become the norm for college football as players look to preserve their health ahead of NFL draft preparations. One bowl opt-out is another man’s opportunity. For the Oklahoma Sooners, that man is true freshman offensive tackle, Jacob Sexton.

Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris are headed to the league and will not be playing in the bowl game for the Sooners. So Oklahoma will have a new tandem at offensive tackle, Tyler Guyton and Sexton. Guyton will make his fifth start for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. He filled in for Morris and Harrison throughout the season. He may not have been a starter all year, but Guyton was a pivotal part of the Sooners’ offensive tackle rotation, playing 311 snaps after transferring from TCU.

Sexton, on the other hand, will get a big bump in playing time this week when the Sooners face the Florida State Seminoles. Sexton played in seven games for the Sooners but hasn’t played double-digit snaps since the loss to TCU in Week 5.

Stepping into the starting lineup, Sexton will get all he can handle facing a top-20 Florida State defense and first-round NFL draft prospect Jared Verse.

Verse was arguably the highest-regarded defensive player in the transfer portal a year ago, and he lived up to that billing after a 7.5 sack season for the Seminoles. Though Verse will line up on both sides of the Florida State defensive front, he spent most of his time on the right side, which will likely be where the Seminoles put him early and often to test Sexton to start the game.

Sexton, a former four-star player in the 2022 recruiting class, is a highly-regarded player in his own right. He was the No. 20 offensive tackle in the class and held offers from big-time Power Five programs Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

This is a challenge for Sexton and the Sooners offensive line. Regardless of how he performs, it will provide valuable teaching tape for the true freshman as he looks to lock down a starting role at left tackle as a true sophomore in 2023.

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5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s Cheez-It Bowl depth chart

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners Cheez-It Bowl depth chart.

Oklahoma will look different when it takes the field against the 13th-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Thursday evening in the Cheez-It Bowl. The Sooners will have some fresh faces in new spots as they look to avoid finishing below .500 for the first time since 1998.

Starters [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] have opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. That leaves voids on both sides of the ball the Sooners have had three weeks to plan for. What were the results of that planning? Well, we have the answers, as Oklahoma released its depth chart for the game.

With that info out, here are five takeaways from the depth chart below.

Oklahoma’s Opponent: 5 Florida State Seminoles to know ahead of the Cheez-It-Bowl

Oklahoma will have its hands full as they take on No. 13 Florida State. Here are five Seminoles to know.

Oklahoma has landed in Orlando and has been practicing since Christmas weekend. On Thursday, they take on the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles, who will have the de-facto home-field advantage. Florida State is arguably the best team Oklahoma has played this year, aside from the TCU Horned Frogs, who will be representing the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff.

Florida State is rising back up the ACC ranks in Mike Norvell’s third season in Tallahassee. He’ll have a very physical and talented Seminoles team ready for the Sooners.

The Seminoles have some real difference-makers on both sides of the ball. With Oklahoma at a disadvantage due to NFL opt-outs and transfer portal entries, it will make things even harder for the Sooners. Who are the Seminoles’ difference makers? Here are five players to be aware of as the Sooners look to finish the season on a high note.

5 Oklahoma Sooners to watch on offense in the Cheez-it Bowl

With opt-outs at key positions, several players will get an opportunity at extended action. Here are 5 players to watch on offense for the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cheez-it Bowl against Florida State.

The long and arduous 2022 Oklahoma Sooners football season is coming to an end on Dec. 29 as OU takes on Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-it Bowl.

With several opt-outs, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, Sooners fans will have the chance to see a few younger faces get some time to shine. Let’s take a look at some players to watch.

Cheez-It Bowl viewed as one of the best matchups by College Football News

The Cheez-It Bowl looks like one of the better matchups this bowl season, landing inside the top 10 of College Football News bowl rankings.

When the Cheez-It Bowl kicks off, college football fans should be in for a high-scoring affair. The matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida State Seminoles on Dec. 29 will serve as an appetizer to the College Football Playoff.

Florida State had a resurgent season, finishing 9-3, and it had a top-20 offense and defense this season. Led by Jordan Travis and Jared Verse, the Seminoles rattled off five straight wins to close the regular season, winning by an average margin of victory of 28.2 points per game.

Oklahoma had a disappointing season. It went 6-6 and 0-4 in one-score games. It was a frustrating 3-6 finish in Big 12 play after starting the year 3-0 with each win coming by 30 or more points. The Sooners’ offense was good enough in several of those losses, but the defense struggled to get stops in losses to Kansas State, Baylor and Texas Tech. Against West Virginia, the defense was good for three quarters, but the offense struggled on a wet day in Morgantown.

Which Oklahoma team will the Florida State Seminoles see in the Cheez-It Bowl? That remains to be seen, especially with players opting out of the bowl game at critical positions.

Nevertheless, the Sooners should have enough offensive firepower to have a shot to finish the season above .500, with Dillon Gabriel and Marvin Mims leading the way. And that’s why this game has been viewed so favorably despite Oklahoma’s struggles in 2022. In College Football News’ bowl rankings for 2022, Pete Fiutak had the Cheez-It bowl as the seventh-best game in this year’s bowl season.

Oklahoma got its win over Oklahoma State, avoided the embarrassment of not going bowling, came really, really close in the three losses in the last four games – it dropped all of them by three points each. It’s a program that seems like it’s ready to get to next year already, but it’s got the offense to make this wild.

On the flip side, all of the great things FSU did over the second half of the year won’t be undone with a loss, but it wouldn’t be a good look considering Mike Norvell is 0-for-bowls in his six-year career before this season.

There should be lots of offense, lots of energy in the stadium, and lots of storylines going into 2023 no matter what. – Pete Fiutak, College Football News

The Sooners’ defense will have a tough task against Jordan Travis, and Oklahoma will start two new offensive tackles for the game after Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris opted out. Tyler Guyton figures to be one of the starters, and then it will come down to Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor and Aaryn Parks on the other side.

The Sooners’ offensive line will have a difficult challenge trying to slow Jared Verse, who has 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss on the season.

Oklahoma and Florida State could serve as a springboard for the Sooners to get back into Big 12 title contention in 2023. It will be an intriguing matchup between two proud programs when they kick off in the Cheez-It Bowl.

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Sooners offensive tackle Wanya Morris opts out of bowl game, declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Opting out of Oklahoma’s bowl game, Wanya Morris declares for the NFL draft. From @john9williams

After receiving a senior bowl invite, it seemed like this was inevitably the next step as Wanya Morris has opted out of Oklahoma’s bowl game to begin preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft.

After transferring from Tennessee in the 2021 offseason, Morris was mostly a rotational player before stepping into a starting role this season with the Sooners. Though injuries limited him to just nine games, he started eight games for Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line and played 580 snaps at right tackle.

Morris is the second player to opt out of the bowl game, following fellow offensive tackle Anton Harrison to the next level.

At 6-foot-6 305 pounds, Morris projects as an offensive tackle at the next level with a swing tackle floor. Attending the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. will allow him to showcase his skills against the nations best seniors in front of every NFL team.

With Morris and Harrison out of Oklahoma’s bowl game, look for Tyler Guyton to get the start at one of the tackle spots and Aaryn Parks along with true freshmen Jake Taylor and Jacob Sexton to compete for the start at the other tackle spot. Whichever direction the Sooners go will provide valuable snaps for the guys who will be competing for a starting spot in 2023.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.