Tag: Jason Bean

Big 12 Power Rankings: Cowboys dropped by Knights, Sooners make a statement in week 11

Oklahoma’s win over West Virginia and Oklahoma State’s loss to UCF shook up this week’s Big 12 power rankings.

There are just two weeks left in the regular season, and there’s still a lot to sort out. Texas and Oklahoma State currently hold the top two spots in the Big 12 standings, but Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Iowa State are lurking.

There’s no time for anyone to slip up like Oklahoma State did this past weekend in Orlando.

The UCF Knights’ dominating 45-3 win over the Cowboys was shocking after Oklahoma State knocked off Oklahoma in Bedlam.

As for the Sooners, they responded to their two-game losing streak with authority, putting together arguably their best game of the season in their 59-20 win over West Virginia.

In the win, the Sooners looked like one of the best teams in the Big 12. That combined with the Cowboys’ loss, there’s been a shakeup in this week’s Big 12 power rankings.

‘We do need to maintain an aggressive mentality’: Brent Venables feels the offense needs to keep an aggressive mentality

The Oklahoma Sooners need to bring back an aggressive mentality as they travel to Stillwater this weekend.

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off their first loss of the season, falling to the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag]. This one was a heartbreaker as the team had every chance to win but never was able to pull it out.

Ethan Downs picked off [autotag]Jason Bean[/autotag] with around 2:30 left in the game and returned it into Jayhawks’ territory. At that point, it looked like the Sooners once again were going to pull out a victory. They needed one first down to win it, and instead of being aggressive and putting the ball in your Heisman candidates’ hands, [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] ran the ball three times, and the Sooners punted it away.

The Jayhawks would end up scoring and winning the game on their final drive. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] took a lot of the blame for the loss in his post-game press conference, but this game falls back on the lack of aggression on the offensive side of the ball. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] had 13 passes before the final drive. He threw the ball six times on the final drive and looked pretty good doing so. His quarterback counterpart threw the ball 32 times in the game.

Venables talked in his press conference this week about the lack of deep shots and aggression by the offense. “I think the opportunity was there,” Venables said. “Wishing is not going to do anything, but we do need to maintain an aggressive mentality. There’s always that balance when you try to be efficient and protect the football, but at the same time, at the right time, take your shots. We’ve got good players who can run past people and go up and make competitive plays.”

The Sooners are going to need that aggressive mentality and play-calling this weekend with arguably the hottest team in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] is waiting. If they have another lackluster performance offensively and aren’t aggressive once again, the Sooners could be in some serious trouble.

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Fans were stunned that Kansas QB Jason Bean topped Tyreek Hill speed with his 22.4 mph TD run

Tyreek Hill has some competition now.

The Kansas Jayhawks had themselves quite the Saturday, defeating Oklahoma for the first time since 1997 and giving Lance Leipold a program-shaping win. And while much of the postgame focus was on the rowdy scene and torn-down goalposts, we learned on Tuesday just how impressive one play, in particular, actually was.

During the third quarter of that 38-33 Kansas win, quarterback Jason Bean gave the Jayhawks a lead on a 38-yard touchdown run. Now, in real time, it was clear that Bean was zooming down the sideline. After all, three Oklahoma defenders had solid angles in pursuit and still couldn’t cut off Bean. But the next-gen stats really put the speed into perspective.

According to Reel Analytics, Bean hit a max speed on the run of 22.4 mph. That’s a faster speed than any NFL ball carrier this season, beating Tyreek Hill’s 22.01 mph. In fact, NFL Next Gen Stats only recorded one ball carrier with a faster speed in any season since tracking began in 2018, and that was Raheem Mostert twice in 2020.

But to see a quarterback hitting Tyreek Hill-caliber speed — that truly is something else.

No wonder college football fans were impressed. Bean was FLYING.

Late game coaching mistakes bring back memories to a season ago

Oklahoma’s late game management put the Sooners in a tough spot vs. Kansas.

With 2:23 left in the game, the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense took over after a great interception by [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. The Sooners led by one and were at the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag]’ 38-yard line needing one, maybe two first downs to ice the game away.

The Sooners ran it three straight times gaining a total of three yards before punting it through the end zone giving Kansas 1:56 to go win the game. Eventually, [autotag]Jason Bean[/autotag] led them on an 80-yard touchdown drive in just over a minute converting one huge 4th Down play to win the game.

That drive for the Sooners has drawn many questions about playcalling. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] has been someone the coaches have touted should be in the Heisman conversation. [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] is someone who hadn’t had a carry since the game against the [autotag]Tulsa Golden Hurricanes[/autotag]. But instead of putting the ball in Gabriel’s hands to win the game, Jeff Lebby put the ball in Barnes’ hands on two of the three plays including the 3rd and 12 play that would have won the game with a first down.

Gabriel was asked about that drive after the game. “We need to get a first down there,” Gabriel said. “We got to help out d (defense) out right there.”

Gabriel threw the ball only 19 times the whole day. Six of those passes came on the final drive to win the game. Gabriel’s day started shaky with a wildly inaccurate pass to [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] on the first play of the game and a pick-six on the third play of the game.

There were also times guys were open but Gabriel didn’t throw them the ball and looked like someone not seeing the field. Still, with the game on the line, you need to trust your quarterback to make the play.

Lebby talked about his mindset going into that drive after the game. “We wanted to make sure they used all three but we were trying like heck to get a first down,” Lebby said. “Felt like running the ball, having the ability to pin them there without any timeouts, make them go the length was the right thing to do. That’s why I ran it there on 3rd Down. Got to execute better. Got a chance to win the game if we stay on the field.”

While we understand the thought process of making Kansas use their timeouts, that’s coaching to not lose the game instead of coaching to win the game. Usually, coaches who coach not to lose the game end up losing the game.

Running it on first down made a lot of sense. But after losing a yard, the plan should have changed. At that point, there was too much time left in the game to worry about Kansas’ timeout situation.

It brought back memories of a year ago and how Oklahoma lost so many close games late because of coaching blunders. Last year, one loss became multiple losses in a row. The Sooners had multiple losing streaks.

We’ll see if this year is any different when they take on Oklahoma State this Saturday in Stillwater.

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Report Card: Poor grades all around as Oklahoma loses to Kansas

Oklahoma struggles nearly across the board areas but how did each position group grade out in the loss to Kansas?

Oklahoma took their first loss of the season on Saturday, falling to the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] on a rainy and disgusting day in Lawrence. From the first play from scrimmage, it appeared Oklahoma would be in for a fight. And sure enough, that’s precisely what happened.

Oklahoma fell victim to another slow start on both sides of the ball. The Sooners were never able to get their passing game going. Due to the weather conditions, they relied heavily on their offensive line and running backs to generate offense.

The sooners will try and figure things out as they get set to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in what will be the last Bedlam for quite some time.

OU played a rough game on all fronts. Some things were encouraging, but a lot of the performance put forth was not good enough. We broke it down by position group below.

5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s devastating loss to the Kansas Jayhawks

Taking a look at five takeaways in the aftermath of OU’s 38-33 loss against Kansas on Saturday.

Oklahoma’s final trip to Lawrence as Big 12 members was not a pleasant one. Lance Leipold’s Jayhawks pulled off the stunning upset on Saturday. Kansas came out on top 38-33 after standing firm as Oklahoma attempted one final prayer of a throw into the endzone.

The game was topsy-turvy from the very beginning, but it’s hard to argue that the better team on the day didn’t win. Kansas set the tone early, running through Oklahoma tackles with ease and disrupting the Oklahoma offense from the outset.

Some of the issues that have been underlying coming into the game resurfaced, and Oklahoma couldn’t overcome those. Additionally, the spirited play of the Jayhawks, who were determined to end the 26-year drought between their last win against the Sooners, made a huge difference in the outcome.

The result is hard to swallow, but now that the dust has settled, here are our five takeaways from Oklahoma’s first loss.

5 keys to an Oklahoma Sooners victory over Kansas

Can the Oklahoma Sooners extend their winning streak over Kansas on Saturday? Here are our five keys to the game.

On Saturday, No. 6 Oklahoma (7-0, 4-0) will take on Lance Leipold’s [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] (5-2, 2-2) for the final time as Big 12 foes.

Oklahoma needs to play a much better game on Saturday than they did against the UCF Knights. They looked to be sleepwalking through the game at times and could have been more crisp on offense. The offensive line had its worst game of the season in pass protection, and until the fourth quarter, the Sooners couldn’t expose a lousy run defense.

Defensively, two busted plays defined the day, as both led to UCF touchdowns. Those plays aside, it was an excellent day for an Oklahoma defense that continues to show improvement.

Kansas will present another challenge for this revitalized Oklahoma defense. The Sooners D continues to make opposing offenses look outmatched at times. Aside from the occasional busts in coverages, this unit is much better than the one that Kansas saw in Norman last year when Kansas quarterback Jason Bean threw four touchdowns.

The Jayhawks have two solid running backs, Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. They are as explosive as teams get and will provide Oklahoma with a challenge.

Ultimately, the Sooners still hold advantages at multiple spots. With their lackluster performance from UCF behind them, the Sooners should come out on fire.

The Jayhawks surely won’t go down without a fight, and Brent Venables will make sure the team knows that.

Kansas hasn’t beaten OU since 1997. The Sooners have won the last 18 matchups between the two sides. But what are the keys to Oklahoma closing out the 100-year series with a win? Here are this week’s keys to the game.

5 Jayhawks to know ahead of Oklahoma vs. Kansas

Get ready for Oklahoma’s road trip to face Kansas by getting to know these 5 Jayhawks.

Oklahoma’s quest to Arlington for the right to play for one final Big 12 title continues again this week as the Sooners travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on Lance Leipold’s Jayhawks.

Kansas has had a renaissance of late. They are no longer the sport’s worst program and can undoubtedly give Oklahoma a fight. There’s an avenue for KU to win, especially if the Sooners play like they did against UCF.

Kansas (5-2, 2-2 Big 12 play) will try to get back on track vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (7-0, 4-0) after suffering a loss in their last game on October 14th against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The bye week came at a perfect time. The Jayhawks will be motivated and rested to try and knock off a top-10 team at home and secure bowl eligibility for the second straight season.

Oklahoma will have their hands full, especially defensively. Kansas has a dynamic offense. KU averages 212 yards on the ground per game on 5.6 yards per carry. The most dynamic aspect would have been their talented signal caller, Jalon Daniels, but he will not play. Instead, senior Jason Bean will lead the way.

Who are the players to know for a team that Oklahoma can’t take lightly? We’ve got you covered below.

By the Numbers: No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kansas Jayhawks

Get a By the Numbers look at the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Saturday marks the 114th meeting between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas Jayhawks. It’s a series the Sooners have dominated, holding a record of 80-27-6 against the Jayhawks.

Over the last two decades, that dominance has been on display, with the Sooners winning the last 18 matchups. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Jayhawks have been improving since Lance Leipold took over in the spring of 2021. Though no one would mistake Kansas for a national title contender, it has seen a drastic upswing in performance. Leipold holds a 13-19 record in two-plus seasons on the job. But since the start of 2022, the Jayhawks are 11-9.

They’re a good offensive team that has a defense that can make some plays, even if they do give up a ton of yardage.

Regardless of the history, this Saturday’s game could be a completely different story. The Jayhawks have closed the gap significantly on the Sooners. If Oklahoma isn’t ready to play from the outset or experiences lulls like we saw against UCF, it could be a long day in Lawrence.

Here’s a look at the statistical breakdown of this week’s matchup.

Jason Bean expected to start for Kansas when they host the Oklahoma Sooners

While Jalon Daniels is making progress, it sounds like the Sooners will see Jason Bean at quarterback for the Kansas Jayhawks this week.

The biggest question mark this week ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners’ road trip to Lawrence is the health of Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Daniels has been out the last several weeks due to a lingering back issue that kept him out of the season opener against Missouri State. And it looks like it may keep him out against the Sooners this Saturday.

Joining Steven St. John and Nate Bukaty on Sports Radio 810 a.m. Tuesday morning, Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold provided an update on the KU quarterback.

“He’s making progress,” Leipold said of Daniels. “It’s still not where it needs to know. Again, today will be a big day. I haven’t heard what the trainers are going to say, but right now, I would expect Jason Bean to be the starting quarterback, and that’s the direction we’re heading.”

Jason Bean isn’t your typical backup quarterback. He’s played a lot of football and been productive when he’s gotten the opportunity to play. This season, Bean has completed 65% of his passes for 913 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s thrown just two interceptions (both in the loss to Oklahoma State). Bean is averaging 9.6 yards per attempt, which would be tied for seventh in the nation if he had enough attempts to qualify.

He may not have the same ceiling that a guy like Jalon Daniels has, but he’s a player capable of putting on a show through the air. Just last year against Oklahoma, Bean threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns. That was a week after throwing for 262 yards and four scores against TCU.

As Leipold mentioned, Daniels is making progress. So Brent Venables and his staff will have to be prepared for the potential that Daniels could play. However, it’s looking like it will be Jason Bean leading the way for the Jayhawks on Saturday.

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 John on Twitter @john9williams.