Tag: john rhys plumlee

Seahawks hosting UCF quarterback prospect for top-30 visit

According to Pete Nakos at On3, the team is hosting former Ole Miss and UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee for an official top-30 visit.

The Seahawks may have traded for Sam Howell, but apparently they’re not done looking at quarterbacks ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

According to Pete Nakos at On3, the team is hosting former Ole Miss and UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee for an official top-30 visit.

Plumlee (6-foot-0, 200 pounds) played his first three college seasons at Mississippi, appearing in 29 games. In 2022 he transferred to UCF and was elevated to a starting role. In 23 games there he posted nearly 5,000 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and a 141.3 rating.

While his passing numbers don’t exactly scream NFL future, Plumlee is undeniably an excellent rushing quarterback. All together he had 453 carries in college, totaling over 2,500 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights from Ole Miss.

And here’s some from UCF.

Plumlee was not invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, so we don’t have measurables as of yet. He will participate in the inaugural Big 12 Pro Day next week, though. Plumlee is generally ranked near the bottom of this quarterback class, which gives him a late Day 3 or UDFA projection.

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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.

‘It was a weird moment’: Peyton Bowen reflects on first sack of his career

Peyton Bowen didn’t play much in the win over UCF, but came up with a huge play on Saturday.

With about eight minutes to go in the game, the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] lined up for a 3rd and 6 after the Oklahoma Sooners just took the lead. [autotag]John Rhys Plumlee[/autotag] took the snap, went back to pass, and coming unblocked was star freshman [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen sacked him for a nine-yard loss, ending the drive.

Bowen only played five snaps in the win, according to Pro Football Focus. There’s been speculation on why that might be as he was reportedly wearing a boot after the game. However, he made his limited opportunities count. Oklahoma’s offense took over and went down and scored again to go up eight.

That essentially ended the game.

Bowen talked to reporters after the game and said getting a sack is not something he’s used to feeling.

“That was my first ever one,” Bowen said. “High school, all of it. So, I was confused once I got it. It was a weird moment.”

Bowen said that package was something they talked about on the sidelines, so he knew the play was coming. He admitted he wasn’t totally surprised he was unblocked on the play.

“We ran it during practice, and it was kind of the same thing. So I was really just like, someone is coming free, though,” Bowen said. “If it comes down to me, whatever, the dude next to me is going to get it. Once I came up free, I was like, ‘Oh snap, my moment.”

Bowen seized his moment as he’s becoming a guy with a reputation for making big plays at big moments. He finished with two tackles on the day but none bigger than that one.

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: Sooners sleepwalk on offense in UCF scare

Oklahoma took on UCF for the first time Saturday. UCF hung tough but the Sooners pulled it out late. Here is this week’s report card.

Saturday’s performance was an aberration for Team 129. The team we saw on Saturday was eerily reminiscent of the team that took the field 13 times last season to not-so-fun results. Yet, they knuckled up and found a way when it mattered most.

If we’re being honest, last year’s team would not have won that game. But despite the miserable team performance, it never felt like they wouldn’t make the necessary plays to win. That is a true testament to the wholesale changes in mentality, effort, talent, and coaching from last year to 2023.

Let’s get to the bottom line here with the dust settled. Oklahoma won, but it might have been the worst they looked on offense all year. It’s time to pass out grades in this week’s report card.

3 Stars of the Game: Defensive end duo plays inspired ball in Sooners win

Oklahoma escaped UCF’s upset bid on Saturday. While it wasn’t pretty these three players stood out most for their performance.

Oklahoma narrowly escaped on Saturday against UCF in a game many did not foresee as razor-tight. At no point outside of the game’s first minutes did  Oklahoma have control.

Ultimately, that remained the case for the rest of the game. However, somehow, Oklahoma found themselves walking off Owen Field still undefeated and 7-0, surpassing their 2022 win total in October of this year.

While the product was far from pretty, the result mattered, and the Sooners won. A few players from the team stood out, and we have declared them our three stars for this week.

Three Stars of the Game

No. 1 Star – Ethan Downs, DE

Ethan Downs has upped his level of play this season and has become an impact defender along the defensive line for the Sooners.

He had a lights-out performance vs. Texas and was just as disruptive against UCF.

He had a highlight play that saw him blow up two UCF players on a 3rd and 8 in the first quarter and ended up sacking Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee.

Downs also had five tackles in the run game and was credited with a tackle for loss. His ability to set the edge was vital in forcing UCF to run between the tackles, where they did not have the physical or schematical advantage against the Sooners.

No. 2 Star – Trace Ford, DL

Trace Ford had arguably his best game of the season on Saturday. He was a disruptive force on the ground and as a pass rusher.

Ford came up with two tackles for loss and knocked down two passes at the line of scrimmage. He was active and energetic.

While he did struggle to contain the edge at times, he was undoubtedly one of the more impactful defenders on Saturday.

No. 3 Star – Nic Anderson, WR

There’s no way to overstate Nic Anderson’s arrival this year, but he’s announced himself in a big way. He’s third on the team in receiving yards, first in touchdowns, and is averaging 24.8 yards per reception.

On Saturday, he scored twice, led the team in receiving yards, and further proved to be a reliable weapon in the passing game.

Anderson is showcasing route running, awareness, and explosiveness.

With Andrel Anthony out for the remainder of this season, Nic Anderson looks like he’s officially a starter for the long haul. Oklahoma will depend on him to make plays going forward. It’s up to Anderson to continue to make the most of those opportunities.

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.

‘Adversity is going to happen’: Kendel Dolby, Sooners defense battled to seal win

Kendel Dolby and the Oklahoma Sooners defense rose to the occasion when it mattered most.

With 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] had just completed an effortless drive to score a touchdown to cut the lead to two. In an attempt to tie the game, the Knights’ offense stayed on the field and lined up for a two-point conversion.

Quarterback [autotag]John Rhys Plumlee[/autotag] took the snap and slung it out to his left to [autotag]Xavier Townsend[/autotag] who then looked to throw the ball. The Sooners’ defense, led by [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], was all over it.

They covered it beautifully. From [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] taking away his main read to Dolby and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] staying out wide and defending the cutback to make sure he didn’t try to run it in as well. Ultimately, Dolby was the one who wrapped him up for an eight-yard loss, which essentially sealed the Sooners’ win.

Dolby talked to reporters after the game about that play. “Adversity is going to happen, Dolby said. “Coach (Venables) preaches that to us all of the time. Next play, that’s our mindset. It’s how I was thinking on that.”

The biggest thing that stood out about that two-point stop was that everyone on defense simply did their job. That’s not something we’ve seen from Sooners’ defenses in the past. At times those units seemed more concerned with making the big play as opposed to doing what the defense asked them to do.

Dolby was asked about Townsend wanting to throw it, and he said flat out his job was to play the ball and not worry about the throw. The throw was Bowman’s and Washington’s responsibility. Both of them did a great job taking that away as well. And because of it, the Sooners avoided overtime and remained undefeated on the 2023 season.

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.

Five Takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 31-29 win over the UCF Knights

Oklahoma pulled out a nailbiter as they hung on to beat UCF 31-29 in Norman on Saturday. Here are our five takeaways from the game.

Oklahoma escaped by the skin of its teeth on Saturday as they downed Big 12 newcomer UCF 31-29. It was a game that came down to the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

Considering how well Oklahoma has looked all season, it was a jarring performance. Especially after the Sooners had a bye week to put the Texas win behind them. Yet, on Saturday, after a relatively solid start, a pair of missed field goals kept the door open for UCF to run through. Before long, Oklahoma was fighting for its life and the right to stay undefeated.

When the dust cleared, the Sooners came out on top. A late surge in the fourth quarter was enough for Brent Venables’ team to get it done.

Here are five takeaways from the Sooners’ win.

Oklahoma Sooners survive, beat the UCF Knights 31-29 to stay unbeaten

It wasn’t pretty but the Oklahoma Sooners remained unbeaten with a 31-29 win over the UCF Knights.

The Oklahoma Sooners hung on to beat the UCF Knights 31-29 in a game that came down to the wire.

The Sooners’ defense started it off with a three-and-out but after a dropped direct snap and dropped pass by [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], the Sooners’ offense also went three and out.

The Sooners’ defense forced another three and out after a 3rd down sack by [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. UCF shanked the punt, and the Sooners started their next drive at UCF’s 40-yard line.

The Sooners offense couldn’t get anything going after a first down and [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag] missed a 38-yard field goal. While Sooners’ offense has looked out of sync, the defense has looked solid again as they forced another three and out. After another bad punt, the Sooners’ offense started the drive at the UCF 45-yard line.

Oklahoma cashed this time as [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] found [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] for a 29-yard score. The defense forced another three and out and had great field position again. But the offense couldn’t capitalize once again and Schmit once again missed the 43-yard field goal.

The Knights responded with a big run that put the ball first and goal on the Sooners’ one-yard line. Oklahoma’s defense came up big again and forced the Knights into a 4th and goal at the 2, but [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty giving the Knights a first down.  [autotag]John Rhys Plumlee[/autotag] tied it up at seven with his touchdown run.

After an Oklahoma punt, the Knights had a 1st and goal from the six but the Sooners’ defense held and forced a field goal. The Knights took a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter.

The Sooners finally got something going on offense as Gabriel hit Anderson again this time for a 42-yard touchdown pass.

[autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] got caught playing the run instead of the run-pass option, and UCF threw an 86-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead.

Gabriel led a great drive before the half, where Schmit finally cashed in with a field to tie it up at 17 going into halftime.

The Knights outgained the Sooners 232 to 226 in the first half.

The Sooners started with the ball, and Gabriel threw it to [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], who got hit as he was trying to catch it, which resulted in an interception. The defense forced a three-and-out, but the Knights were already in OU territory and kicked a field goal to take the 20-17 lead.

For a lot of the second half, the Sooners couldn’t get much going on offense.  Their first four drives of the second half ended with an interception and then three straight punts.

UCF added another field goal to make it 23-17 going into the fourth.

With 11:24 to play in the game, the Sooners finally got something going in the run game. Gavin Sawchuk picked up 23 yards on three carries and Marcus Major had two carries for 26 yards to help the Sooners get down the field before Drake Stoops took the screen pass from Gabriel for a touchdown.

With the score 24-23, the defense would get a stop after a huge sack by [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] to force a UCF punt.

The Sooners’ offense would take over and bleed the clock before Sawchuk busted it for a 30-yard touchdown run to put the Sooners up 31-23 late in the 4th Quarter.

UCF marched down the field and scored on a 4th down pass but the Sooners held on the two-point conversion to stay up 31-29.

The Sooners survived to remain unbeaten. The offense gained 442 yards of offense and held UCF to 397 total yards.

Dillon Gabriel had another solid day in the win, throwing for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 66% of his passes and ran for 22 yards. Nic Anderson led the Sooners in receiving with five catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Drake Stoops caught seven passes for 60 yards and the go-ahead score.

On the ground, Marcus Major, who was apparently dealing with a shoulder injury coming into the game, carried the ball 18 times for 80 yards. Gavin Sawchuk, who got the start, rushed 10 times for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Danny Stutsman led the way with 12 total tackles and a forced fumble. Key Lawrence had nine total tackles, including seven solo tackles in the win. Ethan Downs continued his strong 2023 season with six total tackles and a sack. In total, Oklahoma had three sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

Against one of the best run games in the country, the Sooners held the Knights to just 3.6 yards per carry and 149 yards rushing on the day.

It wasn’t a clean win, but the Oklahoma Sooners stayed undefeated. Now they get ready for a pair of road games in Lawrence to face the Kansas Jayhawks and then in Stillwater to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

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.

Keys to Victory: Oklahoma has to stop the run vs. UCF’s elite rushing attack

Oklahoma will take on UCF Saturday for the first time ever. How will the Sooners fare against the Big 12 newcomers? Here are 5 keys to a win

Saturday’s first-ever matchup between UCF and Oklahoma will be exciting. Storylines will focus on former Knights turned Sooners Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby. Oklahoma is playing its first game since their season-altering win against Texas. The Sooners are first in the Big 12 standings. They are in a prime position to win out and punch their ticket to Arlington to play for one final Big 12 title.

Their ascension up the Big 12 mountain continues, with UCF making the trip to Norman.

UCF isn’t a team Oklahoma can go through the motions with and expect to win. The Sooners are ranked in the top 10 and are the target for teams wanting to spoil Oklahoma’s Big 12 and College Football Playoff push.

How does Oklahoma avoid a colossal letdown in front of what should be a packed house on Saturday? We’ve covered it in our keys to the game for an Oklahoma victory.

Caleb Shaffer, Dillon Gabriel among key Sooners to watch versus UCF

Oklahoma will look to build on their 6-0 start as they take on UCF. Here are six Sooners that will be key to an Oklahoma win vs. the UCF Knights.

Oklahoma will roll out the crimson carpet and welcome one of the four Big 12 newcomers to Norman on Saturday. Gus Malzahn’s [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] travel from Orlando, Florida, to take on Brent Venables and the No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners.

Both teams come into the game off of their bye weeks. However, how each team played in the games before the bye will be a significant motivating factor in how things could shake out.

Oklahoma beat their bitter rivals, Texas, 34-30 in one of college football’s best games of the season while the Knights were steamrolled by the Kansas Jayhawks 51-22.

While the Sooners’ win over Texas is a significant win, the boys from Norman won’t be satisfied. They’ve got bigger ambitions now, starting with taking care of UCF. The next major milestone in getting to Arlington to compete for a Big 12 title.

UCF is a motivated and angry team that boasts the nation’s third-best rushing attack and a very athletic quarterback in John Rhys Plumlee. He can play. Oklahoma has a talent advantage, but execution will be the deciding factor.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the Sooners that will be to a victory on Saturday.