Tag: kennedy brooks

Oklahoma’s running game on a roll, will carry the Sooners in Big 12 play

As much as the passing game steals the headlines (both good and bad), it’s Oklahoma’s running game that’s on a roll as Big 12 play begins.

The greatest trick Lincoln Riley ever played was convincing the world that he’s a pass-first play-caller.

Okay, that’s not exactly how the quote from the cult classic, The Usual Suspects goes, but it feels fitting.

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator turned head coach broke into the Power Five with the Sooners coordinating some high-flying passing attacks, and at the same time, made the run-game a priority. Every season under Lincoln Riley, the Sooners have run the ball more than they’ve thrown it. Sometimes 10-15 times more per game. Sure, they’ve had a lot of insurmountable leads, which lend to running the ball more, but even in the first half of games, the Sooners are trying to have balance.

Lincoln Riley might have made a name for himself by producing a group of quarterbacks with two Heisman Trophies, one finalist, two first overall NFL Draft picks, one top 50 pick, and three starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Still, he’s balanced it well, and at times, leaned on the running game.

Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, Rodney Anderson, Trey Sermon, and Kennedy Brooks have all thrived in Lincoln Riley’s running game, and now Eric Gray is continuing that legacy.

As a team, the Oklahoma Sooners are averaging 5.6 yards per attempt on the ground and nearly 200 yards per game, according to College Football Reference. Their 10 rushing touchdowns are tied for 14th in the country, while their team rushing yards is 35th.

It wasn’t a clean first effort against Tulane, though Kennedy Brooks was as effective as he’s ever been. But over the last two games, Eric Gray has taken off. With a massive lift from the offensive line the last two games, the duo of Brooks and Gray has taken off in the run game.

The offensive line has been getting a strong push in the running game, opening holes for the Sooners’ lead rushers, and Brooks and Gray have made people miss, getting to the second level for big plays.

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on West Virginia and preseason All-American defensive tackle Dante Stills, the run game will have to continue to carry them. Spencer Rattler hasn’t been sharp, and teams have focused on taking away the deep passing game. If teams force the Sooners into a more methodical offense, then Brooks and Gray and the offensive line will have to continue to be as effective as they’ve been the last couple of weeks.

The passing game gets all of the headlines in the modern era of college football, but the run game remains a priority for Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners. As Oklahoma gets set to defend their Big 12 title with their conference opener on Saturday, it’s the Sooners run game that will carry them to their seventh straight Big 12 championship.

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Handing Out Grades: Report Card for the Oklahoma Sooners win vs. Nebraska

How did the Sooners position groups perform in their 23-16 win over Nebraska?

It’s always easier to talk about a team’s performance when they’ve won a game. At the end of the day, all that matters is who has more points than the other. Oklahoma didn’t play their best football in the game versus Nebraska. They would tell you that and the world knows that. However, they won the game and that’s what’s most important and in the process, we saw some things that make us feel a bit better about how these first three weeks have gone.

Let’s hand out some grades.

Quarterbacks: B-

Spencer rattler definitely did not play his best game. Most of that was largely due to him and at times his coach Lincoln Riley being stumped by the soft zone and zone blitz Nebraska was sending their way. At numerous points, Rattler looked notably hesitant in the pocket and it led to errant throws and him holding on to the ball just entirely too long. They would eventually find a few chinks in it and string together enough completions and run the ball more than effective enough to win the game.

He started the game on fire going 6 of 7 on his first drive. He made some great throws on third down but made some questionable decisions trying to get the ball to freshman Mario Williams. When the team needed him to make plays, he delivered. He finished 24/34 for 214 yards and a TD pass to Jeremiah Hall to go along with a QB sneak for a touchdown.

Up Next: Grading the Running Backs and Offensive Line

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Things get tougher as Oklahoma Sooners’ schedule heats up

As summer prepares to give way to fall, can the Oklahoma Sooners avoid their traditional early-season let-down?

Temperatures will soon drop, the sun will set sooner (pun intended) and the leaves will continue to change colors and fall off their trees. All these things will happen. Just as you can be assured they will take place, you can be confident that something else will happen: Oklahoma’s games will get more challenging.

It’s an undeniable fact.

We will not know how much just yet, but the conference schedule brings a level of intensity that can’t be replicated by playing Western Carolina.

After disposing of the Catamounts, the Sooners focus on their longtime rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They are largely expected to win this game fairly easily. However, much like the next month will tell us, how the Sooners handle the next month will indicate their national title prospects.

Nebraska represents a marquee game in an early time slot for the Sooners. Regardless of the result, they know they will be playing their Big 12 opener against West Virginia at night on Sept. 25.

How will they respond after playing a rivalry game and making the switch to competing for a Big 12 title and potentially much more?

An unfortunate staple of the program has been navigating the September and October schedule while dropping an early conference game or two.

Recent struggles with Kansas State come to mind. OU’s perception as a legitimate title contender will take a critical hit if it drops a game before it plays Texas in Dallas for the Red River Rivalry. Narratives will be recycled, and the same cloud will hover over the team. Oklahoma will be viewed as a sacrificial lamb for an SEC team.

This year, Oklahoma has a complete and proven roster to stop the narrative before it starts. Take these early conference games as seriously as it does the conference games in November and December.

Maturation in decision making from their starting quarterback, consistent effort from the offensive line to open holes for Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray, receivers not named Marvin Mims showing up, stout defense from start to finish are just a few things to look for.

West Virginia will not lay down two weeks from now. This weekend, Nebraska will come into Norman on an emotional high, trying to do the unthinkable in a renewed rivalry.

The target on Oklahoma’s back is getting bigger by the week. The Sooners know how things have gone in the past, and it’s time for them to flip the script. Finishing strong is excellent, but just like this year’s roster, there’s room and talent to complete the task at hand from start to finish fully.

Just like the leaves falling, temperatures dropping, and the sun setting just a bit earlier, you can count on the Oklahoma Sooners being tested as the fall rolls on.

It’s up to them to decide how they handle these tests.

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Did Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson do enough to ease RB depth concerns?

In the Oklahoma Sooners 76-0 win over Western Carolina, Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson were productive, but did they do enough to answer the questions about the running back room?

Tumultuous. That’s it. That’s the one word that can be used to describe Oklahoma’s winter, spring, and summer in the running back room.

Following the Oklahoma Sooners’ thrashing of the Florida Gators in the Cotton Bowl, head coach Lincoln Riley and running backs coach DeMarco Murray thought they would head into this season with a stable of some really great running backs. Flash forward to now and things did not pan out remotely close to how they envisioned them.

We documented those troubles in detail right here.  However, we are here to discuss the running backs of this season. More specifically, the two guys on the team that aren’t on scholarship, who will play a vital role going forward.

Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson round out a paper-thin running back room as they back up Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray. Gray and Brooks are the featured guys, and for good reason, but where do Knowles and Hudson fit in?

Both are walk-ons and got their chance to show something in meaningful game action in the Sooners dismantling of Western Carolina University. Knowles, a redshirt junior had four carries for 37 yards and two rushing touchdowns and added two catches for 67 yards to close out a pretty productive night. Hudson, a redshirt sophomore was able to tote the rock nine times for 25 yards and two touchdowns.

Obviously, the competition wasn’t the toughest but a key component to being a running back is holding on to the ball. Knowles and Hudson did that on Saturday.

Barring injury, it’s hard to envision a time where either see the field with a game still in doubt. Riley and Murray will ride the wheels of Gray and Brooks until the wheels fall off. They have to. They offer things that Knowles and Hudson don’t. Most notably in size, speed, and big-game experience. However, there’s reason to believe if one of the main two goes down, Riley and Murray will probably have a little bit more confidence in one of the walk-ons stepping into a significant role. They almost have to. They know the plays, the responsibilities and it’s easier to plug them in on the fly as opposed to try and shift the position of a wide receiver and turn them into a running back in the middle of a game week.

Is the verdict a yes or no? There’s just not enough evidence to accurately give a definitive answer. Knowles and Hudson gave their coaches something to think about and that’s much more than either envisioned coming into the season. Only time will tell when or if they will actually be called upon in a significant moment or game.

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Passing Out Grades: Report Card for Oklahoma after win vs WCU

How did the Sooners grade out in their 76-0 win over Western Carolina? Check out this week’s positional report card.

After a week of re-evaluation and reflection, the Oklahoma Sooners came out and showed the world that they did not put their best foot forward in game one against Tulane. Tulane played hard for the entirety of the game. However, OU flexed at once and was up 37-14 and eventually took their foot off the gas and allowed the door to be left open for Tulane to come back.

Oklahoma let out some frustration and then some against the Catamounts en route to posting a 76-0 final score. They would narrowly escape, and head coach Lincoln Riley made it known things would be different during their game against Western Carolina. The man did not lie.

There were several aspects of the team that had decent but not spectacular moments in the previous game. After the game in our previous report card, we broke down the grades for those units.

NEXT: How did the Quarterbacks and Running Backs Grade Out?

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Oklahoma Sooners score dominating 76-0 win over Western Carolina

The Oklahoma Sooners got a dominant performance on both sides of the football on their way to a 76-0 blowout of Western Carolina.

After a first half that saw the Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) jump out to a 45-0 lead over the Western Carolina Catamounts, Oklahoma continued to pour it on after halftime en route to a 76-0 win over their FCS opponent on Saturday night.

The Sooners rushed for 277 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt, and Spencer Rattler had five touchdown passes before giving way to the second and third-string quarterbacks after halftime.

13 different Sooners caught passes from Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams, and Ralph Rucker, and seven different players scored a touchdown in OU’s win.

Williams completed 5 of 10 passes for 84 yards and carried the ball four times for 60 yards, including an electric 59-yard run on a read-option. Rucker completed was 2 of 2 for 10 yards as the Sooners were just trying to milk the clock.

In the first half, Eric Gray led the Sooners rushing attack, picking up 74 yards on nine carries and adding one reception for 20 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy Brooks carried the ball six times for 48 yards and a touchdown before Jaden Knowles, and Todd Hudson took over in the second half. Knowles had four carries, 34 yards, and two touchdowns, and a 54-yard reception. Hudson had nine carries for 25 yards and two touchdowns.

Mario Williams led the way for the Sooners receiving corps with four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown, and Jadon Haselwood caught two touchdowns, and Mike Woods got his first score with the Sooners.

On the night, the Sooners’ defense allowed just 11 first downs and 178 total yards of offense, much of which was after halftime. They forced three turnovers and sacked Western Carolina quarterbacks four times on the evening. Perrion Winfrey led the way with 1.5 sacks. In the first half alone, they recorded three sacks and six tackles for loss as they smothered the Catamounts.

It was everything you could hope for the Oklahoma Sooners when playing an FCS opponent at home. They were dominant in every area of the game and did a nice job of getting their depth involved in the win.

The Sooners next play the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home at 11 a.m. CDT next Saturday, and we’ll have all the coverage in the build-up here at Sooners Wire.

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Oklahoma Sooners rolling, lead Western Carolina 45-0 at half

The Oklahoma Sooners dominated the first half vs. Western Carolina University 45-0 led by Spencer Rattler’s five touchdown passes.

Everything’s working for the Oklahoma Sooners tonight against Western Carolina. After the second-half lull that allowed Tulane to come back and make it a game last week, the Sooners are doing everything they want against the Catamounts and lead 45-0.

Spencer Rattler’s thrown for 243 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Sooners to an impressive first half against their FCS opponent. The Heisman Trophy contender has completed passes to 11 different receivers in the first half and true freshman Mario Williams leads the Sooners receiving corps with four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown, his second of the season. Jaden Haselwood scored two touchdowns and Mike Woods added one as well as the Sooners showed off their impressive wide receiver depth.

After a lackluster debut, Tennessee transfer Eric Gray broke out in a big way with nine carries for 74 yards and one reception for 20 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy Brooks added six carries, 48 yards, and his second touchdown of the season.

The Sooners offense collected 398 total yards and 22 first downs. As dominant as they were, the defense was equally dominant in the first half, limiting the Catamounts to just 68 total yards and three first downs.

The Sooners run defense was excellent, holding Western Carolina to -4 yards rushing in the first. They sacked Western Carolina quarterback Rogan Wells three times on the way to a first-half shutout.

As the Sooners get ready to play the second half, the only questions left to answer are: can they keep the shutout alive? How much will the underclassmen play? And how much will we see true freshman quarterback Caleb Williams?

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What you need to know to get ready for Oklahoma vs. Western Carolina

As the Oklahoma Sooners get ready to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts, here’s what you need to know to get ready for tonight’s game.

The Oklahoma Sooners face the Western Carolina Catamounts today with an opportunity to start the season 2-0. Coming off a win over Tulane, the Sooners have some things to correct before facing the Nebraska Cornhuskers next week.

The most important aspect has to be their mentality. As Lincoln Riley admitted in his postgame press conference, the Sooners didn’t have the right mentality coming out of halftime. OU needs to find an edge and mentality that will carry them for 60 minutes. It’s not enough to have a dominant quarter as they did in the second quarter of week one. For the Oklahoma Sooners to achieve the goals they’ve set before themselves, they need to play for a full 60 minutes and play relentless football.

Though it’s a significant step up in competition for the Catamounts, their quarterback Rogan Wells is an experienced player that could pose some problems for the Sooners’ defense. An athletic player, it’ll be important to get pressure on him early and finish with sacks. Getting pressure on Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt wasn’t the problem, containing him was.

The Sooners can’t let the Catamounts get comfortable on Owen Field. On offense, they have to finish drives. Against a team like Western Carolina, kicking five field goals might be enough, but that won’t carry them through the rest of the schedule. This team has to score touchdowns at a better rate.

As you get ready for tonight’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Western Carolina Catamounts, here are the top storylines to get you ready for kickoff.

A bold prediction about the Sooners’ offense entering week 2

Oklahoma needs to sharpen its passing game and rushing attack against the Catamounts in week 2. But a big game by this Sooner could be the most helpful.

After what should have been Spencer Rattlers’ third interception against the Green Wave, Oklahoma tried to calm its quarterback down with back-to-back run calls with five minutes remaining in the game. 

At this moment in time, ground production could have sealed the Sooners’ win. Positive runs on first and second down would continue to drain the clock, place Tulane’s physical defense on its heels, and significantly improve Oklahoma’s chances of delivering the kill shot. 

Instead, Tulane neutralized Eric Gray on first down, and Kennedy Brooks ran into an iron curtain for a three-yard loss on the proceeding play. The Green Wave would then knock away Rattlers’ pass intended for Mike Woods before forcing the Sooners into a missed field goal attempt from the Tulane 14.

Brooks still muscled his way into 87 yards and a touchdown in his first game back after opting out of the 2020 season. However, outside of the second quarter, Tulane dictated most of OU’s ground production. Lincoln Riley and OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh can’t be happy with the offensive line’s inability to establish the run in crucial moments. 

That’s why the ground game is the focus of this week’s bold prediction. I believe the Sooners will take a vested interest in establishing the run against Western Carolina and that Eric Gray will pass the century mark.

Everyone will benefit if OU emphasizes its rushing attack tomorrow. It would allow Spencer Rattler to ease into the game and alleviate his desire to sling passes into double coverage. Additionally, it would give the coaches a better look at Eric Gray. The Sooners have high hopes for the Tennesse transfer, but an inconsistent effort from the offensive line didn’t allow Gray to pop on the game tape. Gray had a pedestrian performance against Tulane as he rushed nine times for just 28 yards.

I expect Gray to be a prominent feature in tomorrow’s game plan. Not just to amend last week’s shortcomings but also because a strong running game is a promising avenue to success against WCU. 

The Catamounts did an admirable job against the run versus Eastern Kentucky. They surrendered just 81 yards on 22 attempts to EKU’s Da’Jou Hewitt. But the Eastern Kentucky Colonels are not on the same level as the Oklahoma Sooners. The Crimson and Cream outweigh WCU by an average of 56 pounds in the trenches. So if OU can’t establish the run when necessary against the Catamounts, it will be unlikely to do so all season.

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of my bold prediction coming true is the fact that there is only one football. Lincoln Riley reinforced to the media this week that walk-on running backs Todd Hudson and Jaden Knowles still have a place within the offense. Their inclusion in tomorrow’s game plan alongside Kennedy Brooks could reduce Gray’s touches and his ability to rush for 100+ yards. 

Brooks will continue to get his reps. As he should, he deserves every one of them. But he proved last week he’s the same caliber of runner he was in 2019. It would be most helpful if Eric Gray is the running back who makes a statement this week. Whether he does it off 15+ rushes or two or three breakaway runs, I predict Gray is the leading man on the ground tomorrow.

Per 247Sports Former Sooners’ running back Tre Bradford re-enrolls at LSU

After departing the University of Oklahoma a week and a half ago, it became official late last night that Tre Bradford was returning to LSU per 247Sports.

The winding saga that is the Tre Bradford story has reached a conclusion, at least for now. Bradford, who transferred to the University of Oklahoma in the Spring from LSU left the program just a week and a half before the Oklahoma Sooners’ season opener.

According to reports at the time, he was looking toward returning to LSU. Well, it became official late last night that the former Tiger turned Sooner is now a Tiger again per 247Sports.

Bradford’s time with the Sooners never really got rolling and it’s still a mystery as to what went wrong here. Sooners’ head coach Lincoln Riley didn’t know what to say about the situation but admitted that Bradford was a player that they “flat out missed on” in the transfer portal.

It was incredibly unfortunate timing as the Sooners just lost Marcus Major to academic ineligibility. The Sooners running back depth took a hit two weeks ago with back-to-back losses to the group. Oklahoma has just two scholarship running backs on the depth chart in Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray. Walk-ons Jaden Knowles and Todd Hudson were expected to get snaps in the wake of the losses of Major and Bradford, but neither saw a touch in the Sooners 40-35 win over Tulane on Saturday.

The Tigers now get a player back who many in Norman thought very highly of. From his fellow running backs to running backs coach DeMarco Murray, to Lincoln Riley, each of them praised the ability he displayed in practices.

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