Tag: Kip Lewis

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.

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.

Final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the UCF Knights

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the UCF Knights, here are a few final thoughts ahead of week 8.

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to extend their undefeated start to the 2023 season when they take on the UCF Knights on Saturday. Oklahoma is a heavy favorite heading into the first-ever matchup between the two teams.

But the Knights have some talent that could pose problems for the Sooners when they take the field at 11 a.m. CT in Norman.

At Sooners Wire, we’re feeling good about the Sooners heading into this one. But based on the numbers, UCF can certainly make life difficult for Oklahoma.

Here are the players that will make the biggest impact for both Oklahoma and UCF, as well as keys to the game.

Ahead of the Big 12 contest, here are a few final thoughts on the Sooners vs. Knights.

Midseason positional review: How have the Oklahoma Sooners looked at the midway point?

How have each position group done so far for the Oklahoma Sooners at the midway point?

The Oklahoma Sooners have hit the midway point of the 2023 college football season. The Sooners are undefeated at 6-0 in year two under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Venables is now 13-7

Offensively they’ve been pretty good. They rank No. 6 in total offense, No. 9 in 3rd down offense, No. 2 in 1st down offense, and No. 4 in scoring offense.

The defense has also been pretty good and shown vast improvement. They rank No. 50 in total defense, No. 12 in 3rd down defense, No. 31 in rush defense, and No. 2 in turnovers forced.

There is still much improvement that needs to be made for both units, but so far, they’ve made significant strides.

Prior to the season, I broke down each position group, so let’s go through and see how they are doing at this point and give them a midseason grade.

No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Iowa State Cyclones: Sooners Wire staff predictions

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to continue their undefeated season when they host Iowa State Saturday, and here are this week’s Sooners Wire staff predictions.

The Oklahoma Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) and the Iowa State Cyclones (2-2, 1-0) renew a matchup that dates back to a 13-0 win for the Cyclones back in 1928. Though they earned the win in the series opener, OU holds a 79-7-2 edge over Iowa State in the all-time series.

Each year is a different game, but Iowa State has played the Oklahoma Sooners tough in recent years.

2022’s win was the largest margin of victory in a win for the Oklahoma Sooners during the Matt Campbell era.

How will the Sooners perform this week? Here’s how we feel the game will go in this week’s staff predictions.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

The Iowa State Cyclones have been a thorn in the Sooners’ side since [autotag]Matt Campbell[/autotag] took over as head coach.

They upset the Sooners in Norman in 2017 and also knocked them off in 2020. That doesn’t include the game-winning 2-point conversion stop the Sooners made in 2019 or the interception late in the game in 2021.

No matter how talented the Sooners have been, Iowa State knows how to play them close.

They do that with elite defense and by taking care of the football.

People will look at Iowa State this year and think they aren’t very good, and the Sooners will roll. Well, that’s not entirely true. They still are elite defensively and had a coming-out party on offense in their win over Oklahoma State a week ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if this game was another low-scoring game for both teams, similar to last week.

Sooners 27, Cyclones 6

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No. 14 Sooners vs Cincinnati Bearcats: How to Watch, key players, weather forecast for gameday

The Sooners are going to be in for a battle this weekend, let’s take a look at how you can watch, the impact players, injury report and what’s the weather going to be like.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to take on the [autotag]Cincinnati Bearcats[/autotag] on Saturday. This is the first conference game for both teams.

The Sooners are coming off a 3-0 nonconference slate whereas the Bearcats are coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to in-state foe Miami (Oh.). But don’t let that game fool you. The Bearcats had seven trips to the red zone and only scored on four of them, two of which were field goals.

That’s how you beat yourself in a game you should win. This game is going to be a lot more interesting than people think. This is the best defensive line the Sooners have faced to date and could be the best they face all season.

But that doesn’t mean the offense isn’t any good. They rank No. 12 in the nation in total yards and No. 8 in the nation in rushing. The Sooners’ 15th-ranked rushing defense is going to be tested once again and the Bearcats have a very good dual-threat quarterback at the helm.

Not to mention this is going to be Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff game, the only time Oklahoma is making the trip as conference foes, and is expected to be a blackout for Cincinnati.

But without giving too much away, let’s dive into how you can watch the Sooners on the road.

No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners at Cincinnati Bearcats: Sooners Wire staff predictions

Can the Oklahoma Sooners keep the good times rolling on the road against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Here are this week’s staff predictions.

The Oklahoma Sooners get ready for their last Big 12 opener as they travel to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in week four. The Sooners are rolling and take on a Bearcats team looking to rebound after their first loss of the season.

Can Oklahoma continue its defensive performance on the road against a talented dual-threat quarterback? Can the offense keep hitting big plays through the passing game? Can the running game find some running room against one of the best defensive fronts in the country?

We’ll find out starting at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday.

Here are this week’s Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

When we first saw Oklahoma’s schedule, this game against the Bearcats was the one that worried me the most before the Texas game.

Cincinnati is a team that shouldn’t be overlooked.

That defensive line is nasty and physical. They can disrupt an entire game plan. My worry has only grown due to how well the Bearcats’ offense is playing, particularly running the football. Their run game is No. 8 nationally.

Combine that with the loss last week, and this might be a trap game for the Sooners. If they’re not careful, they could look past the Bearcats and come out flat because of Cincinnati’s loss to Miami (Oh.).

They can very well lose this game. I think they’ll win, but it’ll be a lot closer than people think.

Sooners 34, Cincinnati 24

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Brent Venables provides injury updates on several Oklahoma Sooners

With Oklahoma set to open Big 12 play, Brent Venables offered an injury update on several Sooners.

This offseason, the Oklahoma Sooners’ coaching staff highlighted their improved “competitive depth” from the 2022 season. That depth is being put to the test early in 2023, as injuries to several starters will force the Sooners to go deeper into the roster.

The most notable, at this point, is the knee injury suffered by starting cheetah Justin Harrington, who missed the Tulsa game. Though there’s no official timetable for his recovery, it’s not looking like he’ll be back anytime soon for the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners turned to [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] at cheetah with Dasan McCullough out of action with his own injury. McCullough’s expected to be back for the Sooners this week when they travel to Cincinnati.

There are several other names to keep an eye on. [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] left the Sooners win over Tulsa with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by a combination of [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag].

[autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], and [autotag]Jasiah Wagoner[/autotag] are dealing with ailments of their own. And like Byrd, Brent Venables is “hopeful” for those guys. Now does that mean they’ll be available this week? Time will tell.

Pearson and Thomas are significant members of the Sooners defensive depth chart. Wagoner had an offseason that impressed the coaches and those in attendance at practices.

Also notable, youngsters [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Rowe[/autotag] will have season-ending surgeries.

Picciotti, a true freshman linebacker, hadn’t recorded a snap through three games. Coaches were impressed with the offseason the New Jersey native and IMG Academy talent put together, but he’ll redshirt for 2023 and continue to work toward being an impact player in 2024.

Jayden Rowe, the Tulsa native, will also be out for the remainder of the year. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class and has played 22 snaps for the Sooners across his first two seasons.

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.

Report Card: Saturday against Tulsa was about passing final nonconference test with flying colors

Oklahoma dominated Tulsa from beginning to end. Take a look as we go position by position and hand out grades for the performance.

Saturday’s dismantling of Tulsa was a much-needed conclusion for the Sooners to their nonconference schedule. The Sooners needed to erase any doubts, bouncing back and disposing of teams handily after a grind-it-out win against SMU.

The concerns about the conservative nature of the offense against SMU were put to rest as Oklahoma slung the ball all over the field for 476 yards.

Defensively, the Sooners grounded the Tulsa passing attack, allowing less than 250 yards through the air.

It was a convincing win and a pleasant, feel-good tuneup before they turn their heads to Cincinnati. Big 12 play is upon them, but before we turn the page, let’s pass out grades for this weekend’s performances.

Three defensive keys for a Sooners victory in Tulsa

Oklahoma is set to travel to Tulsa and continue their dominating ways on Saturday. We took a look at three defensive keys for OU.

Oklahoma’s defense has been the story of the 2023 season thus far. They have been fascinating to watch. While they have yet to play the more talented teams on their schedule, the foundation they are laying on the field through two games is encouraging.

Against an SMU team loaded with skill position talent and a young but talented quarterback, the Sooners gave up just one touchdown.

It wasn’t just the scoring defense, either.

Part of what made the performance so successful was the players’ ability to diagnose things and make plays in the backfield. They played sound football, correctly setting the edge in the run game to minimize gains.

Some of that discipline was lacking on defense last year. The course correction early in 2023 has been fun to watch.

Brent’s boys take their show down the road to Tulsa and will look to keep the tremendous defensive play going.

We highlighted the offensive keys to a Sooners victory earlier this week. This time, we’ll look at the defensive keys for a Sooners win on Saturday.

Up Next: 3 Keys to success for OU’s defense

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