Tag: Marcus Major

20 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 10 per Pro Football Focus

The 20 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through week 10 per Pro Football Focus.

Though the Oklahoma Sooners are on a two-game losing streak, they’ve already surpassed their win total from a year ago with three games to go and a bowl game.

They still have a shot at a Big 12 title game berth. And after 6-7, that’s all we can really ask for.

The offense has shown improvement on third down and in the red zone. Dillon Gabriel is having a career year. The defense has shown significant improvement this season. A year ago, they allowed 30 or more points seven times. This year that’s only happened once against Kansas. Texas scored 30, but seven of those can be attributed to special teams on the blocked punt.

Yes, they lost winnable games the last two weeks, playing uncharacteristically sloppy football. Otherwise, they’ve been a really good team this year.

As they get ready to close the season, here are the top 20 highest-graded players according to Pro Football Focus through week 10.

Minimum 25% snap count

Offense: 177.75

Defense: 167.75

Can the Sooners run game build off their strong finish vs. UCF?

The Oklahoma Sooners put things together on the ground in the fourth quarter against UCF. Can they keep the good times rolling vs. Kansas?

Down six points with just over 11 minutes to play in the game, the Oklahoma Sooners put together arguably their best stretch running the football all season.

After a first down incompletion from [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] rattled off a seven-yard run and then took his next two carries for eight yards a piece to get the offense going. Sawchuk had another solid six-yard run, but it was negated by a penalty that gave the Sooners a first down.

[autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] took over from there with a pair of 13-yard runs to get the Sooners into the red zone. Though it was a pass play from Dillon Gabriel to Drake Stoops that put the Sooners on top 24-23, it was the run game that did the heavy lifting on the go-ahead scoring drive.

That run-heavy touchdown drive opened things up for the Sooners passing offense on their final scoring drive of the game. On the final drive, Major came up with a key first down on 3rd and 1 to keep the drive alive, and Gavin Sawchuk capped it off with a 30-yard touchdown.

The Oklahoma Sooners rushing attack still hasn’t hit its stride this season. They’re struggling with consistency in 2023, but as they have in several games this year, the offensive line and the running backs have come through in the big moments late in the game.

Marcus Major has been steady, if not all that spectacular in his role for the Sooners this season. Gavin Sawchuk showed some of the ability that he put on display in the Cheez-It Bowl last year. And now the Sooners are set to get back their battering ram, Tawee Walker, after he served a suspension for in-house disciplinary reasons.

With inclement weather expected this week, the Oklahoma Sooners will likely lean heavily on the running game to make hay against the Jayhawks defense.

If the fourth quarter against UCF, the Sooners’ run game looked as good as it has all season. Can they build on that with another opportunity to play another defense that struggles to stop the run?

This week, the Sooners get set to face a Kansas Jayhawks team that ranks No. 84 in the nation in rushing yards allowed and allows 4.7 yards per carry. The Jayhawks have also allowed two rushing touchdowns per game and are the worst red zone defense in the country.

There’s a lot of room for improvement, but there are signs from time to time that the run game is on the verge of a breakout. Even if it never does, it’s encouraging that the rushing attack hits its stride when the game is at its most critical junction.

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: 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.

Relive the Oklahoma Sooners thrilling win over UCF with these incredible photos

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 7-0 with their win over UCF. Relive the Sooner Magic with these incredible images.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in Big 12 play with their 31-29 win over the UCF Knights.

It wasn’t a dominating performance, but the Sooners did enough to come away with the victory.

There were encouraging performances on both sides of the ball. Dillon Gabriel had a solid game, completing 66% of his passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. It was another strong day for the Sooners’ Heisman contender.

The ground game found a bit of life in the fourth quarter as [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] helped kickstart the Sooners’ go-ahead scoring drive.

Nic Anderson caught two more touchdown passes to give him eight on the season. He also went over 100 yards receiving for the second time this season to lead the Sooners.

Defensively, [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] had a big day off the edge. So did [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] led the team in tackles again. Despite the unsportsmanlike penalty from [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], the sophomore linebacker was really good.

On a day when a lot of the top-10 teams struggled, the Sooners were able to add another one to the win column.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the Sooners win over UCF.

 

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.

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.

15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 6 per Pro Football Focus

The Oklahoma Sooners are now 6-0 on the seasons after their win over Texas. Which Sooners are the highest-graded after week 6, according to Pro Football Focus.

It takes a team effort to start the season 6-0. Oklahoma is playing well on both sides of the ball through the midpoint of the season. It leads the Big 12 in scoring offense and scoring defense. Nationally, the Sooners are No. 4 in the nation in scoring offense and No. 11 in scoring defense.

They are getting fantastic play from a number of individuals on both sides of the ball. But the biggest difference with this team compared to years past is what’s happening on defense.

It can’t be overstated how much better the defense is. The unit is a big reason Oklahoma is 6-0. Eight of its 15 highest-graded players through the first six weeks of the season are on the defensive side of the ball.

Among players accounting for at least 25% of the snaps, here are the 15 highest-graded Sooners through Week 6, according to Pro Football Focus.

Minimum Offensive Snaps: 119

Minimum Defensive Snaps: 109

Tawee Walker solidifying role in Oklahoma Sooners running back room

Tawee Walker continues to prove to be the most consistent running back for Oklahoma.

Before the season, all of the talk about who would lead Sooners in rushing focused on [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Gavin Sawchuck[/autotag]. The coaches also talked about the role [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] could have.

Barnes and Sawchuck haven’t looked healthy all year, and Major has been pretty good. But the forgotten man in that group might be having the best season of them all: [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag].

Walker leads the Sooners this year with 239 yards rushing. He has the second-most rushing touchdowns with four, and has averaged 4.5 yards per carry. It’s not just his rushing ability. Walker has been a great pass-blocker. There were several times on Saturday, including the final play, when Walker picked up a crucial block springing a big play for the Sooners.

He also added two rushing touchdowns in the game. Walker spoke to reporters after the game about his performance.

“I was very confident,” Walker said. “Of course, this is a game that’s going to go to the end. For years it’s been going like that. So, I was confident in my team, and the second touchdown coming out of the half kicked started the second half. Started out strong. It just felt good.”

Walker isn’t the fastest running back, and he might not even be the best running back on the team. But, right now, he’s the most consistent running back and playing better than anyone on the depth chart. He’s been the hardest to bring down, and he’s has a little [autotag]Samaje Perine[/autotag] in him.

Coming out of the bye week, we’ll see what happens at running back but Walker has absolutely solidified himself in the rotation.

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 pass biggest test of the season in win over Texas

The Sooners won an instant classic against their rivals from Texas 34-30. We went and graded every position group’s performance.

Oklahoma’s win over Texas was a significant notch in the belt of head coach Brent Venables. It also signified the revitalization of Oklahoma football, just a year removed from getting blasted 49-0 in the same stadium by the Longhorns.

Venables’ team spent the entire offseason leveling up and striving to return to the standard people have become accustomed to.

This season, the Sooners handled everything that came their way. Every setback or adversity they faced in their first five games prepared them for Saturday in Dallas. The entire team and coaching staff handled it masterfully as the Sooners beat Texas, 34-30.

It was the most complete performance of the season, and some of the most significant areas the Sooners needed to work on after last season’s 6-7 record were on full display. After passing a test like that, it’s time to pass out some grades. It’s report card time.