Tag: Mike Woods

Missing Marvelous Marvin Mims: Where has the playmaker gone?

After a sizzling start to the season in week 1 against Tulane, Marvin Mims hasn’t had the opportunities, nor has he been as productive since.

The Sooners have a multitude of problems. Many have been well documented from the quarterback play, offensive line, lack of a running game, lack of vertical passing game, or just lack of explosive plays in general. The vertical passing game has taken a major backseat and in the process so has receiver Marvin Mims. Mims was a big-play machine in 2020 as he announced himself to college football as a true freshman.

Where has that Marvin Mims gone?

His freshman campaign saw him post team-highs of 37 receptions, 610 receiving yards, and nine touchdown receptions. To sum that up, it was the best freshman season for a wide receiver in Oklahoma history.  He started the year off strong with a five-catch performance against Tulane. He totaled 117 yards with 60 coming on massive catch and run. He’s had no more than two catches in any game since.

It’s quite obvious that the offense’s issues as a whole have trickled down to individual skill players who have showcased their abilities before. Mims and running back Kennedy Brooks come to mind. However, Mims alongside Michael Woods, are truly the most proven offensive commodities this team has. Mims has been in this offense for two years now so he has the leg up on Woods in that regard.

The Sooners have repeatedly said they are on the cusp of breaking thru. Head coach Lincoln Riley has reiterated it time and time again. Will that breakthrough include getting Mims, the verified electric playmaker the ball more?

With a major trip to Manhattan to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, who have had their number recently, Oklahoma is searching for answers. Getting the ball in the hands of a guy as electric as Mims could be a way to jump-start the offense. Screens, quick passes, moving Mims inside and outside are just a few things they can do to free him up and immediately get the ball in his hands and let him do the rest.

There was little hoopla about his move to the inside to accommodate Jadon Haselwood and Michael Woods manning the outside receiver slots but it’s hard not to wonder if Mims’ lack of production isn’t attributed at least in part due to the move. He flourished outside last season but the offensive line also gave Rattler more time to throw. Oklahoma also didn’t see nearly as much Cover 4 as they do now.

Nonetheless, he’s a dynamic playmaker who needs the ball in his hands. In an attempt to jumpstart the engine to this sports car of an offense, it may be time for the one player who has shown the ability to produce electricity to be force-fed the ball.

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Passing Out Grades: Report Card for the Sooners vs. West Virginia

The Oklahoma Sooners played another tight one in their 16-13 win over West Virginia, but how did each position group grade out in the week 4 win?

Without ever having thoughts of being a teacher, passing out bad grades doesn’t seem like a fun time. The Oklahoma Sooners won against West Virginia but it wasn’t pretty and most notably one side of the ball struggled immensely.

At the end of the day, a win is a win. However, things must change offensively if the Sooners are to seriously contend for any trophies this season.

Let’s pass out some grades.

Quarterbacks: C-

This grade is the lowest grade I’ve handed out to this position group this year. It needs to be said that all quarterback grades are products of the offensive line play in front of them.

Spencer Rattler’s offensive line was not good but he has also had moments when he answered the call. Rattler, upon further review, missed a few throws that really would have given Oklahoma some chances to open things up.

He’s still struggling to make better decisions throwing vertically. A contested deep ball to wide receiver Michael Woods could have been intercepted had the defensive back not prematurely celebrated.

He threw an interception as he was targeting Drake Stoops late in the first half, focusing on Stoops the entire route and letting the ball float in the air too long.

At times, he continues to not set his plant foot and drive off of it causing balls to sail or not have the accuracy they need.

At the end of the game, he was 6 for 6 and orchestrated the game-winning drive to lead his team down the field and get them in a position to win. He has to be better and Lincoln Riley has to coach him better.

Most importantly…

Up Next: The Offensive Line

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Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods making himself right at home

Michael Woods was the latest Sooners receiver to lead the team this season after his breakout performance against West Virginia.

Amid a chaotic and lackluster offensive campaign, the Oklahoma Sooners have found some guys who can play and will be major assets if they get better offensive line and quarterback play.

One of those guys is Arkansas transfer, Michael Woods.

Woods transferred after the Arkansas spring game and was a Sooner the next weekend. He spent all summer working with the offense and has made his name felt all season.

The Sooners game against West Virginia is where he shined the brightest. Woods finished with eight receptions for 86 yards averaging 10.8 yards per catch. It became apparent throughout the night that Spencer Rattler’s trust in him went up as the game inched closer and closer to its end. Woods made timely catches on third downs and helped keep the chains moving all night.

For his efforts, Woods became the fourth receiver to lead the Sooners in receiving this season’s four games. Previously, Marvin Mims, Mario Williams, Jadon Haselwood each took a turn as the leading pass catcher. This time, Woods took the lead.

Woods almost operates solely outside and is better for it as it allows guys like Mario Williams, Marvin Mims, and Drake Stoops to maneuver in the slot. Woods’ ability to make contested catches is going to continue to allow him to see the field.

Another aspect of Michael’s game is his ability to fight for yards after the catch. His longest reception came after the catch and his ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands.

Woods finished with 619 yards his last year in Arkansas. Parker Thune of 247 Sports posted an amazing stat about Woods last season in Arkansas and how he would’ve fit into Oklahoma last season.

“Woods’ 619 yards last season represented roughly 26 percent of Arkansas’ offensive output via the pass. That same share of the production in Oklahoma’s 2020 offense would have amounted to 893 yards.”

With that being said, due to the uncertainty of the Sooners offense right now, who knows if Woods will reach that level of production. However, it’s becoming apparent that Woods is a bonafide receiver, and the Sooners are lucky to have him.

With the current state of the Oklahoma offense, they will need his sure hands on these short and intermediate routes until they can unlock the vertical passing game. Woods offers the Sooners veteran leadership and another dependable asset that shows the wide receiver room is not nearly as deficient of playmakers as it may have been last year.

Their biggest obstacle is finding ways to consistently get a passing game going to allow Rattler to spread the wealth and generate more explosive plays, which is what the offense lacks more than anything.

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3 Keys for the Sooners offense vs West Virginia

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to kick off Big 12 plays, here are 3 keys for the Sooners offense against West Virginia.

Another week of football time in Norman, Oklahoma!

Things will look and feel a little different as the Oklahoma Sooners will be hosting the West Virginia Mountaineers to kick off their Big 12 campaign. As the weather cools down a bit and the sun sets a lot faster, Oklahoma’s competition level will get hotter.

The Mountaineers come into this game as a decent opponent very capable of pushing Oklahoma. Defensively, they are led by defensive tackle Darius Stills who has had a heck of a college career. His disruption in the interior could play a major factor in this game.

Jared Bartlett presents another player the Sooners will have to account for. Bartlett plays a hybrid role called “bandit” which is basically a part time defensive end and a part time weak side linebacker. The ability to rush and cover could make for some chaotic moments if the Sooners can’t get a feel for what he will do.

Offensively, the Sooners have been pedestrian at best. Aside from their first half against their weakest opponent thus far, they have not looked like usual Sooners offenses. Here are some keys to get the offense going against a fairly solid and sound Mountaineers defense.

Up Next: “Open the Valve!”

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Why has Oklahoma struggled in the deep passing game?

A look at OU’s deep passing game, which has been struggling to find any consistency in 2021.

Oklahoma’s reputation as an explosive offense is well documented. This season though, that’s not been the case. There’s still time. Big 12 play starts this weekend at night at home against a decent West Virginia defense. The fans recognize it, the media recognizes it, and it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that head coach and play-caller Lincoln Riley recognizes it. The offense doesn’t look right.

More specifically, it’s the vertical passing game that Oklahoma’s offense is lacking the most. The running game has found its footing the last two weeks, which bodes well as the schedule toughens up. The short and intermediate passing game is plentiful and very accessible for the Sooners to exploit. They’ve got to figure out a way to push the ball down the field, or the same issues they faced in the Nebraska game will be their undoing.

What exactly did Nebraska do? They went with a deep “2 high” (2 deep safety look) and forced Oklahoma to sustain long drives and run the ball. Their corners played soft zones, and linebackers used zone blitzes to bring additional pressure. To say it plainly, they refused to let Oklahoma beat them deep.

This season, Oklahoma hasn’t challenged teams down the field. With only six attempts on passes of 20 yards, Rattler is well below that of other Oklahoma quarterbacks from the past few years. Rattler’s not even on pace with his performance from a year ago where here attempted 57 deep passes. He completed 29 of those and earned himself a grade of 98.1 from Pro Football Focus which was third behind two first-round NFL draft picks in Zach Wilson and Mac Jones. On the six deep passes he’s attempted this year, he’s posted a grade of 41.6.

Here’s where things get interesting, though: Oklahoma has brought back virtually everyone from that team last year in wide receivers except Charleston Rambo, who transferred to Miami but added Mike Woods and electric freshman Mario Williams. So, in theory, they should be better or at least roughly at the same pace as 2020.

Marvin Mims was a recipient of a few of those 29 deep completions last year. He operated outside the numbers and didn’t see stiffer coverage until the season went on. He now operates out of the slot quite a bit since Jadon Haselwood and Mike Woods have assumed roles out wide.

It’s not unreasonable to think a few things could be causing the lack of vertical throws, but Lincoln Riley has shown us since he came to Oklahoma, he’s not shy about testing teams in the vertical passing game.

Marvin Mims and Mario Williams are probably the two guys who will get the majority of the deep shots. Creating ways to get the ball down the field to his slot receivers may have proven a lot harder than Riley anticipated. Rattler’s decision-making could be making it harder for Riley to want to push the ball downfield.

That decision-making has been Rattler’s biggest weakness, and having an all-world arm has made it harder for that decision-making to be better than it has been. When a quarterback has the arm talent Rattler does, he believes he can make every throw work, regardless of the coverage. Spencer will have to be better, and Riley will have to give him more opportunities to be better.

This offense won’t be able to unlock its full potential if it can’t threaten teams in the passing game at all three levels. Ultimately, that inability could cost them a chance to make a deep run in the Big 12 and return to the college football playoff.

After a slow start to his career, Jadon Haselwood is a reliable passing game threat for the Sooners

After getting healthy, OU WR Jadon Haselwood is becoming a reliable option in the passing game for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Jadon Haselwood is slowly, but surely becoming the receiver the Sooners expected him to be. For much of his life he was always one of the most physically gifted individuals on the field.

Coming out of high school, he was a top five national recruit. His raw talent speaks for itself but his time in Norman has been less than smooth, halting the rise of the former Cedar Grove High School star.

He was courted by every major school in the country. When it got down to crunch time and who really had a chance for his services, it came down to the hometown team from the state of Georgia or the school his father went to and grew up supporting in Oklahoma.

After initially committing to Georgia, Haselwood backed off the pledge before ultimately committing to Oklahoma.

He was pencilled in to make an immediate impact due to his natural ability to win with size and elite ball skills rather than separation. His first year in 2019 he played in 13 of 14 games, had 19 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown. Those stats don’t pop out at you but he also played behind one of the best receivers in school history in CeeDee Lamb and with a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who was not the pure passer other Sooner quarterbacks were. Oklahoma relied heavily on the run game in 2019.

2020 brought some rough times for Haselwood. After an offseason spent perfecting his craft and the chance to truly step up the depth chart, he would suffer a significant knee injury that kept him out of action until November.

By that time, quarterback Spencer Rattler had already developed a budding partnership with Marvin Mims, Theo Wease and a few others. Haselwood was still not 100 percent and only played sparingly in three games and made four receptions for 65 yards (16.2 average)

However, he still showed on occasion why the Sooners just could not give up on him.

Plays like this in the Big 12 Championship versus Iowa State are what had people excited about Haselwood coming into 2021.

He would opt out of the Sooners bowl game vs. Florida and went back home to his hometown of Atlanta to continue to rehab, recover, and get better as a receiver.

The decision was met with criticism and murmurs from people who thought he was a lock to transfer. Haselwood and his family would firmly deny that.

The redshirt sophomore came back to OU for spring ball healthy ever  and physically ready to go. He capped off a productive spring with this beauty of a one handed catch in the spring game.

Haselwood would make it through the fall on the cusp of having a real opportunity to cement himself as a bonafide receiver for the Oklahoma Sooners for the first time since he arrived in Norman.

Oklahoma entered this season lacking a true star opposite Marvin Mims. Through three games, Haselwood has emerged from the pack healthy and as productive as he’s been since he signed his national letter of intent.

His quarterback trusts him and most importantly, injuries are behind him. He’s no longer wearing a brace around his knee and he looks effortless in and out of his cuts and breaks on routes separating hauling in completions.

Rattler has targeted Haselwood 20 times in three games. In their recent game against Nebraska, Haselwood saw nine targets and brought in 6 catches for 61 yards. Rattler clearly has trust in him and his emergence can only mean bigger opportunities for Mims and other guys like Mario Williams and Mike Woods as the Sooners continue to find a rhythm in the passing game.

Haselwood’s finally breaking out now that he’s not dealing with injuries or fighting for relevance on the depth chart. He’s just going out there and playing.

As the Sooners begin their quest to retain their Big 12 title and fight themselves back into the College Football Playoff again, Haselwood will have to continue his transformation into the star receiver Lincoln Riley knew he was getting when he recruited him. If this season is any indication, it seems like it could happen any game now for the Sooners.

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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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 Week 1 Report Card from win vs. Tulane

How did each unit for the Oklahoma Sooners perform in their week one win over the Tulane Green Wave?

Now that the dust has settled and we all have taken a night to gather ourselves, it’s time to try and grade Oklahoma’s performance against Tulane before we look ahead to Western Carolina.

It wasn’t as glorious as the general population would have liked it to be for the number two team in the country, but they most importantly got the win. There’s a lot to improve on as Lincoln Riley mentioned yesterday.

As we’ll do each week, let’s take a look at each position group and hand out some grades from the Sooners 40-35 win over Tulane in week one.