There were several decisions made by the Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff that came back to bite them in their 51-48 loss:
- The fake field goal attempt up 14-0
- Oklahoma’s fourth down decisions
- Brent Venables icing the kicker at the end of regulation
- Jeff Lebby sending Dillon Gabriel out to receive a pass from Drake Stoops
Early in the game, the Oklahoma Sooners were dominating Texas Tech. They were up 14-0 and in the red zone with a chance to add on to the lead. The drive stalled when Oklahoma couldn’t pick up more than two yards on 2nd and 10 and had no gain on a Dillon Gabriel completion to Drake Stoops that went for zero yards.
That put the Oklahoma Sooners at 4th and 8 with an opportunity to go up 17-0 in the first quarter. Ever the aggressor, Brent Venables elected for a fake field goal and Michael Turk’s pass was dropped by Brayden Willis to turn it over on downs.
Venables was trying to get up 21 points and really step on the throat of Texas Tech, but the failed attempt took points off the board and gave the Red Raiders life. From that possession on, Tech outscored the Oklahoma Sooners 51-34 over the remainder of the game.
Oklahoma hasn’t been good enough on third and fourth down for the Sooners to go for it on fourth down as often as they did against Texas Tech. The Sooners were 1 of 4 on fourth down and gained minus-9 yards on those plays. I get wanting to be the aggressor, but there were times in this game when it looked like Oklahoma was setting up to attempt a fourth down. On the third and long, they’d just try to get as much yardage as possible so they could attempt to pick up the first on fourth down. Oklahoma is now converting on third down at just under 40% of the time and on fourth down just 37% of the time.
Now, I am less upset about Venables icing the kicker than I was last night. Sometimes it works. Sometimes, it doesn’t. If a Sooner doesn’t get his hand on it, Trey Wolff’s first attempt probably goes in.
That being said, a Sooner did get his hand on it. The field goal was blocked and the play didn’t count. That’s how it goes sometimes. If icing the kicker worked, we’re talking about how crafty Brent Venables is.
I will let this one go. Perhaps if the defense didn’t allow 48 points in regulation, they wouldn’t have been in that situation to begin with.
Number two is the one I really have a problem with.
Texas Tech could not stop OU in any facet of the game. Dillon Gabriel was having a career night and Eric Gray–yet again–was running all over the place.
Jeff Lebby took the ball out of Gabriel’s hands, gave it to Drake Stoops, who then lobbed it to Gabriel. Gabriel then got laid out and had to come out of the game for a play.
Dillon Gabriel Just got murdered pic.twitter.com/BEdrmuAQeW
— MattBeGreat (@mattbegreatyt) November 27, 2022
The Texas Tech DB had about an eight-yard cushion to line up Gabriel on a massive hit. The OU coaching staff again showed they have no faith in any QB not named Dillon Gabriel and put Brayden Willis in the shotgun for the wildcat formation.
Gee, I wonder what the tight end is going to do while lined up at quarterback.
To his credit, Willis tried his best to make something out of it, but this situation was completely avoidable.
Jeff Lebby called a play that put his most valuable player who was concussed a month and a half ago in harm’s way. The Sooners lost all momentum on the drive after Gabriel went out. It was a nonsensical and pointless play call.
I’m a big believer in not tempting fate. Putting Gabriel in that situation was tempting fate. You do not call that play in overtime.
It was just a bad game in what has been a bad season. Venables icing the kicker is one thing, but Lebby should know better than to put his quarterback in that spot. This coaching staff has a lot of issues with themselves they need to work out before week one of next season.
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