With 2:23 left in the game, the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense took over after a great interception by [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. The Sooners led by one and were at the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag]’ 38-yard line needing one, maybe two first downs to ice the game away.
The Sooners ran it three straight times gaining a total of three yards before punting it through the end zone giving Kansas 1:56 to go win the game. Eventually, [autotag]Jason Bean[/autotag] led them on an 80-yard touchdown drive in just over a minute converting one huge 4th Down play to win the game.
That drive for the Sooners has drawn many questions about playcalling. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] has been someone the coaches have touted should be in the Heisman conversation. [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] is someone who hadn’t had a carry since the game against the [autotag]Tulsa Golden Hurricanes[/autotag]. But instead of putting the ball in Gabriel’s hands to win the game, Jeff Lebby put the ball in Barnes’ hands on two of the three plays including the 3rd and 12 play that would have won the game with a first down.
Gabriel was asked about that drive after the game. “We need to get a first down there,” Gabriel said. “We got to help out d (defense) out right there.”
Gabriel threw the ball only 19 times the whole day. Six of those passes came on the final drive to win the game. Gabriel’s day started shaky with a wildly inaccurate pass to [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] on the first play of the game and a pick-six on the third play of the game.
There were also times guys were open but Gabriel didn’t throw them the ball and looked like someone not seeing the field. Still, with the game on the line, you need to trust your quarterback to make the play.
Lebby talked about his mindset going into that drive after the game. “We wanted to make sure they used all three but we were trying like heck to get a first down,” Lebby said. “Felt like running the ball, having the ability to pin them there without any timeouts, make them go the length was the right thing to do. That’s why I ran it there on 3rd Down. Got to execute better. Got a chance to win the game if we stay on the field.”
While we understand the thought process of making Kansas use their timeouts, that’s coaching to not lose the game instead of coaching to win the game. Usually, coaches who coach not to lose the game end up losing the game.
Running it on first down made a lot of sense. But after losing a yard, the plan should have changed. At that point, there was too much time left in the game to worry about Kansas’ timeout situation.
It brought back memories of a year ago and how Oklahoma lost so many close games late because of coaching blunders. Last year, one loss became multiple losses in a row. The Sooners had multiple losing streaks.
We’ll see if this year is any different when they take on Oklahoma State this Saturday in Stillwater.
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