UTEP Miners – Syndication Server

Vikings 2024 NFL draft scouting report: Arizona WR Jacob Cowing

After a dominant Alamo Bowl performance against Oklahoma, Jacob Cowing made a statement about his NFL potential

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at quarterback, running back, defensive line and edge rusher. We will also focus on wide receiver since it’s a loaded class and an increased chance to get a Stefon Diggs-type steal in the later rounds.

The Vikings are slated to have 9 picks going into the NFL draft and they need to make the most out of them.

MBB Recap: Oregon locks down on defense to defeat UTEP

Oregon played 40 minutes of defense and defeated UTEP 71-49.

Only one team played 40 minutes of defense and that team wasn’t UTEP.

Oregon played a complete game on the defensive end of the floor and got hot in the second half to defeat the Miners 71-49 inside Matthew Knight Arena.

The Ducks are now 6-2 on the season.

UTEP was able to hold the Ducks to just 28 points in the first half as they overplayed the ball and stuck their arms in passing lanes, making it difficult for the Ducks to find open shots and UTEP was down just three at 28-25 at the halftime break.

But the Ducks made some adjustments as there was a lot more ball movement and players drove the lane for easier shots. On the defensive end, Oregon played straight up and forced UTEP, who came in as a poor shooting team, to shoot over a taller and more athletic defense and it worked for the most part. The Ducks held the Miners to just 36 percent shooting and 4-of-15 from downtown.

2023-2024 College Football Coaching Carousel

Texas A&M hires Duke’s Mike Elko as the coaching carousel continues to spin.

The end of the college football season is here and the coaching carousel is once again getting fired up. This season saw two early head coaching changes within the Big Ten to get an early jump on things, but more coaching changes are popping up as we close in on the end of another regular season around the nation.

We’ll keep track of all of the head coaching changes in our updated coaching carousel tracker to see what head coaches are out and who is replacing them. This will be updated daily as needed with the latest head coaching changes as jobs open up and are filled. As is so often the case in college football, one coaching vacancy being filled will lead to another opening popping up as a result.

As of Thursday, Dec. 8 there are 2 head coaching vacancies in college football, including 1 power conference job to fill. A total of 19 head coaching changes have been made this year.

Below is the updated chart for this year’s edition of the head coaching carousel in college football. After that is a bit more detail on each job opening, listed in alphabetical order.

Oklahoma Sooners offense with an efficient Week 1

Oklahoma’s offense looked efficient in Week 1 after making it a focus all offseason.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners'[/autotag] offense was firing on all cylinders versus the [autotag]Arkansas Red Wolves[/autotag] on Saturday. The Sooners scored on 10 out of 11 possessions, nine of which were touchdowns.

Dillon Gabriel and Jackson Arnold both put on a show combining to go 30 of 33 for 422 yards, three touchdowns through the air and a pair of rushing touchdowns. The running game was pretty good as well. Oklahoma ran for 220 yards on 4.5 yards per carry.

Overall you couldn’t ask for a much better performance from the offense who went for 642 yards and went 11-14 on third downs. Last year the Sooners went a combined 6-20 versus the [autotag]UTEP Miners[/autotag] and the [autotag]Kent State Golden Flashes[/autotag]. That ended up being a sign of what was to come in 2023.

Offensive Coordinator Jeff Lebby told reporters after the game it was nice to see so many receivers step up.

“That’s what we want,” Lebby said. “We talked about it on Monday about playing a bunch of guys and a bunch of guys getting an opportunity to make plays. All of those guys in that room did it. Again, there’s going to be a ton of stuff we have to clean up and we have to be better at without a doubt but proud of that entire group.”

Several wide receivers got involved in the passing game whether it was [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] who looks like he might be Gabriel’s favorite target, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], or [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] before his injury. The two catches of the day might have been made by [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag]. He made two acrobatic contested catches and looks like a guy who just needed to see one go in his hands to gain confidence.

The biggest takeaway was how efficient the Sooners were in this game. That wasn’t the case a year ago. even early in the season. It’s what they preached all offseason and for Week 1 they checked that box.

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.

Three keys that’ll help Oklahoma secure a road win against Nebraska

Oklahoma travels to Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers. Here are three keys to the game that put OU in the best position to win.

We’ve seen two games from Oklahoma. While the results haven’t been bad, there’s this sense we don’t quite know what Oklahoma is this year.

We don’t have that answer yet, but Saturday’s game against Nebraska will go a long way in answering that question.

Sure, Nebraska isn’t a top 15 program as it once was. It also just fired a head coach who was a returning favorite son. Scott Frost didn’t get the job done at Nebraska, which will sting for a long time. However, the program moves on, and Oklahoma cannot get wrapped up thinking Nebraska will roll over.

With experience in the rivalry, Brent Venables knows what this game means to both sides. Venables will have to prepare his team for a hostile environment for the first time this season.

As for the on-field things to watch out for that could help Oklahoma leave Lincoln, Nebraska, as winners on Saturday night? We’ve got you covered.

Up Next: Keys to an Oklahoma win

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Trio of freshmen to watch when Oklahoma takes on Kent State

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on Kent State, here are a few freshmen we’re looking to take another step in their development.

Before their first game of the season, the Oklahoma Sooners released their week one depth chart of the UTEP Miners game. Fifteen true freshmen cracked the depth chart, and while not all played in the game, several freshmen made an impact on the game.

This week the Sooners take on the Kent State Golden Flashes, and much like last week, they’ll call on several freshmen to provide significant snaps. Nonconference games where Oklahoma is heavily favored allows the Sooners to see their true freshmen in competitive environments. It allows them to evaluate the depth of their roster.

There are several freshmen who got playing time last week that we’re excited to see take another step in week two.

Uo Next: Defender making a sudden impact

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What do the Oklahoma Sooners need to do to improve in week two?

After a hot start in week one, here are five things the Oklahoma Sooners need to improve upon against Kent State in week two.

What the Oklahoma Sooners did on Owen Field was basically the best-case scenario. The offense looked unstoppable at times, the defense looked hungry, and the special teams looked solid. There wasn’t much to ask for.

However, that doesn’t mean the Sooners were perfect against UTEP in week one. Several things stood out that need to be improved upon heading into week two.

By the Numbers: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kent State Golden Flashes

How do the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kent State Golden Flashes stack up statistically heading into their week two matchup?

The Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the Kent State Golden Flashes, a team coming off a 45-20 loss to the Washington Huskies.

Oklahoma looks to build upon their dominating week one win over UTEP,

Much like last week, this is one of those games that could get out of hand quickly if the Sooners can execute their game plan.

Kent State allowed Washington quarterback Michael Pennix Jr. to throw for 345 yards and four touchdowns while completing 66.7% of his passes. The Golden Flashes didn’t have an answer for the Huskies’ offensive attack.

Last week, Dillon Gabriel didn’t have huge numbers, but he didn’t need to. That could all change this week as the Sooners wide receiver group will be too much for the Kent State secondary. Kent State was particularly vulnerable down the sidelines on corner routes out of the slot. That could mean a huge game for Marvin Mims.

Here’s how the two teams stack up statistically heading into week two.

‘Sudden and explosive’: Gavin Freeman’s wow factor creating opportunities with Oklahoma

Gavin Freeman showed with his first collegiate touch that he has a wow factor, and that ability will garner him more opportunities with Oklahoma.

Gavin Freeman literally burst onto the scene in week one vs. the UTEP Miners. On his first collegiate touch, Freeman showed off the speed that earned him rave reviews this offseason.

Taking a toss from Dillon Gabriel on an end around, Freeman raced around the right side with the help of Brayden Willis, who blocked two Miners. Once Freeman gained the corner, he did the rest, powering through a tackle attempt from a UTEP defender and raced to the end zone.

It was one of those plays you have to go back and watch because it provided a little bit of everything. Execution, speed, toughness, physicality, and heart. It was a “wow moment.”

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables put Freeman’s wow factor in lofty company with Sooners legend [autotag]Adrian Peterson[/autotag]. Not that they’re the same player, but that when they play, they make you take notice.

“And I’m going to use this phrase, but not the same guy exactly, different styles, but when Adrian Peterson would run by, you were, ‘Woooo,’” Venables shared. “The earth would shake, and you’re like, ‘Son.’ But you had the same when you watched Gavin compete. It’s super sudden and explosive. He’s a legit 4.5 guy, and then he plays at that level. You get some guys that run a 4.5 and don’t play it. They run 4.8 like they’re stuck in the mud, pulling a concrete truck. So, he’s a guy that we’ll create more opportunity for him and got a great future in front of him in.”

Anytime you can be mentioned in the same sentence as Adrian Peterson, that’s something. After one touch at the collegiate level, it feels like a fair comparison considering what Gavin Freeman did with that touch. And there’s even more to come. Freeman’s simply an explosive player.

Though he didn’t get a chance to return a kick on Saturday, it would be surprising to see the Oklahoma Sooners give Freeman an opportunity to return more punts in the future. His suddenness and toughness could provide fireworks on special teams.

As a true freshman walk-on, it can be challenging getting on the football field. But his work this offseason earned him the opportunity to get a touch on offense. What he did with that touch provided a glimpse of a fantastic future ahead for Freeman. At the same time, his impact on the Oklahoma Sooners may be now with the way he performed on that one touch.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Ben on Twitter @john9williams.

ESPN slots Oklahoma at No.4 in their power rankings following first week of season

Fresh off their 45-13 win vs. UTEP, Oklahoma finds itself at No.4 in the ESPN College Football Power Rankings as they look to Kent State.

Week one of the college football season has officially ended after the last game of the week saw Clemson beat Georgia Tech reasonably comfortably.

All eyes in college football turn to week two as teams either regroup or look to build on the success they had in week one. For Oklahoma, their eyes shift to the Kent State Golden Flashes, who will make the trip into Norman for a showdown Saturday evening.

Oklahoma is fresh off of a 45-13 victory against the UTEP Miners in Brent Venables’ debut. The Sooners looked better than a few other top 10 teams, and media outlets like ESPN took notice.

ESPN released their college football power rankings following the first week of action. Oklahoma found itself firmly in the top five at No.4. Here’s what Bill Connelly said regarding Oklahoma.

There might not be a better season opener for a head coach than when your team wins easily but experiences some glitches for you to yell about on Sunday. Brent Venables’ debut as OU coach went exactly like that — his Sooners cruised 45-13 over UTEP, with Dillon Gabriel throwing for 223 yards, Eric Gray rushing for 102, and the defense recording six sacks (2.5 from Reggie Grimes). But the Sooners also fell asleep for much of the second quarter, allowing the Miners to stay close approaching halftime. Still, when you average 8.1 yards per play and your opponent averages 3.8, it was a good day at the office. – Bill Connelly, ESPN

Connelly is spot-on. In week one, there’s no such thing as a perfect team. Hardly anyone is tested. It takes multiple games to develop your identity. The Sooners looked good, considering some of the starters they had to replace from last year’s team and the coaching turnover.

However, Connelly’s right about that odd stretch in the second quarter. That lull reminded folks of the big-lead letdowns experienced far too often under the previous regime. While it’s too early to determine if that’s problematic, it gives the coaching staff a nice collection of teachable moments.

They also held stuff back from the game plan on offense and defense. So in many ways, we didn’t get the best performance out of Oklahoma because they didn’t need to empty the playbook to beat UTEP.

That time will come, providing a more thorough evaluation of this team.

The only teams ahead of Oklahoma are projected College Football Playoff contenders, such as Georgia at No. 1, Alabama at 2, and Ohio State at 3. Oklahoma has a long way to go, but to be included in a group with the powers in college football could give us a glimpse of what this team could be. Oklahoma team may have a shot to do an extraordinary thing or two.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.