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Oklahoma has been on a run forcing turnovers. The Sooners have eight takeaways over their past three games, including the three OU had this past weekend against Iowa State.
Oklahoma’s creation of turnovers can be directly connected to the Sooners’ ability to generate pressure. Versus Iowa State, OU recorded seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
“And I just think right now it’s a hungry group. I think it’s a group that, quite frankly, understands in certain games this year they’ve underachieved. That’s on us as coaches. We didn’t get it out of them. And I think that what we need this weekend is that same hungry group, a guy and guys, all of the above, whether you’re a 10-snap a game guy, 15-snap, 20-snap, a guy that is going to play 50 snaps and expects to be an All-Conference guy, we need a hungry group. And we use the term hunt at times. We need to go hunt. We’ve got to go hunt that football. We can’t be OK getting blocked,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said.
It will be of paramount importance against Oklahoma State to generate that same type of pressure. Cowboys junior quarterback Spencer Sanders has thrown just one interception over his past five games and been sacked just once in Oklahoma State’s last four games.
“Yeah, he’s really doing a nice job. He’s improved. He’s improved a lot through the years. It’s kind of like playing some of these quarterbacks that we’ve played several times over a multi-year period in this league historically. You’ve seen him play as a young guy, and then you see him I think probably making a few less mistakes. He’s always been a tremendous athlete. Everybody’s known that. But he’s obviously running well and a factor with his legs. And I do think he’s really improved in the throw game,” Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley said of Sanders.
Grinch said he sees an experienced signal-caller in Sanders when he flips on the tape.
“Yeah, I think you see a guy that has a lot of game reps under his belt, a guy that has the get out of jail free card with the ability to scramble and move in the pocket and extend plays with the ability to throw the ball down field. So, it’s not as if he’s just quick to take off and run, but he also knows that he has that ability to hurt you that way. And I think his ability to kind of throw guys open in the pass game has certainly improved, and without question you can see a guy that just has a complete comfort level in what they ask him to do offensively, understanding the scheme, understanding coverage. He doesn’t look surprised very often as you watch him on film,” Grinch said.
While Oklahoma maybe can’t surprise Sanders by throwing different coverages his direction, the Sooners can absolutely pressure Sanders unlike what he’s seen over the past month. If the Sooners pressure Sanders successfully, then Oklahoma positions itself to keep its rash of turnovers forced going.
“It’s a completely different outcome if we don’t have those takeaways. Maybe if you look at the season overall, again just talking the defensive side of the ball, it’s created outcomes. It hasn’t influenced outcomes. It’s created outcomes. And it will do that same thing this Saturday,” Grinch said.
Grinch knows the importance of continuing Oklahoma’s trend in the takeaways department in Bedlam.
“The bulk of the time it’s come down to who’s won the turnover margin. And so I fully anticipate it’s going to be a real telltale this weekend,” Grinch said.
One other key for Oklahoma defensively is forcing Sanders and Oklahoma State into passing downs. In order to do so, the Sooners will need to be good at slowing senior running back Jaylen Warren on early downs.
Warren enters Bedlam with 220 carries and 1,078 rushing yards. OU will also have to account for Sanders in the run game, too.
“And so it’s an incredibly difficult challenge—you mention it—when you have to defend the quarterback and the run game, as well as the backs and the use of tight ends. And I think [it’s] one of the better offensive lines that we’ve seen, in terms of road grading guys and getting movement and that. So, we know we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Grinch said.
Oklahoma kicks off in Bedlam at Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.
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By: Josh Helmer
Title: 'It's created outcomes': Oklahoma hopes turnover success continues
Sourced From: soonerswire.usatoday.com/2021/11/24/oklahoma-sooners-football-oklahoma-state-cowboys-alex-grinch-lincoln-riley-jalen-redmond-delarrin-turner-yell-pat-fields-isaiah-thomas-spencer-sanders/
Published Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 21:00:55 +0000
