ENEMIES IN THE MIDST
Baker Mayfield vs. Gary Patterson
Enemies fuel Baker Mayfield. Real or imagined, the Oklahoma quarterback has ridden grudges to greatness.
Put TCU coach Gary Patterson on the list. Patterson famously failed to offer Mayfield a scholarship way back in the winter of 2012-13, and Mayfield hasn’t forgotten. When Mayfield verbally popped Patterson in the days leading to the Orange Bowl two years ago, Patterson popped back. Even called Mayfield’s father, James, “arrogant.”
That’s feistiness you usually don’t get from a football coach. Mayfield doesn’t lose many word duels. But he’s made up for it on the field.
Patterson, one of college football’s greatest defensive gurus, has been torched by Mayfield. In six quarters as the Sooner quarterback, Mayfield’s offense has posted 75 points on TCU. Better defense is recommended Saturday night against the fifth-ranked Sooners if the sixth-ranked Horned Frogs want to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt.
“We understand the challenge, definitely,” Patterson said this week of the Owen Field showdown. “Same as every time, starts with the quarterback, with Baker. He’s done a great job, playing at a high level with a lot of confidence.”
In November 2015, Mayfield led OU to a 23-7 halftime lead but missed the second half with a concussion. Last October, Mayfield lit up the Frogs with a 23-of-30 passing day in a 52-46 victory. For the record, Mayfield also was the starting quarterback as a Texas Tech true freshman when the Red Raiders beat TCU 20-10 in 2013, though Mayfield missed the fourth quarter with a leg injury.
So give Mayfield three victories over his mortal enemies, but give Patterson’s defense two knockouts of Mayfield.
Mayfield and Patterson are making nice these days, but Mayfield knows what’s coming. The Horned Frog defense has him in their sights.
“It's going to be a big challenge in the trenches this week,” Mayfield said. “It's going to be the most physical team that's going to win, and so for us it's about establishing the run game and then me getting the ball out of my hands because they're a team that can get pressure on you without having to blitz too many guys just because of the talent they have up front with linebackers as well.”
Patterson knows his 2016 TCU defense wasn’t up to his standards. But his 2017 defense is. The Horned Frogs have held Kansas State to six points, Arkansas and Texas to seven points each, Iowa State to 14, West Virginia to 24 and Oklahoma State to 17 points through 50 minutes, 10 seconds. For comparison sake, through 50 minutes, 10 seconds, OU’s defense held OSU to 52 points.
“He’s just got a system that he believes in, that he’s experienced with,” Lincoln Riley said of Patterson, a fellow head coach in total command of one side of the ball. “He knows every adjustment that he wants to make, he knows his personnel well, he’s very hands on with ‘em. They’re unique. You don’t play a lot of people like them.”
But you also don’t play against a lot of quarterbacks like Mayfield. He’s become the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and his numbers are other-worldly. Mayfield set the NCAA record for passing efficiency last season; his numbers this year are even better.
Twenty-eight touchdown passes, five interceptions, 71.7 completion percentage, 11.9 yards per pass.
And Mayfield has excelled against the Frogs: 32 of 50 passing, four touchdowns, 401 yards, no interceptions, in six quarters against TCU the previous two seasons.
Riley credits Mayfield’s experience for his play against Patterson defenses, “just because Gary and them are so good. They throw so many different things at you and they really challenge the quarterback, so having a guy with experience has been good. We’ve been able to run the ball a little bit both of those years and it’s certainly helped him.”
Run the ball well against TCU, and Patterson’s defense will be on its heels. The Frogs’ defensive strategy rarely changes. Stop the run, play tight and dare you to beat them deep. Works against most. Doesn’t work so well against Mayfield, who can evade the rush and flip the ball far with uncanny accuracy. Mayfield in his career against TCU has thrown touchdown passes covering 50, 36, 67 and 40 yards.
Keep producing like that, and Mayfield will have exacted the best revenge on a longtime enemy, real or imagined.
Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM98.1. You can also view his personality page at newsok. com/berrytramel.