The Oklahoman

3-2-1 KICKOFF

Oklahoma hosts UCLA in a Week 2 matchup at noon Saturday. Here’s what to look for:

- RYAN ABER, STAFF WRITER

3 Players to watch

Lee Morris: Oklahoma’s newest scholarshi­p player will be looking to prove that last week’s performanc­e — a 65-yard touchdown catch and a blocked punt — was no fluke.

Kenneth Murray: Murray was held without a tackle a week ago, don’t expect that to be the case against the Bruins. Murray still needs to prove he can be more consistent as a sophomore.

Ronnie Perkins: If Oklahoma is to make life difficult on expected UCLA starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson,

Perkins figures to play a big role.

2 Big questions

How will the secondary respond? The back end of Oklahoma’s defense wasn’t challenged much against Florida Atlantic. That figures to change with the Bruins and with a young secondary, there are still plenty of questions about how they will handle an attack like UCLA’s and some of the offenses they’ll face in Big 12 play. Who will be the backup quarterbac­k? With Austin Kendall expected to be out Saturday, the job of backing up Kyler Murray will fall to either walk-on Tanner Schafer or freshman Tanner Mordecai. Both played last week, with Schafer not being asked to throw and

Mordecai completing both of his passes for 37 yards.

1 Wild prediction

The Sooners will record five sacks. Pressuring the quarterbac­k hasn’t exactly been something Oklahoma has done well consistent­ly in several years. In fact, the last time the Sooners hit this mark was Oct. 31, 2015, against Kansas. But with UCLA likely starting a freshman quarterbac­k, and Cincinnati having recorded five sacks on Bruins a week ago, hitting the mark is a definite possibilit­y Saturday in Norman.

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