LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Berry Tramel looks back at Kyler Murray’s top 10 moments of 2018 ... so far
Nov. 23, West Virginia
With championship hopes on the line, OU faced fourth-and-5 from the West Virginia 40-yard line with 2:36 left in the game. The Sooners led 59-56, but Lincoln Riley didn’t want to punt. So he put the ball in Murray’s hands, and Murray dropped back to pass against the Mountaineers’ blanket coverage. He waited patiently a full seven seconds before firing a dart to the sliding CeeDee Lamb for an 8-yard gain. Game over.
Sept. 1, Florida Atlantic
On Murray’s first possession of the season, he scrambled on second-and-5 from near midfield, and suddenly a game of tag broke out. The Owl defenders chased him like a vaudeville act, with him Murray darting to and fro, up and back, before finally tiring out after a 15-yard gain. You knew then the Sooners had something special.
Oct. 6, Texas
OU trailed 45-31 with 5:22 left in the game, but Murray ran a first-down quarterback draw. He zipped left into the open field, veered right to get the Longhorns leaning and then sprinted down the left sideline for a 67-yard touchdown run. The Sooners were only one touchdown behind and eventually tied the game before Texas won it with a last-seconds field goal. But OU’s 21-point comeback prevented a lopsided loss that could have cost the Sooners a playoff berth.
Sept. 15, Iowa State
The Sooners had yet to score a touchdown through 11 ½ minutes, but under a fairly heavy rush, Murray stayed in the pocket, launched a monster throw down the middle of the field and Brown caught it in stride for a 75-yard touchdown against what proved to be the Big 12’s best defense.
Dec. 1, Big 12 title game
Three plays before the game-sealing touchdown, Murray faced third-and-9 from the Texas 31-yard line. The Horns’ Jeffrey McCulloch put on a heavy outside rush, but Murray stepped up to avoid the sack and threw on the run to crossing receiver Lee Morris for a 13-yard gain.
Oct. 27, Texas Tech
Murray’s low point of the season came when he threw interceptions on each of OU’s first two possessions. The Sooners trailed 14-0. But on third-and-2 from the OU 33-yard line, Murray hit fullback Jeremiah Hall on a seam route for 34 yards, and the Sooners scored three plays later to start another offensive avalanche.
Nov. 10, Bedlam
OU trailed OSU 35-34 late in the third quarter and faced second-and-9 from the Cowboy 48-yard line. Murray dropped back to pass, but OSU coverage was solid, so he scrambled right. On a dead run, he fired a deep pass that found Marquise Brown’s hands inside the 10-yard line. The 39-yard gain set up the go-ahead touchdown of what became a 48-47 victory.
Nov. 23, West Virginia
Murray’s doesn’t always rely on his legs to free himself for a pass. On fourth-and-goal from the Mountaineer 2-yard line, trailing 49-45 early in the fourth quarter, Murray stayed in the pocket, allowed tight end Grant Calcaterra to come up and hit him with a touchdown pass that gave the Sooners the lead for good.
Dec. 1, Big 12 title game
Down 14-13 with 59 seconds left in the first half, OU took over at its 20-yard line with no timeouts. Murray dropped back to pass, looked left, found nothing, stepped to the right and looked back left. Still nothing. So Murray rolled right and found Nick Basquine on the sideline for what became a 24-yard gain. The Sooners embarked on a touchdown drive that gave them a 20-14 halftime lead.
Sept. 1, Florida Atlantic
Murray had established his running chops. But in the second quarter, he rolled to his left, stopped suddenly to set his feet and flung a home run ball deep into the air; Marquise Brown caught it on the dead run 55 yards downfield, for a 65-yard TD play that showed OU’s deep passing game was in good hands.