3-2-1 KICKOFF
NORMAN — Oklahoma kicks off its 2021 campaign with a game against Tulane at 11 a.m. Saturday in Norman. The Sooners enter the battle as the No. 3 ranked team in the country and are fresh off a 9-2 season, while the Green Wave went 6-6 in 2020. Here's a look at some keys to watch when Oklahoma takes on Tulane.
3 players to watch
Eric Gray: The depth of OU's backfield took numerous hits this offseason, but one positive in that department is the acclimation of Gray. The Tennessee transfer shined during the Sooners' spring game, and he'll get every opportunity to put up numbers this season. Tulane has a capable run defense that held opponents to an average of 143.3 rushing yards per contest in 2020, so we'll see how Gray fares in his OU debut.
Marvin Mims: One of OU's biggest breakout stars last season proved to be Mims, who recorded teamhighs of 610 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman. With guys such as Jadon Haselwood also competing to be Spencer Rattler's top target in 2021, Saturday's game against Tulane is the first opportunity for Mims to make his case.
Nik Bonitto: A lot of national attention came Bonitto's way this offseason, and it's not hard to see why after his 2020 campaign. The then-redshirt-sophomore linebacker recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and a team-high 10 quarterback hurries. But it'll be difficult to apply pressure to Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt, who is protected by an experienced offensive line.
2 big questions
How will the offensive line hold up? OU's offensive line has holes to fill following the departures of Creed Humphrey and Adrian Ealy, who are both now in the NFL. Meanwhile, Tulane's defense finished sixth in the nation in tackles for loss last season (101) and 13th in sacks (37). Despite losing two key linemen in Patrick Johnson and Cameron Sample, the Green Wave should still put up quite the fight in the trenches thanks in part to Dorian Williams. The sophomore linebacker racked up 16.5 tackles for loss last season, which ranked first in the American Athletic Conference.
Just how elite is the defense? The Sooners' defense is as good on paper as any defense in the country, but it's time to see how that talent translates to the field. This weekend's game against Tulane isn't the most telling test, but it's the first opportunity for third-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's squad to show out.
1 wild prediction
The Sooners’ defense records three interceptions. OU ended last season with a strong showing against Florida, forcing Gators quarterback Kyle Trask to throw three picks. Tulane also ended its 2020 campaign with a loss to Nevada in which Pratt threw three interceptions of his own. Coincidence? I think not. Seriously though, the Green Wave are looking to throw the football more under recently-hired offensive coordinator Chip Long, and they'll likely experience some growing pains against a Sooners defense that's aiming to lead the country in takeaways this season.