OU’s improved defense presents challenge
AUSTIN — Lincoln Riley was left with no other recourse. Oklahoma’s second-year coach couldn’t let a toxic defense torpedo the season, which is the exact threat he faced in the aftermath of a 4845 loss to Texas last October.
So two days after kicker Cameron Dicker winked his way into Longhorn hearts and drilled a game-winning field goal, Oklahoma fired defensive coordinator Mike Stoops.
Nothing much changed over the final eight games under interim coordinator Ruffin McNeill. The Sooners did revel in some sweet Red River revenge in the Big 12 championship game, but the defense still finished the year outside the nation’s top 100 in total defense, scoring defense, thirddown conversion defense and red zone defense.
It was clear a more permanent fix was needed after the Sooners surrendered 45 points and 528 yards of total offense to Alabama in an Orange Bowl loss. Riley knew just the guy.
In January, Alex Grinch arrived after one season at Ohio State with the task of turning the Sooners’ defense into something approaching respectable.
Five games into the season, sixth-ranked Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) has improved. It’s currently No. 5 in third-down defense, No. 25 in scoring defense and No. 46 in total defense, all significant leaps when compared to last year’s numbers.
“They are really, really flying to the football,” Texas coach Tom Herman said. “Not extremely complex in terms of coverage structure but they are in the right place, not very many busts. Not turning guys loose.
“The thing that’s a bit unique is the multiplicity of their defensive front. Them stemming and moving and twisting on almost every snap, which is difficult on an offensive lineman, to be honest with you, to try to target a guy and all of a sudden he is moving on you.”
The biggest test for Texas will be how its linemen handle all the movement up front and how well it can block in the trenches and out in the second level on designed runs. On paper, offensive line guru Herb Hand’s unit is up for the task.
The Longhorn front five has paved the way for one of the most high-powered, well-balanced offenses in recent program history. After a few uneven outings, the run game has shown signs of life. In its past two games, Texas averaged 220.5 yards rushing on 4.9 yards per attempt.
Sophomore Keaontay Ingram looked confident and elusive in running for 114 yards on 21 carries against Oklahoma State. True freshman Roschon Johnson followed that up by dancing, twisting and powering his way to 121 rushing yards in last week’s victory over West Virginia. And the returns of fifth-year senior Kirk Johnson and junior Daniel Young have solidified a backfield that suffered a spate of depth-killing preseason injuries.
“I think we’ve done a great job when it comes to executing, especially from this year to last year,” redshirt sophomore left tackle Sam Cosmi said. “We have some very physical guys up front that are nasty and love to finish their guys. We have some dogs when it comes to our O-line.
“Coach Hand calls us ‘stone cutters,’ we chip away. You look at some of the drives we’ve had, it’s double digits, sometimes 15 plays a drive. And we’ll have multiple drives like that a game.
So far this season, the Texas offense has put together 13 drives stretching at least nine plays. From those clock-killing, defensedraining drives, UT has produced 10 touchdowns, one missed 42yard field goal, a turnover on downs and a lost fumble.
The Longhorns could use a couple more of those lengthy downfield marches against Oklahoma. After all, the less time When/where:
11 a.m. Saturday; Cotton Bowl, Dallas. TV/radio: Fox; 790 AM.
quarterback Jalen Hurts spends on the field with his heavy artillery, the better.
“Their defense is flying around,” Texas junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger said. “They’re very aggressive, physical, doing a great job of rallying to the football. So it’ll be a great challenge.”
Grinch hasn’t tried tricking himself into believing this is just another game. He understands the ancient hatred, the implications for both programs this season and beyond. He knows the fate that befell the last OU coordinator who couldn’t get the job done in this clash at the Cotton Bowl.
If Grinch’s defense can stand up to Texas on Saturday, Oklahoma could have the goods to finally get past the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff. If not, well, Texas might just be on its way to a Big 12 title — and more.
“You know it’s a war each year, and you have to respect it that way,” Grinch said, per the Norman Transcript. “We know it’s game six, but you can’t go down that road and say it’s just game six. It’s not just anything. I know enough about that to suggest that.”