3 Keys to the game for the Oklahoma Sooners Offense vs. the Kansas Jayhawks
Oklahoma’s second trip to Kansas this fall for Big 12 football happens this week as they head to Lawrence, this time to take on the Jayhawks. This trip will be an opportunity for Oklahoma to keep building on the offensive success they’ve had recently. Their last trip to Kansas a few weeks ago to play Kansas State showcased them starting to round into form.
That game was started and completed by Spencer Rattler. Since then, Rattler has been replaced by true freshmen Caleb Williams, and Williams will make the first road start of his Sooners career.
This should be the type of game where Oklahoma gets pretty deep into their offensive depth chart, as the game should be decided by the end of the third quarter.
As the Sooners get set to take on the Jayhawks, here are 3 keys for the Sooners offense to thrive on Saturday.
Keep the Line Pushing
There is absolutely no reason the Sooners offensive line should not continue to have solid performances as they’ve had recently. They hold a distinct advantage in size and athleticism in the trenches.
If this is to be a blowout, the Sooners offensive line will have to be as dominant and physical as they have been.
Anton Harrison left the game on Saturday and was replaced by Erik Swenson. If Anton Harrison cannot go, the Sooners could turn back to Swenson or go with Tennessee transfer Wanya Morris. Regardless of who starts, both should see significant time, even if Harrison can play.
Up Next: More Offensive Keys to the Game
Keep Spreading the Wealth
Caleb Williams has done a fantastic job as a distributor since taking over as the starting quarterback. He’s gotten guys involved that weren’t as much before.
Jadon Haselwood has turned into the red zone weapon many thought he’d be, and Marvin Mims has seemingly found his big-play ability once again.
This is the perfect opportunity for guys like Austin Stogner, Trevon West, Brian Darby, Brayden Willis, and Jalil Farooq to show themselves well. Spreading the ball around will prevent opposing defenses from focusing strictly on Marvin Mims, which should allow him to continue to shine in the passing game down the stretch.
Don’t Expect to Win, Play to Win
While it’s easy to assume Oklahoma wins, they still need to show up and perform. Over the years, Oklahoma has had some games that should’ve been blowouts early, not manifest until late because they didn’t come into the game locked in.
If this is to be a championship-winning team, games like this must be over early, and they must keep their foot on the throat of their opponent.
The Sooners should head into the half up by 21 points or more based simply on talent alone. However, that will only happen if they come out fast and play like this game against a high-quality opponent.
False starts, drops, turnovers, and other mistakes will cost them and give Kansas life. And that’s the one thing you just can’t do in these kinds of lopsided matchups.
After close wins for much of the season, the Sooners finally got back in the voters’ good graces with their comeback win over Texas and their blowout of TCU. To avoid a setback in the polls, the Sooners must perform well against the lowly Jayhawks.
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Tale of the Tape: How do the Sooners and Jayhawks stack up statistically?
