How Walter Rouse showed uncommon effort on OU football's game-winning play vs. Texas
NORMAN — Walter Rouse's job as an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback at all costs.
And that's exactly what he did when it mattered most.
OU earned a thrilling 34-30 win over Texas in Dallas on Saturday. The Sooners prevailed thanks to a 3-yard touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel to Nic Anderson in the closing seconds.
It's a play that'll be remembered for decades as a part of the storied Red River Rivalry series, and Rouse helped make it possible by blocking two Texas defenders on his own.
"I was just trying to do my absolute best to protect as much as I could," Rouse said on Monday. "I just did my job as an O-lineman, as I’m sure anyone else on the starting five or anyone else in the O-line room would do as well. Just doing our job."
Rouse's shining moment didn't get off to a strong start.
In addition to being tasked with blocking Texas edge rusher Ethan Burke, the redshirt senior left tackle also noticed that cornerback Terrance Brooks was showing a blitz on the left side.
It was Rouse's job to call that out to the rest of OU's offensive line. But his voice got drowned out by the screams of a sea of Texas fans.
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"Our communication definitely needs to get better, especially on my part," Rouse said. "I was trying to get an out-call, and I don’t think I was loud enough, and I might’ve been a little too late."
Rouse was also late to react to the snap.
The Stanford transfer didn't get into his pass-blocking set on time. And while he didn't think he mistimed it too much in the moment, he was shocked when he watched the film after the game.
"Going back and watching film, I was late," Rouse said. "I was really late off the ball. ... I was like, 'Damn, I was really that late off the ball?'"
Rouse was late to call out the blitz. He was late to react to the snap. And now he found himself staring down two charging Longhorns in Burke and Brooks.
But Rouse remembered a phrase that he has heard countless times since arriving at OU in the spring.
Uncommon effort.
OU's coaching staff has drilled that mantra into the minds of its players, and Rouse showed that on the game-winning play.
The veteran offensive lineman stopped Burke in his tracks with his right arm. Then he reached out his left arm and held up Brooks.
"I just stuck out two hands there," Rouse said. "I was just trying to protect with all I could."
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Rouse's uncommon effort bought Gabriel enough time to find Anderson in the corner of the end zone.
Anderson made the catch as the OU side of the crowd erupted. His teammates then rushed over to celebrate with him, but Rouse didn't.
He was so focused on doing his job that he didn't realize what had just happened.
"I was kind of out of it," Rouse said. "I thought DG (Gabriel) threw it out of bounds. Even with the crowd going crazy, I was standing there and I was like, 'Did we score?'
It wasn't until Rouse ran over to the sideline that it hit him.
"We scored!" Rouse remembers saying. "We're going to win this game! We're going to win this game!"
The play capped off a miraculous drive by the Sooners, who went 75 yards on five plays in just 62 seconds.
OU now enters its bye week with a 6-0 (3-0 Big 12) record. And thanks to Rouse and everyone else who contributed on that game-winning play, the sky is the limit for the Sooners as they continue their season.
"I’m really excited moving forward," Rouse said. "What Tawee (Walker) did, what the whole O-line did, DG and Nic Anderson in that moment was nothing short of amazing. Everyone did their job and executed perfectly.”
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Ethan Downs' dominant showing
Ethan Downs enforced his will during OU's win over Texas.
The junior defensive end wreaked havoc on the Longhorns' offensive line. He recorded three tackles (two for loss) and two sacks.
It marked the first time in his career that Downs recorded multiple sacks in a game, and head coach Brent Venables didn't want there to be any confusion when talking about the performance on Monday.
“Had a great game," Venables said. "Not a good game. Had a great game. ... He had a fantastic week. Again, playing at a really high confidence level.”
Texas couldn't contain Downs on Saturday. But Downs also struggled to contain himself.
After recording a sack early in the second quarter, Downs stood over Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and yelled something at him.
Downs was lucky he didn't receive a taunting penalty from the referee, who was standing right next to him. The close call serves as a reminder for Downs, who'll look to continue his strong play without getting carried away.
"You can’t do that," Venables said. "Moving forward, other people are going to use that. You have to be smart about that."
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Injury updates
OU wide receiver Andrel Anthony, who was injured in the third quarter of Saturday's win over Texas, will undergo season-ending surgery soon, Venables said Monday night.
"It's tough," said Venables, who did not specify what the injury was. "You hate it for him. We have other guys. You hate it for Andrel and how hard he's worked. We got to 6-0. He had a big part in helping us get there."
Anthony has 27 catches for 429 yards and a touchdown so far this season, leading the Sooners in receiving yardage and is second in catches.
The junior transfer from Michigan had five catches for 42 yards in the win over the Longhorns.
Venables also said right guard McKade Mettauer, who was carted off the field with an ankle sprain in the second half, got good news.
"We're looking at best-case scenario for him," Venables said. "He'll be back sooner rather than later."
He also offered a quick update on cornerback Gentry Williams, who was also injured in the second half.
"(Gentry) is good," Venables said. "He practiced today."
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football lineman Walter Rouse is Sooners' unsung hero against Texas
