The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Oklahoma Sooners 49, Texas Tech Red Raiders 27
Advance and move on.
Another win and OU now enters November stretch against three key opponents – you might say the three toughest conference opponents, but Iowa State is making its own case. Some continuing areas of concern are evident, but so are some areas of progress.
A huge prime time environment gave OU a boost in recruiting, but those results are for a different article.
It’s Bedlam week, and OU finds itself in the role of betting underdog. It’s time for the defense to play a full 60 minutes against a very good offense.
On the opposite side, the Sooners’ vaunted offensive line needs to dominate the game and allow OU to be a two-dimensional attack, as was the case in their last two double-digit wins over the Aggies.
The Great
Running back duo
Rodney Anderson and Abdul Adams had a great night with nearly 300 yards combined. I’m not going to pretend that this duo is as good as Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, but the overall grade is not that far away. When healthy, both players only seem to be getting better. After a whole offseason of being a question mark according to the pundits, OU probably has the best RB corps in the entire Big 12.
The Good
Last three quarters for the defense
Based on film, using an umbrella coverage v Texas Tech made some sense. After Tech was shut down by the same scheme in the last couple of games, it had a real counter.
The strategic scheme change helped OU’s defense stop nine out of 10 drives in the final three quarters. Against a competent passing offense with a good quarterback, that’s good defense. In addition, OU also had a key goal line stand in the fourth quarter that kept the final margin at 22.
Game-sealing drive
OU has not enjoyed a sense of combined defensive momentum and offensive momentum very often this year outside of the second half versus Ohio State. Right after a big fourth down stop at one OU's one yard line, the offense went on a decisive drive for 11 minutes.
After the all the recent fourth quarter drama, it was awesome to see OU in the victory formation with a lead of more than three touchdowns.
Healthy CeeDee Lamb
Amazing what Lamb back to 100 percent means for OU's passing game.
Lamb had one of the best days ever for a true freshman in Norman, showcasing every facet of his game: short passes generating yardage after the catch, intermediate completions that moved the chains; mid-range game.
He’s going to be handful for Big 12 defenses for the next two years.
The Bad
Tech's long touchdown pass
The angles on defense that OU took on this play were just awful, allowing the kind of easy pitch-and-run TD that OU cannot give up against OSU and TCU moving forward. Make Mason Rudolph and Kenny Hill grind it out. Mistakes will happen, but force quarterbacks to complete long-distance throws and catches, not 70 yard sprints across the field untouched.
The Ugly
Personal fouls
Seven of them. How can OU expect to win a game where the Sooners allow stopped drives to continue? There are also instances in which penalties take the offense off schedule.
It has got to stop.
-Atlantasooner