Postgame Thoughts: Oklahoma 59, Maine 14
The Oklahoma Sooners understood the assignment on Saturday, blowing out the Maine Black Bears, 59-14. Here are some observations about the performance, based on my live viewing of the game.
*OU needed a get-right game and got it. Aside from a few misfires on the first drives on both offense and defense, the Sooners had no problems dispatching their FCS opponent. It was a strong effort in so far as there were no surprises.
When you look at it from that perspective, the SEC’s “SoCon Saturday” scheduling tradition makes a lot of sense.
*You don’t want to go too far with how you interpret the numbers against this kind of opponent, but OU’s running game looked solid for the second week in a row. Paced by 203 yards and three touchdowns on 18 attempts from Jovantae Barnes, the Sooners rolled up 381 yards on 52 carries. Aside from Sam Franklin losing a fumble in the first half, the running backs played well.
It’s not clear if interim offensive coordinator Joe John Finley made cleaning up the running game a priority, but the ground attack is the biggest reason for optimism on offense for the rest of the season.
*If there was one area of concern, the option game isn’t operating smoothly. Franklin’s fumble came on what should have been an easy catch of a pitch from quarterback Jackson Arnold. Arnold’s decisions in speed option left something to be desired, too.
*Arnold made a handful of strong throws, highlighted by the go ball he threw on the run to J.J. Hester that produced a 90-yard touchdown. He missed badly on couple of deep shots, however. With OU’s top receiver still missing in action, Arnold and the current crop of wideouts have yet to get in sync on anything down the field. It’s frustrating.
*Nice moment for tight end Kaden Helms, who caught a touchdown pass. You hope it’s ultimately not a what-could-have-been career for him after a devastating leg injury.
*Whipping a team like Maine up front is far from a sign of stardom in the making. However, guard Heath Ozaeta is starting to find his feet. He should become a stalwart on the interior in 2025.
Also, I like the nasty on freshman guard Eddy Pierre-Louis. He probably can’t contribute much during the rest of this season, but the future appears intriguing.
*On defense, Maine had no hope of blocking OU’s front. One player on the defensive line who is starting to flash: tackle David Stone. Playing with a huge cast on one hand didn’t stop him notching sack. His potential as an interior pass rusher looks promising.
*Freshman cornerback Eli Bowen has become one of the three or four best players on the OU defense. Given the importance of his position, his emergence this season has been a godsend.
Also, keep an eye on freshman safety Jaydan Hardy. It seems like he showed out on a few occasions versus Maine in his first extended action of the season.