Tag: oklahoma

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables fist bumps Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Oklahoma won 69-45.

Sooners working through challenges with new sideline tech

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Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said the Sooners are using the nonconference portion of the schedule to get ready for what their first season in the SEC will actually look like.

“Next year we have Michigan and we actually travel to Temple,” Venables said of the 2025 September slate for the Sooners.

Building depth has become a challenge at certain positions, including the offensive line.

“Everybody in college football, that’s just the way it is, can leave,” Venables said. “Having a roster built on stability and consistently is a little bit different. It’s that way for everyone in college football.”

Technology is one of the areas the Sooners are putting in some extra work following consistent communication challenges with quarterback Dillon Gabriel. College football is using direct-to-helmet communication from coaches for the first time this season.

“Sometimes it’s worse than others, sometimes it’s better than others. Nothing has been quote-unquote smooth,” Venables said. “I think we did work on improving the sound of those. Part of it — it’s all new. Not only coaches but for players, best practice and how to take what’s being communicated on the headset and take it (to the field).”

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) throws a pass during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Houston Cougars at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Quarterbacks showing their youth for No. 15 Oklahoma, Tulane

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No. 15 Oklahoma and Tulane are looking for better things out of their young quarterbacks this weekend when the Sooners and Green Wave play Saturday in Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma is 2-0 but coming off a shaky offensive performance in last week’s 16-12 home win over Houston.

The Sooners managed just 249 yards of total offense, and sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold was 19 of 32 for 174 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

“He’s a mature, tough guy,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “So he’s handled all of it really well. Again, he had great self-awareness and has taken ownership where he’s needed to, and that’s allowed him to take the next step as far as his progression and development.”

While Arnold struggled against Houston, Oklahoma’s offensive issues go far beyond him.

The offensive line has been a revolving door, with the Sooners on their third center of the season already — starter Branson Hickman injured an ankle in the opener, then Geirean Hatchett sustained a season-ending torn biceps injury. Joshua Bates has been forced into action despite Venables saying Bates was playing without the full use of one arm.

The Sooners’ running game has struggled, rushing for just 75 yards last week after much of their 220 yards on the ground in the opener came late with the game well in hand.

Arnold has also been without several key targets, though Venables said there was a chance Nic Anderson, who had 10 touchdown catches a year ago, could make his season debut Saturday after dealing with a hamstring injury.

“This is a group of guys that are committed to the work and the things that it takes,” Venables said. “It may not happen as fast as everyone would like, but it’ll get better.”

Tulane (1-1) is coming off a 34-27 home loss to Kansas State last Saturday, when redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 342 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also lost a fumble in the fourth quarter that resulted in a K-State defensive touchdown.

“Everything’s new for (Mensah),” Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall said. “He’s learning. … He’s going to get it. He’s going to learn it. Usually being a kid, you touch a hot stove and you learn it’s hot, don’t touch it anymore. Hopefully, he learns, ‘Hey, if I’m in traffic, put the ball away.’”

Through two games, Oklahoma has forced eight turnovers, tied for the FBS lead. Tulane has turned the ball over twice.

“Good scheme and good players usually make for good football, and they’re really well-coached with great players,” Sumrall said of the Sooners’ defense. “They’re multiple. They keep you really guessing, keep you off balance. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

For the second consecutive matchup against Oklahoma, the Green Wave are battling inclement weather in the lead-up to the game.

In 2021, Hurricane Ida forced the teams’ season-opening matchup to be moved from New Orleans to Norman.

Now, Tropical Storm Francine has impacted Tulane’s preparations, as they practiced at the New Orleans Saints’ facility early in the week.

In that 2021 meeting, the Green Wave took the Sooners down to the wire before the Sooners pulled out a 40-35 win.

Oklahoma has won both previous meetings with Tulane.

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) brings down Houston Cougars running back Re'Shaun Sanford II (26) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Houston Cougars at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Late safety seals No. 15 Oklahoma’s tight win over Houston

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Gracen Halton brought down Stacy Sneed in the end zone for a safety in the final two minutes to help No. 15 Oklahoma eke out a 16-12 win over Houston on Saturday in Norman, Okla.

The Cougars got the ball back with 1:46 remaining at their own 5 with a chance to drive for the win. But on first down, Halton cut right through the Houston offensive line and brought down Sneed for the safety.

The play was the last in a string of big defensive stops by the Sooners (2-0).

After Houston (0-2) cut the deficit to 14-12 early in the second half, Oklahoma’s defense came up with four consecutive stops to put the game away.

The Cougars got one more chance, getting the ball back at their own 13 with 29 seconds remaining, but couldn’t get the ball into Oklahoma territory before time ran out.

Houston outgained the Sooners 318-249.

The 249 yards were Oklahoma’s fewest since 2022.

Jackson Arnold threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns for the Sooners, who ran for just 75 yards.

The Cougars’ Donovan Smith was 24-of-28 passing for 260 yards and a touchdown.

After scoring two touchdowns on its first four drives — one with an extremely short field — Oklahoma’s offense struggled.

The Sooners came up empty on their next five drives, with four punts and an interception.

After Houston scored to pull within 14-12, Oklahoma was moving the ball downfield early in the third, picking up three first downs and moving into Houston territory.

But Arnold underthrew a deep ball to Deion Burks and Jeremiah Wilson came up with the interception.

On the first drive of the third quarter, just after an Oklahoma interception was wiped out by a pass interference call, the Cougars came up big.

Smith hit Joseph Manjack IV for a 44-yard touchdown to pull Houston with two.

A two-point conversion attempt failed.

After forcing six turnovers in their season-opening win, it didn’t take long for the Sooners to come up with a takeaway against Houston.

Oklahoma’s punt on the game’s first drive bounced in front of and past Mekhi Mews. Neither Mews nor the Sooners’ Jacobe Johnson reacted as the ball looked to be going out of bounds, but it remained in bounds and Oklahoma’s Lewis Carter dove on it as officials signaled the turnover.

The play stood after a review, and on the first play of the next drive, Arnold hit Brenen Thompson for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Sooners ahead.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (6) celebrates with Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman Spencer Brown (58) after scoring during the first quarter against the Temple Owls at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson Arnold (4 TDs), No. 16 Oklahoma defense dominate Temple

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Jackson Arnold threw four touchdowns and No. 16 Oklahoma’s defense forced five turnovers in a 51-3 win over in the teams’ season opener on Friday in Norman, Okla.

The game was Arnold’s home debut as a starter after he started the Sooners’ Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona in December.

Purdue transfer Deion Burks caught three touchdowns — all in the first half. It was Burks’ first career three-touchdown game.

While Arnold had a decent if not flashy performance, completing 17 of 25 passes for 141 yards, his Temple counterpart struggled from the jump.

Forrest Brock, making his first Division I start, missed on his first five pass attempts and his sixth went for a 2-yard loss. His seventh was intercepted by the Sooners’ Kani Walker.

Before his interception, Brock fumbled after a hit from Ethan Downs to give the Sooners the ball in Temple territory.

Five plays later, Arnold hit Burks for a touchdown to put Oklahoma up 14-0.

The Sooners got on the board with Arnold’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Bauer Sharp on their first offensive drive of the game.

Tyler Keltner hit three field goals, including a 50-yarder in the first quarter.

The Sooners didn’t convert on third down until Taylor Tatum’s 8-yard touchdown run with just more than three minutes remaining. Oklahoma was 0-for-11 on third down before the conversion.

The Owls lost two more fumbles in the second quarter, leading to 10 Sooners’ points.

The last of those first-half turnovers came with just more than a minute remaining before half, with Joquez Smith’s fumble giving Oklahoma the ball back at the Temple 6.

Brock finished 12 of 25 for 128 yards and two interceptions. The Sooners sacked Brock six times.

Jaren Kanak scored on a 21-yard fumble return following an Oklahoma punt early in the fourth quarter. The fumble was Temple’s sixth turnover of the night.

Oklahoma outgained the Owls 378-197, holding Temple to just 69 rushing yards.

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray, running backs coach, before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Oklahoma won 16-13. Lx10208

Oklahoma RBs coach DeMarco Murray suspended 1 game

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The NCAA issued a one-game suspension to Oklahoma running backs coach DeMarco Murray on Tuesday for recruiting violations.

Murray, a former NFL rushing champion and three-time Pro Bowl selection, joined the Sooners’ coaching staff in 2020.

According to a report from the NCAA Committee on Infractions, Murray made impermissible contact with 17 prospects over a 16-month period. That included 65 phone calls and 36 text messages, which the university discovered during a routine review of phone records.

Murray, 36, who starred at Oklahoma from 2007-10, presumably will sit out the Sooners’ season-opening game on Friday night against the visiting Temple Owls.

The NCAA investigation determined that Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables “was not personally involved in the violations and demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance.”

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Murray in the third round in 2011. He earned All-Pro first-team honors in 2014 after leading the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 16 starts for the Cowboys.

He retired after the 2017 season with 7,174 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns plus 2,165 receiving yards and six scores in 99 games (86 starts) with the Cowboys (2011-14), Philadelphia Eagles (2015) and Tennessee Titans (2016-17).

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma's Jackson Arnold drops back pass during a University of Oklahoma (OU) Sooners spring football game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April 20, 2024.

No. 16 Oklahoma, QB Jackson Arnold, take aim at Temple

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There’s no doubt who will be starting at quarterback for Oklahoma in its season opener against Temple.

The Owls’ quarterback situation is much more up in the air.

The 16th-ranked Sooners will take on Temple on Friday night in Norman, Oklahoma, in the season opener for both teams.

Sophomore Jackson Arnold will start for Oklahoma, making his second career start after guiding the Sooners in their Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona after Dillon Gabriel transferred to Oregon.

Arnold threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns while completing better than 57% of his passes but tossed three interceptions and lost a fumble in the defeat.

“He’s put the work in,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Monday. “(He’s had a) level of consistency and growth and maturation and worked hard at helping everybody else around him get better. He has a broad set of shoulders to carry the heavy load.”

While Arnold has talent galore at wide receiver, led by returners Nic Anderson and Jalil Farooq and Purdue transfer Deion Burks, he’ll be protected by a group of newcomers up front that includes just one player – left guard Jacob Sexton – that has started a game for the Sooners.

USC transfer Michael Tarquin at left tackle, SMU transfer Branson Hickman at center, and North Texas transfer Febechi Nwaiwu at right guard are all new to the program, while right tackle Jake Taylor is expected to make his first career start.

“They’ve been mature, they’ve been focused, they care for one another,” Venables said of the line.

Temple, which has won just 10 games over the last four seasons, doesn’t figure to push the Sooners to the brink.

The Owls will be the first team to test Oklahoma’s defense under first-year Sooners defensive coordinator Zac Alley, who replaced Ted Roof. Alley had spent the previous two seasons in the same role at Jacksonville State and worked with Venables for several seasons at Clemson.

Temple coach Stan Drayton hasn’t named a starting quarterback for the game as Forrest Brock and Rutgers transfer Evan Simon have been neck-and-neck for the starting job.

Drayton said Sunday that he knew who the starter was going to be but that he would wait until the last moment to make the announcement.

Owls Daily reported Brock would start against the Sooners.

“Our guys are getting better because of the competition in the room,” Drayton said. “There’s a lot of respect that they have for one another that I just want to keep that going.”

Brock appeared in just one game last season, going 7 for 15 with an interception in a late October loss to SMU.

Whichever quarterback Temple goes with, it’ll have some playmakers available at receiver, including returner Dante Wright, who had 39 catches for 507 yards and four touchdowns last season.

“They have game-breaking speed,” Venables said. “They have some excellent wideouts, too, that can take the top off a defense.”

The game will be the first matchup between the programs since 1942. The all-time series is tied 1-1.

–Field Level Media

OU coach Brent Venables talks with a fan during Meet the Sooners Day for the University of Oklahoma football team at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial stadium in Norman, Okla. Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.

5-star OT Michael Fasusi commits to Oklahoma

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Five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi, ranked the 12th best overall player in the Class of 2025, committed to Oklahoma on Wednesday.

Fasusi, out of Lewisville, Texas, chose the Sooners over the Longhorns, Texas A&M, Missouri, Oregon and Alabama among 37 offers.

“I almost committed on the official visit to Oklahoma,” Fasusi told On3. “That visit to Norman really summed it all up. It wasn’t just me, but my family felt it, too. The coaches did more than impress me, they made my family feel comfortable and we all felt the love.”

The 6-foot-5 Fasusi is the third-best tackle in the class and fifth-best recruit out of the state of Texas, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

Fasusi gives Oklahoma coach Brent Venables his first five-star commit in the class. The Sooners have the eighth-best class in the country, according to 247Sports.

No. 16 Oklahoma opens its 2024 season at home vs. Temple on Aug. 30.

–Field Level Media

Florida Atlantic quarterback Casey Thompson (11) passes during the second quarter against Monmouth at FAU Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2023, in Boca Raton, FL.

FAU QB Casey Thompson, former Longhorn, commits to Oklahoma

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Casey Thompson, who spent three seasons playing quarterback at Texas, is heading to the other side of the Red River rivalry and joining Oklahoma.

The Florida Atlantic transfer announced his commitment to the Sooners on Thursday. He is a native of Oklahoma City.

“Dear Oklahoma, I’m coming home,” he posted on social media with images of him in Oklahoma gear.

It’s likely Thompson will enter 2024 as the backup to Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, who is taking over for Dillon Gabriel.

Thompson’s 2023 season was cut short when he tore an ACL in the Owls’ third game of the season Sept. 16 against Clemson. He finished the interrupted campaign with 509 passing yards, five touchdown and five interceptions.

Thompson threw for 2,422 yards, 30 touchdowns and nine picks in 19 games at Texas from 2019-21. He transferred to Nebraska in 2022 and played in 10 games, throwing for 2,407 yards, 17 TDs and 10 picks.

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Ted Roof watches the Sooners warm up before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Oklahoma won 69-45.

Oklahoma, defensive coordinator Ted Roof part ways

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Ted Roof will not return as Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2024, the Sooners announced Thursday.

Oklahoma and Roof “mutually agreed to part ways,” according to the football program’s announcement. He had worked at the university for two seasons.

“I have the utmost respect and appreciation for Ted,” head coach Brent Venables said in a statement. “I told him Wednesday I made a decision to go in a new direction at defensive coordinator and offered him an opportunity to remain on our staff in a different role. He explained that he has a deep desire to keep coaching and will look to do that at a different school.”

Roof, 60, has worked as a defensive coach at the college level since the late 1980s. Previous stints as a defensive coordinator included UMass (1995-96), Western Carolina (1997), Georgia Tech (1999-2001, 2013-17), Duke (2002-03), Minnesota (2008), Auburn (2009-11), UCF (2011), Penn State (2012), NC State (2018, as co-defensive coordinator), Appalachian State (2019) and Vanderbilt (2020).

While at Duke, he was named interim head coach during the 2003 season and promoted to the role full-time for 2004-07. The Blue Devils went 6-45 under Roof.

Oklahoma, which will join the SEC later this year, ranked just inside the top 50 nationally this season in scoring defense (23.5 points per game allowed).

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2023; San Antonio, TX, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws a pass in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Arizona overtakes No. 12 Oklahoma to win Alamo Bowl

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No. 14 Arizona forced six turnovers and got the go-ahead touchdown on a 57-yard pass to Jacob Cowing, stunning No. 12 Oklahoma with a 38-24 comeback victory in the Alamo Bowl on Thursday in San Antonio.

Wildcats safety Gunner Maldonado intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles, the second of which he returned 87 yards for a game-changing score late in the third quarter.

That touchdown with two seconds left in the third quarter and subsequent two-point conversion pass from Noah Fifita to Montana Lemonious-Craig cut Oklahoma’s lead to 24-21 — just as it seemed the Sooners were about to add to an 11-point edge.

Fifita passed for 354 yards for Arizona (10-3), which won its seventh consecutive game, its longest streak since the 1998 season. The Wildcats reached 10 wins in a season for the fourth time in school history.

Oklahoma true freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold, making his first start in the wake of Dillon Gabriel’s transfer, passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns. However, he was intercepted three times and lost a late fumble on a sack after the Wildcats took a 31-24 lead with 5:28 left on Cowing’s touchdown.

Arizona then added a 19-yard touchdown run by DJ Williams, ending the game by scoring 25 unanswered points in the final 15:02.

Oklahoma had roared back from a 13-0, first-half deficit and was up 24-13 when momentum changed quickly.

Dalton Johnson popped the ball out of the hands of receiver Jalil Farooq, and Maldonado grabbed it and raced down the left sideline for his 87-yard fumble return.

Martell Irby intercepted Arnold on the next play from scrimmage, setting up Arizona at the Oklahoma 11. The Sooners defense stiffened, though, forcing the Wildcats into a game-tying, 37-yard field goal.

When the Wildcats got the ball back after a punt, they drove 95 yards, capped by Fifita’s scramble and TD pass to Cowing. Cowing caught seven passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Teammate Tetairoa McMillan made 10 receptions for 160 yards.

Arnold completed 26 of 45 passes. Oklahoma outgained Arizona 562-383 but was undone by the six turnovers, which led to 28 points.

–Field Level Media