Guarding against UCLA letdown

If you play for the University of Oklahoma, you play for the University of Oklahoma.

What does that mean?

It means you aren’t Cincinnati. You aren’t San Diego State.

Those were UCLA’s first two opponents.

Those were also UCLA’s first two losses this season.

Now the Sooners head to the Rose Bowl for the first time since being a part of the College Football Playoff two years ago.

And if there is a way for UCLA to save its season? To garner interest in a program that’s support has waned to the point of embarrassment: it starts with a victory over Oklahoma.

That’s something Bill Bedenbaugh and Lincoln Riley realize. It’s something they are fighting against this week during practice.

They are guarding against the letdown.

“It's knowing your team, knowing your guys,” said Riley about how he tries to anticipate whether his team is preparing properly during the week. “Teams have different personalities. The way one team works at a high level doesn't always feel the same with other teams, so you gotta get to know your team and have a feel for, I think, where they're at mentally. Then I think oftentimes, during the week, whatever, not be afraid to challenge 'em.”

Bedenbaugh did exactly that when he met with the media Tuesday.

OU’s offensive line coach was blunt when asked about his evaluation of his offensive line last week against South Dakota.

“Not very good. Not up to our standard,” he said sternly. “We have to play better. We have to coach better.

“I don't accept any excuses. You have to play better and you have to coach better. There's no magic potion. You work. You work hard. That's what you do. That's how you become good. That's what you do. We have to do it better. We're capable of being really, really good. But it's got to be important. You have to do it every day. We didn't do that last week. It showed up. It's football. It's life.”

A 2-0 UCLA might not be the concern to the Sooners with the level of competition they’ve faced.

An 0-2 UCLA is dangerous in the eyes of Bedenbaugh.

“They are a good defense. They are better than last year. They are big dudes. They are physical. They are going to mix things up,” he said. “They are going to show you different looks so it's important that we understand the personnel that's on the field, how they are aligned and what they are going to do. That comes from studying tape.”

Riley agrees with that assessment.

“The second we get done with the film on Sunday, you start watching these guys, it doesn't take long to realize that the world may say this and that about UCLA, but you turn on the tape, and you see a different story, you see these guys can play,” he said. “They have players. We know they have coaches. We know what we're going into as coaches, and our players are gonna have to understand that as well.”

OU believes the unthinkable is possible. That’s half the battle.

Well, maybe the coaches believe that. But do the players really believe that?

No one believes in the unthinkable until it happens.

“I think that’s really the main message that needs to be preached right now is that they’re hungry,” said starting middle linebacker Kenneth Murray about UCLA. “They have a great coach and they have a great football team and so those guys are going to put together a great gameplan. We can’t sleep on them. We’ve got to understand they’re desperate to get a win. They’re desperate to come out with something positive. Them beating us would really be the highlight of their season, especially starting off 0-2.”

This week in practice Riley has been watching with a close eye. Bill Bedenbaugh has apparently had his ‘Come to Jesus’ meeting.

“We had a good meeting on Monday,” he said. “We'll see.”

Meanwhile, Riley is watching his team like a hawk this week in practices.

He’s trying to crack that code that tells him his team is ripe for the upset.

“It's amazing how many times the game is over, and then you go back and look at how you practiced, there's normally a lot of parallels,” he said.

The hope is that this story and this storyline serves as just a precaution.

“We know what we're going into as coaches, and our players are gonna have to understand that as well,” said Riley.

Maybe this is just a poorly written fire drill for the Sooners heading into Saturday.

But fire drills are run for a reason.

"I think sometimes we get nervous because we want everybody to feel good going into the game, and that's not us here,” said Riley. “It's not a feel-good unless we're celebrating in that locker room Saturday after a ball game. We try to continually challenge them, no matter who we're playing, no matter what kind of game it is.”