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Published Sep 13, 2021
Hot 11: Western Carolina
Josh McCuistion  •  OUInsider
Editor
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@Josh_Scoop

Oklahoma's 76-0 demolition of Western Carolina went as smoothly as anyone could have hoped - save for a few concerning injuries. But with so many players playing so many snaps it's tough to separate one performance from another. It's time to take a look at the best of the best and see who made this week's Hot 11.

11. Jaden Knowles

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Stats: Four carries for 37 yards and two touchdowns (1, 29)

Analysis: Let's be honest football is fun when you can add a guy like Knowles to the list. But honestly he was a very solid third option for Oklahoma and helped eat up some carries in the second half. Knowles is a walk-on but showed himself as a guy who could take a few carries off Oklahoma's two lead backs if need be.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 76.2

10. Brayden Willis

Stats: Two receptions for 51 yards.

Analysis: Willis' big moment was absolutely the run after the catch where it looked like he might even score heading into the North end zone. But Willis had a much better week blocking than last week against Tulane. All in all it was one of his better games in Norman.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 90.7

9. Jadon Haselwood

Stats: Four receptions for 19 yards and two touchdowns (7, 6).

Analysis: Don't look now but Haselwood is starting to get comfortable. You can see that he and Spencer Rattler are finding some understanding and Oklahoma's quarterback has a lot of confidence in his fellow class of 2019 five-star.

Last Week: 8

PFF Grade: 61.2

8. Mario Williams

Stats: Four receptions for 49 yards and a 10-yard reception.

Analysis: Williams flashed some good things last week against Tulane but against Western Carolina you started to see hints of a player that, even as a freshman, could take over games. His burst outside on a few of the Sooners shortest passes of the day gave him the chance to turn nothing into something.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 74.4

7. Perrion Winfrey

Stats: Two tackles (one solo), 1.5 sacks (five yards).

Analysis: On the final drive of the Tulane game Winfrey showed flashes of being the dominant player that he has the ability to be. That level of effort and dominance was far more readily against Western Carolina. Winfrey was one of the defensive lineman who seemed to smell blood in the water early but never really let up in this go around.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 84.6

6. Ethan Downs

Stats: Two solo tackles, one tackle for loss (two yards), one forced fumble.

Analysis: There's just no denying that Downs is going to be a fan favorite in short order. Not just because of his big plays but his motor. Downs will chase until his legs fall off and it shows up, including with the forced fumble that provided the Sooners with access to their first shutout of the year.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 93.7

5. Chris Murray

Stats: N/A.

Analysis: Thought it is going to take Oklahoma fans a few weks to get back into the idea that Murray is really good - with so many focused on the twin penalties early on against Tulane. But the bottom line is he has shown moments of dominance and as a puller, he's pretty much the nightmare of every EDGE linebacker in the country.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 67.8

4. Bryson Washington

Stats: Three tackles (one solo), one fumble recovery, one interception with a 37-yard return.

Analysis: You make two big defensive plays like Washington did and you're going to end up pretty high on this list. Washington's interception was one of the more interesting plays of the day as he looked to simply be finding a job and just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 91.3

3. Eric Gray

Stats: Nine carries for 74 yards and a 20-yard touchdown reception.

Analysis: After an opening week in which Gray, nor anyone else, was ever going to be able to live up to the hype. But in week two it seemed like Gray stopped forcing the issue to such a huge degree and as he let the game come to him his big-play ability showed up.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 69.9

2. Danny Stutsman

Stats: Eight tackles (seven solo), .5 tackle for loss, one forced fumble.

Analysis: There's just not a ton more that a young linebacker like Stutsman could have shown in this game. He flashed great instincts and, just as importantly, the ability to trust what he saw and react. And once he reacted all of his athletic ability took over and Stutsman showed the ability to make plays in space. In short, there's a whole lot to like here.

Last Week: N/A

PFF Grade: 80.0

1. Spencer Rattler

Stats: 20-26 for 243 yards and five touchdowns (7, 20, 4, 10, 6) along with four carries for 29 yards.

Analysis: Let's give it up to Rattler, he took a beating for a week from not only media but his own fanbase. He responded with a strong performance that looked like he was prepared to clear up a lot of his mistakes. Rattler drove the ball and his touchdown strike to Mario Williams may have been the best throw he's made this year.

Last Week: 11

PFF Grade: 91.7