OU notebook: Defensive line brings the pain
PASADENA, Calif. – That’s a little more like what Oklahoma fans are hoping to see from the defensive line during the 2019 season.
Disruptive, productive, it was a banner night for Calvin Thibodeaux’s group in OU’s efficient 48-14 pasting of UCLA on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
Everybody buying in with what first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is asking, and now the guys starting to make their mark. OU had four sacks and forced two turnovers to give the Sooners five takeaways after three games.
It’s all beginning with the guys in the trenches.
“When all three of us are doing our thing, I feel like it makes it easier for the team,” defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins said. “When he’s (Jalen Redmond) on, he opens up a lot of things for me. Him and Nev on the inside, they’re definitely a problem and going to get a lot of attention, which can open up a lot of one-on-ones for me.”
You’re starting to see guys like Perkins and Redmond feed off each other. UCLA managed 311 yards total offense, but OU limited the Bruins to 89 in a 17-0 start in the first quarter to take control and never look back.
“Excited about that,” Grinch said. “I think for the guys in the front it becomes the standard. If I didn’t get a sack, what did you do? So the expectation level is not just being disruptive, because we have been in the past but to get them on the ground four times.”
Redmond had his second straight game with a sack, while a trio of Sooners all earned their first-career sacks in Brian Asamoah, Isaiah Thomas and Nik Bonitto.
***
Rambo comes up big again
Understand a lot of OU fans want to see the three five-star freshmen receivers in action, but with Charleston Rambo playing as well as he is right now, it’s going to be tough.
Rambo was the favorite target of quarterback Jalen Hurts on this night, catching five passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
“Yeah, it's just natural right now,” Rambo said. “I've got more in the tank. More to come.”
Rambo and CeeDee Lamb have scored at least one touchdown in each game this season. Lamb only had two touches Saturday. Both went for scores (receiving, rushing).
***
Davis emerging at cornerback
For the second game in a row, it appears freshman cornerback Jaden Davis is going to be too good to be kept off the field.
Davis had a team-high six tackles, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s the way he’s carrying himself on the field and having full control of what’s being asked of him.
“I've noticed Jaden Davis a couple times tonight with some really good coverage, made some really nice open-field tackles, one on the screen,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “That looked like it was maybe about to get out he made a helluva play on.”
Was overall a good night for the cornerbacks with Tre Brown earning his first-career interception, and Parnell Motley remaining solid.
***
Tight ends return
Riley has said it. Hurts has said it. But it’s true in the OU offense that your name won’t be called every time. When it is, though, you better be ready.
The tight ends were this evening with both Lee Morris and Grant Calcaterra playing a much bigger role than in the first two games.
“Just kinda played out that way,” Riley said. “Those guys are good players for us and they hadn't had a ton of opportunities in the first couple games. That's just kinda how it's worked out. We've always got stuff in for those guys. Jalen did a good job seeing the field and they're both pretty big, reliable targets for us.”
Morris had his first two catches of the season for 43 yards, while Calcaterra, in his return home to Cali, had two catches for 40 yards.
***
Hurts unfazed, still focused
OU is slowly taking on the identity of its quarterback, and that’s a great thing with the way Jalen Hurts is representing himself so far.
Entering the Rose Bowl to hecklers, didn’t matter.
“It wouldn’t be the first, and it’s not gonna be the last,” Hurts said.
He would silence those critics nice and early with a 99-yard drive on four carries to begin the game en route to another 400-yard performance.
Hurts threw for 289 yards and three scores and rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown.
“When you’ve experienced the things I’ve experienced and you’ve seen those different things,” Hurts said. “When you’ve been at top and essentially been knocked down off the throne, you know, some stuff doesn’t bother you. Keep the main thing the main thing.”
***
Palace on the Prairie – west coast edition
The running joke all week was would there be more OU fans than UCLA fans. Not sure how many thought it was possible and not even sure if it was the case, but the Sooner faithful were out in full force.
Riley noticed it. The team noticed it and fed off the energy in turning the Rose Bowl into Owen Field West for at least one night.
“I would also be totally wrong about not saying anything about our fans,” Riley said. “Wow. How many fans came out here to California to watch us play? It meant a lot to our team. Our guys noticed it. They helped create a really nice atmosphere for us. It was loud.
“It was a very pro-OU crowd, which is something to say when you are that far away from home. Another example of how we’re different and our fan base, kudos to them. I can’t tell you how much our staff and our players appreciated that. It was fun.”