Rested, recharged & renewed
It’s the same challenge every season and that didn’t change last week for Oklahoma when it came to its lone bye week of the year.
The goal is always two-fold. One, you have to get rest. Physically, mentally, you have to allow yourself to exhale and breathe a bit.
But two, you have to stay sharp. You have to get better and not lose that edge that OU was clearly playing with to earn its fourth win of the season just over a week ago.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and defensive coordinator Ted Roof both feel like it was mission accomplished on that front.
“It was so much more about us getting better every single day,” Lebby said. “Our guys did a great job of that. I think we had a really good jump going into this week. Dillon had a really good week. From the arm care standpoint. Body, mind and spirit, I thought all those guys took advantage of the time we did have and now we’re getting ready to roll.”
It’s important for the offensive to recharge its batteries, but it’s imperative that it happen defensively. Especially going back to head coach Brent Venables saying he felt his team was a little tired after the loss to Texas two weeks ago.
We’ll see how it pans out for Venables, as this is yet another situation where we learn how he handles things from the head coaching position.
“You want growth and improvement, and you always want to start with a fresh football team,” Roof said. “I think the plan that Coach Venables put in place was excellent, and we were able to accomplish both of those objectives. We certainly got better last week. At the same time, we're a refreshed, energized football team.”
Let the young pups work
If you’re going to give some of the older guys a chance to regroup and be ready for the stretch run, then that means last week was a massive chance for the freshmen or guys who haven’t played as much to show why they deserve more playing time.
You’ve gradually started to see that defensively, with Roof and Venables giving a lot more of the younger guys an opportunity to prove what they can do.
“We’ve increased reps and opportunities. Their performances have gotten better,” Roof said. “At the same time, we want to play a lot of guys. We want to rotate guys and play a bunch of people. It helps in a lot of ways.
“At the same time, we make decisions based on what gives us the best chance to win at that particular time. Some of it can be how a guy is playing – there’s a lot of variables and factors that go into it. But we’re making progress with that, for sure.”
Guys that immediately came to mind for Roof were linebackers Jaren Kanak and Kip Lewis, defensive backs Robert Spears-Jennings and Gentry Williams and defensive linemen R Mason Thomas and Gracen Halton.
Lewis and linebacker Kobie McKinzie were both penciled in for redshirt seasons, but the lack of depth in the room has led to both now preparing for having a role in the final five weeks.
Flip it over to offense, and really just one name stands out because you know what you’re getting with running back Jovantae Barnes.
But wide receiver Jayden Gibson? That’s something to be watching for, and someone Lebby is hoping can make that leap.
“Proud of how J-Gib has worked and tried to put himself in a position to help us on Saturdays,” Lebby said. “Hadn't had a ton of opportunities to do it. But again, he's done a good job of being mindful and understanding that his time will come as long as he continues to put in the work and being the same guy every single day. So just proud of his take on it and how he's attacked it.”
Gibson played four of the first five games but did not see a snap in the last two games against Texas or Kansas.
Being aggressive
The attacking and aggressive offensive mindset didn’t always work out for the Sooners against KU, but it’s something Lebby never wants to go away from.
There’s also that growing trust and communication between Lebby and Venables as it pertains to short yardage situations and when to go for it, etc.
“Coach V’s just simply saying you get it to this d-and-d (down and distance) then you’re gonna have an opportunity to go for it,” Lebby said. “And then ultimately, he’ll make that decision whether we’re doing it or not. But that’s how the conversation flows throughout the game.”
OU was stopped at the goal line to end the first half vs. KU but came right back and went for it on fourth-and-goal in the third quarter, with Dillon Gabriel finding the end zone.
Note:
Neither Roof nor Jeff Lebby gave insight on the move of former cornerback D.J. Graham to wide receiver. Both coordinators said that is something for Venables to address.