Advertisement
Published Nov 24, 2024
Snap-count data: The freshmen lead the way against Alabama
Jesse Crittenden  •  OUInsider
Beat Writer
Twitter
@jessecrittenden
info icon
Embed content not availableManage privacy settings

NORMAN — As Brent Venables said after Saturday's 24-3 win over Alabama, it was a dominant performance for Oklahoma.

The data shows that. It was an all-around performance from both veterans and freshmen alike, on both sides of the ball.

Here's a look at the Pro Football Focus snap-count data and performance grades for OU on both sides of the ball.

(Editor's note: The offense played 62 snaps. The defense played 63).

Advertisement

OFFENSIVE SNAP COUNTS

QUARTERBACK

Jackson Arnold — 61 (69.2)

Casey Thompson — 1 (60.0)

RUNNING BACK

Xavier Robinson — 51 (74.4)

Gavin Sawchuk — 19 (64.5)

Taylor Tatum — 8 (28.9)

Sam Franklin — 1 (60.0)

WIDE RECEIVER

JJ Hester — 59 (53.4)

Zion Kearney — 36 (57.2)

Jacob Jordan — 19 (60.5)

Brenen Thompson — 18 (59.5)

Ivan Carreon — 7 (60.7)

Major Melson — 3 (60.0)

Zion Ragins — 2 (58.5)

OFFENSIVE LINE

Logan Howland — 62 (67.3)

Troy Everett — 62 (67.1)

Spencer Brown — 62 (59.6)

Heath Ozaeta — 62 (49.9)

Febechi Nwaiwu — 50 (66.7)

Eddy Pierre-Louis — 12 (57.9)

TIGHT END

Bauer Sharp — 62 (54.9)

Jake Roberts — 25 (77.3)

DEFENSIVE SNAP COUNTS

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Jayden Jackson — 33 (70.1)

Damonic Williams — 32 (67.0)

Gracen Halton — 30 (68.5)

Da'Jon Terry — 21 (71.0)

David Stone — 8 (63.9)

Davon Sears — 1 (60.0)

DEFENSIVE END

R Mason Thomas — 40 (65.8)

Ethan Downs — 38 (68.3)

Trace Ford — 32 (59.8)

Caiden Woullard — 16 (57.5)

LINEBACKER

Danny Stutsman — 63 (61.1)

Kip Lewis — 30 (86.0)

Kobie McKinzie — 24 (42.9)

Dasan McCullough — 18 (62.8)

Samuel Omosigho — 16 (60.9)

Lewis Carter — 8 (62.8)

CORNERBACK

Eli Bowen — 63 (72.2)

Woodi Washington — 44 (70.6)

Dez Malone — 42 (65.4)

Kani Walker — 6 (69.1)

Jacobe Johnson — 2 (60.7)

SAFETY

Billy Bowman — 63 (75.8)

Robert Spears-Jennings — 34 (63.4)

Peyton Bowen — 29 (69.8)

TAKEAWAYS

— OU true freshmen and redshirt freshmen combined to play 363 snaps. Only seven players played every single snap, and three of them were freshmen (Eli Bowen, Heath Ozaeta and Logan Howland).

— Speaking of Ozaeta and Howland, the two freshmen did a fantastic job on the left side of the offensive line. Howland, in particular, was a standout. Despite playing every snap, he didn't allow a sack or a quarterback hurrt. He finished with a pass-blocking grade of 84.9, the highest on the team.

As a whole, the offensive line had a pass-blocking grade of 77.1 and a run-blocking grade of 62.8, their highest against an SEC opponent this season.

— Regardless of whether Jovantae Barnes is able to play against LSU, Xavier Robinson has made an overwhelmingly compelling case as the RB1. Robinson finished with an overall grade of 74.4, the second highest on the team behind Jake Roberts, and he played virtually every snap after the first drive of the game.

In his last two games, both against SEC opponents, Robinson has turned 27 carries into 163 yards and six yards per carry. It's crazy to think Robinson nearly red-shirted.

— The only non-starting offensive lineman to log any snaps? That'd be Eddy Pierre-Louis, who recorded 12 snaps. Pierre-Louis has now appeared in three games this season and is free to play against both LSU and OU's eventual bowl-game opponent and still maintain his redshirt.

— The defensive analysis has to start with Eli Bowen. The true freshman was tasked with shadowing Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams, and he was more than up to the task. Bowen was targeted five times as the primary defender and allowed just one reception. He logged a rush-defense grade of 72.2, a tackling grade of 78.5 and a coverage grade of 69.9.

Bowen played every single snap, along with Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman. No one else on the defense played more than 44 snaps. Bowen has transformed from a freshman with potential to a stalwart and instrumental part of an OU defense that is enjoying its best season in years.

— There were hardly any snaps for Kani Walker or Jacobe Johnson opposite Bowen. Instead, those snaps largely went to Dez Malone and Woodi Washington.

Kip Lewis finished with the highest PFF grade on either side of the ball and also finished with a coverage grade of 90.8.

— The Sooners finished with a collective tackling grade of 77.1, the third-best mark this season, and only logged four missed tackles against Alabama. The Sooners' 80.2 coverage grade is their best mark this season.

— The seniors delivered on Senior Night. Danny Stutsman, Ethan Downs, Washington and Bowman all played 38 snaps or more.