DaShaun White Says Oklahoma's Defense Has Had a Lot of Little 'Facepalm Moments'

It's not one or two big things that have gone wrong for the Sooner D, but rather a "lot of little minute details that offenses are capitalizing on."

NORMAN — As the Oklahoma defense reviews video of their debacle against Texas, what’s the nature of the problem?

OU lost an historic 49-0 decision to the Longhorns on Saturday, and it marked the Sooners’ second blowout in a row. In fact, that and last week’s 55-24 loss at TCU mark the first time in school history Oklahoma has been handed consecutive 30-point defeats.

So is it one or two big things — no pass rush, can’t stop the run, too many open receivers? Or is it 12-15 little things that players and coaches see on the video reviews?

“It’s 12-15 little things that offenses are capitalizing on,” linebacker DaShaun White said after practice on Monday night.

“I mean, yeah, it’s a lot of little minute details that offenses are capitalizing on what seems like every single play. You look back and it's one of those, like, facepalm sort of moments. Because it's like, this is such an easy thing.

You just gotta do a much better job executing.”

Like TCU the week before and Kansas State the week before that, Texas did essentially what it wanted against the OU defense. The Longhorns rushed for 296 yards, threw for 289 yards, converted 10-of-15 third downs and were perfect in the red zone.

Kansas State ran for 275 and threw for 234. TCU ran for 361 and threw for 307. In three Big 12 Conference games, the Sooners have allowed 41, 55 and 49 points.

White said he isn’t surprised the defensive install took so much longer — and apparently continues today — than the last one in 2019.

“This one's a little more complex,” White said. “So we knew there’d be a few growing pains. But I'm faithful in our group to be able to get it figured out.”

Knowing now the complexity of this defense, does White look back and see where there might have been some rocky times coming for the defense?

“Maybe not this rocky, like you said,” White said. “Every season comes with — every team's gonna handle adversity of its own.

“Like I said, maybe I probably didn't guess it to this level. I probably kind of felt like something would come, there would be a moment.”

Expecting such “a moment” should not be considered unusual, White said.

“Even if we were undefeated right now,” he said, “there would still be moments where we'll be tested and we would kind of have to overcome.”