How Jacob Sexton's 'Positive Outlook' Helped Him Return to Oklahoma's Starting Lineup

Jacob Sexton’s first college start didn’t go to plan.

The true freshman prepared all throughout bowl practices last year to take on a talented Florida State defensive line in the Cheez-It Bowl, but his dream quickly turned into a nightmare.

After the third offensive snap of the game, the promising young Sooner exited the game and underwent a knee surgery this past offseason.

Eleven months later, Sexton finally got his start — this time at right tackle.

Tyler Guyton, who has held down that spot for the Sooners all year, missed OU’s 59-20 beatdown of West Virginia with an undisclosed injury.

Sexton, who had seen important action at left tackle in Oklahoma’s 38-33 loss to Kansas earlier this season, had to slid over to the other side of the line. Despite the shift, he continued his excellent play, protecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s blind side while working alongside right guard McKade Mettauer to open up gaping holes in the run game.

“Getting to see my name up on the board after the game in videos was pretty cool,” Sexton said of his first home start on Monday.

The experience was a reward for Sexton, who was dejected to have an entire spring and summer of potential development taken away from him by the rehabilitation process after his surgery.

“I thought I was gonna have a lot of time to grow,” he said. “But as soon as you tear and ACL you’re just trying to get back to where you were. I think I was happy with how I handled it mentally. I think that’s one of the best biggest things people don’t look at. I always try to have a positive outlook on it. I was trying to get that leg right and get it stronger.”

Though the right side of the line has been settled for most of the year, Mettauer said it was easy work slotting Sexton in beside him to take on the Mountaineers.

“Me and (Sexton) have really good chemistry on the right side,” said Mettauer, “and we ran for over 6.0 yards per carry, something that we've been trying to do all season. And so that was a really good… our highest point in the run game that we’ve had all season and we're moving guys and we're doing a good job. I think it showed what our offense can do.”

Both Gabriel and running back Gavin Sawchuk feasted on the ground.

Sawchuk rushed for a career-high 135 yards, while Gabriel punched the ball in three times on the ground, totaling 50 rushing yards to go along with his comfortable 23-of-36 passing performance for 423 yards and an additional five scores.

Not only is Sawchuk growing more comfortable in the running game after sustaining a hamstring injury in fall camp that has lingered, but Sexton said offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has been working to get a bit more consistency out of his unit to close the year.

“This whole last week we talked about refining the details… just finish and footwork,” Sexton said. “I would say the biggest thing was finishing. All the guys, I felt like, really played aggressively and were getting after it. I think that puts us over the edge.”

Putting the losing streak behind Oklahoma in dominant fashion was a weight lifted off the entire team, but regardless of if Guyton returns this Saturday in Provo against BYU or if Sexton gets another start at right tackle, the sophomore is confident the performance against West Virginia can serve as a foundation to build on.

“One hundred percent (it can carry over this week),” Sexton said. “I think our team has a great outlook on everything and we’ll definitely carry some momentum.”

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