Oklahoma at Texas Tech: Three Keys to the Game
Create a pressure environment
We saw what pressure can do to an offense last week when Oklahoma finally turned up the heat against Oklahoma State.
Spencer Sanders’ uniform was painted green, and he threw four interceptions. The Sooner defense sacked him six times, generated 12 tackles for loss and posted a season-high 13 QB pressures.
They have to do the same thing Saturday at Texas Tech — or at least try.
Red Raider quarterbacks complete just 49 percent of their passes when the opposing defense blitzes this season, compared to 71 percent completion when they’re not blitzed. That’s according to Pro Football Focus.
When Tech QBs are kept clean, their completion percentage is nearly 76 percent, they have 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, and they average more than 8 yards per attempt. When they face pressure, the completion percentage drops to .415, they have one touchdown and five INTs, and they only manage 3.5 yards per pass.
Oklahoma State last week came in as one of the most prolific offenses in the country. Tech this week leads all of major college football with 911 offensive plays. A week after facing 102 offensive snaps from the Cowboys, the Sooner defense needs to get off the field in Lubbock.
Brent Venables and Ted Roof must do what they did last week — come up with new pressure packages, confuse Tyler Shough early and often and somehow convince the OU front seven to play like crazed maniacs.
Accept all the holiday gifts
It’s Thanksgiving weekend, but Texas Tech has been in a giving mood all season.
The Red Raiders rank 104th nationally with 20 giveaways — 16 interceptions and four fumbles — and are 113th in turnover margin. Only two teams (Louisiana Tech and Rice) have thrown more interceptions (18).
That tracks with how the Sooners played against OSU last week. Spencer Sanders was picked off four times — by far the Sooners’ season-high — and OU defenders dropped at least four other potential INTs.
Oklahoma’s not going to win this game with offense. The Sooners have to come up with game-changing, momentum-turning defensive plays.
While that starts on the defensive line, the OU linebackers have been playing at a high level lately and can impact Saturday’s outcome with more disruptive action all over the field.
It’s black and white: go to Gray
Eric Gray averages 6.6 yards per carry, which ranks third in the nation among running backs with at least 175 rushing attempts.
According to Pro Football Focus, Gray ranks sixth among FBS running backs with a 90.4 overall grade on offense and a 91.7 grade when carrying the football.
He’s also sixth nationally with 39 carries of at least 10 yards.
Gray is easily the most productive, efficient and consistent player on the Oklahoma offense.
It should be a simple formula for offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby: get the football to Eric Gray. A lot.
Inconsistency is something that has plagued the OU offensive output. And it’s not just quarterback Dillon Gabriel. The Sooner wideouts, once though to be the most talented position group on the team, have not been consistent this year, either. According to PFF, Marvin Mims is Oklahoma’s highest-graded wide receiver, and he only ranks 203rd nationally among wide receivers with a grade of 71.8. Gabriel’s passer efficiency rating of 110.5 ranks only 263rd nationally when targeting Mims.
Tech’s defense ranks 74th nationally against the pass, but 82nd against the run. Edge rusher Tyree Wilson’s absence (broken foot) diminishes Tech’s defense significantly — he leads the team in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks and is the top-graded pass rusher in his 538 defensive snaps — and the Red Raider defense ranks 80th in the nation in total defense by allowing 391 yards per game.
Add in the weather factor — the forecast for Lubbock calls for rain throughout Friday, and high chance of rain early Saturday, with temperatures in the 40s and winds 10 to 20 miles per hour — and limiting the work load on Dillon Gabriel makes sense. Simply put, he’s been less effective in any adverse weather.
Eric Gray might need 35 touches to beat Texas Tech.
