Oklahoma-Kansas State: Three Keys to the Game

Dynamic wideouts

Purported before the season to be one of the most talented groups of wide receivers in the history of the Oklahoma program, this year’s wideout corps so far has come up far short of even being in the discussion for that distinction.

A lot goes into dynamic wide receiver play. First is offensive line play, specifically pass blocking. Second is quarterback play. Being able to run the ball effectively keeps defenses on their heels and opens up passing lanes. Those have all been below par for the Sooners this season.

But the overall level of play of the receivers has fallen well below the standard at OU.

Through the first four games, no one has surpassed even 200 yards receiving this season. Only one player (Marvin Mims) has a 100-yard game.

A group that includes three former 5-star recruits, a second-team preseason All-American and a player who would have been a preseason All-SEC pick has been less than dynamic in 2021.

Arkansas transfer Mike Woods, freshman Mario Williams and junior Jadon Haselwood share the team lead with 17 catches. But Woods is averaging just 9.1 yards per catch, Williams is averaging 8.8 and Haselwood is averaging 8.7.

Mims is averaging 19.3, but he has just five receptions in his last three games.

Theo Wease’s absence after a preseason injury has impacted how good the group can be. So have defenses’ decision to deploy two deep safeties as their primary pass coverage. That has led to Rattler delivering a lot of check-down and dump-off passes.

Taking what the defense gives you is good and all, but at what point does the Oklahoma offense start to take what it wants?

Lincoln Riley and Spencer Rattler have talked at length about a busted route by a receiver last week led directly to a Rattler interception. It’s not the first time this season the coach has mentioned a route bust leading to a bad play.

“I feel like the communication is fairly smooth,” Mims said. “We go five days a week practicing the routes and stuff. We'll go out there, not everything's gonna be perfect on gameday. Everybody knows that. The missed routes and communication busts, it hurts us. Obviously it does. And unfortunately, one of them ended up being a turnover.

“At the end of the day, it's really just communication with each other, going out there and not letting the environment be too much for us, and being a smart football team.”

More explosive plays by the receiver corps will be the order of the day against a K-State pass defense that ranks 101st in the nation.

Spy Game

With all due respect to Perrion Winfrey, rush linebacker Nik Bonitto has been arguably the Sooners’ best player — on offense or defense.

The junior from Fort Lauderdale, FL, has 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks — both second on the team to Winfrey, the Sooners’ indefatigable noseguard.

Bonitto’s negative impact plays would be more plentiful if he weren’t stationed as a spy for mobile quarterbacks. Instead of dipping his shoulder and chasing down QBs, he’s been asked to wait patiently and shadow their movements.

He may be asked to do that again on Saturday as K-State quarterback Skylar Thompson is questionable to play. Thompson has missed the Wildcats’ last two games with a knee injury, and coach Chris Klieman said he’s “not likely” to play, although everyone knows that could be ruse.

If Thompson plays, expect a lot of spy game from Bonitto. He’s really adept at biding his time behind the trench warfare up front and then coming in a few beats later and cleaning up the quarterback. Thompson, who’s run for seven touchdowns against the Sooners in their last two meetings — both Wildcat victories — needs to be spied.

If Thompson can’t go and Will Howard and Jaren Lewis line up behind center for K-State, they’re not as savvy at running with the football as Thompson (he also likes to buy time and throw on the run) and Bonitto can resume his role as a traditional pass rusher.

Turk and Brk

With rain and thunderstorms expected throughout the Flint Hills on Saturday, field position will be paramount for both teams.

K-State’s special teams are usually elite, and this year is no exception. Phillip Brooks is one of the most electrifying punt return men in NCAA history, averaging 17.7 yards per return in his career and scoring three touchdowns. Wideout Malik Knowles had a 99-yard runback last week at Oklahoma State. Deuce Vaughn returned kickoffs as a true freshman last year and seems like a kick-six waiting to happen. Ty Zentner has delivered touchbacks on 16 of his 23 kickoffs and is averaging 44.3 yards per punt, with five of his 15 boots going for 50 yards or more, five landing inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and five needing to be fair caught.

The Sooners answer with two of the best kickers in the nation in placekicker Gabe Brkic and punter Michael Turk.

Turk, a graduate transfer from Arizona State and a two-time All-Pac-12 punter, averages 46.5 yards per punt, which would rank 16th in the nation if he had enough punts to qualify for the NCAA minimum standards.

Brkic, a junior from Chardon, OH, has 15 touchbacks on his 23 kickoffs, but he’s become renowned for his ability to drill long field goals. He leads the nation with four 50-yarders, including a 56-yarder that’s the longest in OU history without a tee. There have been four 56-yarders made this year — the longest in college football this season — and Brkic has two of them. Brkic is 8-of-10 on the season, actually dropping his school-record field goal percentage to .849.

Against a team that is historically great on special teams, Oklahoma doesn’t need a herculean effort. But the Sooners need to play clean, avoid catastrophic mistakes make the most of every opportunity they get against K-State.

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