Oklahoma Must Harness 'Technical Violence' for Ground Attack to Take Step Forward

OU's rushing attack has faltered through the first six weeks, but the Sooners still believe they can take the necessary steps forward.

Oklahoma running back Tory Blaylock carries the ball against Texas. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Oklahoma has to find a running game, fast. 

The Sooners, 5-1 on the season and 1-1 in SEC play after Saturday’s loss to Texas, rank 105th nationally in rushing yards per game. 

OU is running out of time for the rushing attack to come online, but it’s still a major focus for offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. 

“You gotta work the strain, you gotta work the finish in practice,” Arbuckle said on Tuesday. “Game day is just kind of the finished product. But it’s everything that goes into the week that I think we can continue to develop and build on and get better at and demand execution and strain. Not only from those guys up front, but from everyone on the offense.”

True freshman running back Tory Blaylock hasn’t had much room to operate when the ball gets handed to him, but he’s focused on the entire offense taking a major step forward on the ground. 

“As a group, we all want to be better,” Blaylock said on Monday. “I got to create explosive plays – that’s what you come here for. All the greats did it.

“… As a unit, we’re all just trying to get better. We know that’s kind of where we lack, so everybody in there is trying to come together and just do better.”

Offensive tackle Michael Fasusi said the o-line has to ramp up the physicality, and that process starts on the practice field. 

“There has to be a will imposed in our mind that I'm gonna move you from point A to point B,” Fasusi said. “That's what we're gonna do. That's what we're working on. That's what we're improving every single day.

“… You've gotta keep your eyes up, head up, hands ready to strike everybody and feet moving the ground. So details, physicality, that's what it's gonna come down to."

Still, Fasusi emphasized that physicality means little if it’s not paired with the proper technique. 

“It's not just, 'I'm gonna go hit you,' ” he said. “It's, 'I'm gonna go hit you with technique. I'm gonna go hit you with the best technique I have.' That's what it comes down to. ... Technical violence. That's exactly what it is, and that's what we're gonna impose."

There are no gimme’s left on Oklahoma’s schedule, but South Carolina has struggled to stop the run. 

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Edge rusher Dylan Stewart remains, but much of last year’s stout defensive front moved on to the next level this past offseason.

The Gamecocks rank 73rd in rushing defense, allowing 147.0 yards per game on the ground. 

“That little bit longer strain can make the difference in a lot of different plays,” Arbuckle said. “And the run game’s no different. 

“So we have to keep demanding it, the kids have to demand it out of themselves, the leaders that we have have to demand it from everyone. But also be the standard of what we do. So I think that’s one way that we can continue to get better at it.”