Oklahoma O-Line Shows Improvement In Second Half Of Win Over Bearcats

CINCINNATI -- Oklahoma's offensive line was tested Saturday like it had not been tested this season.

But while the Sooners struggled to run the football against Cincinnati in the first half and squandered some red zone scoring opportunities, guard

McKade Mettauer

said the unit showed improvement in a 20-6 win.

"As far as the O-line goes, we played a lot better," he said. "I think that was a really good D-line. Played a lot better with a lot better technique."

OU started slowly against the Bearcats, rushing for just 35 yards on 18 carries against a talented defensive line that featured Preseason All-American

Dontay Corelone

. The unit got a lift in the second quarter when running back

Marcus Major

picked up 19 yards on third-and-19 from the OU 22-yard line.

"It’s definitely important to have those big plays," tackle Walter Rouse told reporters after the game. "Coach (

Jeff

)

Lebby

preaches having those 15-plus yard big plays every single game, especially in the run game."

The offensive line found success in the second half, leading the Sooners on back-to-back scoring drives of of 75 yards (touchdown) and 67 yards (field goal) after Cincinnati pulled to within 10-6.

Both drives featured chunk plays on the ground (a Major run for 18 yards) and through the air (a 49-yard completion from quarterback

Dillon Gabriel

to receiver

Andrel Anthony

), and OU rushed for 70 yards after halftime. Major finished with 63 yards rushing and 18 yards receiving.

“That was huge," Lebby, the team's offensive coordinator, said of the second-half drives. "We want a lot back. Had chances to put it away a heck of a lot sooner than we did. But defensively, we played just incredible and then made just enough plays when we needed to offensively. I’ll be anxious to watch the tape, get back, get ready to roll and be back in the palace next Saturday.”

Mettauer said the offensive line learned it has the ability to "dominate" better competition.

"It’s about the mindset that we had," he said. "We knew it was gonna be a better D-line so we wanted to bring the physicality to them, whereas (when) we were playing lesser competition I think guys thought they could get away with stuff, which we weren’t able to.

"But today, we knew it was going to be better competition, we brought the physicality with the technique and it showed with the way that we moved the ball. Obviously we need to finish in the red zone."

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