Oklahoma's Special Teams Success Goes Far Beyond Tate Sandell, Grayson Miller and Isaiah Sategna.

NORMAN —Kicker Tate Sandell, punter Grayson Miller and punt returner Isaiah Sategna have received the bulk of attention among Oklahoma’s players for the Sooners’ special teams success this season.

But the reasons for OU’s success among the group goes far deeper than just players kicking the ball and the ones returning.

The Sooners’ special teams group is a significant reason why Oklahoma is in the College Football Playoff, where they’ll open against No. 9 Alabama at 7 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Sooners coach Brent Venables was asked this week about the other players who have made those groups go and it seemed like he named about half the players on the roster, from the trio mentioned initially to defensive starters like Robert Spears-Jennings, Courtland Guillory and Kip Lewis to freshmen like Elijah Thomas, Manny Choice and Omarion Robinson who have yet to make significant contributions at their recruiting positions but who have carved out playing time on special teams.

Linebacker Owen Heinecke is one of those players who made his initial impact on special teams before becoming a vital member of this season’s defense.

“When I first started playing here, special teams was my way on the bus, the way I got to travel” Heinecke said. “It’s become the culture of the special teams group is young guys trying to compete with vets for a spot on the bus, and the way to do that is through special teams.

“There’s a lot of buy in, a lot of energy, a lot of want-to and you’ve seen that from a lot of people.”

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Heinecke was on the Sooners’ roster before Doug Deakin arrived as the Sooners’ special teams coordinator before last season.

While some players joined Heinecke in his attitude about special teams prior, Deakin has made it a part of the fabric of OU’s roster.

“Doug Deakin has really done a great job as far as, continuing to build on the culture that we want there, create the buy-in, get guys excited to compete and impact and enforce the game through just having a bad case of the ‘want-tos.’ I love that and he makes it fun, but … there’s a lot of detail that goes into the game plan week in and week out,” Venables said. “There’s no coach that’s had a bigger impact the last couple of years where that has gone since he took over.”

Special teams played a massive role in OU’s 23-21 win at Alabama on Nov. 15.

Sategna had a 42-yard punt return early that helped set up Sandell’s 25-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, Jayden Hardy popped the ball free from Ryan Williams on a punt return and Sammy Omosigho recovered it to set up John Mateer’s touchdown run moments later.

Taylor Wein got his hand on a kick as time expired in the first half to send the Sooners into the locker room up 17-14, Sandell kicked second-half field goals of 52 and 24 yards and Miller twice pinned the Crimson Tide inside the 20 after halftime.

Hardy and Heinecke lead the team with five special teams tackles each.

Hardy is ranked first in FBS in Pro Football Focus’ ranking among players with more than 54 special teams plays at 91.1.

Hardy is all over OU’s special teams, playing in kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage and even getting some time on the kick return unit as well.

Wein and Heinecke have credited their special-teams roles last season in helping prepare them for an expanded role this year.

Venables thinks linebacker Taylor Heim could be the next player to develop that way.

Heim has played 100 special-teams snaps for the Sooners this season, behind only Thomas (217) and Michael Boganowski (209).

“Taylor Heim has really taken another big step this year as a guy that doesn’t get in the game a lot as far as linebacker right now, but he’s going to in the near future,” Venables said. “He’s shown great aggression, loves the contact, making things happen on kickoff as well.”

Venables said outside of Deakin, the key to the Sooners’ special teams success has been simple.

“We have a really selfless group of guys,” Venables said.