Oklahoma-Tulane Preview: One Big Thing

NORMAN — There’s nothing wrong with Oklahoma’s third-down offense that the Sooners can’t fix on first and second down.

Through two games, OU is 2-0 on the scoreboard, but nearly last among 133 major college football teams with a third-down conversion rate of just 19.2 percent. Only Kent State (.167) and Jacksonville State (.136) are worse than Oklahoma.

It’s why OU struggled offensively despite coasting to a 51-3 victory over Temple in Week 1, and why the Sooners couldn’t put away Houston in a 16-12 win in Week 2. OU converted just 1-of-12 and 4-of-14 on third down in those games, respectively.

But take a deeper look inside the numbers.

Against Temple, the Sooner offense faced an average of 8.4 yards to go on third down, while that average climbed to 8.8 against Houston.

No. 15-ranked Oklahoma must be better on third down when Tulane comes to Owen Field on Saturday. That much is certain — especially with SEC play arriving next week. But the Sooners also have to be significantly better on first and second down for that to happen.

OU averaged 5.4 yards per play on first down in Week 1. Most coaches would take that, even though Temple is the kind of opponent where that average should be much better. In Week 2, the Sooners averaged just 4.3 yards per play on first down. For an offense that averaged just 4.1 yards per play against the Cougars that night, that’s not nearly good enough.

The OU run game was clicking fairly well against Temple, averaging 6.5 yards per play on first down. But against Houston, the Sooners’ average per rush on first down plunged to 2.8.

On second down, trends are more difficult to track based on the result of the first down play and the distance to go. But the Sooners largely struggled on second down in both games as well.

The average gain on 22 second-down plays against Temple was 7.9 yards — excellent by most metrics. But that includes a 47-yard pass completion on the second play of the game, and runs of 30 and 35 yards by backup running backs in the second half against a worn-down Temple defense. On the Sooners’ other 19 second-down plays against the Owls, they averaged just 3.3 yards per play.

Against Houston, OU had 21 second-down snaps and averaged 3.9 yards per play on second down. But without the 28-yard completion on the final drive, that average drops to 2.6.

OU has faced 10 third-and-long plays so far this season — 9 yards or more to go — and has converted just one of them. But when facing third-and-short, the Sooners are 1-for-2.

Analytics being what they are, the numbers are plain: Oklahoma must be better on first and second down to be better on third down.

But that, then, boils down to simple execution, and that’s where this offense truly falls short.

Personnel changes across the offensive line, significant injuries to the four top returning receivers and a quarterback who’s still feeling his way through his first year as a starter all add up to an offense that can’t stay on the field and produce first downs.

For this, there’s no solution but to learn by doing.

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