OU-UTEP GameDay: X-Factors

NORMAN — The UTEP Miners enter Norman on Saturday as the Sooners begin the Brent Venables era. Ahead of the contest, the SI Sooners staff takes a look at the key matchups that could tilt the matchup in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners.

John Hoover: Secondary concerns

Fourth-year junior Gavin Hardison is going to have to do something special to get much respect from OU fans. Which is exactly what happened to the Sooners in last year’s season opener. Hardison is an accomplished quarterback, with 3,218 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. In his career, he’s thrown for 5,265 yards and 25 TDs. He’s got some good experience, and his teammates say he’s got a big heart to go with it. Anybody remember Michael Pratt? The gutsy QB from Tulane nearly shocked the Sooners into season-opener purgatory last season, throwing for 296 yards and three TDs and gaining 62 yards and a score on 15 carries. Only a late sack kept the Green Wave from submerging the Sooners in a 40-35 win. Can Hardison do something similar against a rebuilt OU secondary? Billy Bowman apparently has locked down a safety position, and Woodi Washington is good at corner. But the other three positions include new players, players who were benched last year or are a new position altogether. UTEP thinks it may have a puncher’s chance. If the Sooner DBs prove they’re an improved bunch — or if they just hold up this time — then the Miners are buried.

Ryan Chapman: Penalties

As is the case with any season opener against a team the stature of UTEP, a vanilla game plan on both sides of the ball is expected. So while Brent Venables and Ted Roof will likely hide any major wrinkles for later in the year, the Sooners can still execute at a high level. Part of that equation will be limiting the self-inflicted mistakes. Lincoln Riley’s teams, especially along the offensive line, seemed to be good for an unnecessary personal foul or procedural penalty every game early in seasons. Venables’ emphasis on preparation and accountability should help stamp out the needless penalties, and the Sooners need to look the part of a disciplined football team against the Miners.

Josh Callaway: Conditioning

The Sooners messed with Schmitty in the summertime, and now it is time to see it at work on Saturday. With Jerry Schmidt working these guys all offseason, it is going to be fun to see how the guys look in comparison to a year ago. Jeff Lebby's offense is going to go really fast; how do the big guys up front on the offensive line look like they're handling it in what should be a hot and humid 2:30 game? Same question goes on the defensive side. While the talent disparity is already more than enough to make this a laugher, watch for the Sooners' fitness to be on display big time against the Miners in this one.

Ross Lovelace: RB Room

Oklahoma is at its best dominating the trenches and establishing the run. The Sooners struggled to run the ball at times last year. Games against Baylor and Kansas come to mind, where it hurt Oklahoma’s offense as a whole. Jeff Lebby’s scheme heavily involves the running backs, and the Sooners will have a number of options ready to contribute. Eric Gray and Marcus Major will each be running with something to prove on Saturday and Oklahoma has a chance to set its identity as a team. The offensive line has experience across the board and should provide holes to run through.