PFF Trends That Will Shape Oklahoma's Final Three Regular Season Contests

The Sooners enjoyed their final off weekend before their season-defining stretch at the end of November.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer drops back to pass. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

With three games remaining in the regular season, it’s no shock that the defense leads the way for Brent Venables’ Sooners. 

Defensive end R Mason Thomas is Oklahoma’s highest-rated player per Pro Football Focus, and the top eight rated regular contributors are all on the same side of the ball.

The Sooners will need to play their best game of the year to knock off No. 4 Alabama next weekend, but with a bye week to heal and get a head start on preparing for the Crimson Tide, OU is in a good position as it heads to Tuscaloosa. 

Depth Behind R Mason Thomas

Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas (32) celebrates after making a play against Auburn. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The biggest win of the bye week would be to get Thomas back fully healthy after he sustained a quad injury during his scoop-and-score against Tennessee. 

But if the Sooners have to take the field without their star pass rusher, the depth Miguel Chavis has built at defensive end will be on full display. 

Danny Okoye is the fifth-highest rated player on the defense. He played 11 snaps against Tennessee after Thomas exited the game. He finished the contest with a 70.9 pass rushing grade, something that will be crucial if he’s tasked with tracking down Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. 

Taylor Wein is just behind Okoye with an overall grade of 78.6 on the season. 

The third-year player has steadily improved throughout the season, and he’s continued to shine in his first season with a major role for the defense. 

Oklahoma Finally Found Its Playmaker

Oklahoma Sooners running back Xavier Robinson (24) runs the ball against Tennessee. | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

The running back rotation is always an adventure with DeMarco Murray, but it appears the Sooners finally landed where they left off last year. 

Xavier Robinson has an overall grade of 75.0 this season, which only ranks behind Michael Hawkins Jr.’s 78.9 overall grade. 

Robinson is just ahead of Isaiah Sategna (74.7) and Tory Blaylock (71.4).

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Blaylock leads the team with 4-1 rushing yards on 94 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per rush. Robinson is averaging 6.4 yards per carry, and he’s totaled 332 yards on 52 touches. 

Robinson torched Alabama a year ago, and he hopes to again enjoy an outstanding day against the Crimson Tide on Saturday. 

Courtland Guillory is Oklahoma’s Best Corner

Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory celebrates after breaking up a pass against Michigan. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

SEC offenses have tested true freshman Courtland Guillory, but he’s far and away OU’s highest-graded cornerback. 

Guillory has a 71.7 overall grade per PFF, and a 72.6 coverage grade. His big area of improvement will be tackling, where he has a 60.9 grade, but he’s well in front of the overall grades for Jacobe Johnson (68.6), Eli Bowen (66.4) and Gentry Williams (63.8).

Williams was off the availability report ahead of OU’s win over Tennessee, but he did not feature against the Volunteers. 

The Sooners hope to have Williams back next weekend so they can throw their full complement of corners at Alabama’s talented wide receivers to try and slow down Simpson. 

John Mateer Must Play Better

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer points up to OU fans at Neyland Stadium. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Against Michigan and Auburn, quarterback John Mateer was one of OU’s highest-rated players. 

He was the second-highest rated player on offense in the Sooners’ victory over Michigan (76.4), and he led the way for the offense in the win over Auburn (75.5).

Mateer has clearly struggled to get back to that level of play since his hand injury. 

He’s rated at 67.3 overall for the season, but a strong finish in November would likely lead Oklahoma back to the College Football Playoff. 

Now that the Sooners have unearthed a legitimate rushing attack thanks to Robinson, Blaylock and changes along the offensive line, a spike in play by Mateer would see the offense take a few more steps forward before the end of the regular season.