Spencer Rattler just beat Texas — So what? Now what?
Spencer Rattler entered this extraordinary college football season with equally extraordinary expectations on his shoulders from both fans and media alike.
Regarded as one of the highest-rated recruits in Sooner history and given the second best odds to win the Heisman Trophy before starting a game, the margin for error was always going to be slim.
Four games into a season plagued by questions and uncertainty, Rattler has felt the weight of those expectations. Now, one week after coming out on top in a turbulent matchup with the Texas Longhorns, the Sooners are confident in the poise of their young quarterback.
“For a first-year quarterback, there’s some unique challenges here that first-year quarterbacks have never had — ever, at any school,” coach Lincoln Riley said.
This is certainly uncharted territory for a freshman quarterback, but also for Riley who is coaching his first freshman quarterback in his tenure with Oklahoma. Riley’s previous three quarterbacks may be to blame for the lofty standard set in Norman.
Following three straight quarterbacks who never finished lower than second in the Heisman Trophy voting is a difficult act to follow. So far, however, Rattler seems to be keeping pace with his predecessors.
Through their first four games at OU, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts threw for 1,028 yards and 11 touchdowns and 1,295 yards and 12 touchdowns, respectively. Rattler has accounted for more yards than Murray (1,186) and more touchdowns than either of them (13).
Rattlers completion percentage (71 percent) is higher than that of eventual Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield’s (65 percent) through his first four starts as a Sooner. OU may not be where they want in terms of record, but the play at the quarterback position seems to be steady.
The Sooners quarterback had already faced his fair share of adversity in the first three games of the season but none of that compared to his first Red River Showdown start. Despite a chaotic overtime period, Rattler was able to remain calm.
“I think all of us just early, the first couple of drives our emotions were into it, it was loud, we weren’t focused like we should have been” Rattler said. “I feel like after we just all settled in, we were playing really good ball.”
The thrilling win in Dallas this past weekend could serve as a perfect encapsulation of Oklahoma and Spencer Rattler’s season. There were ups and there were downs but the Sooners and their quarterback took the Longhorns’ best punches and found a way to win.
"Says a lot about him,” said receiver Drake Stoops. “Keeping his poise, keeping his composure and he knew there would be a fight. A big thing he talked about this week, he challenged himself to have, like, a clean slate mentality. After every single play just wipe it. Eighty-yard touchdown? So what, now what? Get sacked? So what, now what? Living in the present in each moment, because, looking at the future, looking at the past is not going to help you on that present play. So, it says a lot about him.”
Now with two conference losses and six games remaining, the Sooners have their backs against the wall to win out and play for a sixth consecutive Big 12 Championship. Much of this relies on the play of their quarterback.
If Rattler can continue on an upward arc of improvement, the Sooners can salvage what seemed like a lost season a few weeks ago and meet at least some of the expectations they had going into the season.
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