Oklahoma Sooners Game Preview: What To Watch vs. Utah State Aggies

I’m actually very excited about this game.  As you may know if you’ve read my work, which is admittedly not a given, I firmly believe that there actually is good information to be gleaned from playing cupcake teams. 

These games tell you if your team has any distinct weaknesses that will hound you for the remainder of the year.  For instance, against Idaho State last year, we got stonewalled four times inside the five yard line. 

Against.

IDAHO.

STATE. 

The 3rd best team in the land of potatoes and Napoleon Dynamite.  My gawd, that was a long year.  But I digress.  Instead of taking Scip’s fine approach, I’m instead going to try to juxtapose what Utah State does have against what you should be looking for as FSU awaits their flight to Will Rogers International.

Utah St. did actually have a good RB…but he tore his ACL in February and will not be playing.  So they’ll be relying solely on their dual threat QB Diondre Borel to generate offense.  WR Stanley Morrison will be Borel’s main go to guy.  He is smaller than Demontre Hurst.  Seriously.  They returned four of five starters on an OL that averaged about 4.7 ypg last year, but only 2.9 against BYU, and 3.5 against Boise St.

On defense, USU returns eight starters and pretty much the entire two deep of the DL, and the LB corps is the strength of the D.  The secondary is slightly below average.

So, what does this mean for OU?  How do our potential issues match up with Utah State’s personnel?  Here’s what you need to look for this Saturday.

1) The ability of the offensive line to get the hard yard

When it’s 3rd and 1, or 4th and goal, pay close attention to whether or not Kevin Wilson tries to use misdirection to create openings, or if he just lines up in the ace formation and calls an offtackle or dive play. 

Utah State’s front 7 isn’t stout, but they’re a veteran group.  There’s not a single underclassman in the front seven starting line up. They’ve got enough experience that you won’t blow them off the line with raw power and talent.  So the line will have to demonstrate a stronger grasp of run blocking as a coherent unit.

It’s understandable to use trickerations when you’re playing Texas or Nebraska., but  against Utah State it’s a giveaway that you should go ahead and book your reservations for San Antonio.

2) Gap control and containment by the defensive line.

USU’s offensive line is not an elite group by any means.   They don’t even rank as good.  But, like their DL, it’s a group of guys who know technique well enough to not be simply abused by superior athletes. 

Further, I’m not sure we have any such athletes on our DL aside from McFarland.  With a mobile QB who can take off like Borel, I’m looking for the DL to maintain their gaps while they collapse the pocket.

3) Performances by the freshmen

A large number of freshmen are reportedly going to get playing time.  Among them are DB’s Tony Jefferson, Aaron Colvin, WR’s Kenny Stills, Trey Franks, and Joe Powell, RB Brennan Clay, LB Corey Nelson, OL Bronson Irwin, Austin Woods, and DT’s Daniel Noble and Torrea Peterson. 

Stoops said during the summer and fall workouts that this may be the best class he’s ever brought in.  Let’s hope he’s right.  Because the guys I listed are all expected to see time, and some of them will see a lot of time  (like Stills, Jefferson, and Powell….Crosby and Nash are helplessly hoping to get on the field but will likely be redshirted). If they can’t look like stars now, they’ll fade on their way to the sideline.

4)  Stupid mistakes by the new CBs

This means you, Jamell Fleming.  I don’t expect Hurst to be a problem, and Utah St won’t have the kind of WRs necessary to test Hurst. 

Fleming really is a hell of an athlete (tied for team best on the 40), but see if you can find the time that the coaches bragged about Fleming’s consistency or heady play.   When a true freshman like Aaron Colvin is pushing for time, either he’s a true superstar sleeper and you should sacrifice your best goat to Willie Martinez, or we’re severely boned at the position.

5) WR’s catching well thrown passes and no dropped passes

Self-explanatory.  USU’s not a great coverage team.  Our guys should be able to get open and make plays.

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