Oklahoma 24, UTEP 7: Postgame thoughts on the Sooners’ defensive performance
* UTEP running back Nathan Jeffery looked great from his first carry, when he rushed over right guard for a 14-yard gain. On the Miners’ first drive, his carries went for 14, 8, 4, 14 and 5 yards.
* Jeffery’s 177 yards came largely on runs right up the middle, when defensive ends and linebackers just didn’t execute the game plan, Bob Stoops said.
“The one issue with the inside zone that was bending back; we understood it the whole time,” Stoops said. “It’s just a matter of us executing better, the defensive end staying at home, squeezing the tackle and not running up field and giving them the space. We talked about it, and cleaned it up then for a while. To give up no points in someone’s place is always a positive.”
* After the first drive, OU’s defense really settled down and didn’t play terrible on the whole. The only huge play it gave up was, again, on a bend-back play that Jeffery took 71 yards midway through the third quarter.
* David King was excellent in his first start at defensive tackle. He played hard and put tremendous pressure on UTEP quarterback Nick Lamaison. The senior, who moved inside from defensive end after Stacy McGee’s indefinite suspension, finished with three tackles and two quarterback hurries. It’s frightening to imagine where this line, which was also without Casey Walker while he deals with a personal medical issue, would be without King and his versatility.
* Tom Wort didn’t look very sharp at middle linebacker. He made just one unassisted tackle and was involved with six assisted ones.
* The depth issues on the defensive line and at linebacker were apparent, I thought, but that wasn’t the only issue. If it’s just a matter of staying home and not missing assignments, then I suppose that can be worked out. But still, for that to have happened all night at times with Jeffrey bursting through the middle, I feel like there’s probably more to it than just that. Hopefully it’ll be easier to understand once I’m able to watch the game again.
* The secondary played very well. It’s a little tough to tell just how impressive that is; was it the result of a drastically improved defensive backfield, or just a really bad passing attack from UTEP? Lamaison was 6 of 23 for 39 yards. One negative in the secondary was a couple missed tackles by strong safety Javon Harris.
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