John Rohde: This time, it's OU's offense that stepped up
BY JOHN ROHDE
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Published: October 31, 2009
NORMAN — Oklahoma's defense repeatedly has been dialed in this season.
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On Saturday night against Kansas State, it was the Sooners' offense that repeatedly answered the call in a 42-30 survival mission on Owen Field.
Hey, weird things happen on Halloween night.
Everything seemed well in hand for OU after it jumped out to a 21-0 in the first 10 minutes.
The Sooners' defense was expected to take command, and that would be that.
Instead, it was the much-maligned offense that saved the night.
The OU offense was good when it needed to be good, moved when it needed to move, scored when it needed to score.
You would assume a defensive-minded coach like Bob Stoops would be a tad grumpy after watching his defense surrender 30 points in the final 35 minutes of a game, but the Sooners' 11th-year coach couldn't have seemed more pleased after upping his home-field record to 64-2.
The OU offense hadn't put a smile this wide on Stoops' face all season.
"With everything we have gone through offensively with the personnel changes and all, to answer back and keep answering back was really special," Stoops said.
Responding after your lead had been narrowed from 28-6 to 28-23 would have been no big deal with a Heisman Trophy quarterback and America's best tight end at your disposal, but Sam Bradford's throwing arm was in a sling and Jermaine Gresham still needs to use a crutch.
In their stead were two studs in redshirt freshman quarterback Landry Jones (26-of-37 for 294 yards and four touchdowns) and sophomore slotback Ryan Broyles (132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns).
Broyles was his usual elusive self, which hardly came as a shock to Stoops.
"The guy is something," Stoops said of Broyles, who also had a 38-yard touchdown reception called back by penalty.
KSU coach Bill Snyder caused this consternation with a wicked brew of play-calling in the second half.
His bag of tricks included using the "Wildcat" offense that featured running back Daniel Thomas, who completed a 41-yard pass plus a Tim Tebow-esque jump-pass for a two-point conversion.
(Who better to run a Wildcat offense than a team nicknamed Wildcats?)
"Anytime the guy getting the ball from the shotgun can run with the football with a couple of blockers, it makes it difficult," Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "They have you outnumbered to a certain degree and it is a downhill play. It is not a normal play. It is a downhill play."
In the end, the OU defense returned sealed the deal with key stops.
The offense was multi-dimensional. The ground game managed 164 yards. Sophomore wideout Dejuan Miller had a team-high nine catches for 94 yards. Adron Tennell added four receptions for 62 yards. Plus Broyles and Jones.
"A lot of these guys are just settling in and getting more comfortable," Stoops said.
The offense turned in one of the darndest drives you could ever witness.
OU drove 67 yards in 15 plays and chewed 7:58 off the clock to take a 35-23 lead.
Throw in 40 yards worth of penalties, and the Sooners actually drove 107 yards and picked up a first down after facing an unfathomable first-and-45 from their own 37.
"First-and-forever," Stoops called it.
We learned two things on this Hallows Eve:
1. Oklahoma State was of no assistance to the Sooners against Texas, losing 41-14.
2. Kansas State appears to be the best team in the Big 12 North, which will get the Wildcats (5-4 overall; 3-2 in league play) into the conference championship game in Arlington, followed by an invitation to the Insight.com Bowl.
John Rohde: 475-3099. John Rohde can be heard Monday-Friday from 6-7 p.m. on The Sports Animal Network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
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Somebody inform the local journalists that this is the Landry Jones era. He isn't viewing the receivers on the field as the "new guys". These are his receivers!
Sure Snyder tossed in some nice wrinkles, but got a hunch the team lost an edge going up 21-0 so fast.
Okay, ATTENTION ALL MEDIA PEEPS!!!
It's time to close the book on mentioning Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham after every OU football game. Anybody who has even the slightest interest in college football is aware that both are not playing with the Sooners anymore because of unfortunate injuries.
Don't get me wrong, I have great appreciation for what both players have meant to the program. I have felt much sorrow when it became official they no longer will be able to contribute on the field.
But enough is enough! The ship has sailed, a new day has dawned and all the other relevant cliches.
Let this be the official decree. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!