Oklahoma notebook: Gabe Ikard said offense and defense must complement each other

“We're not complementing the defense,” Ikard said. “We haven't played well as a team, whether the offense is clicking or the defense is clicking.

“There hasn't been a half where we were both on the same page doing well.”

Midway through the third quarter of Saturday's 24-19 loss to Kansas State, the two units seemed on the same page, although briefly.

The Sooners went on an 11-play, 88-yard drive to score a go-ahead touchdown, which put OU up 13-10 with about five minutes remaining in the third.

OU's defense stopped K-State's ensuing drive before quarterback Landry Jones' interception allowed the Wildcats to take back possession and score a touchdown for a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

“We've just gotta get everybody playing at a high level all at the same time,” Ikard said. “We're having long sessions in practice, working on fundamentals.”

SOONERS HOPE TO AVOID 2011 REPEAT

After last year's home loss to Texas Tech, which snapped a long-standing home winning streak, defensive end David King said the Sooners were stunned and failed to respond properly to the adversity.

OU finished with a 10-3 record; in the process, it lost to Baylor for the first time in school history and to rival Oklahoma State for the first time since 2002.