Oklahoma Sooners expected to miss key superstar on offense in Red River Rivalry against Texas Longhorns
The Oklahoma Sooners have battled injuries all season and it's no different heading into their rivalry matchup against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. Most of the players who were expected to play are. Taylor Tatum was fully off the injury report, as was Dasan McCullough, who had missed every game prior to this week. However, […]
The Oklahoma Sooners have battled injuries all season and it's no different heading into their rivalry matchup against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday.
Most of the players who were expected to play are. Taylor Tatum was fully off the injury report, as was Dasan McCullough, who had missed every game prior to this week.
However, the Sooners are expected to miss one key playmaker on offense in this one. Wide receiver Deion Burks is not expected to play this week, as he's still recovering from an injury he suffered in the Sooners' loss to Tennessee in Week 4.
The Sooners generated plenty of plays in their last game against Auburn without Burks (against what might be a better defense, I might add), but this is still a blow.
Burks still leads the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Burks hasn't practiced all week or last week, so it's not a surprise that he is out this week. It won't change the gameplan for the Sooners at all. Given their injuries at wide receiver, it's not a surprise that Oklahoma is hesitant to rush Burks out before he is ready.
Now, Oklahoma will be relying on players like Brenen Thompson, Zion Ragins, Zion Kearney, and newly converted wide receiver Jacobe Johnson to make up the difference with Burks out.
For Oklahoma, the game plan should still revolve around picking on Texas's issues in the run game and then attacking them in the passing game once they adjust. There were plenty of positives against Auburn, even without Burks and four other wide receivers, in this area. If they can do that, their defense should be able to make up the difference and keep the Sooners in this game.
With Burks out, however, the margin for error offensively becomes even slimmer. The Sooners have to make every play count.
