Position convert could be key for Oklahoma Sooners to pull off a signature win over the Michigan Wolverines
Jaren Kanak could be the key to a victory for the Oklahoma Sooners over the Michigan Wolverines
All eyes will be on the Oklahoma Sooners as they take on the Michigan Wolverines in a must-win early season showdown for both of these schools. Both sides are facing plenty of question marks and looking to prove they can vie for a College Football Playoff bid this season, and this matchup will go a long way in deciding that.
For the Sooners, this game will come down to their new-look offense under offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. They’re going to have to find ways to exploit Michigan’s defense and keep put pressure on Bryce Underwood to try to keep up in his first ever road start.
One key player for Arbuckle and Oklahoma to lean on in this one might be making just his second start at a new position. After a sensational debut at his new position in Week 1, tight end Jaren Kanak could be Oklahoma’s biggest X-factor when they take on Michigan.
Jaren Kanak Is A Mismatch Against Michigan
Much has been made about Oklahoma’s offense and how they match up against Michigan’s defense, but there’s not been enough discussion about how Michigan’s defense handles Oklahoma’s offense. This isn’t last year’s Oklahoma team where all five starting wide receivers were out, their TE room was a mess, and the quarterback was a mess.
One of Oklahoma’s newest additions offensively might turn out to be the key to the Sooners’ entire gameplan this weekend; a fact furthered advanced with the suspension of Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
Simply put, I’m not convinced that Michigan has the “dudes” at linebacker or safety to keep up with an athlete of Kanak’s caliber in space. I’ve written about Kanak’s athleticism before, so it’s not a fact I’m surprised by, but it’s a little jarring to see him in the open field. He is the perfect weapon to exploit some of Michigan’s defensive tendencies.
Michigan’s defense has a few areas of weakness I am hoping that Arbuckle and co. have circled, and Kanak is the lynchpin for exploiting those.
Under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Michigan has been hyper aggressive trying to affect the quarterback. They are a ridiculously heavy blitz team, and that leaves them vulnerable to the quick game and screen passes. This issue is further compounded by their issue tackling in space. Their linebackers and cornerbacks struggled to break down and tackle opponents out in the open field last season, and that issue reared its head again in Week 1, as linebacker Ernest Hausmann and nickel/safety TJ Metcalf both whiffed on tackles. Getting Kanak in the open with screens and quick passes and letting his athleticism go to work could be an easily exploitable mismatch in space.
Going back to early last season, Michigan’s defense has had communication and alignment issues when playing teams that lean into FIB (formation into boundary) as well as against motion. New Mexico didn’t try this often, but it’s one I imagine Arbuckle would try. Kanak has the ability to motion around and has the alignment versatility to be a weapon out of multiple spots, stressing Michigan’s issues here.
Finally, Michigan’s All-American safety, Rod Moore, doesn’t seem likely to play in this one, forcing the Wolverines to turn to TJ Metcalf, Brandyn Hillman, Jaden Mangham, and Mason Curtis to rotate at safety. As talented as this position has been in the past for the Wolverines, I’m not convinced that any of that group can keep up with Kanak one-on-one. If Oklahoma can generate some matchups for him to end up against these guys, it could be a productive day for the former linebacker.
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