Sooners cannot overlook 3 Alabama players who could easily take over that OU didn’t really have trouble with in the first matchup
The Sooners cannot afford to let these three Alabama players go off.
The Oklahoma Sooners are set to face the Alabama Crimson Tide in a rematch on Friday, December 19. The first time around, the Sooners won on the road in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, one of the most difficult places to play in the entire country. They did so with a bad offense and several players missing or injured.
This time around, there is so much more at stake. This is a playoff game in the College Football Playoff. The winner goes on to play the Indiana Hoosiers, while the loser’s season is pretty much done. Oklahoma is hosting the first playoff game in OU football history, so they should have a significant advantage. However, some things may be a bit different from when these two teams last played.
Last time Oklahoma played Alabama
About six weeks ago, the Sooners allowed Alabama’s passing attack to destroy them. Specifically, wide receiver Germie Bernard and tight end Josh Cuevas put in some massive work. The Sooners were unable to get real pressure on Ty Simpson all day with just a normal four-man rush, so they had to blitz quite a bit, leaving more room for Bama playmakers and pass catchers to go to work.
This time around, I wouldn’t expect the two teams to try to do the same things to beat one another. As OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle says, if they were to go into the game with the same game plan as before, that would be coaching malpractice. You can expect the same from Alabama. Adjustments will be made by both teams, as both off these head coaches are very good at what they do.
Bama didn’t run the ball well against Oklahoma the first time, but they could this time with a guy like Jam Miller. They didn’t do the best job putting pressure on Mateer — not as much as they should have. That’s where a guy like Yhonzae Pierre comes into the equation. One of their best and most promising players, Ryan Williams, had a pretty bad game against Oklahoma the first time — he could always get going.
Those three players are, in a way, wildcard guys to watch for this time around, as they may not have been the first time. Our very own Rob Gregson from A to Z Sports Alabama broke those three guys down a bit more in how they could be a factor against Oklahoma.
3 Alabama players to watch vs. Oklahoma
RB Jam Miller
Miller missed the SEC Championship with a lower-body injury, but all signs point to his return in the College Football Playoff. The Tide found some success with Miller and the ground game the last time the Crimson Tide took on the Sooners. It’s not a coincidence that Alabama rushed for -3 yards against the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship. Miller presents a lateral threat who likes to use his agility and burst to garner big gains. OU’s run defense is stout, but Miller will be a big boost for Alabama’s offense.
EDGE Yhonzae Pierre
With Overton doubtful for the rematch against OU, the onus is once again on standout pass rusher Yhonzae Pierre to make an impact in this game. He has been a breakout candidate for the Crimson Tide this season with his excellent burst, bend, and get-off. Pierre will need him to be stout against the run, however. OU is going to run at the perimeter and try to get multiple bodies in the way of Pierre.
WR Ryan Williams
Plainly put, Ryan Williams simply hasn’t been as good in his sophomore season as he was in his freshman year. Drops have plagued year two in Tuscaloosa, and his regression has affected the offense as a whole. That being said, Alabama was manufacturing as many touches as it could for Willians in the SEC Championship, and I expect the team to do the same against OU. The week off served as a useful reset for the program overall, but especially the QB-WR combo of Ty Simpson and Williams.
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