Special teams finally a unit the Oklahoma Sooners can rely upon after years of inconsistent play
After years of poor play here, the Oklahoma Sooners finally have a reliable special teams unit and kicker in Tate Sandell
For years, the Oklahoma Sooners have had dominant phases on offense or defense. However, special teams has been a consistent issue for the Sooners dating well back to the end of the Bob Stoops era and beginning of the Lincoln Riley era. It became a bit of a meme online that Riley didn’t believe in dedicating any time to it, and the first couple of seasons of the Brent Venables era felt like much of the same.
However, after costing the Sooners numerous wins in his first three seasons as head coach, Venables decided enough was enough this offseason. Oklahoma invested plenty of resources into fixing the special teams, adding kicker Tate Sandell, punter Grayson Miller, and receiver/returner Isaiah Sategna out of the transfer portal.
After a shaky start to the season here, the Sooners’ special teams have delivered in recent weeks, highlighted by a tremendous game against Kent State that felt like a statement day for the entire unit. In the SEC, wins happen in the margins, and it certainly feels like Oklahoma has tightened those up in year four of the Venables era.
Tate Sandell Might Be the Best Kicker in the Country…Kidding, Sort Of
After he missed his first field goal of the season, kicker Tate Sandell has been perfect with his leg over the last several games, capped off by a masterful performance Saturday against the Golden Flashes. Sandell broke his career long of 54 yards with a 55-yarder (into the wind, mind you) and helped the Sooners carry a 23-0 lead into halftime.
Sandell is a perfect 18-18 on extra points this season as well, giving the Sooners a reliable leg they can stand upon for if the offense stalls after a promising drive. After years of unreliable play, it feels like Oklahoma finally has a kicker they can rely on in big moments, something that will no doubt pay dividends over the rest of the season.
It isn’t just Sandell having a strong season either. Transfer punter Grayson Miller has been absolutely booming punts all season long, and he is routinely flipping field position for Oklahoma, something that no doubt helps their defense maintain their elite level of play. Miller is second in the country in yards per punt as one of three kickers averaging over 50 yards per attempt, and it shows. Against Auburn, Miller boomed a 66-yard punt that pinned Auburn deep, leading to a turnover on downs and a short field for Oklahoma to score a touchdown.
While Miller wasn’t launching 66-yarders against Kent State, he frequently pinned Kent State deep, including a masterful punt that landed perfectly in the “coffin corner” and rolled out of bounds at the 1-yard line. His breakout season has been huge for the Sooners’ special teams.
Additionally, Oklahoma’s return game hasn’t been talked about enough as well. Isaiah Sategna has been an outstanding punt returner for the Sooners. While he has yet to return one for a touchdown, it’s felt like every week he’s come closer and closer to doing so, and against Kent State, he almost put up 100 yards returning punts (97 on 5 returns). He’s made several big returns that have helped set up scoring drives for the Sooners all season long.
Considering how poor the Sooners have been regarding returners, especially last season, this is a testament to their willingness to admit fault as well as identify upgrades. These little wins that Oklahoma has on special teams might not deliver a lot of razzle dazzle, but they all add up over time, and each small win helps the Sooners seal a victory on gameday.
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