Studs and Duds from the Oklahoma Sooners' 16-12 Escape Over the Houston Cougars
The Oklahoma Sooners were a nearly 30-point favorite over the Houston Cougars in their Week 2 matchup. The game went anywhere but that. Oklahoma's offense sputtered and coughed throughout the game. Any momentum that occurred would be negated by a drop or blown assignment, and the run game never got going. The defense pitched another […]
The Oklahoma Sooners were a nearly 30-point favorite over the Houston Cougars in their Week 2 matchup. The game went anywhere but that.
Oklahoma's offense sputtered and coughed throughout the game. Any momentum that occurred would be negated by a drop or blown assignment, and the run game never got going.
The defense pitched another nearly perfect game, however. Aside from a touchdown they allowed on the heels of a questionable pass interference call that negated an interception, they held Houston's offense in check all game.
Who were the best and the worst from this game?
Stud: Gracen Halton
Gracen Halton had a tremendous outing last week against Temple, and kept up his play this week. He was a wrecking ball that Houston couldn't stop.
His biggest play of the game clinched the game for the Sooners, driving into the backfield for a critical safety in the fourth quarter. We wanted to see players on the Sooners' interior defensive line step up this year and so far Halton has answered the call.
Dud: The Offense
On the heels of an inconsistent outing against Temple, the Sooners' offense was somehow even worse this week.
Jackson Arnold was kept clean for most of the game, but there was poor situational play calling, some abysmal drops in critical moments, and the growing pains of a quarterback making just his third start.
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Oklahoma's offense made some plays, but the lack of execution and detail was evident throughout the game. A worrying sign going up against much more potent offenses in the future.
Stud: Deion Burks
As much as the Sooners' offense struggled, we know Deion Burks is a certified dude on this team. While his usage is a little questionable, Burks has consistently made play after play and provided a much-needed spark to a wide receiver room battling several injuries.
Burks posted nine catches for 53 yards on the night.
Dud: Special Teams Woes?
A week after a solid outing on special teams, the Sooners had numerous errors here. They muffed multiple punts (fortunately recovering all of them) and had difficulty tracking the ball on punt returns no matter which returner was back there.
To make it worse, Tyler Keltner missed his first field goal of the game, one that Oklahoma desperately needed at that moment.
On the bright side, punter Luke Elzinga had multiple tremendous punts, including one that backed Houston up to the goal line and led to a Sooners' safety.
Stud: Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts deserved a shoutout here for making plays when it mattered here. Roberts caught three passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. One of Roberts' catches helped seal the game on the offense's final drive, and his touchdown was his first touchdown in a home game.
Sometimes it takes an unheralded player making plays that make the difference, and Roberts was one this week.
