Oklahoma’s season-opening shutout of UTEP gave the Sooners a clean start, but the more revealing part of Friday’s 51-0 win was what showed up in the run game.
The offense spent the offseason being rebuilt around a downhill rushing identity, one that was described with the kind of blunt confidence that suggests a real shift in priorities. Against the Miners, that new look was visible, even if it was still a work in progress. Oklahoma finished with 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns, good for 4.4 yards per carry.
That’s not a finished product, and it wasn’t presented as one. It was more of a first glimpse of what Oklahoma wants this ground attack to become in Year 2 under offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
On Tuesday, Arbuckle pointed to the energy and intent he saw up front.
"I thought there was some good urgency in the run game, just in the lines of scrimmage, just kind of all the emphasis that we put on it-not just throughout game week but throughout spring ball, fall camp alike," Arbuckle said Tuesday. "I thought the urgency was high.
I thought there was, at times, really, really good pad level, good velocity off the ball, but do I still believe that we can get a whole lot better in those areas and (that) we need to? Absolutely."
The numbers from Week 1 suggest Oklahoma has a foundation to build on. The next step is turning that foundation into something more consistent, more forceful and, in Arbuckle’s words, better in all the areas that matter most.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Backfield Picture Changed Faster Than Sooners Fans Expected
Oklahomas backfield has already taken on a different shape after the season opener against UTEP, with transfer Lloyd Avant quickly moving into the lead role. The Colorado State import gave the Sooners a steadier presence than many expected heading into the year, while Xavier Robinson and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were used sparingly as the staff sorted through options behind him.
Brent Venables also said Tory Blaylock could be back soon after sitting out Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which adds another layer to a rotation that still looks unsettled. For Oklahoma, the early takeaway is not just who carried the load in the opener, but how quickly that depth chart could keep shifting once the rest of the backs are fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets O-Line Boost But One Worry Looms At Michigan
Oklahoma is trending toward getting some needed help up front just in time for a marquee trip to Michigan, with injured starters Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje both taking full reps in practice. For a team still trying to settle in along the offensive line, that kind of reinforcement matters, especially with a nonconference test that will demand cleaner protection and more stability than the Sooners have had at times early.
The one concern hanging over the group is left tackle Michael Fasusi, whose shoulder injury left his status uncertain after he did not practice fully. Oklahoma is even weighing the possibility of holding him out not just for this game, but for the next one as well, a sign the staff is thinking beyond one matchup and toward the conference stretch that follows. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagys Latest OU Adds Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
Jim Nagys latest work for Oklahoma has been a little different from the usual transfer-hunt hustle. The Sooners landed four additions in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard after each gained eligibility through temporary restraining orders against the NCAA, and the common thread in all four cases is that they were part of legal efforts seeking a fifth year on the field. For Oklahoma, the move was less about chasing headlines than identifying players who could fit what the program needs while adding depth in spots the staff had already kept open.
Nagy said the evaluation went beyond talent, with cultural fit part of the equation and the roster construction done with intent rather than impulse. The bigger question now is how quickly, or even whether, those newcomers will be pushed into action once they settle in with the Sooners. For a team that has been willing to be patient with its approach, the next step is seeing which of these late additions becomes more than just a name on the summer board. [Read more 🡒]