NORMAN - With Brent Venables out of the room Tuesday because of flu-like symptoms, Oklahoma’s regular press conference still delivered a clear picture of where the Sooners stand heading into Saturday’s trip to Mississippi State.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates handled the media, and the conversation ranged from Ryan Fodje’s injury to the offense’s continued issues, the defense’s steady play and the development of depth up front.
Arbuckle addressed the situation with Fodje after Saturday’s 21-13 loss to Kentucky, when Venables said he would need to take a closer look at whether something broke down in keeping the offensive lineman on the field for several drives despite an injury that was obviously affecting him.
On Tuesday, Arbuckle said he didn’t believe there had been a breakdown. Oklahoma was operating with very little flexibility on the offensive line, and coaches had been told that Fodje’s injury would not be made worse if he tried to return.
"It's not like it was bad every single play but whenever some of those things showed up (it was tough)." Arbuckle said.
Once it became obvious Fodje could not function effectively, the staff pulled him.
His availability for Saturday and beyond remains uncertain, and the first SEC availability report of the week comes out Wednesday evening.
While the offense has sputtered, Oklahoma’s defense has continued to hold firm. The Sooners enter Saturday ranked No. 5 nationally in total defense at 260.7 yards allowed per game, and they remain among the nation’s top 10 units in both passing defense and red-zone defense.
Bates said that kind of consistency is tied to the mindset the staff has been drilling into the group. Oklahoma’s defensive text chain is even called "The Firemen."
"What does a fireman do? They run to the fire when things go wrong," Bates said. "That's the mentality we try to instill on our guys. ...
"You just keep plugging away at that and pounding that and believing in that."
Bates also had praise for Venables, who has been around him for a long time and, in Bates’ view, has managed the recent stretch the right way.
"He's the ultimate leader," Bates said. "He comes in and he sets the thermostat every day.
That's win, lose or draw. He's always on 10 and always on attack mode."
On the other side of the ball, Arbuckle said sophomore running back Tory Blaylock is starting to regain the form he showed before a preseason camp injury slowed him down.
Blaylock has only 23 yards on seven carries against Kentucky after going into that game with just 22 yards through the first five games. Arbuckle said he is seeing real progress now.
"He's really starting to look like the Tory who we all know," Arbuckle said. "He's starting to look like that guy again. ... I'm proud of how Tory has battled back from the setback he had early in the season."
Blaylock was Oklahoma’s leading rusher last season with 480 yards and four touchdowns on 120 carries, and the Sooners are still searching for more from the run game. Lloyd Avant leads the team this year with 267 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries.
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Oklahoma's Biggest Problem Heading Into Mississippi State Is Hard To Ignore
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Oklahoma Fans Wont Like Why Ryan Fodje Stayed In Against Kentucky
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Brent Venables said the call to put Fodje back in came with input from the training staff and from Fodje himself, a detail Oklahoma fans probably will not love given how the rest of the night unfolded. After he returned, the offense kept sputtering, with the protection issues showing up in the form of sacks and interceptions, leaving the injury decision as one more thing the Sooners will have to sort through after an ugly home result. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Still Has One Last Chance To Prove This Season Matters
Hayden Hansen did not try to dress up Oklahomas latest stumble against Kentucky. The Sooners have spent too much of this season fighting through offensive inconsistency to pretend otherwise, with the numbers reflecting the same problem on a week-to-week basis: too few yards, too many turnovers, and not enough sustained rhythm to take pressure off the rest of the roster.
Mississippi State gives Oklahoma one more chance to show this season still carries meaning beyond the frustration of the last few weeks. Hansen pointed to perseverance and motivation as the standard inside the building now, and the Sooners need that mindset to translate quickly if they want to finish with anything resembling momentum. [Read more 🡒]