Oklahoma’s defense got a headline performance from Owen Heinecke on Saturday, and the conference took notice.
After the Sooners’ 23-15 win over Mississippi State, the linebacker was named SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week. Heinecke turned in a stat line that jumped off the page: a team-best 10 tackles, plus a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
That 10-tackle outing marked the third time in Heinecke’s career that he has reached that mark, and it was the most by any Oklahoma player this season. It also came in one of the game’s biggest momentum swings.
In the second quarter, Heinecke knocked the ball loose from Bulldogs quarterback Billy Puckett at the OU 4, and Taylor Wein recovered it. The play shut down a Mississippi State drive with Oklahoma already up 3-0.
The Sooners made the turnover count right away, marching 94 yards for a touchdown on the next possession to push the lead to 10-0.
Heinecke’s sack came earlier, on Mississippi State’s second drive. On fourth down from the OU 41, he dropped Kamario Taylor for a 2-yard loss and helped stall that series before it could turn into points.
Through seven games, Heinecke has become Oklahoma’s most productive tackler by a wide margin. He leads the team with 54 tackles, 18 more than anyone else on the roster.
He also tops the Sooners with 6.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries, while adding two sacks. He has at least shared the team lead in tackles in six of Oklahoma’s seven games this season.
The Tulsa product also drew strong marks for his work against Mississippi State, grading out at 81.3 by Pro Football Focus. That was his highest grade of the season and his best overall since an 83.1 in last season’s win over Kent State. Among Sooners who played more than seven snaps, only safety Peyton Bowen graded higher, and Bowen also had a strong case for SEC weekly honors.
This is the second career weekly SEC award for Heinecke. He previously earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week recognition after Oklahoma’s Nov. 3 win at Tennessee last season.
Heinecke’s honor was the fifth SEC weekly award for Oklahoma this season. Isaiah Sategna won SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept.
7, Peyton Bowen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 12, Tate Sandell took SEC Special Teams Player of the Week that same week, and Jake Kreul earned SEC Freshman of the Week on Oct.
The Sooners, now 4-3 overall and 2-2 in SEC play, return home to face South Carolina at 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will air on SEC Network.
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Oklahoma Faces A Real Test Up Front In Norman
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For Oklahoma, the immediate concern is up front, where the Sooners are still sorting through an offensive line situation that will be under the microscope against one of the SECs most disruptive young defenders. South Carolina coaches pointed to edge rusher Dylan Stewart as a player who can change the tone of a game, and Oklahomas staff knows that kind of pressure can decide whether a rhythm offense ever gets settled. In a game with momentum on the line for both sides, that front-five battle may end up defining the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]