Oklahoma has already shown what its tight end room can do when the Sooners lean into 12 personnel. The problem Saturday was that they didn’t lean on it nearly enough.
Against Michigan, OU used a package with one running back, two tight ends and two wide receivers on 44.6 percent of its offensive snaps, according to George Stoia of Sooner Scoop. That was a major drop from the 84.7 percent usage the Sooners put on tape in their 51-0 season-opening win over UTEP.
The contrast between those two games matters, even if the opponents were nowhere near the same level. Michigan’s defense is far and away better than UTEP’s, and Oklahoma’s offense looked far more comfortable in the opener.
Quarterback John Mateer was at his best when the Sooners lived in heavier looks. In the rout of the Miners, he threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns on 11-of-17 passing, and Oklahoma also mixed in 13 personnel at times.
Tight ends Rocky Beers and Hayden Hansen were part of that success. Beers caught two passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, while Hansen hauled in a 15-yard reception that helped move the Sooners into the red zone in the second quarter.
That alignment gave Oklahoma more options in the run game while still keeping speed like Isaiah Sategna on the field to threaten defenses vertically.
“There’s a bunch of different things that you can do out of it,” OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said.
He expanded on that point by explaining how the package can create movement and flexibility.
“You can boot action out of it,” Arbuckle said. “You can move. You can be in a 12 or 13 set, and the tight ends go.”
Saturday told a different story. Beers was one of the few bright spots for Oklahoma, finishing with six catches for 94 yards.
Mateer, meanwhile, had a rough afternoon, completing 17 of 33 passes for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He missed on a number of throws to tight ends and wide receivers, and his fourth-quarter interception set up Michigan’s game-winning touchdown.
Still, Arbuckle made clear why the Sooners believe 12 personnel belongs in the plan more often.
“You can alleviate some stress,” Arbuckle said. “You might lose some vertical push down the field as far as stretching zones and stuff because those guys don't get out as quick, but yeah, there are definitely mechanisms in 12 and 13 piece sets that can help out tackles.”
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Got A Concerning Injury Update On A Key Receiver
Oklahomas passing game took a hit with the latest update on Trell Harris, who has been ruled out indefinitely because of an internal abdominal injury. For a Sooners offense that could use every healthy target it can get, losing a receiver of Harris importance changes the feel of the room right away and leaves the staff adjusting its plans as the schedule keeps moving.
The timing is especially uneasy because several other programs around the country are also juggling injury questions, with key players from LSU, Florida and UCLA all dealing with issues that could affect upcoming games. For Oklahoma, the bigger concern is how long this absence lingers and what it means for a receiver group that now has to absorb another blow without knowing when Harris might be back. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Just Made Oklahomas Michigan Loss Even Tougher To Swallow
Michigans win over Oklahoma already stung plenty, but the postgame scene made it feel even more pointed. Baker Mayfield showed up for his press conference wearing a Michigan jersey, and head coach Todd Bowles added to the moment by singing the Wolverines fight song, a victory lap that came after a defense-led performance built on pressure and disruption.
Troy Bowles was right in the middle of it, leading Michigan with nine tackles as the linebacker group helped set the tone again. Even with offseason departures, that unit has looked steady through two weeks, and the numbers from this one told the story: two turnovers, three sacks and eight tackles for loss. For Oklahoma, the loss on the field was tough enough, but the optics afterward only made it harder to shake. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Jackson Put Oklahomas Biggest Defensive Concern Front And Center
After Oklahomas loss to Michigan, Jayden Jackson did not try to soften the message about the Sooners biggest defensive concern. The interior standout said the defense has to sharpen the basics, pointing to tackling and taking the right angles as areas that need work after a game in which Oklahoma did enough to make Michigan uncomfortable but not enough to turn those chances into real momentum.
Jacksons point landed because the Sooners defense was close in a lot of ways, limiting the Wolverines at times while still coming away without the turnovers and key stops that can flip a game. As Oklahoma turns the page, the challenge is less about effort than execution, with the small details now front and center before the next stretch of games. [Read more 🡒]