Doug Deakin didn’t need much time to see what Oklahoma’s special teams are becoming under Brent Venables. In the Sooners’ 51-0 win over UTEP, Isaiah Sategna’s 88-yard punt-return touchdown was the flash play, but the real story was how many familiar faces were involved in setting it up.
Six Oklahoma players listed as starters on the depth chart were on the return unit for that play, and three more players from the two-deep - Jacobe Johnson, Omarion Robinson and Manny Choice - were part of the mix as well. At Oklahoma, special teams isn’t treated like a landing spot for the extras. It’s another stage for the top guys to make an impact.
Deakin said that approach has been obvious throughout practice, and he pointed straight to Venables for setting the tone.
"The best 11 are going to play on special teams," Deakin said after the 51-0 win over UTEP. "That starts with Coach Venables.
He'll have starters play on every special team. I notice a big difference in the strain to finish."
The return itself showed exactly what he meant. Peyton Bowen opened the lane with the key block right in front of Sategna.
Elijah Thomas, who stood out last season on special teams, delivered the second big block about 15 yards downfield. Robinson then took the punter out of the play and cleared the path for Sategna to race down the sideline.
That was the “strain to finish” Deakin was talking about: starters and key rotational players doing the dirty work on special teams instead of watching from the sideline.
"Blocking downfield, that's an every-day drill for a wide receiver versus a DB, a linebacker. So those things carry over. I notice that on film, the way they work a return-side leverage," Deakin said.
He also pointed to the depth and competition that come with having players like Parker Livingstone, Lloyd Avant, Robinson and others on the units. For Deakin, that group raises the standard every day.
"You had Omarion Robinson, great extra effort," Deakin said. "Parker Livingstone, he's on the unit. We have five wide receivers on that unit, so I could tell that in camp the strain there with Isaiah back deep."
Venables has made physical play and relentless effort part of the identity in Norman, and Deakin’s group is giving those offensive players another way to leave their mark. After the opener, there was already something tangible to point to.
"It certainly was special tonight, and that's something that's been noticed through the offseason with the offensive players on our return units,” Deakin said.
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