Oklahoma vs Tulane in Review
In the first place, no Sooner fan or follower could possibly be pleased with today’s performance. On the other hand, credit must be given to the Green Wave coaching staff and players. Being out maned and out talented Tulane never gave up. Formerly, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has come under fire for ultra-conservative play calling with a lead. In no way is this the case in this game. In light of this, what actually happened? These questions and more will be answered shortly. To enumerate, let’s discuss Oklahoma vs Tulane in review.
Social Media and NIL
Were some of the Sooner stars more focused on name, image, and likeness, and reading press clippings than actual on-field performance? It would be hard to argue that the Sooners weren’t concerned about social media than Tulane. It seemed as though the Sooners got out to a comfortable lead midway through the second quarter and expected the Green Wave to give up. Simply that just wasn’t the case.
Play to Play Consistency
In general, the Sooners were totally inconsistent, especially on the defensive side. At times the defense was dominant. In contrast, at times the defense looked much like the defenses before defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s arrival. At times the allegedly much-improved secondary looked totally lost and utterly confused. This being said, the responsibility lies with the players and not the coaching staff.
On the positive side, the offensive live did well in regards to pass protection. In terms of the run blocking, the offensive line was absolutely abysmal. One of the biggest concerns was running back depth. It would have made no difference if the Sooners had multiple five-star running backs.
Position Grades
Offensive Line Group
As mentioned before due to inconsistency between pass blocking and the running game the offensive line gets a C- for game one.
Receiving Group
The receiving group was really a bright spot. Marvin Mims and Mario Williams were definitely elite, and Mike Woods showed signs of greatness. With that in mind, the receiver group has earned an A-.
Running Back Group
The running back group is not so easy to judge due to poor offensive line play in the running game. Kennedy Brooks pretty much appeared that he hasn’t missed a beat since he last played in 2019. By the same token, newcomer Eric Gray was relatively ineffective mostly due to poor offensive line play. With all of this in mind, the running backs get a B+.
Quarterback Group
The quarterback group was very disappointing. Spencer Rattler, the Heisman trophy leading candidate played like a true freshman. Granted Rattler had moments of brilliance, at the same time he threw two interceptions. Rattler missed many open receivers and his decision-making process was less than impressive. With this in mind, the quarterback group garners a D+.
Defensive Line Group
The defensive side of the ball was even more disappointing. The major focus in the fall has been the improvement and depth on the defensive side of the ball. On the positive side, the defensive line played really well across the board. Notably, Isaiah Thomas was virtually unblockable. Equally important, Nik Bonitto had a typically great performance. With this said the defensive line is awarded an A-.
Linebacker Group
With all the preseason hype for the linebacker group, they were totally underwhelming. This group missed many tackles and was constantly out of position. Despite having a lot of talent and experience, Brian Asamoah II looked lost and out of position most of the day. Generously the linebackers are awarded, and I do mean awarded a D-.
Secondary Group
The secondary was not unlike the linebacker group. Despite all the preseason hype, the secondary was extremely disappointing. First of all, Tulane had receivers running free the entire game. Not to mention, the Sooners did a poor job of making tackles after catches. Additionally, the secondary had numerous coverage busts. Correspondingly, the secondary receives a grade of D.
The Final Word
In conclusion, the only positive thing to come out of this game for Oklahoma against Tulane is that it wasn’t a loss. In addition to remaining undefeated, nothing negative coming from game one is unfixable for the Sooners. It has been typically seen that the biggest improvement for a team is game one to game two. Regardless of this performance, improvement is only seven days away.
Keep the faith Sooner fans.
