The Oklahoma Sooners produced a strong performance against an overmatched Temple Owls club, winning 51-3 to begin the season.
The Sooners had numerous great performances as they ran out to a 34-0 lead in the first half.
The offense did not play very well, but the defense’s performance was so impressive that the offense did not have to do much.
But what stuck out most in the Sooners’ 51-3 victory over the Owls? Here are five takeaways from Week One.
Defense is GOOD
The Oklahoma Sooners’ defense was completely dominant. If not for a penalty on Temple’s only scoring drive, the Sooners might have had a shutout. Even on that drive, when the Owls got inside the red zone, Oklahoma reacted with back-to-back sacks to force a 3rd and 22, resulting in the field goal and Temple’s sole points of the game.
The Sooners forced six turnovers, six sacks, and limited the Owls to less than two yards per carry in the contest.
It was exactly what they needed to do against a team ranked 132nd in the nation by ESPN’s SP+ ratings entering the season.
Defensive tackle depth is stacked
Though Damonic Williams and Jayden Jackson[/autotag] received the start, Brent Venables, Zac Alley, and Todd Bates delved deep into the well at defensive tackle. And it seems that every one of those players had an impact on the game.
Defensive tackle did some serious work tonight.
Gracen Halton 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks, FF
Markus Strong 2 sacks
David Stone 2 tackles
Da’Jon Terry 1 tackle, fumble recovery
Jayden Jackson 1 tackle
Ashton Sanders 1 tackle, 0.5 sacks
Damonic Williams 2 tackles
Davon Sears 1 tackle
Williams, Halton, and Terry may not have had the big plays as players further down the depth chart did, but they didn’t let Temple do much on the ground. In the first half, the Owls gained 80 total yards and converted one of seven third-down opportunities.
Brent Venables and Todd Bates have worked tirelessly to create a defensive lineman depth chart that would work in the SEC. After just one game, it has the makings of a very strong and productive unit.
Offensive Line has work to do
It was only one game, so there’s no reason to panic, but the offensive line isn’t nearly where it should be. They were now missing starting right tackle Jake Taylor, who is slated to return against Houston in Week 2, and starting center Branson Hickman, who suffered an ankle injury. There were some bright moments in the game, particularly behind Febechi Nwaiwu in the running game, but the front line didn’t have the best night.
Arnold was only pressured on 19.4% of his dropbacks last night, but he did receive four sacks.
Oklahoma’s offensive line struggled to establish a consistent run game. Yes, they ran for almost 200 yards, but 76 of them came on the game’s last drive, which featured Michael Hawkins at quarterback and Taylor Tatum at running back.
In the first quarter, the Sooners averaged 3.6 yards per rush and 4.1 yards per carry in the first half.
Jackson Arnold solid in home debut
The offense did not open things up in the passing game, but Jackson Arnold handled his business and the football. He was efficient, finishing 17 of 25. Arnold’s adjusted completion rate was 83.3%, taking into account drops and throwaways. Though majority of Arnold’s 141 yards passing came on his first throw of the game, the Sooners didn’t expect much more from him.
He passed for four touchdowns, and the offense scored on six of its first eight drives.
The coaching staff stated that their Temple game plan was fairly basic. Arnold did what they asked and kept the ball out of harm’s path. Next week against Houston, expect the Sooners to open it up even more.
Michael Hawkins showcased his speed and athleticism late in the game, making big plays with his legs. He went 3-for-5 for 20 yards passing, with a quick release and solid accuracy.
OU needs someone to step up at wide receiver
The offense did not unleash the speed of Deion Burks and Brenen Thompson, but with Jalil Farooq’s injury, Oklahoma will need one of their younger wide receivers to step up.
Burks, by the way, was amazing.
Nic Anderson is expected to return next week, while Andrel Anthony is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered in October. With Anderson, Burks, and Thompson, the Sooners should be fine, but they’ll need someone to fill a rotational role.
J.J. Hester was the first to try, but he dropped two. The Sooners also used Ivan Carreon and Zion Kearney outside. Can one of the two four-star prospects in the 2024 signing class step up?
Jaquaize Pettaway was expected to be Deion Burks’ backup in the slot, but with Farooq’s injury, he could also be counted on outside.