October 24, 2020 Issue, Page 7 of 10

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Saturday, October 24, 2020 Sports Page 7 OU’s defense still lags in Big 12 defensive efficiency By Berry Tramel ago, I started tracking offenses allows us to compare bananas And these efficiency ratings 5, Texas .360: Strange. I fig- is 3-0 in conference play. The The Oklahoman, and defenses differently. How Oklahoma to bananas. The only variable is give us a great view on a pro- ured the Longhorns would be Wildcats held OU to five touch- City often do Big 12 offenses score? teams don’t get to play them- gram’s progression. better. But no. OU's defense Some things change. Some How often do Big 12 defenses selves. Eight of the nine con- And this year, the early Big actually stifled UT until the fi- downs in 13 possessions, then things never change. Some prevent the opponent from ference games are the same, 12 numbers are a little skewed, nal five minutes. gave up five touchdowns in 23 things could change but scoring? so the comparisons are quite because the conference has 6. Texas Tech .357: Most combined possessions against haven't yet. I don’t do points per game. similar. been played in pods. of this hay was bailed against Texas Tech and TCU. Like OU’s offense and de- ‘That can be wholly unsatisfy- -- | always start the efficien- OSU, Baylor, Kansas and Texas. fense. ing. Already this season, sev- cy ratings after three weeks of West Virginia have been play- 7. TCU .282: An inept first 5. Iowa State .279: This is an ‘Three games into this crazy eral teams have had 15 pos- conference play (though so far, ing only each other. The other half against Iowa State, when excellent number, consider- Big 12 football season, the old sessions in a game. Texas vs. OSU and Baylor have played six teams have been playing quarterback Max Duggan was ing the Cyclones have already standby is the Sooners’ ability OU, for example. Other teams just two league games). One only each other. So the num- on the bench, is partly respon- played OU and Texas Tech. to score and inability to stop have had just 10 possessions in or two games generally isn’t bers will take awhile to balance. sible. opponents from doing the a game; OU vs. Iowa State, for enough to get a good reading. But they give us a weekly 8. West Virginia .269: Not 6. TCU .311: Not a bad num- same. example. If you've played only two Big view of how efficient a unit re- good offense, Not good offense ber, but Gary Patterson's de- Since leading the Big 12 in The same level of offensive 12 games, and one of them is ally is, Here are the rankings: at all. fenses usually are better. Inter- defensive efficiency, OU has efficiency by Texas vs. OU against Kansas, your ratings OFFENSE 9. Baylor .250: The Bears had ranged from mediocre to awful would have scored 50 percent are going to be disproportion- 1. Towa State .456: A sur- 15 possessions against West esting game Saturday against on defense, while having his- more points than OU vs. Iowa ately excellent prise. The Cyclones have been Virginia and scored two touch- ou. torically great offenses. State. -- I count touchdowns as a better on offense than have the downs. 7. Texas Tech .392: Not very And that’s what we have in So I measure efficiency per full credit. I count field goals Sooners. 10. Kansas .115: Change good defense, but that’s noth- 2020. possession. They tell us many 2. Oklahoma State .417: The coaches, change quarterbacks, as half credit. Score five touch- Starting with the 2013 sea- things. Using this method, we Cowboys have done this in change the time of basketball's ing new. downs in 10 possessions, that's son, I have been rating Big 12 know how historic OU’s offens- 50 percent efficiency. Score only two games, against a sup- Midnight Madness. Doesn't 8. Texas .402: Oh my. If the offenses and defenses via effi- es have been in recent years. two touchdowns and kick three posedly good defense (West matter. The Jayhawks never Longhorns play this kind of ciency. And we know how decrepit field goals in 10 possessions, Virginia) and a supposedly bad rise, defense, the season is going to Here was my explanation OU's defenses have gotten in that's 35 percent efficiency. Al- defense (Kansas). But OSU did DEFENSE from last season: Points are recent years. low two touchdowns and one it with backup quarterback 1, Oklahoma State .120: Sur- get even longer. the currency that determines Here are a few things to field goal in 10 possessions, Shane Illingworth. prise, surprise. Not that the 9. Oklahoma .431: Here are games. Points. Not yards. An know about my ratings: that’s 25 percent efficiency for 3. Oklahoma .378: This is Cowboys are No. 1, but that the OU’s defensive numbers, start- offense’s job is to score. A de- - I only use conference the opposing offense. a fine number and figures to number is so low. It won't last, fense’s job is to prevent the games. What teams do in the -- I rate defenses using their improve as Spencer Rattler as the competition increases. ing with 2015 -- .218, .333, opponent from scoring, Al- non-conference is interesting opponents’ offensive efficien- grows. It’s just not up to Lin- But still, an excellent start. 362, .458, 337. So Alex Grin- lowing an offense to drive 30 and relevant. But it’s not eq- cy. That makes it easier to con- coln Riley's usual performance. 2. West Virginia .131: Same ch had the Sooners going in the yards and then punt is efficient uitable. OU played Missouri trast offensive and defensive Here is OU's offensive efficien- with the Mountaineers. They right direction, but the start to defense. Driving 50 yards and State, a non-competitive team. numbers. cy starting with 2015: .496, held down not only Kansas, committing a turnover is not Iowa State played Louisiana- -- I realize it’s not a perfect 531, 542, 624, 536. but OSU and Baylor, too. this season is a setback. efficient offense. Lafayette, a legitimately com- system. A team could miss a 4. Kansas State .364: This 3. Baylor .167: The one com- 10. Kansas .436: OSU's of- petitive mid-major. And most 21-yard field goal. Another number doesn’t figure to hold mon denominator among the Football no longer is a field fense scored three total touch- position game and hasn't been years, the discrepancy in non- team could make a 57-yard up, since a game-and-a-half best defenses? All got to play downs against Tulsa and West in a long time. Football is a conference schedules is even field goal. Neither defense de- of it was posted with Skylar Kansas. possession game. greater. serves what then comes. But ‘Thompson at quarterback, and 4. Kansas State .278: OK, Virginia, then scored five (with Which is why several years Using only conference games those instances are rare. now he’s lost for the season. now we're seeing why K-State four field goals) against KU. Tramel college predictions: Iowa State could take Big 12 control By Berry Tramel, The Oklaho- backs the Tide when you've got Spartans 32-7. Are we sure Central Florida was the most to Coastal Carolina ruined a shall. man, Oklahoma City receivers like Bama has. that the Scarlet Knights really entertaining game of last Sat- chance at a special season. Jacksonville State at Florida College football's crazy 2020 Auburn at Ole Miss: Rebels want to have a season? urday. Georgia Southern at Coastal International: Golden Pan- season heats up this weekend, 31-21. Funny team, Missis- Penn State at Indiana: Nitta- Tulane at Central Florid. Carolina: 41-31. The Chanti- thers 26-24. Jacksonville State with Big Ten and Mountain sippi. The Rebs played tougher ny Lions 49-13. Some explain Knights 38-13. Josh Heupel’s cleers are the nation's surprise pushed Florida State to the against Alabama than against West teams starting. But could Arkansas. why the Hoosiers are only 6 team off to a rough start. team. the Big 12 race be nearing an not be veryBut Auburn might 1/2 -point underdogs. Texas State at Brigham Georgia State at Troy: Tro- wire. Utah State at Boise State: end? good at all. Iowa at Purdue: Hawkeyes Young: Cougars 51-31. Is jans 30-20. Troy and Appala- Broncos 33-23. The Moun- Kentucky at Missouri: Ti- 24-13, Iowa rarely plays blow- BYU's schedule going to hold chian State could end Coastal In Stillwater on Saturday, gers 29-21. Mizzou might have tain West returns, and this is outs. up enough to let the Cougars Carolina's Cinderella season. OSU hosts Iowa State, and a grown up a little with that win Cyclone victory would mean over LSU. Maryland at Northwestern: contend for a playoff berth? Louisiana-Monroe at South a rousing opener. The Aggies a likely berth in the Big 12 Wildcats 30-19. Northwestern Probably not. Western Ken- Alabama: Jaguars 26-7. South always are competitive, and Championship Game. South Carolina at LSU: Ti- gers 35-23. A week after the was given a cushy schedule — tucky and North Alabama still Alabama is the Sun Belt West's Boise State is the cream of the ‘The top two teams in the Big Gamecocks beat Auburn for Maryland and Michigan State await. only team unbeaten in confer- conference. are its cross-division games. Mercer at Army: Black ence play. Wyoming at Nevada: Wolf 12 make it to Arlington, and if the first time since 1993, it's Louisiana Tech at Texas- Pack 29-28. Jay Norvell's Iowa State beats the Cowboys, Tulsa at South Florida: Gold- Knights 31-7. Army is 5-1 and en Hurricane 31-17. TU has played Cincinnati tough. Good San Antonio: Bulldogs 27-13. fourth Nevada season will be asking a lot of them to win in ISU will be 4-0 in the league, Baton Rouge. It's happened with victories over OSU and played only twice but been im- team in West Point. UTSA has been playing well. key for his future. He's 18-20 OU, which would give the Cy- once ever, 1994, Syracuse at Clemson: Tigers pressive both times. Close loss Southern Mississippi at Lib- Can the Roadrunners keep it in three seasons. clones the tiebreaker. Iowa 41-14. The Orange is 1-3 in the in Stillwater, then an upset of erty: Flames 33-14, Liberty is up? Hawaii at Fresno State: Bulldogs 38-21. Fresno State State would have a virtual 1 ACC and has yet to play Clem- Central Florida. 5-0. Win here, and it sets up Middle Tennessee at Rice: should be more of a Mountain 1/2 -game lead over OSU and son or Notre Dame. Cincinnati at SMU: Mus- two huge games. At Virginia Blue Raiders 35-15. The Owls a virtual 2 1/2 -game over OU. North Carolina State at tangs 34-24. One of the day's Tech on November 7, at North finally get to open their sea- West power than it is. Nevada-Las Vegas at San Di- Kansas State also is unbeat- North Carolina: Tar Heels 37- biggest games. The winner Carolina State on November son, just like a Big Ten team. ego State: Aztecs 28-19. Brady en in the league, but the Wild- 20. UNC jeopardized its ACC keeps alive a shot at the Col- 21. Texas-El Paso at Charlotte: Hoke's second go-round as the cats have lost quarterback Sky- title game hopes with that hor- lege Football Playoff. Arkansas State at Appala- 49ers 34-11. It's 1,661 miles ‘Aztec coach begins. lar Thompson for the season rid first half at Florida State. Houston at Navy: Cougars chian State: Mountaineers 31- and don't appear to have the Losing to the 'Pack would jeop- from E] Paso to Charlotte, and Air Force at San Jose State: 41-22. Houston's American 30. Appalachian State's loss to offense to sustain the momen- Conference title hopes are in- Marshall doesn't look so bad, Falcons 51-7. The Academy these teams share a confer- ardize tum of their 3-0 start. tact, but they haven't been now that the Thunder Herd ence. got a jump on the rest of the An OSU victory would put est: Hokies 33-20. The Hok- overly impressive since finally still is unbeaten. Florida Atlantic at Marshall: Mountain West and routed the Cowboys in great shape, ies are in the group with N.C. getting to play. Louisiana-Lafayette at Thundering Herd 45-14. No Navy a few weeks ago. too, but OSU doesn't have OU State, Carolina and Miami, try- Temple at Memphis: Ti- Alabama-Birmingham: — Ra- team in America is more likely Last week: 21-7. Season: in the rearview mirror. Iowa ing to keep up with unbeaten gers 48-10. Memphis’ win vs. gin’ Cajuns 32-27. ULL's loss to go undefeated than is Mar- 124-43. State does. Clemson and Notre Dame. Let's get to the predictions: OSU football: Hunter Woodard ‘learning Georgia Tech at Boston Col- Oklahoma at TCU: Sooners 34-24, Will the Sooners ever lege: Eagles 27-24. The winner play a Big 12 breather? In OU's is 3-2 in the ACC. Not bad. nine games against Big 12 foes, Notre Dame at Pittsburgh: only Bedlam (a 34-16 Sooner victory) was decided by more than seven points. Fighting Irish 26-24, The 303 Panthers have navigated CO- VID quite well. This is their in the fire’ on Cowboys’ offensive line Towa State at Oklahoma seventh game. By Scott Wright Fox. It will be Woodard’s third homa State. Woodard came in Woodard is taking his cues State: Cowboys 27-24. Reversal Virginia. at Miami: Hur- The Oklahoman, Oklahoma game as a starter, and the pace as part of a strong offensive from the veterans. of identity. Cyclones have been ricanes 41-14. The Cavaliers City of the game is coming natural line class in 2018, but like “Personally, I've learned known for defense the last few have been huge disappoint- to him now. most linemen, he’s been stuck to trust the guys, especially years; OSU has been known for ments. STILLWATER - Hunter In fact, it was a halftime behind veterans. having Teven and Ry next to offense for more than a decade. Florida State at Louisville: Woodard had speech by fellow lineman Josh heard that But now, he’s in the middle me,” Woodard said. “Any mis- But this year, ISU might have Cardinals 28-27. Louisville is phrase, “slowing down the Sills during the Tulsa game the Big 12's best offense and the only team winless in ACC of it all. take I make, those two guys OSU might have the Big 12's game.” that helped Woodard settle in. “He's learning in the fire,” play. That could change. But when the Oklahoma have a lot of experience, and “That's when it really started OSU coach Mike Gundy said. they've been covering for me. best defense. Nebraska at Ohio State: Baylor at Texas: Longhorns Buckeyes 42-30. The Corn- State offensive lineman was to click, that I had to slow it “It’s a tough game at the posi- T’ve learned to play hard, and 41-17. When last we saw the huskers know they were in- thrown into the lineup unex- down, trust all the practices tion he plays when you're early any mistakes I make, I can fix Bears, three weeks ago, quar- terback Charlie Brewer was vited to be the log in a Colum- pectedly — his first significant we'd had, trust my teammates,” in your career. Going into the them.” game action -- against Tulsa in Woodard said. “That's when I season, he wasn't getting reps truggling. Will he keep the bus buzzsaw, but I'm betting the season opener because of started to get the nerves under with the (starters) particularly, ment Gundy has seen the improve- j job? they're competitive against the an injury, the game kept going control.” and then all the sudden he’s a coming for Woodard. West Virginia at Texas Tech: Buckeyes. “He's made strides over the Mountaineers 24-19. WVU Michigan at Minnesota: full speed. Woodard is a 6-foot-5, starter, so he’s trying to catch last two to three weeks just could get off to a 3-1 confer- Wolverines 26-21. If this game “Those first couple drives 295-pound redshirt sopho- his breath.” from getting quality reps with ence start. gets played, it's a monument were really nerve-wracking,” more from Tuscola, Illinois, a West Virginia brought a tal- the first team,” the coach said. Kansas at Kansas State: to football's importance. The Woodard said. “I talked about town of less than 5,000 people ented defensive line to Still- “He continues to develop. His Wildcats 26-14. KU could entire Michigan campus is on slowing down the game, and I located about 150 miles south water in the second week of effort’s good. His attitude’s make its season with an upset, lockdown. couldn't do that for the life of of Chicago. He was born 30 the season, and Woodard held but the Jayhawks’ only win Illinois at Wisconsin: Bad- me whenI first went in.” minutes north of Tuscola in up. Now, Iowa State comes in good. in Lawrence the last 31 years Woodard will be back in his Champaign, home of the Uni- with a strong defensive front, “The game is important to came in 2007. gers 27-16. A Friday night Big Alabama at Tennessee: Crim- ‘Ten Network opener. I don't starting spot at right guard versity of Illinois. and the group needs to show him and his team is important son Tide 48-20. Mac Jones, happen to have the Big Ten when the sixth-ranked Cow- ‘The Illini had offered a schol- they're continuing to improve. to him. He's got a ways to go, Tua Tagovailoa or Jalen Hurts. Network. boys host No. 17 Iowa State at arship, along with a few other Sandwiched between senior but he should be a much dif- Doesn't matter who quarter- Rutgers at Michigan State: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Boone programs in the region, but he center Ry Schneider and senior ferent player by the end of the Pickens Stadium. televised bv felt most comfortable at Okla- right tackle Teven Jenkins. vear.”