October 1, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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Sports 4 - The Elk City News October 1, 2022 Sooners hitting reset button U.S. Bank Stadium will host Chiefs-Bucs on Sunday, if needed after loss to Kansas State Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune Jesse Crittenden, The lesser of two evils. So, we're al- fell behind 7-0 against Nebras- momentum, particularly in Norman Transcript ways looking at weaknesses or ka after the offense punted on the second half. MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Bank Stadium is the backup op- breakdowns or mental errors, two of its first three drives. Penalties in general have tion if the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Following Oklahoma's vic- even in victory... That's the OU offensive coordinator need to move their Sunday night game out of Florida because been a tough problem for the Jeff Lebby said starting faster Sooners. After committing 11 of damage from Hurricane Ian, a National Football League of- tory over UTEP in the season way that I know how to do it ficial said Wednesday. opener, Brent Venables and has been an emphasis in prac- against Kansas State, the team and has proven over time that Jeff Miller, NEL senior vice president of health and safety his players repeated a certain that's the right way. tice this week. now ranks 98th nationally in policy, made the announcement ona call. Miller said the re- phrase, "You learn from your past. "I think there's just got match of the 2020 Super Bow is still on for Raymond James "Strip the whole down to ‘That's how you grow and im- to be a heightened sense of penalties That's per game (7.25). been an emphasis Stadium in Tampa Bay, but that it will be moved to Minneapo- the studs." prove." urgency with everybody in- lis if necessary. That message from the For the Sooners to grow volved, starting with me, this week, too. Miller said the first priority is to ensure the league doesn’t “We talk about playing do anything to “negatively impact public safety efforts in the Sooners’ head coach empha- and prepare for Saturday's about starting faster," Lebby affected areas, . We're closely monitoring the situation, and sized the need for his team game at TCU, they'll have to said Monday. "We've got to smart, clean football every in discussion with both clubs, the stadium, local and state au- to reset after each week and look at the mental errors from do a better job there. You find single day of the week," Lebby thorities and various weather bureaus on a minute-by-minute continue to move forward. The their loss to Kansas State. yourself in a third-and-6 or a said. "And we've got to do that. basis.” Sooners managed to do that One issue that really hurt third-and-7 situation [on the] We've got to do a better job Asked how close to Sunday a decision might come, Miller said there is no timeline. after starting the season 3-0. them was their slow start. first drive and don't convert. coaching it. And again, we've “It’s literally a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour consider- But the first adversity of Both sides of the ball Third-and-6 on the second been pretty clean. And then ation and conversation with all of the affected parties, state the season came last Saturday struggled mightily to open the drive, don't convert. And you for whatever reason on Sat- and local authorities, disaster relief agencies and the partici- ina 41-34 lossto Kansas State. game, falling behind 14-0 mid- go back to Nebraska and don't urday evening we weren't. So pating clubs — as well as the Vikings,” he said. So does the process change at way through the first quarter. convert on that first one and we've got to get it right." Rumors about moving the game from Tampa Bay to Min- all for the Sooners following a ‘The defense surrendered back- then obviously Kent State [wel neapolis started online early Tuesday and quickly generated Despite the issues, the excitement because of the teams and players involved. loss? to-back touchdowns to open struggled early." Sooners had chances to win ‘The game would be a matchup of two of the NFL's biggest "You handle it the same the game, while the offense "So we've got to start fast- way every week," Venables gained just one first down and er, that's the reality of it, and the game. For Venables, it's stars and future first-ballot Hall of Famers: quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. In the 2020 championship game, said. "You start completely punted on their first two pos- get going and play complimen- about fixing those issues in the Brady-led Buccaneers beat Mahomes and the Chiefs in over. As coaches, whether sessions. tary football.” time for the Sooners’ road con- ‘Tampa Bay. you're successful or not, and That's been an issue for Another issue was pre- test against TCU. John Drum, general manager for ASM Global, which runs I've said this plenty of times the Sooners early this season. snap penalties. The Sooners “The greatest opportunity USS. Bank Stadium operations, has said staff and the building the first three weeks, some- ‘The team trailed Kent State for committed six of those against to teach and lead is right now can be mobilized and ready. US. Bank Stadium’s 67,000-plus seats would be available times you had a successful most of the first half until a Kansas State — five false through a loss," Venables said. Sunday night because the Vikings will be far away, playing the play but you did a lot that late touchdown put the Soon- starts and one delay of game "I know that without ques- New Orleans Saints in London. The Vikings, the primary ten- was wrong. You were just the ers ahead 7-3 at halftime. They — that really hurt the team's tion." ant at U.S. Bank Stadium, deferred comment to the league. OKC Thunder notepad: Daigneault comments on Ty Jerome’s absence from training camp Clemente Almanza 2022-23 regular season on Giddey spoke about a range camp: The Thunder recently care about our guys... We want the player with the best hair on Sports Writer, Muskogee Oct. 19 at Minnesota. of topics that span from the announced that point guard them to go on and have suc- the team by his teammates: “I Phoenix Until then, Thunder head best hair on the team to Bruce Ty Jerome will not participate cess.” feel a bit disrespected. They all coach Mark Daigneault and Springsteen. Here are a few in training camp as he and the Giddey on Chip Engel- have good hair. Jeremiah with The Oklahoma City Thun- players will sporadically talk to notable topics discussed on team determine his next steps. land’s adjustments to his shot: the afro is nice as well. There der will hold training camp the media following practice. Sept. 27's journal entry: “That was a decision that ‘The Thunder hired Engelland, for the next three weeks as For the first day of training —Daigneault on Ty Je- came to where it is now be- a well-known shooting coach, are a lot of great hairstyles on the team prepares to start its camp, Daigneault and Josh rome sitting out training tween Sam and Ty’s represen- during the offseason. Engel- this team... I might have to try tation and this is the resolu- land has been working with something different.” tion that they landed on,” Giddey in recent weeks. Daigneault on playing Sooners’ defense looking Daigneault said. “Very grateful “It’s not a whole lot differ- songs during practices: “Ev- for Ty and his time here. ent to what it was last year. It’s erybody picks two anthems. “We take a lot of pride not just a few minor changes. He (Mine are) both (Bruce) only in how our players de- didn’t come in and try to com- Springsteen songs. Last year, to bring back physicality velop while they're between pletely restructure my shot our walls, but also in what or anything new, just minor there was one Springsteen they do after they leave. Not things, Just hand placement. I song and there was not enough against TCU every player is going to play here forever, just the nature of the NBA. But we really, truly used to flick the ball with my thumb.” Giddey on being named as Springsteen so I doubled that this year. (My two songs were) ‘Thunder Road and Badlands.” Jesse Crittenden, The Norman Transcript again, you learn from it. So as far as that’s con- cerned, we now know what we need to do in or- Providing comfort and, Supportfor End of Life chotces The Oklahoma defensive line had per- der to get better.” formed like one of the nation’s best through Another issue that hurt the Sooners was three weeks. Hospice care provides medi | services, emotional support, and spiritual re- their performance on third down. Kansas State ‘The Sooners recorded 13 sacks and 32 tack- converted 8-of-17 (47 percent) attempts and sources for people who are in the last stages of a serious illness, such as cancer les for loss, ranking in the top five nationallypicked up a crucial third-and-16 late in the or heart failure. Hospice care also helps family members manage the practical in both categories. The pass rush and physical- fourth quarter that helped seal the win. details and emotional challenges of caring for a dying loved one. ity projected to be a huge problem for Adrian Third-down defense has been a struggle so Martinez and the Kansas State offense last Sat- far this season. The Sooners rank 77th in third- For questions regarding hospice service or eligibility, contact: urday. down defense, allowing opposing offenses to Instead, the Wildcats won the line of scrim- convert 39 percent of attempts. Carrie Perry, RN/ Adminsistrator mage battle, leaving running room for the KSU It won't get much easier Saturday against a ball carriers and giving Martinez plenty of time to throw. The Sooners recorded zero sacks and TCU team that’s converted 50 percent of its at- Pat Welsh, RN/ Coordinator of Patient Care tempts (17-of-34) on the season. only four tackles for loss, as the Wildcats fin- “We work on it a lot every week,” Roof said. ished with 509 yards of total offense. Oklaho- Some of the most common conditions are: “Tt may not have looked like it last week, but we ma didn’t surrender more than 316 total yards * Cancer * Failure to Thrive * End Stage Cardiac Disease (CHF) to an opponent through the first three weeks. work on it a lot every single week with an em- phasis on it because that’s the down that gets + End Stage Cerebrovascular Disease (GVA) © End Stage Amyotrophic ‘The defense recorded four quarterback hur- you off the field. When you have opportunities Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) * End Stage Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ries, but the Sooners were largely unable to put to get off the field and don’t, it came back to + End Stage Liver Disease * End Stage Renal Disease * AIDS/HIV pressure in the Wildcats’ backfield. “It’s something we focus on every week,” bite us the other night. You look at scrambles ¢ End Stage Neurological Disease such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer’s for instance and things of that nature, missed OU defensive coordinator Ted Roof said, refer- tackles, it comes back to bite you and it did. ring to the team’s physicality. “We fell short last carrle week, but our approach each and every week is, ‘We've got to get those fixed as well.” Perry, RN Professional, Passionate TCU presents a big opportunity for the to be a physical football team, tackle well, limit yards after contact. We didn’t do that. We didn’t Sooners’ defense to get back on track. For Advance, Attentive... Downs, it’s about OU getting back to creating do a very good job at the end of the night. “Everything that went wrong is my fault. havoc with physicality. Our Difference Is Our Care T've got to help everybody get it fixed. That's “We have to pass rush better,” Downs said. what we're going to do moving forward” “We have to be more disciplined with our pass Kansas State was able to hold off the Soon- rush, with our depth. Have you ever considered becoming ers by focusing on defensive ends Reggie “{TCU is] super talented. They've got a great a hospice volunteer? Grimes and Ethan Downs. Grimes (4 sacks, 6 quarterback. They're big and they're fast. They tackles for loss) and Downs (2.5 sacks, 4.5 tack- play similar to K-State and it’s just another A fulfilling experience in the spirit les for loss) had been the leaders defensively to challenge. We know what to expect. We know of giving and receiving. start the season, but the two combined for just that [OU coach Brent] Venables has an analogy, one TFL and zero sacks as the Wildcats made an we're climbing a mountain. And the longer you effort to keep them away from the play. climb this mountain, the thinner the air’s gon- “You go from a guy not getting a whole lot na get. So as we're climbing higher, every game of reps to a guy that’s been a starter, obviously this season the air’s getting thinner. It’s gonna you're gonna have guys gameplan for you andI get harder. But we’re gonna embrace that and don’t think Ethan andI responded well to that keep trucking because we know what's at the Saturday night,” Grimes said. “But obviously top of the mountain.”