OU's offense: The good, the bad through 4 weeks
It’s hard to complain about where things are for Oklahoma heading into the bye week.
The Sooners are 4-0 after a win over Auburn in the SEC opener. The defense has been one of the best in football, while the offense has showed more explosiveness with the additions of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterback John Mateer.
But what have been the early results for the Sooners’ offense? Here’s a look at the good and the bad through the first four weeks:
The Good
Passing offense
The addition of Arbuckle and Mateer promised to rejuvenate the offense and particularly the passing game, considering OU had one of the worst passing offenses in football last season. Through four weeks, that’s been the case.
Mateer ranks ninth in the country in passing yards (303.8 per game). He’s thrown 22 passes of 20-plus yards, which ranks second nationally. The Sooners had 20 such passes all season and ranked 119th in yards per game. Mateer has found success through the air despite the absence of Javonnie Gibson, who has yet to play this season.
Jaren Kanak is a real weapon
It’s related to the passing offense, but Kanak deserves his own spot. He leads all tight ends in the FBS with 76.8 yards per game and he’s fourth in receptions with 18. He’s been the Sooners’ most consistent weapon through four weeks. The Sooners could benefit from involving him even more in the offense.
Isaiah Sategna has also found his footing in the offense, and his nine-reception, 127-yard performance was pivotal in the win over Auburn.
Offensive line pass blocking
It’s certainly been up and down for the offensive line through four weeks. However, one bright spot has been in pass protection. The Sooners have allowed just five sacks, which ranks 46th nationally. The team has an overall pass-blocking grade of 76.1, per Pro Football Focus, which ranks 36th. Last season, the Sooners had allowed 12 sacks through the first four games and finished with 50, which ranked dead last.
It’s a noticeable improvement, especially considering that Jacob Sexton, Michael Fasusi and Derek Simmons have all missed time, while others like Jake Maikkula and Febechi Nwaiwu have dealt with injuries. Troy Everett has already been ruled out with a season-ending injury.
The Bad
The running game
As good as the passing game has been, the running game has been a major issue, even with the emergence of Tory Blaylock.
The Sooners rank 101st in rushing offense with 125.3 yards per game. They rank 114th in yards per carry with 3.58. Along with the overall lack of production and efficiency, there has been almost zero explosiveness. The Sooners are tied for 84th nationally in rushes over 10 yards (15), and they have just two rushes of over 20 yards, which ranks 109th.
On top of that, the Sooners have allowed 24 tackles for loss, which ranks 97th nationally. The struggles aren’t due to a lack of effort. The Sooners have ran the ball 140 times compared to 144 passes — almost dead even.
Arbuckle has made it clear that a lot goes into having success in the running game. The offensive line needs to be better. The wide receivers and tight ends have to be involved. The running backs have to make the correct reads. But at some point, the Sooners are going to have to decide if it’s worth it to keep trying the running game, or if they need to double down on the passing offense.
Turnover margin
There’s been a lot of attention on the lack of takeaways from the defense. But the offense has also had a sneaky turnover problem. The Sooners have coughed the ball up six times, which is tied for 96th nationally, and at least once in every game. It’s a big reason why the Sooners have a turnover margin of -6, which is tied for 129th.
Summary
There’s no doubt that the offense is a lot more explosive than it was a year ago, and it’s why Mateer has emerged as an early Heisman candidate. Even when there have been struggles, the offense has made timely plays, such as the late drive against Auburn that ended in a go-ahead touchdown
But there are certainly areas for growth. The Sooners managed just 46 total points on offense against Michigan and Auburn. The Sooners rank 63rd in scoring offense, 55th in yards per play and 50th in total offense. Those marks are fine given how stout the defense has been, but Arbuckle is certainly looking for more.
Mateer has proven he can shoulder the load on offense. But it’s going to be imperative that the offensive line gets healthy and the Sooners prove they can run the ball against SEC defenses, or there could be more struggles.
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