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Major Keys: How can the Cougars beat the Sooners?

Junior corner back Brandon Wilson started at running back after the injury to senior Kenneth Farrow and rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 22 attempts. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

Senior corner back Brandon Wilson will be a key factor in winning the takeaway battle against the Sooners. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

When the football team heads into its long-awaited season opener against the University of Oklahoma Sooners, the Cougars will need to pick up where they left off against Florida State University if they want to beat another top-10 opponent.

While there isn’t a foolproof plan to beat the Sooners, here are the major keys the Cougars must enact to be successful on Saturday.

Use Clemson University as a blueprint

In last year’s first-round playoff game, the Clemson Tigers used a dominant second half to gain the lead and blow out the Sooners. While the Cougars likely do not have as much talent overall as the Tigers, the teams are similarly constructed.

Like Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson, senior Greg Ward Jr. is a dual-threat passer who can use his legs to extend plays and force the defense to play conservatively. Watson did not have a great passing game against OU, but was able to gain 145 yards on the ground.

Win the takeaway battle

The Cougars’ defense hangs their hat on the unit’s ability to force turnovers, something they will need to do against one of the best offenses they have seen.

UH finished second in the country in takeaway margin at plus-21, but that will be just another stat if they can’t get after the ball on defense while protecting the football on offense.

Dominate the ground game

Last season, the Sooners had a top-25 rushing offense before being held to just 67 yards against the Tigers. Running back Samaje Perine, a junior and Heisman Trophy-hopeful, rushed for just 57 yards.

The Cougars’ front seven doesn’t have name recognition like former Clemson stars Shaq Lawson, D.J. Reader or B.J.Goodson, but senior defensive end Cameron Malveaux and co. are a dominant group that finished eighth in the nation against the run.

Win time of possession

Clemson was able to keep the ball away from OU’s powerful offense by utilizing an efficient ground game.

Between Watson and junior running back Wayne Gallman, the Tigers kept the clock rolling by keeping the chains moving. Clemson had possession of the football for over 10 minutes more than the Sooners.

The Cougars will need to rely on Ward and redshirt sophomore Duke Catalon to pick up the tough yards that will keep the clock ticking.

Protect the secondary

Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando will have to dial up a series of intricate blitzes to get after and confuse OU’s redshirt junior quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Most of the players in the secondary will be making their first collegiate starts against the Sooners. If the front seven can do their job and hurry the quarterback, the defensive backs will have an easier time in coverage.

Senior outside linebacker Steven Taylor led the Cougars in sacks last season with 10 and will be vital force in pressuring Mayfield.

sports@thedailycougar

3 Comments

  • OU had it best defense lineman sit out the Clemson game due to concussion, then had injuries to best LB in the game and both RBs were playing hurt. Houston’s best chance of victory is to hope for injuries.

  • Ok, some basic thoughts
    1, Houston is NOT Clemson. Not the same field, not the same park, not the same freaking sport. One was the most physical and deep teams in he country last year. One lost three starters on oline and lost to Uconn and just nipped Louisville and Memphis. Don’t do what your not, less you wanna scrape Ward off of Walker and Wades shoes. The edges are the vulnerability for OU, I would say spread option it and see if they can stop it, though the speed will be in the Sooners favor.

    2. I think selling out on the running attack of OU could yeald some results in the redzone and on first down, but is going man to man really the best idea against a receiving Corp that will on average be 4-5 inches taller than the man guarding him? This is a Leach guy in Riley, you think he won’t throw into the blitz, which then begs

    3. Dominate the running game?!? Explain to me how being ranked 8th against the run last season has F ALL to do with this game? 50 lbs. Thats the avg weight discrepency across the front for the Cougars. Combine that with the desprepency outside with the skill guys, and unless the decision is to blitz 8 or 9, it’s going to be one on one in the open field between Perine vs….who cares who!!!! Most physical rb in the Ncaa. Stop it for a half, sure. Stop for more than three quarters…

    4. Your offense is your defense. Winning time of possession is possible for Houston, but it’s not an end all for Oklahoma unless you get a ten minute plus discrepency. Both Texas and Clemson were able to grind out the second half of games via turnover, but they came from the secondaries in both games, and Texas is not a great back four, but I would put them ahead athlete wise over Houston, and Clemson….SEE ABOVE!!!! I do think that Ward will have opportunities to showcase his legs but I don’t buy the RB or the Olines ability to keep the front three out of the backfield. This will put the onus on Ward throwing, and that’s not a winning formula against OU especially if you had to go downfield.

    Yes, the Cougars deserve the ranking. Yes, Morris is a stud coach with a nice group of athletes. Yes, OU has flowndered in similar games past. However, best running tandem not in Alabama, national o coordinator of the year calling the offense, massive size disadvantage as well as speed on both sides of the ball….gonna be a fight if you do win. Good luck to the Houston faithful, can’t wait to have a beer with y’all, BOOMER

  • Unlike some Sooner fans, I think this game is a lot closer than many believe it will be. What Houston needs to do it kind of what they do best, use Ward’s ability to get yards on the ground. Mike Stoops has always struggled with mobile QBs, and Ward is one of the nations best at being mobile. Passing yards for Houston will be hard to come by as the Sooners return 4 of 5 secondary starters from last year’s very good squad.

    Mike Stoops will also give up some ground gains to protect the back end, so Houston should take advantage of that to gain TOP.

    Ultimately, it’s going to come down to both defenses. Both offenses can be explosive and score points, so it’s just a matter of which defense shows up and executes the best.

    I’m a Sooner, so I have to pick my team, but I think it’s gonna be close right down to the end.

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