THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013
PAGE 7B
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PREVIEW
MAX GOODWIN
mgoodwin@kansan.com
STARTING LINEUP
OFFENSE
The Sooners offense is built around the running game. It is fast, powerful and versatile, and the Oklahoma running backs run behind an experienced, accomplished offensive line that dominates the line of scrimmage, especially preseason All-American center Gabe Ikard. There are six Oklahoma players with at least 100 rushing yards this season.
POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
QB Blake Bell 10 Jr.
WR Jalen saunders 8 Sr.
WR Sterling Shepard 3 So.
WR Lacoltan Bester 11 Sr.
RB Brennan Clay 24 Sr.
FB Trey Millard 33 Sr.
TE Brannon Green 82 Sr.
RT Daryl Williams 79 R-Jr.
RG Bronson Irwin 68 Sr.
C Gabe Ikard 64 R-Sr.
LG Adam Shead 74 R-Jr.
LT Tyrus Thompson 71 R-Sr.
DEFENSE
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Junior flanker Connor Embree celebrates with a teammate during the Oct. 3 homecoming game against Texas Tech. The Jayhawks lost 54-16.
The Sooners rank 12th nationally in points allowed at 16.8 points per game. If there is a true weakness on the Oklahoma defense it is the defensive line, which was probably the case even before starting tackle Jordan Phillips had season-ending back surgery. Senior linebacker and team captain Corey Nelson is also out for the season with a partially torn pectoral muscle. The Sooners defense will still play aggressively, led by senior cornerback Aaron Colvin.
POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
RE Geneo Grissom 85 R-Jr.
RT Jordan Wade 93 Sr.
LT Chuka Ndulue 98 R-Jr.
LE Charles Tapper 91 So.
OLB Dominique Alexander 42 Fr.
MLB Frank Shannon 20 R-So.
N Julian Wilson 2 R- Jr.
CB Zack Sanchez 1 R-Fr.
SS Quentin Hayes 10 Jr.
FS Gabe Lynn 9 R-Sr.
CB Aaron Colvin 14 Sr.
COACHING
With the exception of the Texas game, Bob Stoops seems to have his defense playing the way the Big 12 has become accustomed to seeing in his 15 seasons as Oklahoma's head coach. There were questions of whether that would be the case after the Sooners showed some shakiness against the run last season, but the Oklahoma defense is as scary to go up against as it has been in a few years.
MOMENTUM
The Sooners were rolling after a 5-0 start against a difficult schedule to begin the season, but Texas halted that momentum by thrashing Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry 36-20. The bad news for Kansas: Oklahoma is 14-0 under Stoops in games immediately following the Red River Rivalry.
QUESTION MARKS
Can Blake Bell get back on track after a rough week against Texas? Bell threw two interceptions, no touchdowns and just 133 yards. The two interceptions were the first for Bell this season.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
BY THE NUMBERS
226. 7 The average rushing yards per game for the Sooners, ranking them 18th nationally.
14-0 Oklahoma's record during the Bob Stoops era in the first game after the Red River Rivalry.
16. 8 The average points per game the Oklahoma defense has allowed this season, ranking them 12th nationally.
Edited by Madison Schultz
SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior kicker Michael Hunnicutt leads the nation in field goals made with 14 and has missed just one kick this season. Hunnicutt set a school record making his 49th career field goal against TCU earlier this season. He is 10-for-11 so far on kicks of more than 30 yards.
AT A GLANCE
The Oklahoma defense is aggressive and talented. The Sooners will put pressure on Kansas quarterback Jake Heaps and try to force him out of the pocket and into bad throws. The Sooners offense will play off of its running game, and they can pound the ball inside with fullback Trey Millard, or they can get to the outside edge with Brennan Clay and others.
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF
The Oklahoma defense overwhelms the Kansas offensive line. If the line can give Jake Heaps time in the pocket to let the play develop he can find open receivers and potentially help the run game open up as well.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Redshirt-junior quarterback Blake Bell has been most recognized for his part in the Bell-Dozier package that Oklahoma has run with him near the goal line. The last two seasons Bell rushed for 24 touchdowns, but this year Bell has become more of a passer. In victories against Tulsa, TCU and Notre Dame, Bell looked composed in the pocket and threw with accuracy, but in last week's loss to Texas, Bell was flustered in completing 12 of 26 passes and throwing two interceptions.
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