Defensive Adjustments Key to Win Over Tech

Members of the Oklahoma defense vowed there would be no repeat of the staggering numbers allowed against the Texas Tech offense last season.

OU's defenders undeniably made considerable improvement, shaving 417 yards, 32 points and 18 first downs off the Red Raiders' massive totals of a year ago with a 49-27 victory Saturday night at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

"Yeah, we'll take it," OU defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach Mike Stoops said afterward, forcing a smile and chuckle.

Stoops certainly wasn't smiling early when the Red Raiders scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. Thereafter, the Sooners' defense got stops on eight of Texas Tech's final nine possessions and yielded just one touchdown.

"Other than the barrage at the beginning, it was one of our more complete games honestly, as a team," Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley said. "I really wish we would have complemented each other (on offense and defense) better early. That was maybe the biggest disappointment of the night."

Texas Tech opened the contest with a ground game, marching 75 yards in 15 plays. Touchdown passes of 70 and 42 yards came on the next two drives.

The Red Raiders amassed 211 yards in the first quarter alone, averaging 10.1 yards per play, which explains why Stoops began his post-game interview session with "It was a rough start."

Even with the sluggish beginning, Riley said he didn't experience any flashbacks to last year's game in Lubbock, where the Red Raiders rolled up 854 total yards and 42 first downs in a 66-59 loss to OU.

"No, I didn't. Not that I would have thought of it anyway," Riley said of harkening back to the 2016 game. "It's a new game, new teams, new year. I knew they were explosive. Listening to Mike and the guys over the headsets, I knew schematically we were making some good adjustments and felt our guys were going to settle in, and they did that."

The Sooners' defense opened the game in an umbrella pass coverage, which got gashed by Tech's unexpected rushing attack. OU switched to a four-man defensive front to contain the run.

"They had a good plan for it schematically (to open the game), what they were doing, how they were blocking it," Stoops said. "We couldn't control the run game, and if you can't control the run game, you're going to have a rough day. The run sets up everything else for them."

Tech finished with 437 total yards — 332 passing and 115 rushing (72 in the first quarter alone). It averaged just 4.6 yards per play the final three quarters.

The Sooners countered with 617 total yards offensively, with 336 yards coming on the ground. Their 7.1 yards-per-carry average was led by redshirt sophomore running back Rodney Anderson, who finished with a career-high 181 yards (132 in the second half) on 24 attempts (7.5 average) in his first career start. Sophomore back Abdul Adams returned from a two-game absence due to injury and added 95 yards on 10 carries.

"Our line had a physical presence today," said OU senior quarterback Baker Mayfield, who completed 22 of 34 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns, which is his Big 12-record 21st consecutive game with at least two TD throws. "We talked about being the more physical team. Defensively, they're a lot better than what they have been in the past and how they play the run."

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb set OU freshman single-game records with nine receptions for 147 yards and tied the school single-game freshman mark with two touchdowns receptions. Junior tight end Mark Andrews had six catches for 79 yards and a score.

While the Tech offense found the end zone on its first three drive, the OU offense responded in kind with touchdowns on its first three possessions for a 21-20 lead early in the second quarter.

Asked if it ever felt like scoring a touchdown was the minimum requirement to keep the game close, Mayfield dismissed the notion and said, "The goal on every drive is to get a touchdown. It's always the same mindset for us."

The game-clinching series came on a goal-line stand from the Sooners defense with 11:16 remaining in the contest and the Red Raiders on the verge of pulling to within two touchdowns. OU's offense then proceeded to run out the clock with 18 plays for 65 yards and five first downs.

"Our defense played outstanding tonight," Mayfield said. "They locked down after that first quarter. Early in the second quarter, they settled in and made a lot of plays for us."

Bedlam is next up for the No. 10-ranked Sooners (7-1, 4-1) with a 3 p.m. game against No. 11-ranked Oklahoma State (7-1, 4-1) in Stillwater.