Oklahoma football is 0-2 in the Big 12 and unranked for the first time this century, but Lincoln Riley is lying to himself to avoid confronting reality.
After Oklahoma football lost back-to-back games for the first time since 1999 and lost at Iowa State for the first time since 1960, Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley thinks his team is close to where they need to be.
Does he really believe that or is he just lying to himself to sleep better at night?
Maybe Riley knows this is the step back year with a first-year starter at quarterback. The Oklahoma head coach could be thinking, “this is the year to beat us. Because next season, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
In Riley’s defense, fans and the media aren’t at practice every day. Maybe Riley and his staff see something in training and workouts. Could it be that Riley knows that the Big 12 is as predictable as the weather around Lake Michigan and the Sooners still have a chance?
Some serious issues are going on in Norman, and it is more than just the defense.
Riley may believe the Sooners will contend next season. Oklahoma’s three offensive leaders against Iowa State — Spencer Rattler, Austin Stogner and Seth McGowan — are all first-year starters. Rattler had 300 yards passing and two touchdowns while Stonger and McGowan led the Sooners in receiving and rushing, respectively.
He sees the potential of the three of them as the future of Oklahoma’s offense moving forward. If Riley believes the Sooners are close this year, it is only because the Big 12 is as volatile as an active volcano in the Ring of Fire. The Sooners have some issues to overcome and it is not just the defense.
Despite being a first-year starter, Rattler has not played poorly. The Arizona native has completed 73 percent of his passes with ten touchdowns and only four interceptions. The Sooners have been unable to run the football. This season, the Sooners are averaging just 3.6 yards per carry instead of 6.0 yards per carry last season.
One of the reasons the run game is not as dominant this season is the Sooners do not have the running threat at quarterback they’ve had the last two seasons. Rattler is not a running quarterback. Last season’s leading running back, Kennedy Brooks, opted out of the season. Also, Trey Sermon transferred to Ohio State.
The commitment to the run game has been there (the Sooners have 30-plus carries in every game this season) the yards have not. Though Rattler has been good this season, there have been times his lack of experience has shown. Not only that, Charleston Rambo has not been the dynamic playmaker the Sooners have needed.
The defense has been awful as well
As the offense has had their struggles in the second half of games, the defense has been unable to hold leads. Against the Kansas State Wildcats, the Sooners were shut out in the fourth quarter, but the defense surrendered 17 fourth-quarter points and 31 points in the second half.
The Sooners were leading 35-14 late in the third quarter, and the Wildcats scored 24 unanswered points. It was Murphy’s Law against Kansas State. What could go wrong went wrong against the Wildcats. From missed tackles to busted coverages and turnovers, nothing went right for Oklahoma’s defense.
Though the Iowa State game was closer, the Sooners led 17-6 in the second quarter. It was the big play that kept the Cyclones close. Xavier Hutchinson caught a 65-yard pass from Brock Purdy to cut the lead at half time.
There is little doubt the Sooners are talented. However, they are not as close as Riley would like to think. But, hey, it’s the Big 12, anything could happen.
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