Oklahoma’s reputation as an explosive offense is well documented. This season though, that’s not been the case. There’s still time. Big 12 play starts this weekend at night at home against a decent West Virginia defense. The fans recognize it, the media recognizes it, and it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that head coach and play-caller Lincoln Riley recognizes it. The offense doesn’t look right.
More specifically, it’s the vertical passing game that Oklahoma’s offense is lacking the most. The running game has found its footing the last two weeks, which bodes well as the schedule toughens up. The short and intermediate passing game is plentiful and very accessible for the Sooners to exploit. They’ve got to figure out a way to push the ball down the field, or the same issues they faced in the Nebraska game will be their undoing.
What exactly did Nebraska do? They went with a deep “2 high” (2 deep safety look) and forced Oklahoma to sustain long drives and run the ball. Their corners played soft zones, and linebackers used zone blitzes to bring additional pressure. To say it plainly, they refused to let Oklahoma beat them deep.
This season, Oklahoma hasn’t challenged teams down the field. With only six attempts on passes of 20 yards, Rattler is well below that of other Oklahoma quarterbacks from the past few years. Rattler’s not even on pace with his performance from a year ago where here attempted 57 deep passes. He completed 29 of those and earned himself a grade of 98.1 from Pro Football Focus which was third behind two first-round NFL draft picks in Zach Wilson and Mac Jones. On the six deep passes he’s attempted this year, he’s posted a grade of 41.6.
Here’s where things get interesting, though: Oklahoma has brought back virtually everyone from that team last year in wide receivers except Charleston Rambo, who transferred to Miami but added Mike Woods and electric freshman Mario Williams. So, in theory, they should be better or at least roughly at the same pace as 2020.
Marvin Mims was a recipient of a few of those 29 deep completions last year. He operated outside the numbers and didn’t see stiffer coverage until the season went on. He now operates out of the slot quite a bit since Jadon Haselwood and Mike Woods have assumed roles out wide.
It’s not unreasonable to think a few things could be causing the lack of vertical throws, but Lincoln Riley has shown us since he came to Oklahoma, he’s not shy about testing teams in the vertical passing game.
Marvin Mims and Mario Williams are probably the two guys who will get the majority of the deep shots. Creating ways to get the ball down the field to his slot receivers may have proven a lot harder than Riley anticipated. Rattler’s decision-making could be making it harder for Riley to want to push the ball downfield.
That decision-making has been Rattler’s biggest weakness, and having an all-world arm has made it harder for that decision-making to be better than it has been. When a quarterback has the arm talent Rattler does, he believes he can make every throw work, regardless of the coverage. Spencer will have to be better, and Riley will have to give him more opportunities to be better.
This offense won’t be able to unlock its full potential if it can’t threaten teams in the passing game at all three levels. Ultimately, that inability could cost them a chance to make a deep run in the Big 12 and return to the college football playoff.
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