The Oklahoma Sooners look to move to 5-0 on the season when they take on Kent State on Saturday afternoon in Norman. The Sooners are one of the 10 best teams in the nation and will be taking on a team that ranks in the bottom 10 in most metrics in college football.
It’s a mismatch on paper, but Oklahoma still has to take care of business on the offensive side of the ball to go get the win.
While the Sooners’ defense has been elite, Oklahoma’s offense has left a little to be desired. They’ve turned the ball over and haven’t run it well. This week provides an opportunity for the Sooners to get right ahead of an SEC slate that will feature some tough contests.
What are the keys to the game on offense? Let’s take a look.
1. Run the Rock
Though there’s a little buzz around transfer running back Jaydn Ott heading into Week 6, look for Tory Blaylock to still get the start. Regardless of who leads the team in carries, the Sooners need to dominate on the ground to gain some confidence in the rushing attack heading into the Red River Showdown.
On the season, Kent State is allowing 256.3 rushing yards per game and allowed 498 yards rushing to the Florida State Seminoles. Florida State’s a better running team than Oklahoma’s been, but there will be opportunities for the Sooners to find some success on the ground.
Get Ott going, continue to feed true freshman Tory Blaylock, and hammer away with Jovantae Barnes and Xavier Robinson to take some of the workload off of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.
2. Make Mike Efficient
The best way to get a young quarterback confident is to find some easy throws for them early in the game. Michael Hawkins Jr. will be making his first start since the Armed Forces Bowl. He’s had nine months to sit behind John Mateer and learn from Ben Arbuckle. Now it’s time to showcase Hawkins’ skills.
He’s got a quick release and a big arm. Get him going early with some quick, high-percentage throws to let him settle into the rhythm of the game. Force Kent State to respect what’s happening underneath and then take the top off the defense to find some chunk plays down the field.
3. Find Some Big Plays
The Oklahoma Sooners are at their best when they can push the ball down the field. Deion Burks, Isaiah Sategna, and Jaren Kanak are able to make plays down the field in the passing game. With Javonnie Gibson coming back and Keontez Lewis’ work on the outside, the Golden Flashes won’t be able to cover everyone.
That’s going to create some opportunities for Hawkins to show off his big arm and launch some bombs down the field.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: What are the keys for the Oklahoma Sooners offense vs. Kent State?
