Unruly Sooners stumble in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Everybody has taken a flip for Oklahoma when it comes to sport day non-delivery.

The protection had its warts. Offensively, it hasn’t all the time clicked. However one thing a bit totally different occurred in probably the most disappointing lack of the season.

If you mix the self-discipline points on the sphere and the questionable selections in some marquee video games, it was a tricky afternoon for the OU teaching workers in a 23-20 loss to West Virginia. Saturday afternoon.

WVU kicked a subject aim to earn its first victory over Oklahoma since coming into the Massive 12.

You can begin with the third strive, however you will need to embrace the fourth strive. Particularly within the Massive 12 convention. The sport, greater than ever, is a four-for-three play-and-go deal on this convention.

The Sooners really feel like they’re nonetheless adjusting to it. OU was a depressing 1-for-11 on third down and failed in each of its fourth-down alternatives. WVU, conversely, was 7-for-19 on third down, however a 4-for-5 assertion on fourth down.

“We weren’t superb on the dangerous instances,” mentioned head coach Brent Venables, who’s now 5-5 total in his first season in control of the OU present. “Actually disenchanted for our guys. Seniors. The errors we made at the moment are issues that – once more – this sport will punish you for. It comes right down to small issues.

Little issues that result in large issues like lacking two subject objectives. Like having six penalties and a few on the worst potential time. Like Brayden Willis catching the ball a yard from the road of scrimmage, leading to an offensive cross interference penalty and erasing Willis’ landing.

And massive issues, like Marvin Mims dropping a large open landing cross within the first half. You’ll be able to combat your method by way of one or two, however the OU tends to make all of it go in a single play, even while you win the turnover battle 2-0, that does not haven’t vital.

Issues appeared set for OU. From 3-3 to 5-3 there was cause to hope, to consider that the crew had figured it out and have been prepared for a memorable end.

Now, with Bedlam vs. Oklahoma State looming, your guess is pretty much as good as anybody else on what’s left within the tank for the Venables guys.

“Whether or not it is the coaches or the opposite crew leaders, you need to be sensible, you need to be trustworthy and you need to be accountable,” Venables mentioned. “We have been speaking about ending the precise method for a very long time. We are going to proceed to emphasise these items.

“The course is tough. It is tough. By disappointment there is a chance to develop and enhance. That is what we will attempt to do within the final two video games.

A journey that solely acquired harder after probably the most complicated lack of the season to maintain OU out of bowl eligibility for one more week.

To go or to not go

There will likely be loads of selections for OU followers to marvel what the rational was, however nothing will eat at them greater than the choice to have Zach Schmit kick a subject aim with greater than six minutes left.

OU confronted a fourth-and-three on the WVU 29-yard line, and Venables had no hesitation in making that decision.

Schmit hit the upright. The Mountaineers took over with 6:24 to go, and OU by no means noticed the ball once more.

“Zach – he is been excellent,” Venables mentioned. “For the reason that spring ball. And as you noticed there, he had loads of legs. Situations weren’t that dangerous on the pitch.

“And, once more, based mostly on how we have been, the dearth of execution all day, I did not suppose we have been going to miraculously provide you with this large conversion on fourth down offensively.”

WVU went for 65 yards in 15 performs, compelled OU to make use of all three timeouts and kicked a 25-yard subject aim because the clock hit zero.

Broiles harm shakes basis

OU was already with out defensive backs Jaden Davis and Key Lawrence earlier than the sport, however the Sooners misplaced a vital first-half aspect when Justin Broiles went down.

“Actually emotional. He is type of the heartbeat of this crew,” linebacker DaShaun White mentioned. “To see him fall, I took a very long time to get out of it. He is the heartbeat of this crew. Everybody loves him. Seeing him fall was a bit exhausting. Hoping for the most effective.”

Broiles appeared to descend from a non-contact harm. He was nonetheless attempting to get the crew began and his teammates surrounded him as Broiles was helped off the sphere.

“It was powerful. It was powerful,” security Billy Bowman mentioned. “He is one in all our greatest leaders. He is one in all my finest buddies on the crew. In order that was We simply wished to go on the market and win for him, however sadly we could not.

***

Spectacular grey once more

There’s not rather more, once more, that working again Eric Grey can do. With the offense inconsistent within the passing sport, he needed to be the man.

And once more, he delivered. Grey completed with 211 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns.

“That is most likely what I hate probably the most is that Eric nonetheless performed the best way he performed and he is not benefiting from it,” offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby mentioned. “For the second week in a row, it is a quick story for different causes – situational soccer at the moment.”

Grey scored the one two OU touchdowns of the sport. Dillon Gabriel threw for 190 yards however didn’t return the ball.

Grey surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for the season in the course of the sport.

RSJ and Bowman mix for 2 factors

West Virginia scored with 33 seconds left within the first half to make OU 10-6. Hit the additional level and make it a aim distinction at halftime?

Unhealthy.

WVU missed the snap and Robert Spears-Jennings made a terrific shot to launch the ball. Billy Bowman picked up the fumble and ran all of it the best way for 2 runs.

“I simply got here out of the road of scrimmage,” Bowman mentioned. “I am the positive participant, ensure that there is no fakes. They usually fumbled the snap and RJ hit the kicker and the ball got here off and I simply picked it up and I ran with it.

“It felt good. However you possibly can most likely say, this splint, I am sick of this splint. It is time to take it off. It limits me a bit. However it feels good to have the ball between my palms.

Bowman had seven tackles and Spears-Jennings had 4 tackles within the sport.