The Oklahoma offense goes to be shorthanded in Orlando.
Running again Eric Gray, contemporary off the ninth-best speeding season in program historical past totaling 1,364 yards on the bottom, opted out of the competition to organize for the NFL Draft.
Gray’s offensive tackles Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris will each additionally miss the Cheez-It Bowl as they put together for the draft. Backup operating again Marcus Major is more likely to miss the competition as effectively with an damage that held him out of follow final week, as he was noticed on a scooter with a protecting boot on his proper foot.
Fresh off his greatest recreation of the season towards Texas Tech, vast receiver Theo Wease may also be unavailable as he dedicated to switch to Missouri after the common season ended.
Facing a Florida State protection that comes into the matchup ranked No. 13-overall in complete protection and twentieth within the nation in sacks per recreation, OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby expects his offense to compete regardless of the absences.
“The biggest thing is we have guys that are capable,” Lebby mentioned throughout his Cheez-It Bowl press convention on Monday. “They have not played a bunch, but they are capable. We feel great about where we are at. [I] have a ton of confidence in the guys that are going to walk out there first on the 29th, guys that are going to go play and play their butt off and do everything they can to go fight for a win.”
The abscence of key items isn’t completely sudden, as they’ve grow to be the norm in faculty soccer.
Last 12 months Oklahoma was capable of climate a quantity of choose outs within the Alamo Bowl towards Oregon, albeit the groups had been a bit extra evenly matched than OU and Florida State are coming into the Cheez-It Bowl.
“I think opt-outs are going to happen and it is what it is nowadays,” OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel mentioned. “That is an individual decision, which everyone understands. But, it’s another opportunity and it’s a blessing and nobody takes that for granted on our side.”
While the Sooners are focused on putting together a game plan designed for success against the Seminoles, the expectation is there for there to be minimal drop-off in production no matter who is in the lineup.
“It is different,” Gabriel mentioned, “but I think it is also a big opportunity for new guys and what they are going to be able to showcase in what they do.
“We truly have a next-man-up mentality, so just being ready for that and letting them seize the opportunity.”
Up subsequent within the Cheez-It Bowl for the Sooners will possible be true freshman Jacob Sexton at left sort out, spot-duty starter Tyler Guyton at proper sort out, and operating again Jovantae Barnes will debut because the function again with help from fellow runners Tawee Walker and Gavin Sawchuk.
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Guyton and Barnes have both seen plenty of playing time this season, but they’ll be stepping up into new roles on Thursday.
But regardless of how experience they’ve had to date, grasping an opportunity against Florida State could be the key to stepping up into a much larger role in 2023.
Wide receiver Marvin Mims said regardless who takes the field, there’s high expectations for how the offense is to perform in the bowl.
“You just want to play, get out on the field and have fun with your brothers,” he mentioned, “but at the same point you are rolling with who you are rolling with. If you are a younger guy, who is getting more opportunities, you have to go out there and put it on film… In a couple weeks, you have new guys coming to take your spot.
“So those reps really do matter and they actually show, and especially in practices. If you are fortunate to get out in the game, you have to make the most of it. At the end of the day just come out and have fun with your brothers and play football.”
When the Cheez-It Bowl kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday night, the opt outs and injuries aren’t going to matter to the OU offense.
All that will matter is executing at a high enough level for the program to avoid its first losing season since 1998.
“For us, when we got on that plane,” mentioned Lebby, “we knew it was a great opportunity to go out and compete one more time, and that was special and unique for us. We wanted to do this together.
“The guys that got on the plane, they had a couple great days of practice and had great bowl prep. The guys are ready to go compete.”
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