NORMAN — Bill Bedenbaugh goes to have his arms full this Saturday.
Oklahoma’s offensive line coach has had a great yr thus far. The Sooners got here into the yr having to substitute Tyrese Robinson and Marquis Hayes off final yr’s unit, and OU hasn’t missed a step.
Behind the work from Bedenbaugh’s offensive line and operating again Eric Gray, the Sooners have the No. 16-ranked speeding assault in the nation, averaging 217.5 yards on the floor each recreation.
A brand new offensive coordinator got here in, however the offensive line has performed higher and higher as the weeks have handed by. At this level in the season, the offensive line is aware of what to do in the offense, and the group has targeted on persevering with to work collectively to overpower opponents up entrance .
“I feel like we’ve been improving good,” OU left deal with Anton Harrison mentioned after follow on Monday. “We just started being more physical. I feel like our physicality has been good. Our effort, finishing on the second and third levels. Getting our running backs in space.
“Getting them one on ones has really been improving our run game a lot. Just knowing our keys and what the defense is doing. I feel like us being in the film room, knowing the defense has been at an all-time high right now. We still have a lot to get better at, and that’s what we’re trying to do is get better every day.”
But Baylor will pose a brand new problem this week.
The Bears are the No. 22-ranked speeding protection in the nation, now 4 spots forward of the Iowa State Cyclones that the Sooners ran over final week.
Dave Aranda’s protection brings a brand new variety of stress to the offensive line, the capability to crater the line from the heart.
There’s lots of line of defense expertise on the perimeter that the Sooners have already confronted in Big 12 play this yr, however Baylor defensive deal with Siaki Ika is a boulder at the coronary heart of the line.
Standing 6-foot-4 and 358 kilos, the inside of OU’s offensive line hasn’t had to transfer mass like Ika all season lengthy.
Ika’s measurement requires lots of consideration from the inside of opposing offensive traces, permitting Aranda to get artistic with how he makes use of his linebackers to create free rushers to stress quarterbacks and blow up operating lanes.
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It’s a novel problem, and one which offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby mentioned makes early downs that rather more necessary for the OU offense to have success on Saturday.
“They’re actually stout inside. Have performed very well,” Lebby mentioned. “I think for us, it’s about being really efficient being really good on first down. Finding us in some better third down situations and staying on the field to create as much stress as we can for them defensively. But they’re incredibly stout inside and playing well.”
Lebby’s creativity in the run game opens up different possibilities for the Sooners.
Gray’s speed allows him to get into space, and the OU receivers are unafraid to throw blocks downfield which allows Lebby to dial up runs toward the boundary.
“That’s definitely something we pride ourselves in, just blocking and getting after it on the perimeter,” receiver Marvin Mims mentioned. “We’re just trying to get the better of everybody. We know Eric is going to break some tackles and get loose, so we try to hold everyone as long as we can.”
But at the finish of the day, the aim for Oklahoma’s offensive line will stay unchanged at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The Sooners need to win the combat up entrance, regardless of how robust the Baylor defensive entrance performs.
“It doesn’t really change that much,” Harrison mentioned. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing. Be physical every play. Know what we’re doing every play and be confident. And we’ll be good.”
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