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Tennessee vs. Oklahoma: Five Questions for Stormin’ in Norman

By Caleb Calhoun

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All for Tennessee spoke with Stormin in Norman about the Tennessee vs. Oklahoma game. Here is his take on the Sooners and their prospects against the Vols.

The Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners certainly both have a lot to play for Saturday for a non-conference match-up. With the game two days away, we asked Stormin in Norman Editor Chip Rouse six questions about this year’s Oklahoma Sooners and what they need to do to win Saturday.

Here are the questions with his responses. You can read All for Tennessee’s responses to questions about the Vols from Stormin in Norman by clicking here.

1. Does this Oklahoma team more closely resemble the team that blew out the Vols in Norman last year or the team that struggled down the stretch? Or was it the same team and Tennessee was that much worse than some of their other opponents? 

CR: The 2015 edition of the Sooners actually is much different, and probably a little better, than the team that took the field at home last September against the Volunteers. As disappointing as the OU record was last season (8-5 overall), three of the five losses (to TCU, Kansas State and Oklahoma State) were by a combined eight points. Of more concern, however, were identical 34-point losses to both Baylor and Clemson (in the Russell Athletic Bowl), which ostensibly led to the lower expectations for OU in 2015.

What’s noticeably different about this year’s version of the Sooners is a new Air Raid-type offense installed by new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley. Former Texas Tech starting QB Baker Mayfield is the new field general of this offense, one he is very familiar with having operated in the same offense with the Red Raiders in 2013. This year’s OU team is stronger at the running back position, has a wider complement of wide receivers and RBs who have the ability as receiving targets and appears to be much improved on defense, particularly on the back end, which was the defensive weak link last season.

So, the short answer to your question is: Not the same as either OU team from last season, neither the one that won big against the Vols or the one that struggled down the stretch. This is a different team on multiple fronts.

2. Obviously, Samaje Perine is a well-known superstar for the Sooners offense, but with the new offensive system, is he still the most important player on the offense? Besides him, what is a major key in Lincoln Riley’s offensive system?

CR: Perine will still play a key role when the Sooners run the football. Last season’s Big 12 rushing leader’s yardage on the ground probably will be down this year, however, because the Sooners are expected to go to the air more this season. something they did with high success in Bob Stoops early years at OU (including the national championship season in 2000). If defenses key on Perine, though, it will create more opportunities for redshirt freshman Joe Mixon, who was the No, 1 running back, according to several rating services, in the 2014 national recruiting class. Mixon is like the lightning to Perine’s thunder in the OU run game. Mixon is doubly dangerous as a pass receiver. He had a 76-yard receiving touchdown in Oklahoma’s season-opening win over Akron.

Baker Mayfield is obviously the point person in Lincoln Riley’s new offense. Last weekend, he completed 70 percent of his 33 pass attempts to 10 different receivers. Seniors Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal and junior-college transfer Dede Westbrook are the best among the receiving corps.

3. An obvious key to this game will be how much better the Vols’ offensive line fares against the Oklahoma front seven? Which players on that front seven will most determine who wins this match-up?

CR: This should be a very big matchup and could easily be the key that determines the ultimate outcome of the game. The Sooners have linebackers Eric Striker and Dominique Alexander and defensive end Charles Tapper back from last season. Tackles Matt Romar and Matt Dimon had excellent games against Akron. The latter two are new to the Sooner front seven this season. The front seven is arguably the strength of the Sooner defense, so this should be a terrific matchup, because defensive coordinator Mike Stoops wants to bring more pressure on opposing QBs this year.

4. Which team or teams that Oklahoma regularly plays would this Tennessee team remind the fans and coaches of the most?

CR: Right off hand, I would compare Tennessee with Texas or even Kansas State as far as Big 12 teams go. It appears that the Volunteers like to run the ball as much as they can and use the run to set up the passing game. Texas and Kansas State are very much like this. Both coaches (Charlie Strong at Texas and the incomparable Bill Snyder at Kansas State) prefer to establish strong run games. Texas, in particular, is very much like Tennessee in that the Longhorns are on the cusp of returning to the strong football winning tradition that is very much a part of both school’s rich football history. There is also some similarity, in my view, to Oklahoma State in the Big 12.

5. Vol fans are desperate for this win in the hopes of it signifying a return to prominence. Given the struggles toward the end of last year, how desperate are Oklahoma fans for this win? How crucial is it for Bob Stoops given the heat he took last year?

CR: Bob Stoops recognizes the importance of what would be considered a very big nonconference road win at Tennessee. But he also acknowledges that it is just one step in re-establishing Oklahoma football as one of the elite programs in college football.  As far as the attitude of Sooner fans, I would say that most are looking to Saturday’s showdown in Knoxville as perhaps the biggest indicator of how good the 2015 OU team really is. Many, including yours truly, believe that this is the most important game on the Sooners’ schedule this season because of the momentum and confidence-building that would be created going into a very difficult Big 12 schedule, that includes contests with two top-5 teams currently.

I believe the Sooner players feel strongly that the preseason polls and preview magazines have underrated the expectations of this year’s OU team, and they would like to make a big statement to that effect with a victory at Tennessee (which in the back of their minds would serve as confirmation that the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama was not the fluke that most of America perceived it as).

 Another interesting fact: Oklahoma is 13-2 in true road games since the start of the 2012 season.

6. What is your prediction on the game?

CR I believe it will be close and, like you, won’t be decided until the fourth quarter.

My pick: Oklahoma 31, Tennessee 27. I believe the Sooner defense will be the deciding factor in the outcome.

Chip Rouse is the Editor of the Oklahoma Sooners site Stormin in Norman, which covers all things about the Sooners. You can go to that site by clicking here. 

 

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