Oklahoma got back on the winning track Saturday night against Idaho State. It received the dominant performance it needed after starting the season with an unexpected loss.
The score, however, wasn't where the confidence was built.
"I understand we are going to see more difficult and tougher opponents moving forward, but I still was pleased with our basic, disciplined fundamentals and not having penalties," OU coach Bob Stoops said after the 64-0 victory. "It was a difficult night managing the rain and the wet and the bad weather and we still took care of the football most of the night.
"I thought our special teams, our kickers, really (played) well. Just overall fundamental play, I thought we needed to improve on that and regardless of who we were playing, I thought we improved on some of those areas tonight."
The Sooners, who moved up to No. 12 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, sliced their penalties down from 12 in the season opener to five Saturday. They also trimmed their turnovers from two costly fumbles against BYU to one fourth-down interception.
Those were the little things that often go unnoticed until they cost a team victory. There were also the major issues being addressed in the week leading up to Saturday.
Coaches came close to implementing a zero-tolerance policy toward mental mistakes for the Idaho State game. Don't expect the policy to change.
"We just wanted to come out and show that we can still run our offense, we can still catch balls and we can still make plays," wide receiver Brandon Caleb said. "We just focused ... and just played our game."
What remains to be seen is if the Sooners can do it against dramatically better competition, because it's on the way.
OU's next two non-conference opponents (Tulsa at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Owen Field and at No. 20 Miami Oct. 3) are a combined 4-0 and will offer a lot more resistance than the Bengals.
Quarterback Landry Jones passed his first test against Idaho State, throwing for three touchdowns and 286 yards. Also, he was able to hit those totals by running the Sooners' regular offense. OU still used the no-huddle effectively and OU got its running game going, piling up 290 yards.
"Landry is a great player, we all had confidence in him and he had confidence in himself," said Ryan Broyles, who caught three touchdown passes. "Whatever was called, we had confidence in what he could do."
But through two games OU still hasn't identified more than one go-to receiver. Outside of Broyles, the receiving corps had another lackluster night. None of the group other than Broyles had a reception longer than 15 yards. The running backs played a bigger role in the passing game than did other receivers.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was willing to write off some of the receiver struggles to the weather. Saturday night's game was played in constant rain.
"Those guys could catch it cleaner but we'll hold judgment based on the circumstances, it was pretty sloppy and we'll see if those guys can step up from there," he said.
Identifying reliable receivers is going to take center stage over the next two games. Tulsa should score points. OU won't be able to rely on its defense to dominate every snap.
"They have been really explosive offensively and they are winning 11 or 12 games every year so we are aware that they are a really good football team and we have to make significant improvement this week to give ourselves a good opportunity next week," Stoops said.
The Sooners took steps in the right direction against Idaho State.
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Sooners still have lots to prove
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
-
Big 12, SEC deal breaks the mold
It is unclear what the on-the-field product of the game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name will be. Indeed, all we really know is the Big 12 and SEC plan to play a game on Jan. 1, 2015 (and on every Jan. 1, thereafter) that will include ...
-
Rivalry helped shape program
For coach Patty Gasso, it goes all the way back to 1995, her first year at Oklahoma. That was when her Sooners played Arizona six times throughout the season. Those Sooners were “annihilated” in all six of those contests....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners make winning look easy
