NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defense has faced everything this season. Few run the ball better than Missouri and Kansas State. Texas Tech and Tulsa are some of the best passing offenses in the country.
The Sooners problem Saturday is Texas A&M cannot be described as a passing or running team. It does both very well.
“Probably the most balanced team we’ve played through the year,” OU coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “They do an excellent job running the ball. They’re creative in how they run it. And they’re good at running the football and they can run it on everyone. They take advantage of that when you’re trying to stop the run with play-action passes and efficient passing as well. So it’s a big challenge.”
The Sooners have only faced one other offense nearly so diverse this season. Missouri is averaging 490.2 yards per game in total offense and its’ a virtual split in rushing and passing yards. OU beat the Tigers 38-28, but giving up 532 total yards to the Tigers hardly qualified as a sound defensive game.
There’s a reason balanced offenses prevent defensive coordinators from getting much sleep.
Defensive backs talk about the challenge of covering a very talented group of receivers and a quarterback — Ryan Tannehill — that has put up big numbers the last two seasons.
Defensive linemen talk about the 1-2 running back punch the Aggies have with Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael.
Linebackers talk about all of it.
“They’re a great offense. No one’s been able to shut them down,” middle linebacker Tom Wort said. “That’s a challenge for us. That’s what we’re looking to do, do what a team hasn’t done so far. In all of their losses, it’s not been because the offense hasn’t scored.”
The Aggies (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) have had their problems this season. Hanging onto second-half leads is by far the leading issue. They’ve lost a double-digit lead in the second half of all three losses, including last Saturday’s 38-31 overtime loss to Missouri. But Texas A&M has scored at least 29 points in every game.
If anyone needed a reminder, OU only needs to think back to last year’s meeting in College Station, Texas. It couldn’t stop the Aggies from doing either in a 33-19 loss.
“A&M’s good. There’s no way to sugarcoat it,” safety Sam Proctor said. “They have great skill players, guys who have speed, guys who have talent. It will be one of our biggest challenges of the year. Right now we’re preparing for them with all we have. They’re a very balanced team, and that’s what makes them dangerous.”
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
