The Norman Transcript

OU Sports

Discussion

September 15, 2007

Starting fast by design

Clay Horning

• Wilson

begins adjusting after the first snap, sometimes before

Entering Saturday’s slaughter of Utah State, one school of thought had Oklahoma primed for a letdown. It wasn’t a hard case to make after the Sooners scored 79 and 51 points in Weeks 1 and 2.

Such domination can’t last forever.

Perhaps not, but OU managed to make it last another week as the Sooners took down the Aggies 54-3. And if there were any questions, it was a third-straight lightning-fast start that put them to rest.

The Sooners scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. Then, after Sam Bradford threw his first interception of the season (on his 61st pass attempt of the season), the Sooners scored on their next three possessions: a pair of touchdowns and a 53-yard field goal from Garrett Hartley.

OU coach Bob Stoops believes a lot of it goes back to how the Sooners have become a very mature, steadfast team, playing as hard as they can against the game even if the opponent doesn’t warrant the same focus.

“It’s really like they’re getting into the habit of saying, ‘Well, this is the way we approach things,’” he said.

Part of it may also come down to how offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson approaches things.

“I think they do a really good job of game-planning,” Stoops said, giving credit to the entire offensive staff. “And they do a great job of developing that plan through the week. And then, when we come out, we’re ready.”

Clearly, it’s working. And part of what’s working is spreading the wealth.

OU’s first touchdown came on a four-play drive that included two completions to Malcolm Kelly, one to Juaquin Iglesias and a 35-yard double reverse Iglesias ran into the end zone.

The second, a five-play drive, came following two carries by Allen Patrick, a 6-yard loss taken by Iglesias, a 47-yard completion to Iglesias and a 27-yard pass to Kelly.

The third, an 11-play drive, included carries by Chris Brown, and DeMarco Murray and completions to Dane Zaslaw, Iglesias and Joe Jon Finley. The touchdown belonged to Finley, from 8 yards out.

There was a time, Wilson said, he would script the first 15 plays from scrimmage. But he has since shelved that strategy, deciding it impinged upon his play-calling freedom.

“I don’t tell anybody what we’re doing until our first play and sometimes I don’t even know until I sit down,” Wilson said. “We’ve got this script, but what if it isn’t (what you thought). We came out in the first game and all of a sudden the bubble pass was there … Do it again, do it again, do it again.

“I think I have enough confidence in our skill-position players and our line and the way our quarterback is playing that I don’t want to go in there feeling like my hands are tied behind my back.”

And, for the Sooners, freedom has been good.

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