OFFENSE:
QB: Dillon Gabriel - 77 - Gabriel was very shaky to begin with and was holding onto the ball too long but was much better in the second half.
RB: Eric Gray - 74 - I think he's a great change of pace back but I just don't think he's the guy.
WR: Drake Stoops - 76 - I still can't believe he scored on that touchdown.
WR: Marvin Mims - 88 - One of the true bright spots from beginning to end, glad he can catch passes in the second half again.
WR: Jalil Farooq - 60 - We may have to put some fliers on doors and make sure he's alive.
TE: Brayden Willis- 78 - A much more quiet game but he was solid, definitely helped his team.
OT: Anton Harrison - 75 - He looks so much more comfortable at left tackle, he was NOT the problem int he early run game.
OG: McKade Mettauer - 63 - This was better, it was far from perfect but it was better.
C: Andrew Raym - 60 - I thought he really struggled at the point of attack, just wasn't getting push when I watched.
OG: Chris Murray - 71 - A step back from last week, it wasn't awful but wasn't as consistent as last week.
OT: Tyler Guyton - 67 - Looked much more comfortable on the right side, again lots to clean up but it was better.
Offensive Average: 72.6 (799)
DEFENSE:
DE: Reggie Grimes - 83 - Man he flashes big but there needs to be a bit more consistency.
NT: Jeffrey Johnson - 77 - Continue to think he's really solid in the middle.
DT: Isaiah Coe - 81 - I think he's coming on as a real difference maker for Oklahoma.
DE: Ethan Downs - 77 - Continued to show a great motor but there just isn't much that's happening initially.
LB: Danny Stutsman - 93 - That's the guy he can be, he's just got to keep going there.
LB: David Ugwoegbu - 77 - I thought he was a bit more consistent than last week if not quite as flashy.
CH: DaShaun White - 65 - I just wonder if he's going to find his feet, he just doesn't look like he's playing fast.
CB: Woodi Washington - 84 - Woodi had a few nice moments and a BIG hit.
CB: Jaden Davis - 78 - I can't say I even saw him, has to be a good thing, right?
S: Justin Broiles - 82 - No one will want to hear this but Broiles was aggressive and played fairly well.
S: Bily Bowman - 90 - Man if not for Stutsman everyone would be raving about this performance, he was very, very good.
Defensive Average: 80.6 (887)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: Zach Schmit - 82 - You almost don't want to mention it but he's been very steady so far.
P: Michael Turk - 87 - Wasn't booming as many kicks but dropped three inside the 20, not too shabby.
KR: Billy Bowman - 70 - Live by the aggression, die by the aggression, put OU in a few bad spots.
PR: Marvin Mims - 88 - Had a big one that obviously makes up most of this ranking.
Special Teams Average: 81.8 (327)
Key Reserves:
RB: Marcus Major - 89 - Man I just love what he's doing right now and the cut on that touchdown? WOW.
RB: Jovantae Barnes - 70 - You saw a little more youth tonight but he's getting a better feel for when to bounce and when to take what's there.
TE: Daniel Parker - 74 - I wanted to see more in the run game (perhaps I missed it) but his help in the passing game was noteworthy.
DT: Jalen Redmond - 86 - I think he made a few plays that he won't get credit for.
DT: Kelvin Gilliam - 83 - He's starting to flash and force more time for himself.
LB: Jaren Kanak - 76 - Man, he just flashes a few times that kind of make you rub your eyes in disbelief.
DB: Justin Harrington - 87 - There's just no question that as he got on the field more that defense became more productive.
DB: Damond Harmon - 83 - I think he's just forcing himself out there more and more.
Reserves Average: 80.5 (644)
Team Average: 78.1 (2657)
My Overall Grade: 72
Breakdown: This is one of those games that is always tough to grade, I mean how do you rank a horrible half of football against a very dominant one? As bad as the first half was, Oklahoma was in such control in the second.
I like a lot of what the defense did but in the second quarter, as Brent Venables has talked about, they just had to get off the field. It was as if they just refused to help themselves at times.
Offensively I talked about in staff picks but I really thought Oklahoma would be more open to what they were seeing but they just seemed bound and determined to force some things rather than taking what Kent State gave them. Once they found a bit more patience they hit their stride and got rolling.
I also just can't help but notice how different, and more consistent, the run game looks when Marcus Major is in the backfield.
Still though there's a part of me that thinks that half came at a perfect moment for the head coach to motivate his guys for their first 'seeming' test in Lincoln next week. At the very least it's their first time leaving Norman as a team this year.
What I will say as a positive is this feels like a team that would have laid down and let Kent State hang around in years past. We've all seen the Sooners struggle continuously at various points in recent years so the response in the third quarter was both telling of the team's morale as well as the reality that they weren't just simply a bad team - they had a poor half, simple as that.
Scoring Standard:
100-82: Playoff Contender
82-74: Big 12 Title Contender
74-65: Bowl Game Participant
65-0: 'I'll be hoooome for Christmas
QB: Dillon Gabriel - 77 - Gabriel was very shaky to begin with and was holding onto the ball too long but was much better in the second half.
RB: Eric Gray - 74 - I think he's a great change of pace back but I just don't think he's the guy.
WR: Drake Stoops - 76 - I still can't believe he scored on that touchdown.
WR: Marvin Mims - 88 - One of the true bright spots from beginning to end, glad he can catch passes in the second half again.
WR: Jalil Farooq - 60 - We may have to put some fliers on doors and make sure he's alive.
TE: Brayden Willis- 78 - A much more quiet game but he was solid, definitely helped his team.
OT: Anton Harrison - 75 - He looks so much more comfortable at left tackle, he was NOT the problem int he early run game.
OG: McKade Mettauer - 63 - This was better, it was far from perfect but it was better.
C: Andrew Raym - 60 - I thought he really struggled at the point of attack, just wasn't getting push when I watched.
OG: Chris Murray - 71 - A step back from last week, it wasn't awful but wasn't as consistent as last week.
OT: Tyler Guyton - 67 - Looked much more comfortable on the right side, again lots to clean up but it was better.
Offensive Average: 72.6 (799)
DEFENSE:
DE: Reggie Grimes - 83 - Man he flashes big but there needs to be a bit more consistency.
NT: Jeffrey Johnson - 77 - Continue to think he's really solid in the middle.
DT: Isaiah Coe - 81 - I think he's coming on as a real difference maker for Oklahoma.
DE: Ethan Downs - 77 - Continued to show a great motor but there just isn't much that's happening initially.
LB: Danny Stutsman - 93 - That's the guy he can be, he's just got to keep going there.
LB: David Ugwoegbu - 77 - I thought he was a bit more consistent than last week if not quite as flashy.
CH: DaShaun White - 65 - I just wonder if he's going to find his feet, he just doesn't look like he's playing fast.
CB: Woodi Washington - 84 - Woodi had a few nice moments and a BIG hit.
CB: Jaden Davis - 78 - I can't say I even saw him, has to be a good thing, right?
S: Justin Broiles - 82 - No one will want to hear this but Broiles was aggressive and played fairly well.
S: Bily Bowman - 90 - Man if not for Stutsman everyone would be raving about this performance, he was very, very good.
Defensive Average: 80.6 (887)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: Zach Schmit - 82 - You almost don't want to mention it but he's been very steady so far.
P: Michael Turk - 87 - Wasn't booming as many kicks but dropped three inside the 20, not too shabby.
KR: Billy Bowman - 70 - Live by the aggression, die by the aggression, put OU in a few bad spots.
PR: Marvin Mims - 88 - Had a big one that obviously makes up most of this ranking.
Special Teams Average: 81.8 (327)
Key Reserves:
RB: Marcus Major - 89 - Man I just love what he's doing right now and the cut on that touchdown? WOW.
RB: Jovantae Barnes - 70 - You saw a little more youth tonight but he's getting a better feel for when to bounce and when to take what's there.
TE: Daniel Parker - 74 - I wanted to see more in the run game (perhaps I missed it) but his help in the passing game was noteworthy.
DT: Jalen Redmond - 86 - I think he made a few plays that he won't get credit for.
DT: Kelvin Gilliam - 83 - He's starting to flash and force more time for himself.
LB: Jaren Kanak - 76 - Man, he just flashes a few times that kind of make you rub your eyes in disbelief.
DB: Justin Harrington - 87 - There's just no question that as he got on the field more that defense became more productive.
DB: Damond Harmon - 83 - I think he's just forcing himself out there more and more.
Reserves Average: 80.5 (644)
Team Average: 78.1 (2657)
My Overall Grade: 72
Breakdown: This is one of those games that is always tough to grade, I mean how do you rank a horrible half of football against a very dominant one? As bad as the first half was, Oklahoma was in such control in the second.
I like a lot of what the defense did but in the second quarter, as Brent Venables has talked about, they just had to get off the field. It was as if they just refused to help themselves at times.
Offensively I talked about in staff picks but I really thought Oklahoma would be more open to what they were seeing but they just seemed bound and determined to force some things rather than taking what Kent State gave them. Once they found a bit more patience they hit their stride and got rolling.
I also just can't help but notice how different, and more consistent, the run game looks when Marcus Major is in the backfield.
Still though there's a part of me that thinks that half came at a perfect moment for the head coach to motivate his guys for their first 'seeming' test in Lincoln next week. At the very least it's their first time leaving Norman as a team this year.
What I will say as a positive is this feels like a team that would have laid down and let Kent State hang around in years past. We've all seen the Sooners struggle continuously at various points in recent years so the response in the third quarter was both telling of the team's morale as well as the reality that they weren't just simply a bad team - they had a poor half, simple as that.
Scoring Standard:
100-82: Playoff Contender
82-74: Big 12 Title Contender
74-65: Bowl Game Participant
65-0: 'I'll be hoooome for Christmas