OU’s offense continues to struggle in 34-3 loss to Texas | sport

DALLAS – The Sooners faced their worst fears Saturday.

No. 18 Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2 SEC) was missing five receivers, struggled with an inconsistent offensive line and running game and had a true freshman quarterback making his second career start in its 34-3 loss to the Offensively no No. 1 Texas (6-0, 2-0) on Saturday.

“There are some positives in every game, but just not enough,” co-offensive coordinator Seth Littrell said after the game. “It’s getting frustrating again for everyone. It’s a great group. They work extremely hard. Ultimately, we were all able to incorporate this into the game plan.”

Many OU fans hoped that the Sooners would be able to give Texas a fight given the history and unpredictability of the Red River Rivalry. But after the first quarter, the dreams of pulling off the surprise faded.

The Sooners began the second quarter with a 3-0 lead behind their defense before the unit collapsed and allowed Texas 21 points. Meanwhile, Oklahoma managed just 53 yards of total offense in the quarter and has now been outscored 44-0 in three SEC games in the second quarter.

Just before halftime, the Sooners had turned the ball over twice on consecutive plays — fumbles thanks to freshmen Michael Hawkins Jr. and Taylor Tatum — with Texas capitalizing on it and gaining momentum.

“Obviously we haven’t been very good this season,” head coach Brent Venables said of OU’s offense. “We have to get better everywhere… If there are a few guys who are inexperienced, we have to continue to help them, teach them what to do every game (and be able to play competitively). against whoever we compete against.”

Venables struggled with this, as OU failed to score a touchdown in two of the three games he coached against Texas.

While the offense relied on several true freshmen and players who haven’t played much in the Sooners’ uniform — most notably sophomore Jacobe Johnson, who moved from cornerback to receiver earlier this year — no one stepped up.

On Saturday, Hawkins struggled to find open receivers as he was constantly forced out of the pocket and was forced to throw away at times. He was also fired five times.

OU quarterbacks have now been sacked 19 times in six games. Entering Saturday, the Sooners ranked 101st in the country in sacks allowed.

“I could have come out a little harder,” Hawkins said after the game. “The biggest thing for me is having a tougher mindset and leading my team when things go (wrong).”

Hawkins completed 19 of 30 passes for 148 yards with no touchdowns.

While Hawkins experienced ups and downs in his first Red River Rivalry, no one else could support him on offense. OU averaged just 2.3 yards per carry and its longest play from scrimmage was 15 yards.

Despite the Sooners’ struggles, the defense was able to keep them in the game several times this season, but the offense repeatedly failed in critical situations.

Before Saturday, Oklahoma ranked 121st nationally in scoring offense, 100th in rushing offense and 119th in passing offense. Combined with all the injuries sustained, nothing went right for Oklahoma on Saturday.

“We will never make excuses,” Littrell said. “…We have to perform at a higher level, no matter who is in there. That’s just part of the game and those are the circumstances we have. Once you start making excuses for yourself, it’s going to be a long road and that’s why we just have to get better.”

This story was edited by Gracie Rawlings and Louis Raser.