Oklahoma Sooners

In the weeks leading up to the Cotton Bowl, SoonerNation will take a look back at how the Sooners performed position-by-position and give each group a grade based on that performance. Today, we examine the defensive tackle position.

Highlights: The defensive tackle trio of Casey Walker, Jamarkus McFarland and Stacy McGee was dominant through October wins over Texas Tech, Texas and Kansas. Walker capped off the streak with a 45-yard fumble return in the rout of the Jayhawks. Over that stretch, Tech managed 89 yards on 32 carries; Texas, 74 yards on 23 carries; and Kansas, 185 yards, but on 58 carries.

Lowlights: Before the October stretch, the tackles struggled in the 24-19 loss to Kansas State, which prompted Barry Switzer among others to call out the position publicly. Late in the season, the OU defensive tackles were pretty average, too. Notre Dame, West Virginia and Oklahoma State did wanted they wanted to on the ground, and OU couldn’t get pressure on opposing quarterbacks without bringing the house.

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It appears to be the perfect fit.

Three-star defensive tackle Quincy Russell (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley) decided to sign with Oklahoma on Wednesday, picking the Sooners over Nebraska. The defensive tackle prospect had offers from OU, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor and others.

With Russell’s choice, the Sooners get a much-needed defensive tackle recruit and Russell gets the opportunity to make an immediate impact in a program that competes for championships every year. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.

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Each week SoonerNation will take a closer look at the Class of 2013 prospects currently committed to Oklahoma. The in-depth analysis pieces will take a look at the ranking, estimated year of impact and potential role of each future Sooner.

Vitals: Defensive tackle Kerrick Huggins | 6-foot-3, 285 pounds

Committed: Dec. 14, 2012

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Finally.

Oklahoma fans breathed a sigh of relief on Friday when the Sooners secured the commitment of Dallas Skyline defensive tackle Kerrick Huggins. The three-star prospect decommitted from Texas A&M before choosing the Sooners over the Aggies, Texas Tech, Colorado State, SMU and others.

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Every Thursday, the SoonerNation staff will answer a roundtable question about OU football. Leave a comment or talk about it in our "There's Only One" forum.

Today's question: Which graduating Sooner leaves the biggest hole for Oklahoma to fill on defense in 2013?

• One of the reasons that Oklahoma was so good against the pass this season was its cornerback tandem. Aaron Colvin was the star of this duo, earning All-Big 12 honors. But Demontre Hurst also provided standout coverage. In the last three years, the Sooners have never had to worry about the steady, durable Hurst or his position. That changes in the spring. Gary Simon has potential and Cortez Johnson has experience from Arizona. But neither is the player yet that Hurst has proved to be.

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Bowl practices can be a critical time for any football program. It’s an opportunity for young players to show how they’ve improved during the season and set themselves up in integral roles on the offense or defense heading into the spring while the veterans recover from a physical schedule.

Here’s a look at five young players at Oklahoma who could use bowl practices as a springboard to a bigger role for the Sooners in 2013.

Receiver Trey Metoyer

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Oklahoma won its eighth Big 12 championship Saturday with a 24-17 win over TCU at Amon Carter Stadium. The Sooners are co-champions with Kansas State after finishing 7-1 in the Big 12. Running back Damien Williams showed his big-play ability with two touchdowns, but it was the Sooners defense that won the game for OU. Here's a look at five key plays in the victory.

Damien Williams’ 11-yard touchdown reception

The Sooners' first touchdown showed just how difficult it can be to stop OU’s offense, because it has so many options.

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Each week, SoonerNation will rank Oklahoma’s top 10 performers of the season up to this point. Plenty of Sooners continued their strong play in OU’s 42-34 win over Baylor on Saturday.

1. S Tony Jefferson (Last week: No. 1): Jefferson missed some tackles but he remains among the nation’s elite defensive backs. He had 11 tackles including 10 solo stops against a Bears offense built upon winning one-on-one matchups in the open field.

2. FB Trey Millard (2): Even though Millard only touched the ball four times, he’s incredibly valuable on offense and special teams. He helped the Sooners rush for 183 yards.

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Each week, SoonerNation will rank Oklahoma’s top 10 performers of the season up to this point. The Sooners had several players show up in a 35-20 win at Iowa State.

1. S Tony Jefferson (Last week: No. 1): Jefferson has had another monster day with a team-high nine tackles. He also delivered another bone-rattling shot to an opposing ball-carrier, and picked off a pass late to seal the win.

2. FB Trey Millard (3): “Fat Daddy” helped clear the way for Brennan Clay on the ground. He also got involved in the passing game with three catches for 26 yards.

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Oklahoma got back on track with its 35-20 victory over Iowa State on Saturday. Landry Jones' trust in his receivers was clear as the Sooners quarterback threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Here's a closer look at some of the key plays in the win as OU strives to keep its BCS hopes alive.

Sterling Shepard’s 20-yard touchdown reception

This was a key play for the Sooners for several reasons.

1. OU had already seen two lengthy drives end without points.
2. It was a third-down conversion deep in ISU territory.
3. It allowed them to play with a lead despite not finishing those first two drives.

Looking to force the Sooners to settle for a field goal, the Cyclones rushed three defenders and dropped eight into coverage. Jones made a great read to find the one-on-one matchup and gave Shepard a chance to make the play with a great throw into tight coverage.

Shepard, a freshman receiver, did a terrific job attacking the ball when it was in the air. He’s been a bright spot throughout the season with his competitive nature and playmaking ability. He should be a part of the foundation of OU’s offense for the remainder of his career.

Third-down, red-zone stop after Jones’ first interception

With the Cyclones looking to tie the score at seven on third-and-10 at OU’s 15-yard line, the Sooners rushed four defenders. It was a terrific omen for the game as defensive tackle Casey Walker and defensive end David King each won their one-on-one battles to get pressure on Cyclones quarterback Steele Jantz.

Jantz dumped the ball off to ISU receiver Jarvis West, who was well covered by OU nickelback Gabe Lynn, for a six-yard gain. Cyclone kicker Edwin Arceo kicked a 27-yard field goal on fourth down.

The play and how the Sooners defended it was a good example of the entire game for OU's defense. The Sooners finished with three sacks, didn’t need to blitz to get pressure on Jantz and covered well throughout the game.

Third-down stop after Jones' second interception

Frankly, both ISU possessions after Jones interceptions were highlight moments for Mike Stoops' defense. In both scenarios, OU responded well to being thrown back onto the field and both times OU forced third-and-10 plays, a sign they had performed well on the first two downs.

ISU was facing third-and-10 at OU’s 33-yard line and the Sooners again rushed four defensive linemen. And, again, Walker put pressure on Jantz with a terrific move at the line of scrimmage to get immediate pressure on the Cyclones quarterback. He forced Jantz to throw high to receiver Chris Young,who was blanketed by cornerback Demontre Hurst on the play.

The way the Sooners shut down both drives and didn’t allow the turnovers to turn into touchdowns kept the momentum from completely switching to the Cyclones’ side.

Justin Brown’s 40-yard reception

The offense stepped on the field with 1:04 left in the first half, then showed absolutely no urgency after Brennan Clay’s five-yard run on first down. On the next play, the Sooners running back gained nine yards and ran out of bounds to stop the clock with 26 seconds left. Both plays were run out of OU’s three-back formation.

At that point, OU’s approach changed.

On the third play of the drive, the Sooners were in their four-receiver formation and Jones found Brown for 40 yards. Brown was the lone receiver on the right side of the formation and the Iowa State secondary shaded toward the three receivers on the left, giving Brown a one-on-one opportunity. The senior used superior ball skills to make the reception. Jones found receiver Kenny Stills on the next play for a 21-yard touchdown.

It’s a terrific sign for Brown moving forward because the play showed how much Jones trusted him to make a play. After throwing interceptions on back-to-back possessions, Jones was willing to risk another one while giving Brown a chance to make the play.

Just that quickly the interceptions -- and the momentum the Cyclones gained from them-- were forgotten.

Clay’s third-down conversion after ISU scored its first touchdown

Facing a third-and-1 at the ISU 32-yard line, OU didn’t go to the Belldozer. Instead, the Sooners had two running backs and three receivers in the formation. Solid blocks from tackle Tyrus Thompson and fullback Trey Millard secured the hole, then Clay ran over Cyclones safety Jacques Washington, who met him in the hole, right at the first-down marker.

Clay scored on an 18-yard touchdown run two plays later.

Clay’s conversion was critical because it was a swift and immediate answer after the Cyclones scored. The Sooners also sent a message with the drive, essentially running the ball down ISU’s throat with Clay recording 18-, 12- and eight-yard runs on the drive. Clay had five carries for 41 yards on the drive. His physical run for a first down on this play mirrored the entire drive, which was built upon physical domination by the Sooners offense.

This drive was also showed that OU can take a tough, physical running approach within its current offense system. The Sooners just need to show they can do it against anyone, anytime they want to. That hasn’t been the case this season, particularly in their losses to Kansas State and Notre Dame.

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Each week, SoonerNation will rank Oklahoma’s top 10 performers of the season up to this point. The Sooners have a new No. 1 following a 30-13 defeat to Notre Dame.

1. S Tony Jefferson (Last week: No. 3): Once again, Jefferson led the Sooners in tackles, and nearly knocked Notre Dame QB Everett Golson out of the game with a vicious hit. Jefferson was OU’s best defensive player.

2. CB Aaron Colvin (1): Despite tight coverage, Colvin uncharacteristically allowed too many Notre Dame passes to be completed on him. Wasn’t his best night.

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Each week, SoonerNation will rank Oklahoma’s top 10 performers of the season up to this point. After a 52-7 win over Kansas, several Sooners continue to play their best ball of the season:

1. CB Aaron Colvin (Last week: No. 1): Colvin was distressed in the locker room for allowing Kansas to complete a short first down on a crossing rout. We’ll give him a pass. Colvin continues to be dominant.

2. FB Trey Millard (2): Millard dropped a wide-open touchdown pass, but atoned for it with a 25-yard TD catch at the end of the third quarter that put OU up 52-0. It’s no coincidence that the OU offense starting rolling once Millard started getting the ball more.

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It would have been easy for Oklahoma to suffer a letdown against Kansas. Instead, Jayhawks fans wish the Sooners would would have let up in OU’s 52-7 win at Owen Field on Saturday. Quarterback Landry Jones was superb, the OU defense was dominant and the special teams did something that had never been done in program history.

Receiver Kenny Stills' 44-yard touchdown catch

The Sooners' first touchdown pretty much sums up the game. After a play-action fake to running back Damien Williams, Jones threw a beautiful pass to Stills right over the shoulder of KU cornerback JaCorey Shepherd. Three of Stills' six catches came on that scoring drive.

A closer look at the play shows why this game turned into a blowout:

• Shepherd gave Stills a 10-yard cushion and still got beaten deep.
• Jones made an terrific throw right onto the hands of Stills with Shepherd in position to make a play if the throw had been underthrown.

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