Four Looming Questions as OU Football Heads Into 2015 Starting Gate

We’re down to the wire now, under a week before the start of the 2015 college football season. It’s time now to dispense with all the preseason rah-rah, woe-is-me rhetoric and let the actions on the field define what the new season will hold for OU football.

So as we begin the final countdown to the season-opening kickoff against the University of Akron, what are the four biggest questions or keys surrounding this year’s Sooner team, and will they be a contender or pretender in the Big 12 Conference race this season?

Will the revamped offensive line give the quarterback ample time and protection to execute the right calls in the new Air Raid offense?

Last season’s O-line was a strength in a season when times were not at their best for Oklahoma football. The Sooners led the Big 12 in rushing, and a good deal of that success is attributable to the play of the offensive lineman. In addition, OU was No. 1 in the nation in fewest quarterback sacks allowed.

Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners center Ty Darlington (56) in action against theTexas Longhorns during the Red River showdown at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

This season, only one of the five O-line starters from 2014 return, and two of those starters were selected in last spring’s NFL draft.

Inexperience on the offensive line is generally an indicator of what kind of season a team can expect. What makes OU’s situation different is that the replacements aren’t first-year freshmen, but rather juniors and seniors who have talent and have been waiting for the opportunity to step up.

The one returning starter is center Ty Darlington (6-2, 286 pounds). The Sooners may lack experience in the offensive line, but they are well equipped with tremendous drive and determination and they have some depth in the rotation. Senior right guard Nila Kasitati (6-3, 319 pounds) has the potential to play at the next level and redshirt freshman Orlando Brown (6-8, 340 pounds) has really impressed the coaches and was awarded the all-important job at left tackle (which protects the quarterback’s blind side).

Most important of all, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and the other Sooner coaches feel the Sooner O-line has adapted well to the new offensive plans and formations. Having a relatively all-new offensive front line and an all-new offense to learn could just work out better for the Sooners.

Barring unforeseen injuries, the offensive line should get better and gain more confidence and better chemistry as the season progresses. And with most of the Sooners’ most difficult games stacked at the end of the regular season, that will be an added boost.

Will the defensive secondary stand up better this season against the Big 12’s big-play passing offenses?

One way to look at it is the secondary play could hardly get much worse than the breakdowns that occurred last season. The Sooners ranked 117th among FBS schools last season in pass defense, giving up over 275 yards per game. The Sooners have an All-American candidate in cornerback Zack Sanchez. But even he played hurt for much of the 2015 season. His teammates on the back end of the OU defense last season were very young and inexperienced.

That year of game experience for the likes of sophomore corner Jordan Thomas and sophomore Steven Parker, along with junior safety Ahmad Thomas should result in a much improved performance in 2015.

Oct 18, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners cornerback Zack Sanchez (15) before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners were among the nation’s worst teams in yielding plays of 20 yards or more last season. Much of that was the result of inexperience and miscommunication, according to defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. A factor in the communication issues could have been the result of having more than one assistant coach providing instruction to the defensive backs.

Bob Stoops changed up the coaching responsibilities after last season, bringing in Kerry Cooks from Notre Dame to coach the defensive backs. Last season those responsibilities were divided up between Mike Stoops and Bobby Jack Wright, who retired after last season. Cooks will have sole responsibility for the secondary this season.

The secondary has been impressive in fall practice sessions and the future looks bright with the guys coming along behind the starters. Bob Stoops called the defensive backs in the 2015 recruiting class the best he’s seen.

As far as improvements in the play of the defensive secondary this season, some of that will also be dictated by the amount of pressure the front seven is able to apply on opposing quarterbacks.

Will Baker Mayfield be the answer at quarterback?

Oklahoma is changing up the offense in 2015 under new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley. While the offense will display some new wrinkles, mostly of an aerial nature, the offense is not new to starting QB Baker Mayfield, who played in the same offensive scheme at Texas Tech.

Mayfield’s familiarity with the offense means he does not have to overthink it, which is key because success in the so-called Air Raid attack depends on quick and good decision making on the quarterback’s part. Mayfield is also a better passer than Trevor Knight, which is a big part of the offense.

Apr 12, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) passes the ball during the spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Among the attributes Mayfield brings to the QB position is good arm strength and reasonably good accuracy (he completed 64 percent of his pass attempts in eight starts at Texas Tech in 2013). He is also capable of extending plays and moving outside of the pocket.

I like what Toby Rowland, the radio voice of the Oklahoma Sooners, has to say about Mayfield’s potential as the new starting quarterback for the 2015 season:

"“His reputation is high risk/high reward, which doesn’t exactly jive with the normal Bob Stoops philosophy. Can Mayfield trim the bad decisions and still have the freedom to make the spectacular play? If the answer is yes, Oklahoma’s got somebody special at quarterback.”"

Regardless of how Mayfield performs as the starter, it is a good feeling to know that you have someone with the talent and experience of Knight as the backup.

Will Samaje Perine suffer a sophomore slump and not run with the same authority he did a year ago?

The good news for Samaje Perine is that he won’t be asked to shoulder the full load of the OU running game. The bad news is that he won’t be the surprise he was a year ago in his freshman season, and he is sure to draw plenty of defensive attention.

Perine is reportedly stronger and perhaps a little bit faster coming into his sophomore season. He may not rush for as many actual yards as he did a year ago, but he will still get his yards and present a load to bring down for defenders.