Oklahoma football: Perkins, Stevenson have made Sooners whole
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football has returned to action two of its best players, and it is making a definitive, game-changing, difference.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and defensive end Ronnie Perkins are difference-makers on both offense and defense. Their return to action from a six-game suspension that began last season immediately ahead of Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff game with LSU couldn’t come at a better time for the Sooners, who have climbed their way back into the conference championship chase.
In his two games since returning to action, Stevenson has gained 193 rushing yards, including five touchdowns, and averaged 8.0 yards per carry, easily the best among the Oklahoma running backs. In 24 rushing attempts, he has lost just two yards.
The 6-foot, 240-pound bruiser was the Sooners’ third leading rusher a year ago, and his 8.0 yards per carry was the best in the nation.
Stevenson’s play the last two games, running through and bouncing off of tacklers for positive yards, and often big chunks of positive yards, is drawing comparisons to the running style of former Sooner Samaje Perine, Oklahoma all-time rushing leader.
“Very similar build,” said Lincoln Riley when asked about the comparison in his postgame comments after the win over Kansas. “Kind of a low, stocky, low center of gravity, very difficult to tackle and wrap up, and then has some big-play ability to go with that.”
Perkins has been equally as impressive on the defensive side. The Sooner pass rush has been stellar all season, and especially during OU’s four-game win streak. Now you add the best defensive player on the team to that mix for the stretch run, and it spells big-time trouble for the teams remaining on the Sooners’ 2020 schedule.
Perkins is credited with eight tackles in the two games since he returned to action, six of those of the solo variety. His presence draws prime attention, which opens up pass-rushing opportunities for Nik Bonitto, Isaiah Thomas, Josh Ellison, Perrion Winfrey and other members of the OU defensive front seven.
The Sooner defensive leader also has 1.5 quarterback sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries in his two games back.
There’s no question that the addition of Stevenson and Perkins changes the game for Oklahoma and makes the Sooners a much different team than they were early in the season.
It is difficult to say if Oklahoma would be undefeated right now had it had both players available for the full season. The one thing we do know is that the Sooners are a better team with Stevenson and Perkins in the lineup, and that is bad news for the teams OU has left to play.