Oklahoma football: Special teams unit sees improvement in return game
By John Makuch
Editor’s note: This is the eighth in a series of articles looking ahead at each of the position groups for the next Oklahoma football season.
The Sooner special teams unit for next season will not be seeing many new additions, but the group should be back and better and with more experience.
Kicker Gabe Brkic has been a solid player since the departure of Austin Siebert, but he is going to look to improve after a few missed kicks in 2020. Brkic went 20 for 26 in field goals in 2020, and improved with accuracy as the season went along.
Brkic is a reliable kicker, now in his redshirt junior season. With this year and next to grow, he should see more rven success in 2021.
Reeves Mundschau, now a redshirt senior, had the same amount of punt attempts in 2020 as in 2019, despite fewer games played. His numbers dropped in terms of total yards and longest punts, but the Sooners did find themselves in better field position more often.
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Oklahoma may be punting less this coming season as the offense looks to be as prolific and loaded with playmakers and offensive weapons as ever.. With Spencer Rattler in his second year as starting quarterback, there should be plenty of extra-point attempts from Brkic and more games where Mundschau barely has to work.
Sooner football fans would love to see Brkic a lot more than they see Mundschau, when you’re in the Big 12 a punt can feel as bad as an interception. With the high-powered offenses that exist in the Big 12, teams need to take advantage of every scoring opportunity
This is where winning the field position battle really comes into play in a major way. Expect a variety of returners to see the field as the year goes on including freshman Billy Bowman.
Bowman, who was recruited as an athlete, will probably start out the season on the defensive side, but he also is likely to see action in the kickoff and punt return game. With his speed and agility, he should be able to make special things happen in open space.
Being able to return the ball to at least the 30-35 yard line consistently makes it many times easier for the offense to get scoring opportunities. It also creates more space for the punting unit, if Oklahoma football is punting on the 40 rather than the 20, it will be much easier for Mundschau to pin teams back in their own territory.
Marvin Mims and Drake Stoops could continue to see return opportunities in the return game. They have proved to be solid at those spots and they should continue to see action.
While one of the less glorified units, special teams is just as important as offense and the defense. Being able to win the field position game can be just as important as scoring a touchdown, especially against great teams in the postseason.
A great special teams unit is what separates the good teams from the great ones, and Oklahoma has a great special teams unit, even better than last year.