Oklahoma football: Speed is big difference maker, and 2023 Sooners are chock-full of it
By Chip Rouse
Arkansas State head coach Butch Jones knew his team was as talented as the Oklahoma football team, but he wasn’t expecting as dominating a performance as what he saw from the 2023 Sooners on Saturday.
“I thought they out-athleted us,” the Arkansas State head coach said in his postgame interview on Saturday. “The speed differential is probably the most glaring I’ve seen in my career.”
That’s not by accident, either. Getting more speed on both sides of the ball was a main offseason objective of the Oklahoma coaching staff. And that speed was on widespread display in the Sooners’ offensive explosion in the season-opening win.
Speed was a major reason Sooner offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby seriously pursued former Michigan wide-receiver Andrel Anthony entered the transfer portal after last season.
“I saw top-end speed,” Lebby said about Anthony in his Monday press briefing. Anthony validated Lebby’s assessment on Saturday when he gained separation on a 43-yard reception that set up Oklahoma’s first touchdown against Arkansas State..
And Anthony is just one of several Oklahoma wide receivers who possess blazing speed. Sophomore wide receivers Gavin Freeman and Brenen Thompson, a transfer from Texas, as well as true freshman wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway all have elite, top-end speed.
Freeman returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown on Saturday, the first by an Oklahoma player since 2016 and the longest since 2013.
That track-like speed, however, is not limited just to the Sooner wide receivers. Redshirt sophomore running back Gavin Sawchuk is one of the fastest guys on the team. Sawchuk did not play in Saturday’s season opener, but he is expected to be available on Saturday when the Sooners host SMU. The deep OU running back room features an ideal balance of thunder and lightning in terms of running-back styles.
"“Our foot speed as a unit, offensively, is night and day to where we were a year ago,” Lebby said.“That’s why it’s so important to be able to play all those wideouts (eight saw action against Arkansas State), all those backs (five played and gained a minimum of 15 yards rushing on Saturday) and be able to have real depth at those positions so that the guys that are fast get to play fast because they’re not gonna have to play 80 snaps.”"
While the speed difference in the Sooner defense isn’t as dramatic as it is on offense, defensive coordinator Ted Roof acknowledged to reporters on Monday that it is there.
"“I don’t know if I could give you an exact figure on the speed, but I think we’re certainly faster.”"
Roof also said that the speed upgrade on defense could also be related to bringing in faster players via the portal and the returning defensive players being more comfortable in the defensive system and able to react quicker.
“I don’t think our speed was great a year ago,” said head coach Brent Venables during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “We need to compete at the highest level — your ability to accelerate and decelerate, your explosive power, your explosive speed — everything.”
If Oklahoma is able to win 10 or 11 games this season — a four-game turnaround from last season — you can be assured that improved team speed will have played a significant role.