The Oklahoma defense has rightfully been getting the credit for this season’s success, but the Sooners likely wouldn’t be in the College Football Playoff without their phenomenal special teams unit, as well. Although that unit has went unnoticed, coaches from around the SEC obviously took notice.
All-SEC selections, which are voted on by head coaches in the conference, were announced on Tuesday with 10 OU players getting honored, which was the second-most behind only SEC champion Georgia. Of the Sooners’ 10 selections, four were special teamers, including two of three players on the All-SEC First Team.
Tate Sandell, Grayson Miller, Isaiah Sategna III, Ben Anderson named All-SEC
Kicker Tate Sandell was a no-brainer first-team selection as a finalist for the Lou Groza Award for the best kicker in college football. Sandell was named SEC Special Teams Players of the Week three times this season while making 23 of 24 field-goal attempts, including an SEC record 23 in a row after missing his first. Those makes include four from more than 55 yards, which is an OU record.
Punter Grayson Miller was also a First-Team selection after winning the job the second game of the season as a transfer from Division-II Central Oklahoma. He leads the SEC with 46.2 yards per punt, which is also 12th in the country. Miller broke a school record with 23 punts of more than 50 yards. He was SEC Special Teams Player of the Week twice.
Wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III was also listed as an all-purpose player on the second team because of his performance as a return man. On top of being second in the SEC in receiving yards, yards per game and touchdowns, Sategna also returned 23 punts for 301 yards, which ranks 10th in the country. He tallied 1,273 all-purpose yards during the regular season.
And if any player would go unnoticed, it’s long snapper Ben Anderson, who was All-SEC Second Team. He was third team last year.
Sandell, Miller and Sategna have all been the difference between OU winning and losing at least one game this season, while Anderson had the responsibility of getting the ball to Sandell and Miller successfully every single time.
As the Sooners prepare for a rematch against Alabama, it was Sategna who had a massive 42-yard punt return to set the tone early for an upset the first time they met. Sandell went viral for his short pants and also his powerful leg when he booted four field goals of more than 40 yards to propel the Sooners in a win over Tennessee on the road. And every week OU’s defense has been in the spotlight, it’s Miller who consistently flips the field and puts the defense in great position.
It’s fitting these four earned some hardware, because if this team wins a trophy at the end of the season, it’ll be because of these guys on special teams.