Rocky Beers is convinced that better communication could cure Oklahoma's offense

Oklahoma tight end Rocky Beers is starting to feel like the Sooners’ only hope on offense, but he’s also the most hopeful about the unit turning things around soon. 

Beers talked to local media on Wednesday in the midst of the Sooners’ bye week while sitting at 2-2 and was optimistic about OU’s offense, which has been the team’s downfall. Obviously, though, everyone from Beers up to head coach Brent Venables has no choice but to be positive, at least publicly, but Beers also presented a solution, not just expecting it to magically happen. 

"The dam is going to burst eventually,” Beers said. “We’re putting a lot of hard work in, and that dam is going to give."

OU’s glaring problems on offense have included turnovers, poor offensive line play, and no functioning run game, and although those obviously need fixing for the Sooners to succeed, Beers specifically mentioned an issue that has not been a hot topic throughout Sooner Nation. 

"It’s just miscommunication," Beers said. "We have to be better at communicating to each other. Tight ends to tackles, tackles to guards, guards to center, center back to tight end. We just have to be better at communicating across the board to each other."

Rocky Beers points out problem Brian Bosworth already has

There are results that match Beers’ diagnosis. The Sooners have been playing musical chairs again along the offensive line because of injuries. 

Starting center Jake Maikkula missed the season opener, which forced freshman Noah Best to start there in his collegiate debut since Ryan Fodje was also hurt. Best has started every game this season so far while replacing injured teammates. 

Maikkula and Fodje returned in Week 2 against Michigan, but starting left tackle Michael Fasusi was injured in the first quarter of the opener and hasn’t returned since. That’s left Fodje, who has yet to play in his usual spot of right guard, starting at left tackle and Best filling in at right guard. 

Although there haven’t been many injuries other than for Tory Blaylock, the backfield has also been revolving just as much as the offensive line, as running backs coach Deland McCullough can’t settle on a solidified pecking order. 

Recently, the two newcomers — Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. — have been getting the most time. 

Beers’ tight end group is also made up of new faces, including Beers, who transferred from Colorado State. He came to OU with Hayden Hansen from Florida and Jack Van Dorselaer from Tennessee. All of that has resulted in blown assignment after blown assignment, and from all positions, not just the offensive line. 

Don’t believe me? Brian Bosworth told KREF he noticed the same thing from the Sooners when they played New Mexico, specifically calling out the offensive line. He also pointed out one of Van Dorselaer’s mistakes. 

“It’s missed assignment after missed assignment after missed assignment, whether it be run, whether it be pass,” Bosworth said. “When I say missed assignments, you can have five offensive linemen, and one guy makes a mistake on a play, it makes the whole unit look bad. 

“That’s not necessarily what’s happening, but it’s happening on every single series, which disrupts the flow of the series.

That problem will never completely disappear and should never have been this bad to begin with, but maybe (hopefully) Beers is correct that improving communication could be the difference in the Sooners finally functioning on offense. And that’s actually a problem that can be solved during the bye week while resting in a meeting room and in front of a screen with film on it. 

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