No. 4 Oklahoma’s coaches and players spoke to the media before its first conference matchup of the season with West Virginia at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Running back Kennedy Brooks discussed his need to improve in pass protection, while linebacker Brian Asamoah talked about his position group’s adjustments.
Here’s three things to know ahead of the game:
West Virginia preview
Oklahoma (3-0) will play West Virginia (2-1) for the first time since 2019 on Saturday due to the 2020 game being canceled because of COVID-19 protocols. The Mountaineers are coming off an upset win against then-No. 15 Virginia Tech.
West Virginia sports has a veteran quarterback in redshirt senior Jarret Doege who has made 16 career starts with the team. OU also has a tough test against Mountaineers running back Leddie Brown, who has 357 total yards with six touchdowns this season.
“They got a lot of good players, a lot of athletic guys,” redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler said. “(Got some) fast guys, got some big guys up front that are solid. Good D-line. … We just gotta be prepared for anything we see.”
The Sooners won their last matchup 23-16 against Nebraska on Sept. 18, but scored their least amount of points since Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley took over in 2017. OU will also have its hands full with WVU defensive lineman Jared Bartlett, who’s tied for the Big 12 lead in sacks with three.
“Looking forward to starting our conference journey with a really good West Virginia team,” Riley said. “They're playing at a very high level. Obviously had a huge win last weekend against a very good Virginia Tech team, so this is a complete football team.”
Brian Asamoah, linebackers have room to improve
Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has started a different set of inside linebackers in each game this season.
Junior David Ugwoegbu, redshirt junior Brian Asamoah and senior DaShaun White have each made two starts in inside linebackers coach Brian Odom’s room, but none have established themselves as the clear leader.
“One thing we’ve been harping on is trying to go make plays,” Asamoah said. “Obviously in the run game, trying to get as many tackles for losses… That's a huge emphasis on playing linebacker at the University of Oklahoma is playing fast and playing downhill.”
Asamoah, who has just 1o tackles this season after leading the team with 66 in 2020, is paramount to the defense’s success, according to sophomore cornerback D.J. Graham.
“He’s always steady,” Graham said. “Being a linebacker, he’s the core of our defense. He sets the tone for our defense.”
Asamoah knows that his play, along with the other inside linebackers, is vital for the Sooners’ defense as the season progresses. Despite the mishaps this season, the potential is there with Odom’s help.
“The ceiling is very high,” Asamoah said. “For not just me, but the entire room because of how serious (Odom) takes this job and how he wants people to be great."
Kennedy Brooks’ pass protection struggles
Redshirt junior running back Kennedy Brooks is a gifted runner, as he’s proven already in two career seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing. But the backfield’s co-starter alongside junior Eric Gray has one skill he knows needs to improve: pass protection.
“Last week my pass pros were off,” said Brooks, who rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries but played less snaps than Gray and received one less carry. “So I’ve been working a lot on that. … My main focus this week is just to be better on pass blocking.”
The Mansfield, Texas native also mentioned a few smaller areas he needs to work on.
“Not guessing where they’re gonna go,” Brooks said. “Staying patient with my sets, not crossing my feet (and) taking the inside away. Just going back to the basics honestly. And doing that will help me overall.”
Brooks admitted he just got beat against Nebraska’s defense last week, but said he expects to improve.
“I’m really trying to never let that happen for the rest of the season or the rest of my career,” Brooks said.
