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Oklahoma Relying on Retooled Secondary to Help Slow Down Texas' High-Flying Offense
USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma Relying on Retooled Secondary to Help Slow Down Texas' High-Flying Offense

Originally posted on Oklahoma Sooners on SI
By Ryan Chapman  |  Last updated 10/4/23

NORMAN — Oklahoma has a host of new faces on the back end of the defense to try and combat Texas’ talented receiving corps.

The No. 12-ranked Sooners will need contributions all over the field against No. 3 Texas on Saturday to turn around last year’s 49-0 defeat.

Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 21-of-31 passes for 289 yards, four touchdowns and an interception a year ago, torching OU’s pass defense.

But the Sooners (5-0 overall, 2-0 Big 12) will have plenty of new pieces in the secondary come Saturday for Texas (5-0, 2-0) to contend with at 11 a.m.

Cornerback Gentry Williams was on the roster a year ago, but he didn’t factor into the rout.

Through five games, Williams has pulled down a pair of interceptions and he’s made 14 total tackles.

Williams has been especially effective when opposing offenses try and throw behind the line of scrimmage, triggering early to shed a block and make the open field tackle behind the line of scrimmage.

Even more exciting for defensive coordinator Ted Roof, Williams has seemed to get better and better each week as he’s learned from his early season experience.

“That’s what everybody needs to do,” Roof said after OU’s win over Iowa State. “He’s done that. His physicality has improved. Really proud of him. Look forward to seeing a big improvement this week.”

Oklahoma added reinforcements to its last line of defense as well.

A pair of safeties on the opposite end of the experience spectrum will make their Red River Rivalry debuts this weekend.

True freshman Peyton Bowen has made plays all over the field for the Sooners in the first three weeks.

He stood up an Arkansas State ball carrier for teammate Kani Walker to come away with a forced fumble in Week 1, and has blocked a pair of punts to set OU’s offense up with great field position.

Bowen’s yet to intercept a pass, though he’s had at least three opportunities already to pick one off by putting himself in good position, and he’s made 18 tackles and defended for passes.

The former 5-star safety simply has a knack for finding his way to the football, something that could propel him to make a game changing play in the Cotton Bowl.

“He's a football player,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “The little details of the game are not too much for him. A lot of times, for freshmen, they are. What I love about Peyton is he comes in every day. He's hungry, willing to do whatever. He wants to help in any way. He's really a selfless guy and an instinctual guy.

“Good football players just make plays. But scheme-wise and stuff, he understands the details and the precision that's required. And then he's skilled on top of that.”

Redshirt senior Reggie Pearson was also brought in by safeties coach Brandon Hall to help add depth.

Pearson had four tackles and an interception last year against Texas to help the Texas Tech Red Raiders pull a 37-34 upset over the Longhorns, and he returned to action last week and will be available in the Cotton Bowl.

“I thought he played well (against Iowa State),” Roof said. “You get guys like him back, that have a lot of experience, that are physical. Guys that have been there, done that, it’s great to have him back. You need everybody.”

Pearson helped shore up OU’s defense after the Cyclones hit a few chunk plays, and Oklahoma shut the door to power past Iowa State 50-20 last week.

The entirety of Oklahoma’s secondary will be put to the test by Texas.

Steve Sarkisian’s passing attack has averaged 286.6 yards per game this season, the 25th-best mark in the country.

A veteran of the Red River Rivalry, redshirt senior cornerback Woodi Washington, is confident in how his teammates will perform Saturday, but he wants to ensure the new faces to the storied contest just take the game one play at a time.

“I mean, just really telling them that the energy’s going to be everything,” Washington said. “Just to enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the entire game.

“Just telling them to stay poised. It’s a big game, but it’s really just the next game.”

This article first appeared on Oklahoma Sooners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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