Sep 26, 2015; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen celebrates with his players after scoring a touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins during the second quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. (Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports)
First-year Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley says he’s still feeling his way around integrating a running back like Samaje Perine into his Air Raid offense.
“I think that’s fair to say — still learning these guys, how they are during games,” Riley said. “He seems to be a guy that gets better as the game goes on. He kind of gets into a groove and I think he just wears on you. He’s so physical. So yeah, I think we’re getting a better feel for that.”
Oklahoma is 3-0 entering Big 12 play but has struggled for the most part in establishing a consistent running game.
Saturday, the Sooners open conference play at home against West Virginia, the team that Perine broke through against last season with a 242-yard performance.
Riley just has to look across the field for an example of how to utilize an effective run game in the Air Raid.
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Hal Mumme-Mike Leach offense has long been among the most balanced among the disciplines of Leach’s system.
Riley is plenty familiar with Holgorsen, serving first as a quarterback and then as an assistant coach at Texas Tech when Holgorsen was coaching there in the early 2000s. Riley’s wife even served as the nanny to Holgorsen’s children when they were in Lubbock.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops stopped short of saying he wanted his offense to look like West Virginia’s and the offenses Holgorsen directed at Oklahoma State and Houston before that.
“I would like to have some of the principles,” Stoops said. “I would like to have a strong running game with what we’re able to do passing. I don’t know if you want to label it to them, but whatever. I mean, you can. He’s always had a strong running game to go with their ability to throw.”
Oklahoma’s offense has had ups and downs in Riley’s first three games — and not just in OU’s ability to run the ball.
The Sooners took nearly a half to get going offensively against Akron and then struggled for more than three quarters against Tennessee before the offense came on strong. In their non-conference finale against Tulsa, the offense got on a roll early.
“It all has to keep improving,” Stoops said. “I’m not at all upset about it. I feel we’re going to keep going in a positive direction.
“I’m very pleased with what Lincoln and all of the offensive guys are going. But it still has to come. It has to keep improving if we’re going to have a chance to have a really good year.”
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Joe Mixon still hasn’t shown the explosiveness on the ground that he showed two seasons ago as a high school All-American, but he has been a big part of the passing game, with 11 catches for 176 yards through three games.
–S Steven Parker’s game action continues to increase and figures to continue to do so as the Sooners need to use the nickel package more often. Parker, a sophomore, has drawn rave reviews from OU coaches for his work so far.
–S Ahmad Thomas, a junior, struggled last season in his first year in the lineup but might be the Sooners’ most improved defender. Thomas has 23 tackles, tied for second on the team.
–K/P Austin Seibert, a true freshman, has made all four of his field goal tries, all 16 extra points and averaged 45.8 yards on 16 punts.
–C Ty Darlington returns to the lineup after missing Oklahoma’s last game against Tulsa. Darlington is a high school teammate of Mountaineers’ safety KJ Dillon.
