2024 Oklahoma Football Preview ft. Tyler McComas of "The REF"

Intro [Music] it's a new era of Oklahoma football the Sooners are officially part of the secc helping us break it all down Oklahoma's first year in the conference our good friend Tyler mccomus of the ref there in Norman Tyler what's going on man I appreciate you taking the time 23 days when we're recording most anticipated football season of my life man I mean road trips I get to make the home games we get to see dude let's this is the most agonizing part of the off season right like April and May are just like God then June and July but these last few weeks because training Camp's here and it's like it should be here it's it's agonizing but I'm ready dude Oklahoma in 2023 I'm ready yeah June July Tyler is more so it's it's still far away enough where you're not letting yourself get you know over anticipated overhyped it's kind of out of sight of of mind we get about two to three weeks away like you mentioned that's that's when I start to get antsy probably when most folks start to get antsy and we're like okay we've talked about it enough let let's see the football on the field but we are going to talk about it today and by the way Tyler I wanted to mention before we get going was great to obviously meet you in person for the first time at SEC media days in Dallas crazy to say that because it feels like we've known each other forever but uh was really cool to link up and obviously we'll do so again this season in Norman at some point but let's talk about Oklahoma before we look ahead Tyler let's look back at the 2023 season it was a big year too for Brent vinal 10 and3 overall s-2 in conference play uh you had the bowl game in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona granted what do bowl games mean anymore but either way a 10 win season oh by the way a season in which you beat the arch rival Texas they went to the college ball playoff but you beat them in the Red River shootout so talk about year two of Brent venables when yourself and when Oklahoma fans look back on the 2023 season what will stick out most um when I look back at 2023 stri in the right direction and what everyone says is oh 10 wins and year two 10 wins and year two yeah I mean it was a pretty crap schedule I mean if we're being honest with ourselves here I mean there wasn't a great non-conference opponent you do have the big win against Texas which really helps that 10- win season look better but Chris it was a season of missed opportunities you know you start off six and0 and you beat Texas and then every single week in the days following we're looking at the ESPN fpi and what does that really mean I don't take it too seriously but it's at least an interesting tool well here's Oklahoma after the Texas win they got the highest ESPN fpi chance to make the college football playoff with the road that you had left the second half of the Season you had the best opportunity out of anyone to make the playoff and you didn't make the playoff you didn't even make the big 12 championship game so was it a step in the right direction yeah it was certainly a step in the right direction for six and seven but it was still a season of missed opportunities you you had opportunities to win the Kansas game you had the opportunity to win the Oklahoma State game and be right there towards the end so overall positive but I still think a lot of fans look back and say man I wish we could have a couple of those games back because think that they were even a little bit better with the schedule that they had of being a 10 and two team at the at the end of the season so Tyler on Brent Venables that note again we just spoke on Brent venables and again after a a tough year one it was a big year two either way to get to that 10- win mark and get some good feelings lay the foundation coming into this 2024 season obviously Brent vbl gets the extension right before SEC media days coming into his third year and then beyond that of course what's the vibe there in Norman around Brent venables when it comes to being the leader of this program not just in the short term but the long term as well there's no hot seats there's really not any despite despite Vegas odds wanting you to believe there's some sort of hot seat with there with list came out which is insane because you just got that extension but everyone's All In man um the university showed that with the extension that you're talking about and I I I pull the audience as much as possible here and everyone's all in and here's why I I think the answer to that um the blueprint you know what what's been the blueprint for U to win national championships over the years U's never won a title without an elite defense and they've won seven of them so there's a lot of examples of that U's never played for a national championship without an elite defense and heck even look at the most recent National Championship winners in the sec I I mean defense is great defense the standard for that has shifted a little bit with these offenses compared to what it's been 20 25 years ago but you're not winning a national championship these days without a great defense I guess maybe Auburn in 2010 was the alone exception to that but they had cam freaking Newton right just throw 11 guys on that side and they're probably gonna win but the point is is that Brent venables is getting five star interior defensive lineman you weren't doing that you hadn't done that in a while he's getting fstar safeties he's winning big time battles with linebackers He is building a team that more resembles what great Oklahoma teams of the past have look like and hopefully what national championship teams here recently across the SEC have looked like you weren't going to be that with Lincoln Ry and you won a lot of games in the Big 12 and you won some big 12 championships and you made the playoff and just to ultimately get embarrassed but everyone even recognize during that time this is not the way that Oklahoma has won traditionally 59 56 49 47 that's just not the way that U's won in the past I mean it's just it's more of the blueprint and the understanding of here's how we've won in the past here's what it looks like now what you have to do to win a championship and they're getting balanced recruiting classes and classes that are consistently in the top eight I don't know if Brent BBL is going to win a National Championship I don't know if that's going to be the case but I think that he is building a roster that is more National Title like than the previous head coach that was here because he was going to going have to outscore everyone every single week and now with a 12 team playoff where you have to win more games it was already difficult enough in a four team playoff but Oklahoma was never going to win a National Championship under Lincoln riy and the blueprint that they've had I think you're closer and it's more realistic now with what Brit Vines is is doing and trying to do here moving forward so Tyler let's let's dive into the 2024 Sooners we'll start in the Offense offensive side of the football a lot of change here Jeff leby to Mississippi State Seth Latrell taking over his offensive coordinator Dylan Gabriel goes to Oregon Jackson Arnold assuming the qb1 role which again that's what Oklahoma wanted right that was by Design so Jackson Arnold's the guy under Center you've heard about it all off season five new starters on the offensive line the offensive line is the big question for OU skill position is not a question in my mind Deon Burks comes in for Purdue he's gonna be an immediate star he joins andrel Anthony Nick Anderson jalo faroo on the outside Jake Roberts and Bowers sharp return at the tight end position both are veterans and Gavin saltchuk looking to build off a strong finish to 2023 at the running back spot five straight 100 yard games to close out 2023 so he was really impressive down the stretch when you look at this Oklahoma offense Tyler from conversations I've had with you with others this seems to be the bigger question for Oklahoma we're gonna get to the defense in a second I'm sure why you're optimistic why you're so high on it with all that returning experience but offensively are they going to be able to do enough under Seth LR what are you expecting from this sooner offense with a retooled offensive line a brand new quarterback but a plethora of Playmakers as well in this 2024 season I'm expecting an offense that could have one of the better receiving cores in all of the SEC you mentioned Deon Burks he was third Team all SEC preseason I I think he's gonna finish higher than that because I think that he's a guy that yes is extremely talented and extremely explosive but here's the deal Chris he's a guy that's easy to get the ball to therefore he's going to have a ton of targets he's going to have a ton of receptions he's going to have a ton of yards he's going to play the slot so you can get it to him short just get him in the open field he'll go make a play slant over the middle he's gonna go make a play for you down the field the Deep ball which I really think U is going to attack offensively this year you can get him the ball there as well pair that with Nick Anderson who had 10 touchdowns last year the gamewinner against Texas you mentioned andrel Anthony he got hurt in that Texas game he was the leading receiver when he got injured he's back Farooq had a tough end of the year but he's back Brennan Thompson has legit track speed all you have to do is have him healthy for about 10 plays a game and just tell him to run straight they did have a recent injury at wide receiver yesterday on Tuesday Jaden Gibson who I thought was probably gonna be their number three receiver could be a knee injury we'll see the severity of that and how serious that is but I I I think that this is a wide receiver CT that could be one of the best maybe the best in the SEC potentially like I I think they're that good but outside of that at receiver you got a first year starter at quarterback and I think that he's got all the talent like I don't worry for a second if Jackson Arnold has enough arm strength to be a big time SEC quarterback I don't wonder if he has enough athleticism to be a big time SEC quarterback I really don't even worry about the accuracy it's the decisionmaking and the decision making was poor early on in the bowl game now if you go back and watch that bowl game he also had some really bright moments as well but what's the decision making like can he make decisions a half of a second a split second faster than what he did that's what he has to overcome and the thing that's G to help him out the most is yeah a really good wide receiver core that I like but that offensive line man they've got to put him in good spots you know with James Pierce at Tennessee coming off the edge Missouri's gonna have some dudes up front Old Miss is definitely gonna have dudes up front Alabama I know it's an offensive minded head coach but they're still going to be good on defense as well you're going to be facing a caliber defensive lineman that you haven't in a long time right so that offensive line I I think that they'll field a good five I I I think they'll field a good solid starting five but you gotta have depth on the o line just like every other position in this league and how much depth do they have after that solid five that they have on the offensive line running back you mentioned Gavin Sawchuk I think that he's going into training camp your number one guy I think at this point in training camp he's your number one guy the battle is for that second running back spot Javonte Barnes had an injury riddled season last year after a really good freshman year Sam Franklin you bring in uh via the transfer portal Taylor Tatum was the number one running back last year he's a true freshman I think they'll be solid at running back I don't see a world where they're bad at running back or maybe even below average but here's my question are they special at running back do they have that Elite type of back I think they have running backs if the Lane's open and they need to get five seven yards yeah they they'll be able to do that that's fine but do they have a running back that can break that tackle at the second level and take it to the house versus on First Contact just being brought down I think this is a conference this year where there's a lot of room for running backs to emerge in this league there's not a lot of household names in this conference can Gavin Sawchuk be one of those guys I I think he's can be one of those guys he's got to stay healthy unlike a year ago but I my question with running back is not how many bodies will they have available or it's just more of they're going to need a special talent at running back and let's see if they do have that special talent at running back because it's been a while since since Oklahoma's had that so Tyler let's move to the Defense defensive side of the football this is Brent Venable's bread and butter as we all know year one was rough things have gotten much better since we're starting to see Brent benal stamp on that defensive side he did hire Zack allly back in January to help be as DC but 11 of the top 13 tacklers return from 2023 you got three seniors on the defensive line led by Ethan Downs you picked up a key transfer in TCU defensive lineman uh demonic Williams who was a big-time ball player for the horn frogs Danny stutzman jiren knak return at linebacker stutzman may be the best linebacker in the SEC 104 tackles a season too which led Oklahoma Billy Bowman's back at safety again these are preseason all SEC guys I'm mentioning he had six interceptions last season Woody washed him back at corner picked up Dez Malone from San Diego State as well to help in that spot also Tyler I've talked to you about this and we'll we'll bring this back up I think I heard you say this has the this has the opportunity to be the best Oklahoma defense we've seen in over a decade and I've heard others Echo that as well give me your thoughts on Oklahoma's defense this season and just how good they can be this should be the best defense in over a decade if it's not and again the bar for that hasn't been extremely high I mean you see Kyler Murray behind me there in 2018 that was one of the worst defenses in in school history um but here's here's your take here's your big take right here here it comes I think Oklahoma has a chance to have the better defense in every single SEC regular season game it plays this year I know that's a take and I know that that's a big take but they have star power on the defensive side that they haven't they haven't they haven't had that I mean you mentioned stutzman may be the best linebacker in the SEC I'll agree with that Billy Bowman is absolutely one of the best defensive backs in the SEC and I think he's on that short list for the Thorp this year Dominic Williams who you got from TCU by all accounts man and half of the SEC wanted him and half of the SEC like U tried to pay him a lot of money like he's a guy that can really change things for you on the interior their defensive line which they haven't had so it's the star power it's the starting 11 but it's the depth that they have man like and and Bren has even talked about that recently it's not like there's been a drop off from the starting 11 to the next 11 after that for the past couple of years there's not that drop off at least on the defensive side they're going to be really good at corner they're G to be they they have a five star at safety Payton Bowen going into his second year and he was good last year who's probably not going to start because there's two other safeties right there that may be just better than him at this point linebacker is is really good defensive line they're not there yet as in terms of where they're at at backer and safety but they're getting there with a guy like Dominic Williams and he's a guy that's gonna eat up blocks and and Danny stutzman's been good all on his own recently but what is this defense look like if Dominic Williams is the player that we think that he is and he's eating up two blocks every single play Caven in the middle of the offensive line like OU hasn't had that interior player that can cave in an offensive line like that he's that type of player and I don't say that I think U can be the best defense on the field in every single SEC game I I'm not just trying to throw out some crazy wild hot tape like the point is is how much they've grown defensively I I think that there's a world where that could be the case because LSU isn't the same defense that they were for a long period of time LSU just had one of its worst defenses in school history Tennessee like I think they'll be really good up front too but what about the back end of defense and all of the players that they lost at defensive back last year Tennessee could be very getable South Carolina I I don't view them as an elite defense Miss got some players we'll see about om Miss especially up front on the defensive line Missouri will be solid obviously the one push back that you would probably have to me is well come on you're not gonna have a better defense than Alabama and that might be true they did lose Caleb DS and now you do have an offensive minded head coach versus what you had recently with Nick Sab I still think Alabama's going to have some athletes on that side and I bet they still probably have f a pretty good defense but it is fair to question what the Alabama defense will look like this year and moving forward with a guy like kayin dor so maybe I'm wrong maybe OU won't have the best defense on the field in every single game but Chris even if I'm wrong they may have it in six or seven games in the SEC this year and that's considerable growth compared to where you were three years ago before Brent took over yeah Tyler on that note it's interesting the transformation and I've Special Teams heard you talk about this at the Oklahoma program where for the forever we thought it was you know the rink Lincoln Riley U scoring 50 points a game it it's kind of turning back to Oklahoma I think winning with Elite defense becoming more defense and that obviously is a reflection of who Brent vinales is and what he believes in but it is interesting to see that evolution of the program and to your point I mean outside of Bama we'll see what old Miss is but there's not a lot of push back there I I I could definitely see Oklahoma Fielding the better defense in each of those games and at minimum being comparable to the opponent in most every single game no doubt uh Tyler let's talk a little special teams if you will Zack Schmidt's back as kicker Luc elzinga is back as punter so you got those two guys back uh Jalil faroo figures to be the top returner both punts and kickoffs unless I'm missing something maybe Deion Burks factoring in there as well but give us an idea what does Oklahoma special teams look like in 2024 is this a facet of the game that you feel like the Sooners could use to their advantage in the in their first year in the SEC maybe steal a win or two here and there so on my YouTube page I kind of you know did a little bit of a preview last night at the very end I put my three biggest concerns I put offensive line number one and I put special teams number two they've been bad at kicker man they were bad at kicker last year you mentioned Zack Schmidt I mean he's missing 27 yard field goals on the Road I mean that's a that's a gim me kick man you know 27 yard field goals in a in a close game you got to make those and U's going to play in a ton of close games this year they play eight SEC games is it crazy to think that like six of those could be one possession game seven of those could be one possession games in the fourth quarter there hasn't been a room for error for Oklahoma and there's definitely not room for error now in the SEC and if you can't depend on your kicker to make a 27 yard field goal a 33 yard field goal when it matters that's a problem man and they made a switch at punter to Luke elzinga last year that's worked out well he he's your starting punter he's good but I don't think Zack Schmidt's gonna be your starting kicker this year in fact Britt vinales at a luncheon I was at a couple of weeks ago said that Tyler Keltner a transfer from Florida state is the odds on favorite to be the starting kicker they even have a true freshman coming in who's an instate kid Liam Evans maybe he ends up being your kicker as well they just they weren't good on special teams last year man um Gavin Freeman who was returning punts last year really lost his confidence muff punts last year he's actually at Oklahoma State now maybe pton Bowen the former five- star who was so electric as a returner in high school maybe he's your guy you mentioned Dion Burks I think that there's a world where where that could be the case as well but they did hire Doug deakon special teams coordinator from San Diego State I know I I hadn't heard of him either before he came here but if you go back and look at what San Diego state has been like when you think of San Diego State football the last five years what do you think of apparently you think of special teams because that's the one area where they've been really good so I mean they've got to be better at kicker and and here's the thing I can hear that Tyler Kilner and Zack Schmidt man they're booming 45 50 yarders in practice that's great but you really don't know what you have at kicker until your first big kick against Tennessee until your first big kick at Jordan hair I mean right I even in the non-conference portion of the schedule if they're six for six in games against Temple and Houston and two lane that's fine but when you're in tough environments and tough games how clutch can you be can you make a and that's a just make make the easy ones I I don't need you to make a 52 yard necessarily go make the 27 the 35s the 41 yard kick so all that to say special teams is a concern um puning not so much but when I think of special teams more often I think about what type of kicker that you have how many national championships did a kicker cost Alabama at least one maybe two right and if you want to be a team that makes a college football playoff this year and win nine or 10 games you're gonna have to have some clutch kicks and it's been it's been a while since U's made a clutch kick in in a big game so it's it's a concern man Tyler eight starters return for the Schedule Oklahoma Sooners this season two on offense six on defense and as we look as the at the first SEC slate for Oklahoma football we turn our attention to the schedule you open up three straight n conference games Temple Houston to Lane then comes September the 21st Tyler the SEC opener Josh hyle comes to town there's so many subplots in this ball game oh by the way first SEC game in the history of Boomer Sooner that's going to be an incredible environment there in Norman then your first SEC road trip at Auburn tricky Jordan hair I know Oklahoma fans have heard a lot about the planes uh then you've got Red River against Texas South Carolina at home at Old Miss Maine at Missouri Alabama at LSU to close out the season now Tyler it's believe that Oklahoma obviously of Oklahoma and Texas Oklahoma got the tougher draw here in year one I I don't think it's really even Up For Debate this looks like a schedule Steve sarkeesian himself put together either way though when you look at this schedule I know there's a lot of takeaways what stands out to you again I know there's a lot of great road trips you and I have talked about that Oklahoma fans are are really looking forward to but I mean what immediately jumps out to you when you look at this schedule Oklahoma's first SEC slate school history the incredible environments that you're gonna have to face on the road like you get get used to it in the SEC I'm sure but we're used to going to Ames Iowa with 61,000 fans Kansas state with 54,000 fans Baylor with God like 46,000 fans like right like you kind of get the point there you're going to Jordan ha where there's going to be 87,000 and that could be one of the more important games for Auburn the whole season and maybe the biggest home game that Auburn has I mean you're just going to be playing in stadiums and environments that frankly you just haven't seen really in the Big 12 before so that's what stands out Auburn's going to be insane LSU Death Valley we know about that that's going to be insane last game of the regular season especially if there's set on the line Missouri hates U that game in columia is going to be insane heck even Old Miss with all the expectation that they have and I know that they do get Georgia at home this year but if Old Miss is really playing for something at that point in the year and I think a lot of people believe they will be at the end of October that play VOD Hemingway is going to be insane as well so you haven't necessarily been a great Road team recently you lost two Road games last year you're lucky to get out of that BYU game with a win so what stands out to me is and I look at it as fun I can't wait to go to these environments I'd much rather go here than freaking LEC Texas and Waco and Ames Iowa but it is it's gonna be a challenge because on paper is u a better team than auburn I I believe that on paper is U and LSU probably pretty comparable yeah sure and maybe the same thing with maybe even Missouri and Old Miss but the the the HomeField advantages in this league gotta mean more to use the phrase right gotta mean more in this league than it does in any other league in in in college football and that matters that matters Tyler I think what's really interesting as we enter this 20124 season is is there are some different schools of thinking if you will so Oklahoma's over under wind total seven and a half in Vegas it was six and a half a couple months ago and you've got this you know the folks in the SEC people making predictions whatever that are saying you know bad timing for Oklahoma offensive line issues seven and five or eight and four be a great year when I talk to Oklahoma fans that's not the energy that I receive it to me and I made this joke with you in Dallas to a point where it feels Blasphemous or like I'm insulting you if I were to tell you that seven and five or eight and four is a good year for Oklahoma this year how much different are the expectations in Norman and amongst the Oklahoma fan base how much different are those expectations for this season versus Maybe the conference wide media's expectations for Oklahoma this year oh I think considerably different I I was on a Mississippi radio station earlier today and the guy was like I mean I think you guys can win seven games I think but A lot's gonna have to go right for you to win seven games and I immediately like oh I'm taking this to my audience this afternoon and they're gonna be pissed about it and ready to burn down that guy's radio station or something like that I I I I think it's different look man you're not going to you're not going to hear anyone out here predicting this team to go 12-0 you're not going to hear anyone predicting this team to go 11- one I don't think you're going to hear a lot of people predicting this team to win a National Championship I don't really think that this is a national championship caliber team today and I don't think most people really believe that this team is in position to win a National Championship this season but I do believe they think they're in position to be one of the 12 teams that plays for a national championship this year and makes the college football playoff and and I think a big convers ation that we've had around here is how many teams in college football could you make an argument for this year if they go nine and three they deserve in the 12 team playoff maybe not a whole lot but Oklahoma if they go nine and three with that schedule I mean I think that there's a chance they could be in the 12 team playoff they may be team 11 they may be team 12 but nine and three with the wins that you would have with a nine game or a nine- win season would stack up against most resumés that are out there Joe clatt said the same thing yesterday he says I think U will be in at 9 and three and U should be in at 9 and three so whereas a lot of expectations in the SEC we heard a six and six last year our boy Chris Phillips threw out a seven and5 which got some reaction around here as well I think a lot of people here you ask him it's probably is nine wins 10 wins but let's let's make the college football playoff that's how we're going to define success this year yeah Tyler on that note I mean and I have my question marks but what I love Mentality I love the passion and I love the energy because and I feel like and I credit you and I told your co-host or one of your co-hosts uh Travis this as well I credit you guys and Norman for holding it together and being respectful and being polite and because I feel like I can see through that Tyler y'all are pissed I I know it I can see it I can feel it when I have conversations with Oklahoma folks I'm like there's an extra edge here that like they're being as polite as they possibly can but they want to just punch somebody in the face like is that a good way to describe the mentality and the energy right now because again I it feels as if you know and especially too it's even worse when Texas is getting all this love and this hype and I know U fans are G used to it but Texas is the one being viewed as the college football playoff favorite the national championship Contender and like you mentioned it's like Oklahoma's the little buddy that gets the tag alone like I I I sense this energy again Oklahoma folks done a great job of holding it together but and I say this respectfully there may not be a more insufferable group of people if Oklahoma turns out to be really good than Oklahoma just because of what they've been taking on this off season oh dude it's yeah there's gonna be so much I Told You So on the internet I mean even even look at the Lincoln Riley situation when everyone thought Oklahoma football was GNA wither into a hole and die after he left for USC now you're seeing a lot of try to tell you Oklahoma fan was right huh Oklahoma fan was right Oklahoma fan was right yes I mean people are pissed around here man and it's not just that people are predicting them to you know have a sub eight win season and not be all that competitive and oh my gosh how are they GNA navigate this schedule it is about Texas and yes Texas did make the playoff last year and you got to give him credit but I I think that there is a there are a lot of people that are upset for the lack of understanding of what's happened in this r rry for not just the last 50 years but really for the last 25 years because Oklahoma has kicked Texas's ass for the last 25 years and there's a thought that Texas is the better program or has been the better program and then you hear guys like Paul Fine Bal say oh wow I went to Norman and they got all these like statues of Heisman winners and all these national championships and Conference titles like whoa guys it hasn't been Texas that has been running the Big 12 it's been Oklahoma that's running the Big 12 it's like well yeah no duh you got no one's been paying attention to what's been going on here for the past 25 years 50 years so yeah there there's a lot of that and we've even heard that well yeah Oklahoma they kind of stole that one late against Texas last year oh so you didn't watch the game because Oklahoma controlled that game throughout and really should have won that game by double digits so look we'll ultimately find out during the season and we're 23 days away from kicking off for ouu but you're right man it's it's gonna be Inseparable for everyone else in the SEC if this team gets hot and here's the thing I think they can I think they're going to win their three non-conference schedules you beat Tennessee you're four and0 you go to Auburn and win you're Five-0 and you'll be favored in both those games I didn't mean you're gonna win but Vegas at least thinks that you know you're favored to win that and you've owned Texas the past 25 years and you beat him last year what if this team starts out six and0 and they got the South Carolina game coming up I mean it's it's it's going to be a firestorm on the internets for sure if that happens for this team and I want to make sure Tyler folks Expectations understand because we love our Oklahoma Folks at tune in here when I say the insufferable comment I mean it as a compliment truly so don't take it personally I promise um Tyler it's been great last thing we get you out of here you mentioned again again the expectations the belief is Oklahoma can go nine and three 10- two be right there on the verge of the college football playoff for that to happen in your mind is it as simple as the offensive line coming together or is there some else in your opinion that has to click for this team to reach their potential it's a version of the offensive line but it's it's the Run game because you know people who just go back and look at the stats last year and say oh U's total offense look like this points per game look like this well yeah they scored what 73 against Arkansas State last year that's really going to skew the numbers in a 12 game season they weren't good when they had to be running the football they they just weren't I mean they had opportunities laid against Kansas to end that game just run it three times and get a first down they couldn't defense gave you back-to-back turnovers offense go pick up a couple of first downs and end it couldn't do it um defense is keeping you in this game against Oklahoma state they're giving you a chance to win go run the ball go in this game against Oklahoma State couldn't do it so I don't worry about what the yards per carry average is going to look like for this team but when you're in a close game against Tennessee close game against Auburn close game against Texas close game against just about every single SEC team you play you've got to be able to move someone off the line of scrimmage late in the game assert your dominance go pick up a first down or two can this offense do that because they couldn't do it last year when it mattered and to win games in this league you gotta close games in this s you got to be good late in the fourth quarter and a big part of that is are you be able to run the ball late so that that is kind of a version of the offensive line yes but that's also to the running backs as well do they have a special back that can pick up yards late when when when they need to I I think that that's going to be more of an important factor than maybe most people realize with this team Tyler mccomus of the ref in Norman Oklahoma does a fantastic job covering all things Oklahoma Sooners Tyler let folks know where they can check out all your work yeah YouTube uh I just I had a big take of why Oklahoma will make the college football playoff on Tuesday night so Tyler McComas on YouTube uh go subscribe there and then uh our app I I'm on from 2 to six every single day two to three we talk recruiting which I don't know how many radio shows out there talk recruiting for an hour but we have that covered from 3 to six is heavy football SEC football KF in the app store download our app it's free you can listen to us worldwide so just ready man um we're we'll be insufferable if they start off and play good football you guys will be insufferable towards us if told you guys weren't ready for the SEC tried to tell you so something's something's going to H something's going to happen here in the next couple of months well Tyler I can assure you of this I will not be one of the insufferable ones believe me I uh love the Oklahoma fans that we've interacted with engaged with and yourself too man I I'm not one of those put it this way hazing Oklahoma and Texas on their way into the league I think that's kind of interesting energy to say the least Tyler always a pleasure my friend looking forward to our trip to Norman this season when it happens we'll be letting the audience know but Tyler it's always a pleasure grateful to call you a friend and let's definitely do this again soon anytime man anytime [Music]