SoonerScoop Sights & Sounds: OU 24, No. 7 Alabama 3

If you were there as an OU fan? You’ll never forget it.

Let SoonerScoop video editor Eddie Radosevich take you through it. Because you might not believe it was real.

Head coach Brent Venables opening statement

Well, finally got the result we wanted when we put it all together. Just want to thank our players, congratulate our players and our staff for a really tough and challenging season. Just appreciate their belief, leadership, work, strain, competitive spirit. Willingness to continue to come back every week and continue to believe and do the things we’ve asked them to do. How does that happen? You just do what winning requires. It’s not going to take anything like a Superman heroic-type effort.

It’s play with incredible effort, gotta be the most physical team and take care of the ball. Winning never negotiates. When we’ve taken care of the ball, last two years, we’re 13-0. And when we haven’t this season, we’re 0-5. Took care of the ball, or at least won the turnover margin. We fought our butt off. There have been some games when it has gotten away from us late. But this is a team that has continued to show up, week in and week out.

They’ve punched first, punched back. But this is the first time in one of these games where we’ve punched last. We’ve had the lead in three of our last SEC games at halftime. We couldn’t figure out how to punch last. It aligns with the harder it is, the more epic the story. That was a really good football team we beat tonight. What I’m most proud of there was nothing, whatsoever, that was fluky about it. it was a game of physicality, execution, precision, a game of timing. And a game where we really did an amazing job of complementing each other in all three phases.

We had to overcome some things. We left some points on the board early in the first half with the fumble and missed field goal, dropped touchdown there on a double-pass that you thought that might come back and haunt you against really good teams because it can.

Just a fantastic performance. Really proud of the coaches, particularly the defensive staff – the game plan was outstanding. The players executing was even better. Just a real work of art. They had answers for Alabama every step of the way. And then our offensive staff, told you how proud of them I’ve been, willingness and excitement and passion. We’re ready to go, tell us what you need us to do. The players have followed their lead. Put their head down, had juice, energy. Had a great plan, great rhythm.

Tonight was another example of that. They did a great job of keeping Alabama off balance. Joe Jon called a great game. Jackson Arnold went out there and executed in a really efficient way. Jackson was outstanding, career high rushing. Was 9-for-11, just efficient, made good decisions. Did what we needed to do to win.

Certainly, we wanted to play a shortened game. A game where there weren’t as many possessions. Alabama is one of the most explosive teams in college football. We wanted to do exactly what we did and really play off of each other. Defense controlled the field position. We scored and forced three turnovers, three picks. Put a lot of pressure on them, think we had nine tackles for loss against a really talented offensive line and a fantastic quarterback that is hard to keep bottled up like that. Xavier Robinson a career high rushing, two touchdowns. I think 5.1 yards per carry on offense. I know it’s a terrible offensive line, but man, they figured it out tonight. 5.1 a carry compared to 2.3 for Bama. Only gave up one sack and four tackles for loss. 

Just really, again, really proud of the guys for continuing to stack days on days on days. Sometimes winning doesn’t owe you anything. And what it takes to try to put everything in the week to try to have an opportunity to win. And chasing success and what that requires. It’s not loyal to you. Sometimes life ain’t fair. You do everything that you’re asked to do and you come up short. And that’s what I’m most proud of, is the guys continued to believe that. You know? In the face of criticism — and all of it justifiable. I mean, we’re 5-5 at Oklahoma. And we’ve got to be better. But the players, and I just love their resolve. It’s really cool to see them — I told y’all I hurt in the past because they deserved an opportunity to celebrate all their hard work. 

So it’s awesome to be able to do it tonight, on Senior Night. Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, Ethan Downs, Woodi Washington. I think that was Woodi Washington’s sixth career pick. And what a timeliness, I think there is pressure there from R Mason. And then Danny becomes the ninth all-time leading tackler in the history of Oklahoma. I mean that’s pretty special. Easily one of the best linebackers in the last decade and certainly in the country this year. Just a wonderful night, man. It’s about freaking time. 

But we have another challenge here, in less than a week we’ll be in Baton Rouge playing a night game to finish out the season. So man, I just want our players and staff to enjoy this moment. Again, if it’s anything, it’s just affirmation. We put it all together, we’re good enough, even with one hand tied behind our back roster as of today, with countless injuries. I’ve never seen anything like it. But they never made excuses. They just went to work and tonight it really paid off.