Oklahoma is getting hot just in time for the committee to take notice. The Sooners’ win over Alabama gave them a clear shot at the playoffs. The defense won the turnover battle and the game. However, there is much to improve on the other side of the ball as Brent Venables prepares his troops for the Missouri battle.

The Sooners’ ground attack has been a work in progress all season. Although they have managed 3.8 yards per carry, John Mateer’s production forms a major chunk. That’s not an ideal scenario against a Mizzou team known to stifle the run.

“Well, it’s going to be tested without question,” Brent Venables said of the ground attack. “So hopeful that we can stay healthy, and you know, we’re going to probably have to spread it out a little more, you know, to kind of manage in the next couple of weeks.”

In their loss against Texas, Oklahoma managed just 48 yards on 30 carries. On paper, the run game looked better against Ole Miss. Xavier Robinson rushed for 109 yards on 9 carries, but 65 of these yards came on a single play. In the same game, Mateer rushed for 17 yards on 13 carries. Even when they won 24-17 against the Auburn Tigers, the run game was limited. With just 32 yards on the ground on a whopping 26 carries, with the longest sprint by Mateer himself (26 yards).

Typically, when your run game fails, you’re forced into third-and-long situations. The whole offense becomes one-dimensional. “The efficiency of when we are running the ball has just been getting better and better,” Venables had stated ahead of the Alabama matchup. “By design and by a lot of hard work with the guys.”

Oklahoma hasn’t been helped by the injuries in the RB room. Both Robinson and Tory Blaylock have been limited at various points of the season.

Currently, it is unclear who will line up if the key running backs are not fit to play. So, with challenges in the offensive backfield, Brent Venables will be looking for the offense to spread it out. But following Mateer’s return after his hand injury, he has struggled as well. In the last five games combined, he has thrown two touchdowns while rushing for two more scores. However, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is optimistic and confident in his team.

“Just as the season continues,” he said. “You’ve got to see those guys every day in practice, how their process is going, how their bodies are feeling, and ultimately how they look throughout the week.”

Moving on, can the Sooners beat Missouri, with a challenging backfield?

Can Brent Venables win against Missouri?

Venables has been named the Bryant National Coach of the Week, having defeated powerhouse Alabama, but they still have two more opponents to battle to reach the playoffs. For a rushing defense that boasts the No. 15th rank nationally, it will be a tough terrain for Oklahoma to attack with a limited passing game. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz takes pride in winning on the line of scrimmage. That means run the ball and stop the run. “Anytime you can stop the run, you’re really never out of the game,” Drinkwitz said back in September.

However, the Tigers will face a top defense. Oklahoma ranks No. 11 in defensive top rate, and finally, it has figured out how to generate turnovers. The Alabama game saw a pick-six and a strip sack, which added 10 points. Even Drinkwitz has complimented Brent Venables’ unit.

“They rally to the ball,” coach Drinkwitz said. “They cut gaps. They overlap the defense. They blitz. They got it all. Whatever you can play on Madden or College Football to stop the run, they have it in their game plan, and he’s not afraid to call it at any point.” The offense is staring down at major issues, but their defense might stop Missouri’s offense.