Oklahoma Sooners spring game 2015: Five things we learned
By Sixto Ortiz
Apr 11, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners safety Dede Westbrook (11) reaches for the end zone during the spring football game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
2. The Defense Was Opportunistic…and Inconsistent
One of the areas of deep concern for Oklahoma in the aftermath of the disastrous 2014 campaign is the secondary. Time and time again, OU’s secondary got burned; the Baylor game was the absolute nadir, especially the first series of the second half of that blowout defeat when Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty picked them apart.
During today’s spring game, the secondary showed some lapses where busted coverages led to big offensive plays, much to the chagrin of those in attendance. However, they tightened up their coverages, especially during the second half, and ended the game with five takeaways, including a couple of interceptions in the red zone. Hatari Byrd’s end zone interception off a tipped pass was certainly impressive, and it looks like many of the youngsters on the secondary are buying in to the new coaching staff.
An area of concern, however, was the run defense as runners frequently got loose for big gains. This is an area that will need to be addressed over the coming months if they hope to have a successful 2015 campaign.
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