3 to thrive at Saturday night's Oklahoma-West Virginia game in Norman:
1 – Someone named Millard
Paul Millard is West Virginia's starting quarterback. He played well against William & Mary last week, but his offense scored just 24 points. Not sure the Mountaineers will get there against OU.
Let's give the nod to Trey Millard instead. He didn't have the ball much last week against ULM, but his blocking was one of the biggest keys to Trevor Knight's option success. Don't see why that would be any different Saturday night.
2 – Corey Nelson and Frank Shannon
West Virginia ran it 15 times more than they threw it last week. Charles Sims, their new ace playmaker, carried 23 times. Maybe Dana Holgorsen crosses up OU like he did with Tavon Austin last year. More likely, his options are limited and he has to keep handing to Sims, Dreamius Smith and Wendell Smallwood.
Nelson, Shannon and the rest of OU's linebackers have a lot to prove after what happened in Morgantown. The Mountaineers will give them that chance.
3 – Owen Field concessionaires
I saw one poor guy stand outside the stadium last week, remove his OU cap, pour a bottle of water all over it and then put it back on. I saw one poor woman sitting on a curb along Jenkins dump her water all over her legs.
This was in pregame. I suppose the water could have been theirs. But eventually, those folks had to go inside and pay for it.
No, it's not going to be 100 degrees at kickoff Saturday night. Just 90. Hydration alert remains high. Five-dollar bottles of water remain a premium.
3 to surprise:
1 – Holgorsen
He has to come up with something strange to give his team a shot. Doesn't he?
2 – Knight
One thing about going 11-of-28, it lowers the expectations bar. Count me among those who believe the kid can sling it. It might just happen some Saturday night.
I'm not predicting he's going to go 26-of-28, but he'll do enough to ease some OU minds.
3 – Kass Everett
He was the Sooners' "Dime" back last week, the guy who came on when Mike Stoops went to a 6-defensive back package. It's not like West Virginia isn't accustomed to OU flooding the field with DBs. Stoops used seven of them in Morgantown last November.
Six, though, should be enough to force at least one Millard interception. I say Everett picks him off on third-and-long.
3 to mystify:
1 – Chuka Ndulue
I know Stoops said he was looking forward to Ndulue's return from suspension. I know Ndulue registered a team-high five sacks last year.
But didn't OU's defensive line function pretty well without him last week? What are they gonna do, bench Jordan Phillips? Charles Tapper? Eric Striker? Not after the way they played.
Ndulue should get on the field. Just don't expect it to be every down.
2 – Blake Bell
If the Sooners open up a margin, he'll get in to mop up. That's all. It's the same as last week. OU needs Knight to take snaps and develop confidence.
What they don't need, if the opener is any indication, is the Belldozer formation.
Must be awfully tough to be Bell right now.
3 – The Pride
At one point during last week's halftime show, OU's band gave us their salute to Maude.
I can only assume they'll follow up Saturday night with something from the Flip Wilson Show.
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