The Red River Shootout is here and Texas is not in the position they thought they would be. Oklahoma is sitting at #6 in the country and Texas is nowhere to be found in the Top 25. Arch Manning and the Texas offense looks all over the place while John Mateer looks like a Heisman favorite. Heading into this weekend, there are certain matchups Texas just has to win if they want to get this done.
Here are the battles I’m watching closely leading up to and during the game this weekend:
Steve Sarkisian vs. Brent Venables
This is the obvious one. Steve Sarkisian is going to be pushed to make some changes to his offense, but he’s staring down one of the best defensive minds in modern college football. Venables has maybe his best defense since arriving in Norman, and that is saying something. Can Sarkisian find openings for his struggling offense against the suffocating Oklahoma defense?
That relies on a number of factors, a lot out of Sarkisian’s control. Arch Manning needs to be decisive and accurate, the OL needs to run and pass block at a higher level and the playmakers need to, you know, make plays. Sarkisian can only draw up so many plays, the players have to execute. One way or another, we are getting a chess match between these playcallers. Who wins it will likely decide the outcome.
Brent Venables vs. “Inside Sources”
This is one that will wrap up before toe meets leather on Saturday. Brent Venables has been unwilling to reveal anything around the status of John Mateer, but that doesn’t go for the reporters around the program. It seems there is growing optimism around Sooner nation that Mateer will be ready to go in this game. Can Venables keep that under wraps prior to kickoff? I would bet the answer is no.
We will know if Mateer is going to play likely during the pregame shows on Saturday. Sarkisian has made it very clear that Texas is preparing for Mateer to play, which seems wise. Venables likely will not be able to fully win this battle, but can he keep Texas guessing on how close to 100% Mateer is? That is absolutely more feasible.
Texas OL vs. Oklahoma DL
This is the matchup that will get all the attention, rightfully, during the pregame shows. Texas’ OL gave up 35 pressures a week ago, which matched Florida’s total for the year up to that game. Oklahoma’s group up front is better than Florida’s, at least on paper, and figures to be even more of a handful. Saying anything with total confidence around this game is silly, considering its history, but I’d be willing to bet Oklahoma wins this battle.
The question is: how decisively does Oklahoma win it? That will depend on the Texas OL, but also Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian. Helping the group up front is a must in this game, but the OL needs to execute at a high level on Saturday. If they miss the mark, 35 pressures might be a fair estimation for this weekend.
Texas WRs vs. Oklahoma DBs
This will matter as much as Arch Manning and the Texas OL allow it to matter. Although Texas might not have a Xavier Worthy on this team, I still believe the group they have is plenty good. Emmett Mosley V coming back has a ton to do with that, considering it gives you a top 4 WRs that you can lean on. How will they matchup with the Oklahoma DBs? It’s sort of hard to say.
Against Auburn, the best WR core Oklahoma has seen by far this season, they did a relatively good job. Cam Coleman was able to make some plays, but if you’ve watched Cam Coleman, you understand that is almost a given. That said, Oklahoma also had 27 pressures in that game, according to PFF. Can the Texas OL and Sarkisian give Manning some time? If the answer is yes, there is success to be had. Answering yes to that is much easier said than done however.
Texas EDGEs vs. Oklahoma OTs
This is a fairly niche, but uniquely important, matchup in this game. Oklahoma’s run game sits on the shoulders of the QB, no matter who that ends up being. Getting Mateer on the outside and making plays with his legs is what makes that offense go, and Texas will need Colin Simmons and Ethan Burke to take that away as best they can.
To do that, they will have to battle Derek Simmons, redshirt senior transfer from Western Carolina and true freshman Michael Fasusi. Fasusi is showing early signs of being a star, but is still early in his career. Simmons has played fairly well against Michigan and Auburn, but has shown lapses at times. The Texas EDGEs are more likely to succeed in this matchup than they were last week, but they must play better and more physically in this game to get a better result. If Texas can’t hold the QBs in the pocket, this will be a long afternoon for the Texas defense.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Matchups to watch in Red River: Sarkisian vs. Venables chess match
Reporting by Tommy Bresee, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
