How Oklahoma Running Game Can Repeat Its Success Against Iowa State

OU's offensive line will face a stingy Cyclones defense looking to keep the Sooners' rushing attack from breaking out.

NORMAN — This could be the week that Oklahoma's offensive line plays its most complete game of the season and the rushing attack finally gets on track.

While the statistics may not be in the Sooners' favor, recent history is.

The last time the Sooners (4-0 overall, 1-0 Big 12) faced Iowa State, the offense rushed for 182 yards against a defense that entered the game allowing just 105.3 yards rushing per contest.

Through four games in 2023, the Cyclones (2-2, 1-0) are allowing an average of 115.2 yards rushing.

Oklahoma's rushing attack is averaging less than four yards per carry and managed a season-low 103 yards on the ground against Cincinnati on Saturday.

Can the Sooners' run game once again break through against the Cyclones when the teams square off at 6 p.m. Saturday inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

Center Andrew Raym said he likes OU's chances.

"It’s a tough team coming in," Raym said Tuesday after practice. "They put up a good fight each time they come into Norman. "But we got a great game plan and we feel confident as an o-line and as a unit and as an offense. So we’re going into the game feeling pretty good.”

For Raym, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound senior from Broken Arrow, there's more to consistent o-Line play than overpowering the opponent.

“It’s not about being physical or guys wanting to have the run game," he said. "It’s just about being down into the details. We’ve got to have people (lined) up correctly. We’ve got to block things correctly and we’ll be fine. Run game? We’ll lock in for you guys.”

Raym said it's more about the focus than the physicality.

"Like I said, it has nothing to do with us being physical or us wanting to go out there and beating on somebody," he said. "It’s all about what people are thinking pre-snap and who people are reading. We just gotta go to the right guys. That’s the No. 1 thing.”

Raym, Walter Rouse, McKade Mettauer and Tyler Guyton played all 75 snaps against Cincinnati. Left guard Troy Everett, the other starter on the offensive line against the Bearcats, played 65 snaps.

Everett, a 6-foot-3, 294-pound transfer from Appalachian State who started six games at center for the Mountaineers in 2022, has increased his value at OU by playing multiple positions.

“I think he’s handled it perfectly," Raym said. "Like you said, he hasn't gotten many of those left guard reps (in practice) yet. He’s out there on game day playing in it. But I love Troy. Troy’s got a motor. Troy loves to play ball. Troy loves to get his hat on people. And he’s just an all around good football player. He’s fun to play next to.” 

While the offensive line works to improve run game production, the unit has had success protecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

The Sooners rank eighth nationally through four games by allowing just 0.8 sacks per contest (one opponent sack against SMU and two by Cincinnati).

It remains to be seen if the run game can find success Saturday against a stingy Iowa State defense.

"I don’t know if this provides that opportunity," head coach Brent Venables said Tuesday during his weekly press conference. "I mean, every week is a season of its own. The scheme that you play against has a different type of focus. But at the end of the day, you still want come off the ball and know who to target and move people. This is still a game of leverage and inertia and physicality and precision. 

"We’ve had good game control — what I like through four games. So we’ve had very few drives that guys were just right on and right off the field. Some of those have been three-and-out. Some of the three-and-outs might look different at times this year. When we have had those. Which hasn’t been a lot. Obviously any offense strives for balance and we want, again, more efficiency on what we’re doing in regards to the run game."

Everett, a redshirt sophomore, said the biggest challenge for the offensive line group moving forward will be focusing on the goals ahead.

"Can’t get too high, can’t get too low," he said. "You’ve gotta remember that every single day you’re gonna learn something new. It’s not always gonna be perfect and once you remember that, you keep learning and keep getting better. 

"I think you won’t be fully complete — people are gonna say it — in my opinion you’re never gonna be the full, complete team until you’re closer to the end because you’re learning new things every single day. It doesn’t matter who you go against.”

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