Oklahoma-Tennessee Review: NCAA Stats, PFF Grades, Redshirt Report and More

Looking back at the game and diving into Pro Football Focus' grades and snap-count totals reveals even more about the Sooners' loss to Tennessee.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma Sooners have played an SEC game. 

The Sooners lost their conference opener to sixth-ranked Tennessee 25-15 on Saturday in Norman. It was OU’s first loss of 2024, and it came in the program’s inaugural SEC game to a former national championship-winning quarterback of the Sooners in front of a primetime national audience. And in the midst of all those storylines, another headline was created as starting quarterback Jackson Arnold was bench for freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. Overall, as OU coach Brent Venables said afterward, it was a “disappointing” night for the Sooners, especially in the first half before a late surge in the second half. 

“Just gotta get better,” Venables said postgame. “We can put our heads down and go right back to work. We have, obviously, a quarterback, and evaluate that and figure out who the best guy is to help us get to No. 4 – find our fourth win. We’ll put everything we got into getting ready, dust ourselves off and go right back at it. We got a good enough team to still have a really good year. We got a lot of football in front of us, but we got a lot of improvement to make, as well. That kind of goes without saying.” 

Here’s a look at some OU numbers – NCAA statistics, Pro Football Focus grades and snap counts – coming off the Sooners’ loss to Tennessee. 

NCAA Statistics 

After four weeks, OU is still just barely inside the top 25 in total defense at No. 25 while giving up 264.7 yards a game on average. OU’s last opponent, Tennessee, is second in that statistic, allowing 160.7 yards a game. 

As for total offense, the Sooners rank all the way down at 108th out of 133 teams. OU is averaging only 325.3 yards a game. South Carolina is the only SEC team that’s worse at 312.7 yards a game. 

One of OU’s top defensive statistics is fumbles recovered, where the Sooners are tied at the top with Air Force with six fumble recoveries. 

That has helped boost OU to be tied for second with three other teams in turnovers gained with 10. The Sooners also have the second-best turnover margin in all of FBS at +8, which is tied with California. 

Individually, R Mason Thomas is tied for 12th in the country with three total sacks. 

Linebacker Danny Stutsman has 33 total tackles, good enough to be tied for 12th in all of FBS in the stat and best from OU. He’s much higher in solo tackles, though, tied for third in the country with 21. 

Quarterback Jackson Arnold, who was benched Saturday, ranks 108th of 119 in yards per pass attempt at 5.63. 

Pro Football Focus

In a game where there was a quarterback switch, OU’s big guys played the most offensive snaps for the Sooners on Saturday, according to PFF. Starters Heath Ozaeta, Jacob Sexton, Febechi Nwaiwu, Branson Hickman and Michael Tarquin played all 73 snaps. Of the group, Ozaeta received the best grade from PFF at 55.1, followed by Nwaiwu (52.3), Tarquin (51.5), Hickman (50) and Sexton (45). 

The guy those linemen are blocking for gets the most attention, though. After being replaced in the second half, quarterback Jackson Arnold played 34 snaps, according to PFF, compared to Michael Hawkins Jr. with 39. Hawkins earned a much better grade in his first meaningful action at 51, while Arnold received a 32.3. 

At receiver, Brenen Thompson logged 60 snaps, along with Zion Ragins (50), Deion Burks (42), Jaquaize Pettaway (23), Zion Kearney (9), Nic Anderson (9) and JJ Hester (7). Pettaway got the best grade of the entire offense Saturday at 82.4, while Burks was second at 65.3. No other player received better than a 60. 

Jovantae Barnes led the way in the backfield with 54 snaps, followed by Taylor Tatum (11), Sam Franklin (9) and Gavin Sawchuk (7). Barnes not only played the most but also the best, at least according to PFF, with a grade of 59.9, which was third-best on offense. 

Defensively, defensive backs Robert Spears-Jennings and Billy Bowman Jr. played the most snaps at 70. Cornerback Kani Walker was right behind them with 69. Others in the secondary included Peyton Bowen (64), Dezjhon Malone (40), Woodi Washington (39), Kendel Dolby (15), Eli Bowen (14), Michael Boganowski (6), Jacobe Johnson (3) and Jaydan Hardy (2). Bowen had the best grade in the secondary at 80, with Dolby and Spears-Jennings right behind him at 76.7 and 76.4, respectively. Washington had the worst grade at 44.8. 

Down a level at linebacker it was Danny Stutsman (51), Kip Lewis (45), Samuel Omosigho (31), Trace Ford (27), Kobie McKinzie (24), Lewis Carter (22) and Jaren Kanak (8). PFF gave Carter and Ford the best grades on the entire defense as both earned a 90. 

On the defensive line, Ethan Downs led the way with 50, followed by Damonic Williams (41), Jayden Jackson (36), Da’Jon Terry (33), Gracen Halton (25), R Mason Thomas (20), Caiden Woullard (14), David Stone (4) and Ashton Sanders (2). Williams topped the defensive linemen, grading out at 74.5, followed by Halton at 71.9. 

Redshirt Report

With four weeks down, five OU freshmen have reached their four-game limit to redshirt – Jayden Jackson, David Stone, Jaydan Hardy, Michael Boganowski and Taylor Tatum. If any of these players see the field again before postseason play they will burn their redshirt for the year. 

A few others logged more action. Michael Hawkins Jr. was the most notable, coming in to replace Jackson Arnold at QB. It was Hawkins’ second appearance this season after debuting Week 1 against Temple. After not redshirting as a freshman, Arnold could still technically redshirt if he didn't see the field again this regular season.

Other freshmen getting in included receivers Zion Kearney and Zion Ragins. It was Ragins’ third game and Kearney’s second.