The Oklahoma Sooners continue to prepare for their Saturday night match-up with Kansas State. While the defense will certainly have its hands full with the Wildcats running game, it’s the Sooners offense that needs to stay on the field and score points.
It's game week,” said Oklahoma Offensive Tackle Lane Johnson. “Last week we got to relax a little bit and we had the weekend off. But yeah, this is game week and our focus has definitely changed a little bit.
"Yeah, last week, especially going against the defense, usually we go against scouts during game week but we went against the defense a few times Tuesday and Wednesday.”
"We put all of our focus on K-State [last week] and just went back to what we do in going against our defense,” said Johnson. “We worked hard on the inside run and pass rush drill. What we did was work on technique and try to get a jump on them."
While the Oklahoma defense has played fairly well, giving up just one touchdown during those first two games, it’s the offense that has sputter.
"It takes a few games to get back into game mode, to get into game rhythm,” said Johnson. “I think with each week we will just get better on offense. We're getting better with our timing and with the quarterback and receivers. The line is getting used to picking up different blitzes and stuff like that."
The Sooners will be facing a defense that was outstanding in their first two games, but did give up 21 to North Texas last week. Johnson says the Wildcats will be tough on defense.
"They play hard,” said Johnson. “Bill Snyder coaches their guys real well. They're technically sound; they're not going to mess up a lot of gaps on defense. They come full speed every play. You can't take them lightly at all."
Saturday night’s contest is quickly turning into one of the bigger games of the young season, something that is certainly not lost on the Sooners. For Johnson, playing in big games is why he came to Oklahoma.
"We've played in some pretty big games,” said Johnson. “But for home games for me, this is probably in the top two or three."
"O yeah [it’s intense] for sure, it's getting into our first big game. Its conference play and we want to kick it off right. Kansas State is a good football team. They're coming of a win over North Texas and are trying to get ready for us."
The Sooners and Wildcats kick off at 6:50 Saturday night at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
