NORMAN, Okla. — In last season’s epic 54-48, quadruple-overtime Red River game, Texas running back Bijan Robinson touched the ball a mere seven times.
No. 6 Oklahoma won’t be so lucky this year.
Robinson, a sophomore and former five-star prospect, is averaging 23 touches per game for No. 21 Texas in new coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense. In the Longhorns’ 32-27 win last week at TCU, he rushed 35 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
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He came in second in The Athletic’s first 2021 Heisman Trophy straw poll.
“Bijan is a terrific player,” said Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley. “You watch him play and he does so many things well. He catches the ball well for them. He has big-play ability. He has really nice balance, acceleration and feel for the schemes they’re running. He’s a complete player, and he’s playing at a high level. They’re putting it in his hands a lot, and he’s produced.”
For the season, Robinson has rushed 105 times for 652 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s also caught 10 passes for 167 yards and two more scores.
Oklahoma ranks seventh nationally in run defense, allowing just 83.40 yards on the ground per game. West Virginia’s Leddie Brown rushed for 56 yards against the Sooners on Sept. 25 — the most of any opponent this season.
But with a back like Robinson, third and fourth downs could become an issue — and they have been an issue for the Sooners.
Last week, Kansas State converted 12 of 20 third- and fourth-down attempts against the Sooners. For the season, Oklahoma is allowing opponents to convert 63.16 percent of their fourth-down attempts. That ranks 100th in the FBS.
Texas ranks second in the FBS with a third-down conversion rate of 55.22 percent. The Longhorns are seven of 11 on fourth-down attempts this season.
All of those successful Kansas State third- and fourth-down attempts severely limited the Oklahoma offense, which had only three first-half possessions. The K-State game marked three consecutive weeks in which opponents successfully milked the clock and kept quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Sooners offense sidelined.
Riley said improvement early in defensive series would help, because it would affect field position and would mean opponents are less likely to go for it on fourth downs.
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“It’s so important as far as setting a tone,” Riley said. “We’ve done so many good things defensively this year, but we haven’t played our best early. It’s a big point of emphasis for us.”
What has to happen for the defense to be better on fourth down?
“Honestly, it’s as simple as we have to finish,” senior linebacker DaShaun White said. “We have to get off the field.”
A familiar opposing QB
Oklahoma coaches will see a familiar face Saturday lining up behind center for the Longhorns.
Junior Casey Thompson, who took over as Texas’ starting quarterback in Week 3 against Rice, has helped reignite the Texas offense.
Texas has scored on 26 of the 34 drives Thompson has led this season.
Thompson has completed 71 percent of his pass attempts for 707 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also rushed for 115 yards and three scores.
He played at Southmoore High in Moore, Okla., then transferred to Newcastle (Okla.) High School for his senior season. Riley and the Sooners offered Thompson and pursued him even after he’d committed to Texas, Thompson said this week. Instead, in the 2018 class, Oklahoma signed Tanner Mordecai, who has since transferred and is starring for SMU.
“Coach Riley and I had a great relationship in recruiting,” Thompson said. “I know this (Oklahoma) team, this coaching staff and these players like the back of my hand. I grew up with a lot of them. My dad personally knows some of them. But once I committed to Texas, my recruiting process was over with.”
Thompson’s father, Charles, was one of Barry Switzer’s last starting quarterbacks in the late 1980s. Casey’s older brother, Kendal, was a reserve quarterback for the Sooners from 2011 to 2013.
Thompson will become the first-ever Oklahoma high school quarterback to start for the Longhorns against the Sooners.
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“Obviously, we know that family very well, their history here, their history in this area,” Riley said. “It’s our rivals. You never wish too much good upon them, but it’s been fun for me to see Casey do well. It really has. … I don’t wish him success on Saturday. We’re going to get out there and compete against each other. But I’m happy for him. I’m glad he’s having success. And I’m not surprised.”
Red River, full-on
This year’s Red River game will feel a lot more like the traditional annual gatherings in Dallas.
Last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Fair of Texas was canceled and capacity inside the Cotton Bowl limited to 25 percent. This year, the fair is on, along with a full house, split beautifully down the middle between burnt orange and crimson.
I’ve already written a full-on love letter to the State Fair of Texas, so no need to rehash that. You should, though, check out the list of new fair foods. I can’t wait to try some of them.
But on to the more pressing issue: How will a full house affect those actually playing and coaching in the game? Many of the Sooners and Longhorns who will play Saturday haven’t experienced Red River in its full glory.
“The ride in and the atmosphere was totally different,” Riley said of last year. “Both teams were in a weird place last year. We were both down a lot of people. We were a little bit of a shell of ourselves — both teams. Everything about it felt different until we kicked off.
“When we kicked off, it was like all the others. Both teams left it all out there. The different momentum swings that you typically see in this game were obviously present. It was a nice, warm, muggy day in Dallas, like we always seem to get. I see we have another one coming, which is good.”
Last year, it was eerie watching the buses arrive in Fair Park without supporters and foes alike greeting the teams.
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“I’m really excited for that walk down the tunnel, the side to side, half orange/half red,” said senior defensive end Isaiah Thomas. “I’m excited for that experience again because I know a lot of people don’t get to experience it. This being one of the greatest rivalries in sports history — not just college history — it’ll be one that we’ll remember just like every OU-Texas game.”
Injury update
Oklahoma is still hopeful that it will get a couple of key defenders back from injury this week. Senior safety Delarrin Turner-Yell — a three-year starter — injured his hamstring against West Virginia and missed last week’s Kansas State game.
Freshman linebacker Danny Stutsman injured his arm in Oklahoma’s Sept. 11 game against Western Carolina and hasn’t played since. Stutsman is expected to take on a prominent role in the linebacker rotation once healthy.
“I don’t know that there’s anything definitive I can give you right now,” Riley said Tuesday. “But we’re going to have to be ready. If it’s the unit we had for Kansas State, then that’s it. If we get some guys back, that’s great. Couple guys progressing.”
Redshirt watch
Oklahoma has now played five games, and several freshmen are no longer eligible to redshirt because they’ve played in all five: DE Ethan Downs, CB Latrell McCutchin, S Jordan Mukes and WR Mario Williams.
Here are the freshmen who can still redshirt in 2021, with number of games played in parentheses: NB Billy Bowman (4), OL Savion Byrd (1), WR Jalil Farooq (1), DL Kelvin Gilliam (3), DB Damond Harmon (2), WR Cody Jackson (2), OL Cullen Montgomery (0), LB Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge (0), LB Clayton Smith (2), Stutsman (2), QB Caleb Williams (2).
(Photo of Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey: Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)