The Oklahoma Sooners managed to scrape out a narrow victory against the Houston Cougars on Saturday night, a game that many had expected to be a comfortable win for the Sooners. Despite being nearly 30-point favorites, Oklahoma won by just four points in a game that was tough to watch, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Oklahoma’s offense, which had already struggled in their 51-3 victory over the Temple Owls, was even less effective against Houston. The team’s performance was so lackluster that head coach Brent Venables highlighted an unlikely hero: the punter.
Venables: “We did enough things wrong to lose… I’m coming into the press conference and bragging about our punter…” #Sooners
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) September 8, 2024
“We did enough things wrong to lose… I’m coming into the press conference and bragging about our punter,” Venables said with a touch of irony after the game. His comments underscored the extent to which the offense faltered, to the point where the punter, Luke Elzinga, was arguably the standout player.
The Sooners’ offense has now converted just 5 of 26 third-down attempts this season, a glaring issue that has contributed to their struggles. This inefficiency has led to frequent appearances by Elzinga, who has had to punt far more than desired.
Venables’ praise of Elzinga, while genuine, reflects the frustration with the offensive performance. It’s a tough position for any coach to be in, having to highlight the punter’s contributions over the offensive unit’s shortcomings. As the Sooners look to correct their offensive issues, they’ll need to show significant improvement to avoid further criticism and potential discontent from their fans.
