Sooners look to fix defense

NORMAN — Oklahoma can't fix what happened at Oregon, not the outcome anyway.

So it's time to shift attention back onto the other pressing item coming out of their trip to the Pacific Northwest: Can the Sooners fix their defense?

Three games have revealed too many leaks in a unit expected to be a strength — perhaps the strength — of this OU team. And so far, all attempts to patch up the problem areas and return this defense to Sooner standards have only brought frustration.

"It's like you stick your finger in one hole and it sprouts out of somewhere else," said OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

For any talk about Saturday foe Middle Tennessee, and there hasn't been much, there's an urgency to fix things by Oct. 7, when the Sooners play Texas in what will likely be the Big 12's game of the year.

The issues are clear enough: poor tackling, porous pass defense, lack of pressure on quarterbacks and free passage for enemy ball carriers. Not all the time, yet enough of the time to land the Sooners near the bottom of the national defensive statistical rankings.

The reasons behind those issues, considering seven full-time returning starters from a defense that ranked No. 4 nationally against the rush and 13th in total yards a year ago, are not so tangible.

"We came in with a lot of hype and we haven't lived up to it," said sophomore cornerback Reggie Smith, one of the few Sooners on defense who have consistently graded well.

OU coaches keep clinging to stretches of solid play as a sign that this defense can be good, if not great.

The Sooners surrendered 501 yards and 34 points to Oregon, yet stymied the Ducks during a span covering 51 minutes in which they allowed but 10 points. Then leaks sprung again, with Oregon scoring 14 points during a 26-second span in the final minutes.

The week before against Washington, after taking some hits early, OU's defense allowed just three first downs to the Huskies' on their first five post-halftime possessions. But just like against Oregon, there were late lapses, leading to a too-easy touchdown late. "When you look at it, we've been poor early and we've been poor very late," Stoops said. "There's a lot of good in between."

It's those stretches of good play that are being sold in meeting rooms and at practice.

"We definitely want to play four quarters and play four quarters strong," said defensive end Calvin Thibodeaux.

OU coaches are harping on fundamentals and technique. There are trouble areas, at defensive tackle where no one has emerged as a force; and at safety, a position where good tackling is mandatory, yet lacking with this crew. And the Sooners are on their third starting cornerback opposite Smith, with Marcus Walker due to open against Middle Tennessee.

Yet by just being better at the basics ? being in the right place and tackling -- there should be enough talent on hand for this defense to be good, if not great as expected.

"I still think we've got a chance to be good," said OU coach Bob Stoops. "I still believe there's a lot of potential."

The Sooners have been staggered by big plays early in games, possibly deflating their intensity.

Washington struck for a 54-yard scoring run on the first play from scrimmage. Oregon's second snap produced a 67-yard gain on a screen play OU had spent the week preparing for.

"Guys are playing hard, but not playing smart," Venables said.

OU coaches must hope that trait is temporary, a product of youth and inexperience. And not a reflection of the football IQs of their players.

Either way, Venables is entering a gray area ? inside a player's helmet ? in one appeal for improvement.

"As much as anything," Venables said, "it's reasoning with the players, showing them, ‘OK, here it is guys. Now, is that them, or is it us?'

"And it's so easy. For us to make the progress to improve we're capable of making, they have to own up to it. We as coaches do, too. That's the biggest thing, being able to reach them and translate it out on the field."

The Sooners rank last in the Big 12 in rushing defense (94th nationally) and total defense (97th).

"Stats are for bums, all that," Venables said. "We don't ever talk about stats. But I will say this, if somebody has balance, if they're able to run the ball and score points, and we're not able to respond and keep people out of the end zone, that's disgusting football.

"Right now, we're playing a disgusting defense. Not all the time, but enough to where it's very poor. And it's not our standard. And it's not our nature."