✌🏽 Happy Wednesday, friends. Let’s ride.

🤔 Trivia: When was the last time Texas ranked inside the AP Top 10 entering the Red River Showdown in Dallas? [Answer in footnotes]

🗣 Riley speaks

OU coach Lincoln Riley met with reporters Tuesday to discuss the Red River Showdown, confirming for the fifth consecutive year he does, in fact, enjoy coaching in the unique game and that there’s few rivalries like it.

With pleasantries out of the way, here were the highlights from Riley’s news conference:

• On tackling issues against Kansas State: “I felt like we tackled pretty well this season up until last Saturday. In Manhattan, we didn’t. We did not tackle as well as we needed to, especially in the open field. … I think, at times, we didn’t leverage the ball correctly, at times [we] were too hesitant in the open field, gave up a little too much space in coverage. There are a number of things that lead up to it, but we know we’re going to have to tackle better.”

• On Texas QB and Oklahoma native Casey Thompson: “It’s our rivals, so you never wish too much good upon them but it has been fun for me to see Casey do well. It really has. It’s no surprise. I think he made the most of his opportunity last year in the bowl game, played very well and obviously here from Game 3 on for them has played at a high level, done some really good things, moving around, throwing the ball well like he does.”

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• On redshirting and the four-game rule: “I think you want guys that want to come compete. But at the same time, I’ve talked to our team a lot about this. You have to be patient. Everybody’s path is different. You think about our team. You think about some of our more experienced or more prominent players [pointed to Spencer Rattler, Isaiah Thomas, Nik Bonitto, Jeremiah Hall, Tyrese Robinson and Marquis Hayes] … As far as the four-game [rule], I don’t think it’s as big of an impact right now because of the COVID year. I think it would have been a bigger impact — and maybe more of a conversation right now — had COVID not happened.”

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• Reflecting on last year’s strange OU-Texas game in front of a smaller crowd: “The ride in, and obviously the atmosphere and all that, was totally different. You know, both teams were in a weird place last year. I think we were both down a lot of people. It was kind of a little bit of a shell of ourselves, both teams. So, everything about it felt different until we kicked off. And then when we kicked off, it was like all the others.”

• A non-update injury update: “We hope to get some guys back, but I don’t know that there’s anything definitive I can give you right now.”

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🏈 About OU’s linebackers…

OU coach Alex Grinch was asked about the team’s linebackers on Tuesday.

It’s safe to say the group has underwhelmed so far in 2021, which is odd considering the experience and depth the position seemed to boast entering the year.

Grinch’s thoughts: “I thought last week, I didn't think we played as well, specifically in the pass game at the linebacker position. ... If you evaluate individual plays, there's certainly some highlight plays, some real positives from that group. From our run game standpoint, I certainly have been pleased. … It's a group that can play better. I think they expect to play better.”

The Sooner linebackers’ issues in coverage might not be as big of a factor against either Texas, or TCU next week. Both teams feature some of the country’s best running backs and will likely rely on them to carry the load.

It’s alarming, however, that Skylar Thompson, coming off of a week where K-State coach Chris Klieman thought it was unlikely he would play, lit up OU’s defense through the air.

Thompson’s numbers against Oklahoma: 320 passing yards, 29/41, 3 touchdowns

Forty-one passing attempts is the most Thompson’s thrown in a single game over his entire career, which dates back to 2017. His passing yards mark only the second time he’s thrown for more than 300 yards in a single game (the first time came against OU last season). Finally, Thompson’s three touchdown passes mark just the third time in his career he’s had that many passing TDs in one game (the others came against Iowa State and Oklahoma State.

Clearly, K-State saw something in OU’s defense to let Thompson sling it. It’d be wise to think offensive-minded Steve Sarkisian sees the same things.

🔮 Williams sets commitment date

Tulsa Booker T. Washington product Gentry Williams will make his commitment on Oct. 18.

The consensus four-star cornerback is the No. 37 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He is the eighth-ranked cornerback and top-ranked player from Oklahoma.

His final four: Oklahoma, Florida, Southern Cal, Missouri

What are OU’s chances?: Strong. Both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com favor Oklahoma to land Williams.

Why this is important: OU’s struggled recently with landing elite in-state talent on the defensive side of the ball, most notably whiffing on Ohio State’s Josh Proctor and Michigan’s Dax Hill. This would be a major win for defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who has already landed pledges from Broken Arrow safety Robert Spears-Jennings and Tulsa Union cornerback Jayden Rowe. Spears-Jennings and Rowe are both three-star prospects.

OU's 2022 commitments

📖 Read options

• ⭐️ Must-read: Eric Bailey on the relationship between Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and OU assistant Dennis Simmons, who both played at BYU. [via Tulsa World]

• Notre Dame, Oklahoma and the battle over 'Play Like A Champion Today' [via ESPN]

• OU projected to make College Football Playoff semifinals as No. 4 seed. [via CBS Sports]

• Lincoln Riley: Changes at Texas are 'Not Drastic' [via SI Sooners]

⏰ On this day

It’s been 20 years since Roy Williams’ iconic “Superman” play, which punctuated Oklahoma's 14-3 win over Texas in Dallas.

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