Why hasn’t OU football found success with big passing plays? Jeff Lebby calls it ‘frustrating’

NORMAN — Dillon Gabriel scrambled to his left as he looked downfield.

The redshirt junior quarterback was trying to make a play for OU, which trailed 24-21 late in the second quarter of a game against Baylor on Nov. 5. With a defensive lineman closing in, Gabriel heaved the ball off one foot toward Jalil Farooq.

But it never got to him. Baylor’s Lorando Johnson stepped in front of Farooq to tip the ball, and Christian Morgan made the diving interception. It marked the third interception of the day for Gabriel, and the Sooners went on to suffer a 38-35 loss.

Successful deep balls have been hard to come across for OU this season, especially as of late. Gabriel has completed 28 passes of at least 20 yards, but only four of those completions have come in the Sooners’ last three games.

“We’ve got to create more chunks in the throw game,” offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said. “That has not gone our way here the last few weeks, to say the least. So we’ve got to make those plays.”

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Nov 12, 2022; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) celebrates with teammates on the sidelines during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

OU’s amount of explosive passing plays hasn’t just declined in the past few weeks. It has declined throughout the past few seasons.

OU recorded 67 passes of at least 20 yards in 14 games during the 2019 season. The Sooners were led by Jalen Hurts.

OU then completed 52 passes of at least 20 yards in 11 games during the 2020 season. Spencer Rattler ran that offense.

Finally, OU completed 38 passes of at least 20 yards in 13 games last season. Rattler and Caleb Williams split time at quarterback.

“I’m surprised that we haven’t created more chunks in the throw game,” Lebby said. “Without a doubt… That’s surprising and frustrating.”

Gabriel isn’t fully to blame for OU’s lack of explosive passing plays, of course.

More:OU football: ‘Frustrating’ offensive performance puts Sooners in tough spot

The UCF transfer missed about half of OU’s Week 5 loss to TCU due to a concussion, which sidelined him for the entirety of the following week’s loss to Texas. The Sooners were forced to turn to backup quarterback Davis Beville, who didn’t record a passing play of at least 20 yards during Gabriel’s absence.

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OU’s receivers have also failed to haul in deep balls that were thrown well by Gabriel.

A prime example came during the team’s most recent loss to West Virginia. The Sooners were scoreless midway through the second quarter when Gabriel heaved a ball toward Marvin Mims, who had blown past his man.

The junior wide receiver had an easy path to the end zone for what would’ve been a 46-yard touchdown, but the ball slipped through his hands and fell to the ground.

“If you go back and you watch it, there’s been great opportunities where we have not connected,” Lebby said. “It’s frustrating because you got a chance to get away from these guys at times and multiple games where we don’t.”

Gabriel and the Sooners’ receivers will look to have more success this weekend.

OU is set to host Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The Cowboys’ defense is surrendering a conference-worst 452.9 yards per game this season.

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Brent Venables, coordinators speak on University of Virginia shooting

OU head coach Brent Venables expressed his condolences Monday following a recent shooting at the University of Virginia.

Three Virginia football players were killed on a bus Sunday after returning to campus from a field trip. The suspect, ex-Virginia football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., was taken into custody Monday.

Virginia head coach Tony Elliott was on Clemson’s staff when Venables arrived as the defensive coordinator in 2012, and the two remained there until 2021. OU defensive coordinator Ted Roof was a defensive analyst at Clemson in 2021.

“On behalf of the University of Oklahoma football family, I send prayers, love and support to Coach Elliott and the entire Virginia football family and university community,” Venables said via Twitter. “We are devastated and heartbroken for the families and everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy.”

Lebby began his Monday media availability with a statement about the tragedy.

“I just want to express our sympathies for UVA football and their football family with everything that has gone on and transpired up there,” Lebby said. “I cannot imagine being in the building today and going through what they’re going through.”

Defensive coordinator Ted Roof did the same.

“I’ll start off with expressing condolences for the University of Virginia, their football program and the people associated with that, especially the families of those men that were lost yesterday,” Roof said. “Wow. Heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to them. It’s just a terrible tragedy and certainly an awful, awful thing.”

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OU vs. Texas Tech kickoff time

The Big 12 announced its Week 13 kickoff times on Monday. OU will face Texas Tech on the road at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 26. The game will be available on FS1.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: Jeff Lebby calls lack of big passing plays ‘frustrating’