The Oklahoma Sooners will be back at home this week. The South Carolina Gamecocks are coming to town, and in what's been a wild SEC season, you never know what will happen from week to week.
OU is looking to win consecutive games for the first time since last November, and it was at this point of last season that they really found their identity as a team. The Sooners need to go on a run to salvage what's been a disappointing season in Norman, but they've got a gauntlet of a schedule that they'll have to do it against.
First things first, OU needs to put together a good performance against the Gamecocks. As always, the Sooners will be looking to some of their stars to help get the job done.
Here are four players to watch for Oklahoma against South
Carolina.
1. Reggie Powers III, DB
Defensive back Reggie Powers III plays a very important role on Oklahoma's defense. As the starter at the Cheetah position, he is the ultimate chess piece that head coach and de facto defensive coordinator Brent Venables can move around the field to wreak havoc. In last week's win over Mississippi State, Powers played much further off the line of scrimmage than usual, in more of a third-safety role against the Bulldogs' run-and-shoot attack.
Powers could face a similar situation this week, despite leaving the game in Starkville with an injury. He looks to be back for this week, and South Carolina's offense has many similarities to MSU's. Last season, Kendal Daniels was one of Oklahoma's most underrated defensive weapons, and Powers could be headed down a similar path. His versatility and ability to play the pass and the run at his size make him a big factor in this game.
2. Taylor Wein, DL
Defensive lineman Taylor Wein was similarly moved around the field a lot against State, and his play could be a huge factor in determining the outcome on Saturday. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is one of the best scramblers in college football, and Wein, as the leaders of the defensive ends, can't let him break contain and hurt OU with his legs or with his arm.
Wein hasn't put up the same numbers yet that he did last year, but it was at about this time a year ago that he burst onto the scene, especially in the injury absence of R Mason Thomas. Another stretch run like that from Wein would only help to benefit an already good Sooner defense. OU's pass rush getting untracked and the overall defense forcing more havoc and turnovers would go a long way toward helping the offense.
3. Tate Sandell, K
Kicker Tate Sandell won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best kicker last year, but this season he's missed six field goals in seven games. That includes three misses on six attempts last week in Starkvegas. The Sooners wouldn't have made it to the College Football Playoff without Sandell's heroics last year, but he's missed at least one kick in four games this season.
Oklahoma's poor offensive play doesn't leave any room for error for the entire rest of the team against good opponents, and Sandell has to prove that he can be counted on for the stretch run. As OU's offense focuses more on scoring touchdowns than field goals, it's a safe bet that Sandell is going to be called upon to kick a lot of field goals over the next five weeks.
4. John Mateer, QB
Quarterback John Mateer had perhaps his best game as a decision-maker in an OU uniform last week. Now, the expectation is that he'll build on that success. This isn't the quarterback situation of two years ago in Norman. Mateer is capable; he's shown he can play well and even occasionally make the spectacular happen for the Oklahoma offense.
Taking care of the ball is a must for Mateer. When he doesn't turn the ball over, the Sooners can hang with a lot of teams, due to their defense. When he does, it takes all of OU's margins away. On the other hand, Mateer can't play indecisively or cautiously. Like he showed last week, he has the ability to rip some throws and give OU an advantage without giving the ball away. Now, he just has to keep doing that. It's a hard line to walk, but that's the deal when you're a starting quarterback in the SEC, and certainly at Oklahoma.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 4 players to watch for Oklahoma against South Carolina
