After the Oklahoma Sooners fell to the Michigan Wolverines, 17-10, on Saturday, the criticism went to the offense. That makes sense, as Oklahoma scored only 10 points and racked up 289 yards of total offense.
Despite the offensive struggles, the defense wasn't happy with its performance either. The defense allowed just 263 yards of total offense, including under 100 yards in the second half. But the Sooners struggled with some of the basics, like tackling and taking the correct angles.
Defensive tackle Jayden Jackson said they have to be better as a unit.
"We see it," Jackson said via OU Insider. "You know, just doing our job. I keep saying little things, because that is what we lack at the end of the day. You know, we've got to be better. We've
all seen it."
The problem for Oklahoma is that good defenses have to capitalize when opportunities arise. Oklahoma had a chance to create turnovers and make stops behind the line of scrimmage, but the Sooners consistently didn't finish those plays. Against a team like Michigan, those small details can be the difference between winning and losing.
That makes Jackson's comments particularly important heading into the rest of the season. The defense doesn't appear to believe it needs a complete overhaul. Instead, Oklahoma needs cleaner execution from a unit that has already shown it can limit quality opponents.
The Sooners will face the New Mexico Lobos next before the schedule gets tougher. If Oklahoma wants back in the College Football Playoff conversation, the defense has to turn Jackson's "little things" into strengths. The Sooners don't need to completely reinvent themselves; they need to stop giving opponents opportunities to exploit the details.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Sooners' Jayden Jackson on the defense: 'We've got to be better'
