World News – US – Carlson: Why OU Football Needs Spencer Rattler To Get Through Its Fourth Quarter Growth Spurt

You could almost see the wheels spinning in the quarterback’s head earlier There was less than a minute on the game clock – 53 seconds to be exact – and the Sooners were down But if the OU defense could get a stop, the state of Iowa was going to have to dive deep into its own turf

That defensive stop, of course, didn’t materialize as has become the norm over the course of the fourth quarters, and while that may change on Saturday in the Red River rivalry, don’t hold your breath unless you are not comfortable with oxygen deprivation

On the Lincoln Riley and Co trouble list right now, Rattler is at the bottom of the page, if he’s not even there at allHe threw for almost a thousand yards and completed nearly three-quarters of his passing attempts in three games

“We’ve tried to stay really focused on… let’s really break this thing down into what it is, and the things that we do well, build on them,” Riley said “And he does a lot of things very, very well and honestly a little ahead in some areas maybe a little further than i would have guessed at this point »

And the area where he needs to improve is where it’s increasingly clear that the Sooners need him the most – the fourth quarter

His overall fourth quarter numbers were disappointing In his first two Big 12 games as a starter, Rattler is a combined 12 of 26 passes for 120 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and three sacks

The Sooners have been spoiled in recent years not only with offenses that have apparently scored at will, but also with quarterbacks that have produced late in games Baker Mayfield Kyler Murray Jalen Hurts Each of these guys managed to win ball games in the clutch, and they didn’t really need to learn how in Norman They had been rookies before they got to OU and have went through their growing difficulties in their previous schools, not in their graduation school

But that has changed with Rattler For as talented as he is – and he’s immensely talented – there will be some awkwardness as he comes to terms with all of this He will stumble at times He will fall on occasion

The good news is that there are signs that Rattler is already more stable in the fourth quarter.The sample size is of course small, but Rattler’s late-game performance is moving in the right direction

Against Kansas State, Rattler finished 4 of 12 for 48 yards in the fourth quarter No touchdown An interception Worse, the offense only managed three first downs in this final quarter

It didn’t do much to stem the purple tide engulfing the Sooners that day.The attack didn’t set up long, sustained practices that could have regained momentum and helped the defense

He finished 8 of 14 for 72 yards One touchdown, and he should have had a second but for a drop One interception, and the way the back of Charleston Rambo’s jersey was pulled, that pick could easily have been be canceled by a penalty

All of this is cause for optimism at a time when Sooners near and far are in desperate need of it Rattler may not be able to win any ball-in-the-clutch matches just yet, but he may not be. not be that far either

Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson @ oklahomancom Like her on facebookcom / JenniCarlsonOK or follow her on twittercom / jennicarlson_ok

Spencer Rattler left the field last week after loss to Iowa State The UO quarterback was better in the fourth quarter than the week before against Kansas State, but with a struggling defense, the Sooners need more help from Rattler [BRIAN POWERS / USA TODAY SPORTS]

Jenni Carlson, sports columnist for The Oklahoman since 1999, came honestly through her love of sports She grew up in a sports family in Kansas Her father was a baseball coach and color commentary on the radio for high school football

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Oklahoma Sooners football, University of Oklahoma, American football, Texas Longhorns football, Iowa State Cyclones football, Big 12 Conference, Lincoln Riley, Red River Showdown