This week, OU takes on Tennessee in the first game of a challenging SEC schedule.
Butch Jones undoubtedly remembers Oklahoma’s thrilling victory over his Tennessee squad in 2015.
The Volunteers’ coach from 2013–17 told the Tulsa World, “It still haunts me to this day.”
In double overtime, the Sooners overcame a 17-3 fourth-quarter deficit to win 31-24. Two years later, Baker Mayfield, an unlikely Heisman Trophy winner, took the country by storm. In Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, the sold-out crowd of 102,455 set a record for noise level (114 dB).
And as he gets ready to lead Arkansas State against Brent Venables and the No. 20 Sooners at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Norman, Jones—who is 0-3 against OU in his career—remembers it all too well.
Jones adds, “If you go back and look at that Oklahoma football team, I think they went on to finish 11-2 and 8-1 in conference play and then went to the College Football Playoff.” “At the end of the season, a football team never really discovers who they are, and looking back, we faced one of the top four teams in the country.”
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That game served as an excellent gauge for Tennessee, according to Jones, following a lackluster 34-10 loss to Bob Stoops and Oklahoma in Norman in 2014.
As soon as play began, Jones took use of his knowledge of Oklahoma’s new offensive coordinator, Lincoln Riley, whom he had studied under at East Carolina and had entertained as a potential Volunteer. According to Jones, “there wasn’t anything that we weren’t prepared for,” including abrupt touches and tempo changes.
OU’s offensive skill was still too much to handle. In the backfield are Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon. Dede Westbrook and Sterling Shepard are spread wide. In the quarterback position, Mayfield, a former walk-on, gave the Sooners hope when they needed it most by directing two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to equalize the score.
Jones recalls that in the first overtime, Mayfield was able to roll himself into the end zone after missing the handoff on a 4th-and-1 zone concept from the 1-yard line. Jones stated, “I think the entire country found out truly who Baker Mayfield was” as a result of that day’s demonstration of resolve.
Jones continued, “He wanted that football team to win.” “You look at passing metrics, it wasn’t very impressive, but what he did accomplish, especially in the fourth quarter, is that I think they converted a good percentage of third and fourth downs. And he gave it his best, breaking tackles, scrambling, and seeming to be driven to win.
OU won the game after Mayfield hit Shepard with an 18-yard touchdown throw in the second overtime period. Three plays later, Sooners cornerback Zack Sanchez picked off Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs to seal the victory.
Eric Striker, a linebacker for OU, had asked earlier that week why the media always exaggerates the SEC. He remarked, “I don’t know why people always blow gas up their ass.”
Jones objected to Striker’s post-game celebrations on the pitch. “Hey Eric, you’re a helluva player, but have some damn class,” the Tennessee coach grabbed him.
Cameron Sutton and Butch Jones (copy)
In 2013–2017, Butch Jones served as Tennessee’s head coach.
An AP file
Recalling the conversation, Jones remarked, “I’ve completely forgotten about that.” Now I kind of laugh at it. He actually values the “violence and tenacity” Striker exhibited while playing for the Sooners.
Jones stated that the game eight years later is representative of Oklahoma’s regular experiences when it joins the SEC in 2024.
There aren’t any weeks off. Rather, a formidable rival awaits you in every stadium, and a packed house gives you a significant home-field advantage. Coaches struggle year after year to find and nurture players, deliver on Saturdays, and withstand criticism.
According to Jones, “life in the SEC is like fourth and one for the national championship every single day,” and anyone who has coached in the conference can attest to the true meaning of the conference’s motto, “It just means more.”
However, Jones thinks that Oklahoma’s aspirations, history, tradition, and national brand should help it adjust to the SEC well. Can you provide Venables some guidance as he guides OU into this new frontier?
“Brent doesn’t need my help, and I have a lot of respect for what he’s been able to accomplish,” Jones remarked. He must have everything worked out. Looking at his background, you can see that he has won national titles. He has engaged in elite competition. He certainly knows exactly what that means.
“I know he’s going to be just fine when he transitions into that.”
Jones remembers 2010 OU-Cincinnati.
Jones also lost at OU while serving as head coach of Cincinnati in 2010. The Sooners won 31-29 at the Cincinnati Bengals’ Paul Brown Stadium (now Paycor Stadium).
Three fumbles and an interception plagued the Bearcats. They also had Isaiah Pead’s 77-yard third-quarter rush ruled down and called back.
Venables, in his second-to-last year as OU defensive coordinator, had Jeremy Beal, Travis Lewis, and Tony Jefferson on the field.
“The multiple looks that your players and coaches have to be prepared for, communication becomes a premium,” Jones said of playing against a Venables defense. “They do an excellent job of influencing the quarterback with their various fronts, pressures, and coverage schemes.
“Everything is about creating havoc and impacting the quarterback, and that’s what you saw from them last year with the volume of interceptions and the amount of turnovers that their defenses always generate.”
Arkansas State’s goals vs Oklahoma
What’s in store for Jones and Arkansas State in this Oklahoma showdown, aside than a $1.35 million payout?
Jones has gone 2-10 and 3-9 in his first two seasons in Jonesboro, rebuilding the team from “ground zero.”
He wants his youthful team to strive for that goal in the years ahead as the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams and offers opportunities for Group of Five schools in 2024.
Saturday’s game isn’t a Top 25 showdown like OU-Tennessee in 2015, but it will be a strong test of Jones’ growth.
“It’s going to be a terrific barometer, against us,” Jones said. “of coming into a tremendous college football environment, playing a Top 25 football school and kind of seeing where we’re at.
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