The 2014 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 120th season of Sooner football. The team was led by two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award winner, Bob Stoops, in his 16th season as head coach. They played their home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They were a member of the Big 12 Conference.
Oklahoma entered the 2014 season ranked 4th in AP Poll and were projected to capture their first Big 12 title since 2012, finishing 1st in the Big 12 media poll. The Sooners won their first four games of the season, before being upset by then-No. 25 TCU. The team also lost to then-No. 14 Kansas State two weeks later & then to No. 10 Baylor, which was the first and only win in Norman for the Bears to date. The Sooners recovered and won their next two games, which included a record-setting performance from freshman running back Samaje Perine, who ran for 427 yards, which broke the single-game rushing record set a week prior by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon. They entered the season finale against Oklahoma State at 8–3 and ranked 18th in the AP Poll. However, the Sooners lost in overtime, giving the Cowboys their first win in Bedlam since 2011, which also earned them bowl eligibility and their first win in Norman since 2001. Oklahoma finished out the regular season with an 8–4 record, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place. The Sooners were invited to play in the Russell Athletic Bowl against the Clemson Tigers, where they were defeated by a score of 40–6.
Following the season, Jordan Phillips was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, along with Geneo Grissom in the third, Daryl Williams and Blake Bell in the fourth, and Tyrus Thompson and Aaron Ripkowski in the sixth.
Preseason
Recruits
Award watch lists
John Mackey Award Blake Bell Taylor McNamara
Lou Groza Award Michael Hunnicutt
Lombardi Award Eric Striker
Jim Thorpe Award Zack Sanchez
Butkus Award Frank Shannon Eric Striker
Maxwell Award Trevor Knight
Rimington Trophy Ty Darlington
Outland Trophy Daryl Williams
Davey O'Brien Award Trevor Knight
Chuck Bednarik Award Frank Shannon Eric Striker Charles Tapper
Walter Camp Award Trevor Knight
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Zack Sanchez Eric Striker Charles Tapper
Schedule
Roster
Depth chart
Game summaries
Louisiana Tech
Tulsa
Tennessee
West Virginia
TCU
Texas (Red River Showdown)
Kansas State
Iowa State
Baylor
Texas Tech
Kansas
Kickoff was delayed from the original start time of 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. due to lightning and thunderstorms in the vicinity of the University of Oklahoma. Oklahoma true freshman running back Samaje Perine broke the NCAA single-game rushing record in this game, recording 427 yards and five touchdowns on 34 carries. Perine broke Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon's record — which only stood for seven days — on a 42-yard run early in the fourth quarter. The yardage also allowed him to become OU's single-game leading rusher, breaking the mark previously owned by Greg Pruitt (294 yards vs. Kansas State, October 23, 1971). It was the third game of the season in which Perine rushed for more than 200 yards.
Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series)
Clemson (Russell Athletic Bowl)
Rankings
Statistics
Team
OU Opp Points per Game 36.4 25.9 First downs 293 264 Rushing 161 86 Passing 118 155 Penalty 14 23 Rushing Yardage 3,395 1,383 Rushing Attempts 557 458 Avg per Rush 6.1 3 Avg per Game 261.2 106.4 Passing Yardage 2,646 3,591 Avg per Game 203.5 276.2 Completions-Attempts 210-386 (54.4%) 287-510 (56.3%) Total Offense 6,041 4,974 Total Plays 943 968 Avg per Play 6.4 5.1 Avg per Game 464.7 382.6 Fumbles-Lost 12-7 19-7 OU Opp Punts-Yards 66-2,763 (41.9 avg) 89-3,489 (39.2 avg) Punt returns-Total Yards 15-87 (5.8 avg) 17-181 (10.6 avg) Kick returns-Total Yards 37-840 (22.7 avg) 26-554 (21.3 avg) Onside Kicks 0-1 (0%) 0-0 Avg Time of Possession per Game 30:20 29:40 Penalties-Yards 70-648 77-614 Avg per Game 49.8 47.2 3rd Down Conversions 72/178 (40.4%) 82/214 (38.3%) 4th Down Conversions 9/15 (60%) 9/17 (52.9%) Sacks By-Yards 32-204 9-58 Total TDs 62 43 Rushing 40 15 Passing 17 23 Fields Goals-Attempts 13-18 (72.2%) 14-18 (77.8%) PAT-Attempts 60-62 (96.8%) 37-40 (92.5%) Total Attendance 510,972 248,457 Games-Avg per Game 6-85,162 5-49,691
Most points given up in Stoops era Least sacks allowed since 2004 Smallest average margin of victory (10.5), least passing touchdowns and lowest passing completion percentage since 2005 Least rushing yards per game given up since 2006 Least passing completions and third down conversions since 2006 Highest passing completion percentage allowed since 2007 Least field goals made and attempted since 2008 Most rushing touchdowns since 2008 Most first downs, total touchdowns and passing completions given up since 2008 Least rushing first downs, rushing yards and yards per rush given up since 2009 Highest fourth down conversion rate allowed since 2009 Lowest field goal conversion rate since 2009
Scores by quarter
Most second quarter points allowed since 2008 Least second quarter points scored since 2009
Postseason
Coaching changes
On January 4, 2015, co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jay Norvell was fired. On January 6, 2015, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel was fired. On January 12, 2015, assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach Bobby Jack Wright announced his retirement from coaching. On January 12, 2015, East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley was hired as Oklahoma offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. On February 4, 2015, Washington State wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons was hired as Oklahoma outside receivers coach. On February 9, 2015, Notre Dame defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks was hired as Oklahoma defensive backs coach. On February 10, 2015, defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery left Oklahoma to become a defensive front assistant for the Green Bay Packers. On February 19, 2015, Stanford defensive assistant Diron Reynolds was hired as defensive line coach.
2015 NFL draft
The 2015 NFL draft was held at Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on April 30 through May 2, 2015. The following Oklahoma players were either selected or signed as free agents following the draft.
Player Position Round Overall Pick NFL teamJordan PhillipsNT2nd52Miami DolphinsGeneo GrissomDE3rd97New England PatriotsDaryl WilliamsOT4th102Carolina PanthersBlake BellTE4th117San Francisco 49ersTyrus ThompsonOT6th185Minnesota VikingsAaron RipkowskiFB6th206Green Bay PackersJulian WilsonCBUndraftedBaltimore RavensChuka NdulueNTUndraftedDenver BroncosDionte SavageGUndraftedMiami Dolphins
References