OU football grades vs Navy: Sooners drop the ball (over and over) in Armed Forces Bowl
Joe MussattoThe Oklahoman
FORT WORTH, Texas — As far as minor bowls go, you can’t ask for a much better game than what Oklahoma and Navy played Friday afternoon in the Armed Forces Bowl.
The Midshipmen held on for the 21-20 win, denying the Sooners on a last minute 2-point conversion attempt.
An Armed Forces Bowl record crowd of 50,754 was on hand at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Let’s get to the grades.
OU drops: F
Seven of them. That’s the number of “clean drops” OU had Friday, according to Sooner coach Brent Venables.Felt like 17.
Freshman receiver Zion Kearney had an especially costly drop just before halftime on a deep pass that would’ve set the Sooners up for a field goal, at least. Michael Hawkins Jr. underthrew the ball, but Kearney was in position to catch it.
To his credit, Kearney did have an impressive catch and run on a 56-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
It wasn’t the smoothest day for the Zions, as fellow freshman Zion Ragins dropped a flea flicker late in the third quarter.
Running backs Gavin Sawchuk and Sam Franklin also combined for multiple drops.
Freshman Ivan Carreon was the surest-handed Sooner. He had seven receptions for 72 yards — both team highs.
Carreon, at 6-foot-6 and 223 pounds, looks like a player. Seems like he’d be an upgrade to OU’s tight ends group if he made the switch.
OU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.: B+
Michael Hawkins Jr. jetted left on a designed rollout, saw no one open and reversed field. Now running right, from one sideline to the other, Hawkins launched a pass off his back foot. The looping ball hit Kearney in stride for a 56-yard score.Hawkins skipped down the field to celebrate after his brilliant bit of improvisation.
All in all, Hawkins was solid Friday. He threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns while completing 65% of his passes — and that includes the seven drops. Hawkins ran for 61 yards on a team-high 17 attempts.
Hawkins led OU on a game-tying drive, tossing a touchdown pass to tight end Jake Roberts before OU’s failed 2-point conversion.
Hawkins fumbled on a quarterback keeper in the third quarter, but it didn’t cost the Sooners. Navy missed a field goal on its ensuing drive.
Luke Elzinga fake punt pass: A+
Has anyone checked Luke Elzinga’s passer rating? It’s near-perfect.The Sooners ran a spiffy fake punt in the second quarter. Elzinga fielded the punt and took a few steps forward before dumping the ball off to Woodi Washington for a 28-yard fourth-down conversion.
The Sooners didn’t pay off the fake punt with points. Freshman running back Xavier Robinson was stopped on fourth-and-1 from the Navy 20-yard line later in the drive.
The normally-reliable Elzinga was a better passer than punter Friday. He shanked a punt late in the second quarter that went all of 11 yards. He was better on his second punt, pinning Navy on its own 4-yard line.
Defending Navy’s passing game: D
Navy caught the Sooners sleeping on a third-and-long conversion that extended the Midshipmen’s opening drive.Navy receiver Nathan Kent ran wide open down the near sideline, adjusting in the air to make a great catch. With a better throw from quarterback Blake Horvath, Kent might have scored.
Horvath, who had a heroic 95-yard touchdown run, could’ve had a much, much bigger day through the air had he not missed badly on several throws.
After Navy forced a fumble late in the third quarter, Horvath overthrew a wide open Brandon Chatman for what would’ve been a go-ahead touchdown.
You don’t expect Navy to beat you with the pass, but the Midshipmen would’ve done just that had Horvath been more on target.
More:OU football crumbles vs Navy in Armed Forces Bowl loss after hot start | 5 takeaways
OU running back Gavin Sawchuk: B+
Gavin Sawchuk rushed for 37 yards on OU’s opening drive — more than half of Sawchuk’s season-long rushing total (61).Sawchuk’s 21-yard touchdown run to close the drive was his first score of the season. It also marked his longest run of the year.
It was a surprise to see Sawchuk get the start. He was OU’s best back Friday, rushing for 67 yards on 5.2 yards per carry.
More:Brent Venables excited about QB John Mateer joining OU football: 'He'll make us better'
Sooners on fourth down: D
Twice in the first half the Sooners were stuffed on fourth-and-1.OU finished 2-of-4 overall on fourth down, but those early fourth-down failures were serious momentum killers for the Sooners.
More:R Mason Thomas still weighing decision to return to OU football team in 2025
Predictive coin toss: A
Some might say the game was over before it even started.Heading into Friday, the winner of the coin toss had won 12 of the last 13 Armed Forces Bowls.
Navy won the toss Friday, extending the trend to 13 of the last 14.
More:Navy football coach Brian Newberry shares 'pretty neat' bond with Oklahoma father and son
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
