One of the criticisms during Bob Stoops’ head-coaching reign at Oklahoma was the lack of a special teams coach on his staff. Many head coaches- notably Virginia Tech’s now-retired Frank Beamer, or even Big 12 patriarch Bill Snyder of Kansas State – believe that good special teams play can make a huge difference. Nothing like a kick or punt return for a touchdown to boost a team looking for a spark.
Oklahoma’s overall special teams performance in 2017 was lackluster, at best. The Sooners did not have any returns for touchdowns during the 2017 campaign, and one wonders if a return at the right moment might have made a difference sometime during the season, or especially in the postseason.