Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma Football News: Draft Scout Player News

10/13/19 - ILB Kenneth Murray, Jr/2020, Oklahoma

The Texas game got the Oklahoma defensive coordinator fired last year. This year, under first-year coordinator Alex Grinch, the No. 6 Sooners tied a school record with nine sacks among its 15 tackles for loss in a victory against the 11th-ranked Longhorns. For the first time in forever, the Sooners might have enough defense to win a playoff game - or two. Linebacker Kenneth Murray was everywhere and Texas managed just 310 yards and 4.24 yard per play. In two games against Texas last season, Oklahoma allowed 938 yards and 6.51 yards per play. Texas won the first meeting in 2018 at State Fair, and the day after coach Lincoln Riley fired Mike Stoops. Dumping Stoops did not make much of a difference, but Oklahoma's offense was good enough to win another Big 12 championship and get the Sooners into the playoff, where they got rolled by Alabama to fall to 0-3 in the CFP. Riley hired Grinch away from Ohio State in the offseason to try to come up with a solution.

Even a passable defense to combine with Riley's almost unstoppable offenses could make Oklahoma a real threat to Alabama and Clemson. The 39-year-old Grinch traces his roots to Division III powerhouse Mount Union. He really made a name for himself two seasons ago at Washington State. He got lost in the shuffle at Ohio State last season as co-coordinator of a defense that struggled. It's all his show now and the Sooners finally look like a team that can win when its offense has an off day - like Saturday, when Jalen Hurts had a couple of turnovers in the red zone that kept Texas close. "They did a really good job swarming the football," Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger said. - AP College Football

Jr/2020