Oklahoma's PFF Grades, Snap Counts for the Sooners' Season Opening Shutout over UTEP

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NORMAN — The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners scored half-a-hundred for the first time since 2024 and produced their third shutout of the Brent Venables era.

With much of the offseason chatter revolving around the offense and the new personnel the staff brought into the fold, the Sooners looked crisp and clean against an inferior opponent in the UTEP Miners. Pro Football Focus' grades give the offense a great look to start off the year.

John Mateer, who graded out with a 77.7 overall rating on 42 snaps, was efficient. He threw for three scores on 11-17 passes. Mateer attacked the field, scoring on explosive plays, while looking calm in a somewhat no-look dynamic going under center.

The running backs certainly looked like a group that had been reminded all offseason about the improvement that was needed. Lloyd Avant (76.3 grade on 25 snaps) got the nod to start for OU while Xavier Robinson (67.6 on 20 snaps) and Jonathan Hatton Jr. (59.9 on four snaps) logged carries with the starters.

Isaiah Sategna (90.6 on 20) had an exciting evening with an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown after UTEP's first drive stalled at a three-and-out. In addition, he also nabbed a 34-yard touchdown pass from Mateer in the third quarter. Sategna's 90.6 grade led the offense.

Noah Best made the first start center for a true freshman since Ty Darlington in 2012. Despite his inexperience, Best had a fantastic first collegiate game, grading out as the fifth best on offense with a 80.1 grade on 42 snaps.

Here are the snap counts and PFF grades for the Sooners' offense:

Offense

WR Isaiah Sategna III, 20 snaps (90.6 overall grade)
TE Hayden Hansen, 37 (88.2)
TE Rocky Beers, 29 (84.2)
LT Fred Hinton, 15 (83.1)
RG Noah Best, 42 (80.1)
QB John Mateer, 42 (77.7)
TE Trynae Washington, 23 (76.7)
RB Lloyd Avant, 25 (76.3)
RT Peyton Joseph, 27 (74.6)
LG Eddy Pierre-Louis, 50 (73.7)
RT Deacon Schmitt, 17 (72.1)
LG Heath Ozaeta, 40 (69.7)
WR Trell Harris, 29 (68.5)
C Caleb Nitta, 31 (67.8)
RB Xavier Robinson, 20 (67.6)
C Gunnar Allen, 5 (67.2)
RB Ben McCreary, 6 (66.0)
WR Elijah Thomas, 12 (64.9)
QB Whitt Newbauer, 14 (64.1)
RT E'Marion Harris, 42 (64.0)
WR Jahsiear Rogers, 6 (60.5)
WR Trey Brown, 4 (60.3)
WR Xavier Okwufulueze, 2 (59.9)
RB Jonathan Hatton Jr., 4 (59.9)
LT Darius Afalava, 2 (59.9)
C Owen Hollenbeck, 2 (59.9)
WR Parker Livingstone, 19 (59.3)
LT Michael Fasusi, 17 (58.5)
WR Jacob Jordan, 5 (57.5)
WR Mackenzie Alleyne, 10 (56.3)
LG Sean Hutton, 5 (55.0)
WR Manny Choice, 9 (54.9)
TE John Locke Jr., 6 (54.8)
WR Jer'Michael Carter, 4 (54.5)
TE Jack Van Dorselaer, 21 (52.1)
RB Andy Bass, 4 (42.4)
QB Bowe Bentley, 3 (30.9)

If you ask Venables about the defensive performance, he wouldn't shy away from being disappointed.

Where the offense played rather clean, the defense played sloppy at times. There are no alarm bells going off, but a missed tackle or two led to some big runs for the Miners.

Adepoju Adebawore started his season off right where he left off in 2025. The fourth-year edge logged the first sack of the season for the Sooner defense and graded out with a 76.7 overall rating on 25 snaps.

His edge partners Taylor Wein (74.8 on 41 snaps) and Wyatt Gilmore (73.9 on 16 snaps) also got in on the action — including Gilmore's four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Linebackers Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke (77.7 on 34 snaps) were their usual superb selves, but Lewis' grade (57.4 on 32 snaps) reflects a few missed tackles.

Peyton Bowen's 81.0 overall grade (35 snaps) led the starters.

Here are the snap counts and PFF grades for the Sooners' defense