Oku getting grip on ASU’s Wildcat
JONESBORO — For offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, it was only a matter of when Arkansas State would use the wrinkle it unveiled nine minutes into its rout of Alcorn State on Saturday.It isn’t just a gimmick, either.
Facing a second-and1 situation, running back David Oku trotted out, lined up at quarterback in place of starter Ryan Aplin in the shotgun and took a direct snap from center Bryce Giddens for the Red Wolves’ debut of the Wildcat.
Netting 3 yards and a first down, the play first installed six seasons ago at Arkansas has found its way to another corner of the state in Coach Gus Malzahn’s hurry-up scheme.
“I don’t think it’s any secret,” Lashlee said. “It was time.”
Now the formation is just another way for Malzahn and ASU to manufacture more production for a ground
game that is churning out 271.5 yards a game to lead the Sun Belt Conference and rank ninth nationally.
Chances are good the Red Wolves (2-2) will trot it out again Saturday in their Sun Belt Conference opener against Western Kentucky, whose stout front seven has helped the Hilltoppers (3-1) allow an average of only 112.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks 29th nationally.
“When you’re playing very talented people, you’ve got to do something to give your guys a chance,” Malzahn said.
All-American running back Darren McFadden moved to quarterback in the Wildcat formation during Malzahn’s time as offensive coordinator at Arkansas. In his first season at Auburn, Malzahn used Kodi Burns, a quarterback who converted to wide receiver and is currently serving as a graduate assistant at ASU.
Now that duty falls to Oku, a 5-10, 195-pound junior transfer from Tennessee.
The roots of the Wildcat formation, as with many facets of Malzahn’s system, are found in the old-school Wing-T. It requires an unbalanced line in the direction of the play, a skill player taking the snap, another running back in motion and a decision to be made between calling a power run or speed sweep.
Whether it’s called the Wild Hog or Wild Dog, the premise remains the same.
“That’s what you try do, a couple of things really, really well,” Malzahn said. “Then if they do things to stop it, hopefully you’ve got the right answers. But it all starts with the power and speed sweep.”
The only matter for Malzahn was finding the right personnel on his roster.
“David’s still learning our offense, and now he’s starting to get a grip on it,” Malzahn said. “We didn’t want to throw too much at him too quick. We started doing that a couple of weeks ago.”
Lashlee echoed the reasoning for using Oku as the trigger man, with either converted cornerback Rocky Hayes or redshirt sophomore Frankie Jackson potentially taking handoffs.
“We felt like we’ve finally got a feel for our guys,” Lashlee said. “David’s someone we can trust, and we thought he could do a job.”
Despite not operating the play since high school at Midwest City, Okla., Oku said he didn’t feel any jitters as the primary ball-handler and said “it felt really good.”
“I think we’ve got to clean some things up a little bit,” Oku said. “I went backside a couple of times when I wasn’t suppose to.”
It’s also another means for Oku to create plays, something he admits hasn’t necessarily returned as quickly as he had hoped after an 18-month layoff that included working for an Oklahoma City insurance agency.
“A lot of that is on me,” Oku said. “I haven’t been helping Ryan out, but going into the four games you get to see a lot and help a lot.”
While Oku is averaging 5.3 yards per carry, only three of his 64 rushes have been longer than 20 yards, including a 22yard gain in the first quarter against Alcorn State.
“I’ve been struggling making people miss in open space,” Oku said. “That’s something I’ve always prided myself on. That’s what I’ve been working on lately here in practice, hitting the home runs that we haven’t.”
Can the Wildcat cure the problem?
“I don’t know,” Oku said with a smile on his face. “Coach Malzahn can use his brain to come up with anything.”