Everyone involved in Bedlam, including the Oklahoma coaching staff, knows Tyreek Hill is fast. But the thing about world class speed is that you really don’t know what it is like until it goes by you. And once it does, there is nothing you can do about it.
Hill, a junior college transfer (Garden City CC) out of Pearson, Georgia, is a star on the track as well as the football field. He came on campus in January and set Stillwater abuzz by winning the 200 meters in the Big 12 indoor track and field championships. While in high school, Hill ran a blazing 20.14 seconds in the 200 meters, the second fastest prep time ever.
If the Cowboys are to knock off Oklahoma it could come as a result of the game-changing speed of Hill. But from where? The rushing attack? Through the air? The return game? Hill has touchdowns of all three varieties and his versatility is why he is our latest featured player in the Bedlam Breakdown.
Betsided
Hill is a threat to make a game breaking run at any moment and Coach Mike Gundy should find multiple creative ways to get Hill involved. The Cowboys have struggled to run the ball this season therefore, the best way for Hill to be a weapon is to get the ball in space. It is there he can do the most damage on the ground. Hill has 99 rushing attempts for 496 yards and a rushing touchdown. The Sooners must know where Hill is lined up at all times due to his speed. Getting the ball into Hill’s hands from creative locations is a ploy that could give the Pokes an advantage.
In the passing game Hill is a run after the catch nightmare and a vertical threat. He has the ability to both turn a short reception into a long touchdown or stretch the Sooner defense with a vertical route. Can Gundy get the ball in the hands of the fastest guy on the field often enough? Hill gives the Cowboys an unquestioned speed advantage. Hill has 25 receptions for 259 yards including a blazing 50-yard touchdown against Texas Tech. Can freshman quarterback Mason Rudolph, making his first Bedlam start, get protection and find Hill? That is the better question.
It is in the return game that Hill can deliver the biggest impact. His burst can alter field position at any moment. Hill has two returns of over 90 yards. He went on a 97-yard touchdown dash against Iowa State on Oct. 4 and a week later Hill delivered a back-breaking 99-yard kick return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a tied ballgame with Kansas. Hill’s return against the Jayhawks salvaged the Cowboys last win. In rivalry games, special teams can sometimes be a difference and Hill will be the best special teams weapon on the field in Norman.
The Cowboys need momentum changing plays if they are to taste Bedlam success. A kick return to answer a score or set the tone at the beginning of the game or the second half, or a long run or catch delivered in a creative way are things Hill can deliver. Hill, with his all-purpose ability and world class speed, is the Cowboys best Bedlam weapon.