Happy Friday, friends and fans!

Out of all the highlights to come from the Oklahoma Sooners’ season opening destruction of Florida Atlantic, a sight for sore eyes was the play of the secondary. With all the new players seeing their first extensive in-game action, it could have been disastrous considering how inept the unit looked at times last season.

Fortunately for the team, the group appears to have made the challenge to improve a personal one. There’s a lot more fire and energy, and guys seem to be flying to the ball more so than we’ve seen in recent years. A big part of that has been brought on by the talented newcomers.

Though Oklahoma’s secondary is comprised of a lot of young but talented players, after just one week into the season, the group’s confidence is building fast, and it’s showing on the field. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they turn into one of the team’s strengths by season’s end.

Now onto this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! Teddy Lehman breaks down film from Week 1 with a couple of Sooners coaches, Lincoln Riley might be onto something when he says Oklahoma has more run game than anybody, Missouri State had to reschedule its game during school hours, resulting in hardly anybody showing up and more!

OU Links

• In a way, OU and UCLA are forever bonded by Antonio Perkins’ record-setting performance from 2003. Eric Bailey of the Tulsa world spoke with Perkins and former UCLA/NFL punter Chris Kluwe about that legendary day.
• Don’t forget; if you’re planning on attending the game against UCLA this Saturday, make sure you know which section you’ll be sitting in and wear the matching color shirt accordingly. If you’re in an odd-numbered section, wear white, and if you’re in an even-numbered section or anywhere in the student section, wear red. Now go out there and stripe that stadium!

• We spoke with multiple staff members from UCLA site Bruins Nation this week, and they had plenty to say about he QB situation, USC and more. Jack also did a Q&A for their site, which you can find right here.
• Also, there’s a new episode of the Oklahoma Breakdown podcast hosted by Jack Shields and Matt Ravis. Make sure to check it out for a preview of the UCLA game with a couple special guests, and don’t forget to hit that follow button so you don’t miss out on any of the pod action! One more thing — don’t forget to look at Jack’s gambling picks (plus a nifty weekend schedule).
• Unable to make it to Norman? Trying to catch the game with other Sooner fans? The OU Alumni clubs might have you covered!

• Here’s some great stuff here with Teddy Lehman breaking down some film with Cale Gundy and Kerry Cooks. You can catch more in-depth analysis like this on ‘Coaches Corner’ on Fox Sports Oklahoma every Friday night at 7 p.m. CT.

• When you think about it, Oklahoma’s game against FAU went about as perfectly as anyone could have imagined. That’s hard to do in any sport, especially in college football. So does that mean the Sooners should coast to the playoffs? It’s too early to tell, but so far, it’s a solid maybe.
• UCLA fans have arrived, and they’re receiving a very Oklahoma welcome on Twitter.

• Kyler Murray “isn’t your daddy’s wishbone quarterback”. UCLA’s Chip Kelly knows his Bruins’ defense will have all they can handle and then some when they step on Owen Field and attempt to contain the future Oakland A.
• Earlier this week, Lincoln Riley made a statement about this team having more run game than anybody in the nation, and that didn’t seem incredibly noteworthy at the time. Interpret that however you will, but upon further review, it’s quite a statement for a coach who doesn’t normally raise eyebrows with what he says. Yet, after taking a closer look at the competition, he might actually have a point.
• The Sooners have had a relatively consistent pipeline with bringing in native California talent over the decades. So who are the best players to ever come through Norman by way of The Golden State?

Around the Sports World

• The NFL regular season kicked off officially Thursday night as the reigning Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles hosted and ultimately defeated the Atlanta Falcons. A play in the second half that sparked an otherwise nearly lifeless Eagles offense was not the Philly Special used against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, but rather the play the Pats tried but failed to use against them. Total troll call, but it worked!

• Sophomore Texas offensive lineman Patrick Hudson was hospitalized this week after experiencing a spike in his body temperature. Hudson will be unavailable for the Longhorns’ home opener against Tulsa this Saturday.
• The run-pass option, better known as RPO, has become a trendy style of offense across all levels of football. While it exists in both the collegiate and professional games, how it’s utilized differs in some distinct ways.
• Legendary actor and former Florida State Seminole Burt Reynolds passed away on Thursday at the age of 82. Back in the day, Reynolds’ college roommate was Lee Corso, and it was Corso who offered the future Bandit some moral support as he hung up his pads and chased his dreams of becoming a Hollywood star.
• FCS program Missouri State was forced to move up the start time of its Thursday night game to an 11 a.m. kickoff due to impending severe weather. The problem with that? Students were in class, and other fans are at work. Not even the band could make it. Wow.

Stick to Sports!

• The major toy company Mattel announces the launch of its film division, Mattel Films. Hasbro, the other toy giant, has seen success in the film industry, and now Mattel wants some of the action. Popular products from Mattel include Hot Wheels, Barbie and Thomas and Friends. Personally, I feel like Hot Wheels will just look like a Fast and Furious rip-off, and I have no clue what they would do with Barbie or Thomas and Friends, especially if they go live-action with either of them.

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