Can OU football contain West Virginia QB Garrett Greene? Sooners ‘up for the challenge’

NORMAN — Garrett Greene unleashed a thunderous roar that reverberated through the mountains of Morgantown, West Virginia.

The then-sophomore quarterback was riding a high, and for good reason.

Greene had just dashed for a crucial first down late in the fourth quarter of West Virginia’s home game against OU on Nov. 12, 2022, paving the way for a game-winning field goal for the Mountaineers, who emerged with a 23-20 win.

That game marked Greene’s breakout performance, coming off the bench late in the first quarter. He racked up 258 total yards of offense and two touchdowns.

When OU hosts West Virginia at 6 p.m. Saturday, there will undoubtedly be a keen focus on preventing another stellar performance by Greene.

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“He’s a really good player,” redshirt freshman linebacker Kobie McKinzie said on Monday. “We’re up for the challenge. We’ve stepped up to the plate every week, and I think we’ll continue to do that.”

Greene tore through OU’s defense on the ground last season. The dual-threat quarterback rushed for 119 yards on 14 attempts, still standing as a career-high total.

Greene remains a ground threat this season with 76 carries for 427 yards and eight touchdowns.

No other Big 12 quarterback has amassed more rushing yards this season, making Saturday’s matchup quite the challenge for OU’s defense.

“It comes down to our fits and our mindset,” McKinzie said. “We have to be dominant in the run game.”

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OU vs. West Virginia

KICKOFF: 6 p.m. Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman (Fox)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football ‘up for the challenge’ vs. West Virginia’s Garrett Greene