Nov. 16-22, 2021

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Baylor fans storm John Eddie Williams Field after OU’s game against No. 13 Baylor in Waco on Nov. 13.

Baylor loss snaps OU win streak Premature field rush caps Sooners’ upset fall to Bears MASON YOUNG @Mason_Young_0

WACO — Lincoln Riley tried to rip surging field-rushers off junior linebacker David Ugwoegbu as a sea of green and gold engulfed John Eddie Williams Field.

With three seconds remaining in No. 8 Oklahoma’s game against No. 13 Baylor, McLane Stadium plunged into pandemonium as Bears supporters stormed the field prematurely to celebrate an upset victory.

Three plays earlier, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on outside linebacker Marcus Stripling nullified a field goal by Baylor kicker Isaiah Hankins, and the Bears knelt twice before wanting to try again. Most of OU’s players had already retreated to the locker room, and those remaining were left to grapple with what Riley later called a “safety issue.”

Ushers and the PA announcer worked to corral the crowd, forcing it to the sidelines for one last play. Baylor should’ve received a 15-yard

penalty for the field-storming, but it was never assessed and Riley said officials never explained why. Riley told the referees he’d rather not return his team to the field, but they insisted. He later had to wrestle outside linebackers coach Jamar Cain away from a heated conversation with an official. Ultimately, OU trotted out 11 players to defend the kick, Hankins made the field goal and Baylor (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) prevailed over the Sooners (9-1, 6-1) for just the fourth time in program history, 27-14.

The defeat is also OU’s first in November under Riley and lands like a suckerpunch to the Sooners’ College Football Playoff aspirations.

“I don’t believe that situation was handled well by a lot of people, but at the end of the day, doing it with class is important to me,” Riley said of the final minutes. “And at the end of the day, that’s why we decided to bring 11 guys out, even though, deep down, I damn sure didn’t want to.”

Baylor’s Dave Aranda said afterward he wanted the three additional points to assist his team with the Big 12 Conference tiebreaker and acknowledged OU isn’t “happy with it.” The second-year head

coach, who held Oklahoma to 28 points as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2019 and 27 points with Baylor in 2020, contained the Sooners’ offense on Saturday to 260 yards and 14 points — both Rileyera lows.

“I know why Dave tried to kick the field goal,” Riley said.

“I don’t agree with it. I still think, above all else, there’s a code of sportsmanship that I believe in. I wouldn’t have done it, but that’s his decision.

It’s his football team. How the officials don’t enforce a 15-yard penalty when you’ve probably got 5,000 people on the field is unbelievable to me. ... That’s the officials’ decision.

I don’t agree with it, but it’s part of it.”

F ro m t h e b e g i n n i n g , Oklahoma seemed off-kilter, offensively. The Sooners’ first three drives resulted in a punt, an interception by freshman quarterback Caleb Williams and a missed field goal by redshirt junior kicker Gabe Brkic, who missed a pair of kicks in a game for the first time in his career.

Williams, who, as of Friday, boasted the nation’s fifth-best Heisman Trophy odds, finally played like a mortal freshman instead of the “Superman” who saved OU against Texas

on Oct. 9. He tossed two interceptions, tripling his season total, and was hampered after a Baylor defender stepped on his hand following a 19-yard run in the second quarter.

Looking for an offensive jolt, Riley replaced Williams with redshirt sophomore backup Spencer Rattler, the preseason Heisman favorite, for two drives in the third quarter.

Oklahoma punted on both before Williams reentered and led a touchdown drive capped by redshirt junior running back Kennedy Brooks’ 1-yard rush.

“In my opinion, the offense wasn’t as bad as what the outside may seem, but in terms of the inconsistency, we had too many plays where it’s one or two guys blowing their job,” said redshirt senior H-back Jeremiah Hall. “We acknowledged that at halftime and thought we’d be able to correct it in the second half, but we never did, and it came back to bite us in the butt.”

OU’s defense kept it in the game, largely thanks to redshirt junior linebacker Brian Asamoah, who shined with 10 tackles — 1.5 for loss — and a forced fumble recovered by outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. Senior safety Delarrin Turner-Yell also snagged an

interception, but the Sooners struggled to pressure Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon with just one sack and allowed 413 total yards — 296 on the ground.

“Speed D’’ began to unravel after a strange start to the third quarter. Brkic’s kickoff sailed out of bounds, then Bohanon sprung a 28-yard run on the second half’s first play. Baylor was held to a field goal on that drive but opened the door to later break a 75-yard run and score back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

“We got lazy with our communication,” Turner-Yell said.

“We didn’t really have a respect for what finishing was, and if you look at it, it seems as if Baylor had finishing on their minds, and it looks as if we didn’t. We can never fall into that trap where we get comfortable with our communication or fail to finish a football game, because when you fail to finish a football game, things like that happen.”

Before the loss, OU controlled its destiny in the College Football Playoff race but must now overcome a tough Iowa State matchup and Bedlam against No. 10 Oklahoma State to simply reach the Big 12 Championship Game, much

less a national semifinal bowl.

However, it’s not uncharted territory for the Sooners, who’ve slipped once in the regular season all four years they’ve made the CFP. “That’s the advantage of winning your first nine games. ... You do set yourself up to be able to overcome something like this,” Riley said. “I’m disappointed, obviously, that we have to overcome it, but it is what it is, and so we’ll bounce back like we always do and like we fully expect to.”

As the OU locker room lay quiet and somber after a crushing defeat, Riley’s message to his players was clear.

“He told us that this game is going to do either two things to this team,” Turner-Yell said. “It is going to tear us apart or it’s gonna bring us together. … We have a lot of football in front of us. We still have the things we want to accomplish this year in front of us, so it’s very important that we put this game to bed and that we attack the practice field next week and just do things that we need to do in order for us to finish out strong this season.” masyoung@ou.edu

Regent Rick Nagel is here ‘for the students’ OU Alumnus aims to use role to ‘serve all the constituencies’ JILLIAN TAYLOR @jilliantaylor_ A tap on the shoulder from Rick Nagel’s Boys & Girls Club director compelled him to fuel his beat-up car and head west in pursuit of financial aid from the Phillips 66 engineering scholarship program.

His rearview mirror held the memories of his father, who died when he was 9, and a year in foster homes while his mother sought rehabilitation from a rare autoimmune disorder.

As he headed out on the 185-mile trip from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Norman, he said he thought he wouldn’t make it, yet, a combination of people paved the

road before him. These individuals would ultimately plant and nourish Nagel’s roots in Norman, allowing him to sow seeds in STEM, service, supporting education and soccer practices.

Thirty years later, the newest member of OU’s Board of Regents sits in the Oklahoma Memorial Union and observes students who fill the tables where he studied for hours. Reflecting on the arc of his life, Nagel, 49, said as the board’s only current regent who lives in Norman, he hopes to accompany the students who filled his shoes by advocating for an affordable university experience that creates Oklahoma’s future leaders.

It was clear from when he enrolled in 1991 to his early graduation in the winter of 1994 that Nagel was not just at OU to get his degree in environmental science. He quickly expanded his

presence on campus, becoming a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, a part-time employee for the OU Foundation, a columnist for The Daily and a participant in the Speaker’s Bureau.

His most significant influence on campus existed in politics.

Nagel was the state chairman and national board committee member for OU College Republicans and served as the student lobbying force coordinator and vice chair for the University of Oklahoma Student Association, or what’s now known as OU Student Government Association.

Nagel’s service in both groups arrived during a period of transition, as President Richard Van Horn resigned on Oct. 15, 1993 amid a scandal surrounding an internal audit and investigation of Administrative Affairs and joined OU College of Business

Administration faculty in 1994.

David Boren took his place as the university’s 13th president and signed his first round of diplomas the winter Nagel graduated.

Scott Martin met Nagel during their sophomore year at a College Republicans meeting in Dale Hall Tower. Both subsequently worked together as friends and political partners to grow the club and motivate students to seek active change.

“Our worlds just intertwined,” said Martin, who is now president and CEO of Norman’s Chamber of Commerce. “I think, for me, the most interesting thing has been since that time because here we just got to know each other as young college students, not knowing what either of us were going to do later on down the road.”

While Martin ran for student body president his senior year,

Nagel ran for House District 44, and each supported the other during their races. Martin won the position, and although Nagel didn’t beat his incumbent, Laura Boyd, he said he received about 40 percent of votes, as students “came out in huge numbers.”

Nagel balanced all this and still made time to advocate for his peers. He said he used data to marshal his arguments on behalf of the student body as he communicated with legislators and regents regarding higher education funding and lower tuition.

Nagel said his ability to implement change in these areas differed from today because he couldn’t relay his concerns to the university’s regents via a quick cell phone call. Now, as Nagel helps set top-line university policy with the six other regents whom the governor appoints, he said he

hopes to shed the curtain of separation and serve as a “regent for all the constituencies.” “(I’m here), most importantly, for the students,” Nagel said.

“You’re the customer, the purchaser of the product, and I want to make sure I’m available and in tune with how you feel we’re doing.”

An affordable university experience remains an important issue to Nagel, as he was the only regent who voted against the recent 2.75 percent increase in tuition in June during one of his first official meetings on the board. At the meeting, he said that he will still fight in good faith for OU’s student body.

Although the ’90s are far away, Martin said they remain fresh in his and Nagel’s minds. He said his past engagement in student government helps him understand see NAGEL page 2

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NEWS

• Nov. 16-22, 2021

EDWARD REALI/THE DAILY

OU Regent Rick Nagel in front of Felgar Hall on Sept. 22.

NAGEL: continued from page 1

the burden that current students and families bear.

Martin said he watched Nagel transition from an OU student to an “incredibly professional and successful business person.” He said his passion for his town remains, and 30 years later, he feels Nagel is “uniquely qualified” to serve his university.

“It’s been so impressive to see him grow as a person and as a successful entrepreneur,” Martin said.

“And I frankly just think of him as a college friend, and now as a dear friend in our adult lives, whose lives have continued to cross paths on a very regular basis.”

After leaving OU, Nagel eventually became the CEO and managing partner of Acorn Growth Companies, a private equity firm focused on aerospace, defense, intelligence and space investments.

One elevator ride in a building on Lindsey Street led to the formation of the multi-location company, which currently manages $491.37 million in regulatory assets.

But before all this, Nagel was a college student setting up a checking account.

He decided on Armstrong Bank, formerly Republic Bank and Trust, in August 1991 after meeting CEO Chuck Thompson.

At the time, Nagel worked in a separate room in the building as a director and member of an operating team for a Los Angeles-based company Platinum Equity.

Following 9/11, he said he wanted to do something more purposeful with his life.

Nagel watched his younger brother join the Navy out of high school, attend OU on the GI Bill, join the OU Army ROTC after 2001 and serve in the Army. Although Nagel said that was not his path, he wanted to support those who chose it.

Tinker Air Force Base sat just 25 miles away in Oklahoma City, serving as a base of operations for individuals like his brother.

Nagel said no private investment firms were supporting the base, and to him, this was an unfilled opportunity.

Nagel reached out to Marco Capital President Rainey Williams, who became one of the first backers of the company in 2005. Williams joined a small team that 16 years later has turned into an operation with about 1,100 employees across 12 states and 32 countries.

“We kind of smile when we say that you can spin the planet around its axis, and the sun doesn’t set on (Acorn Growth Companies) anymore. It’s pretty fun,” Nagel said. “And we’re supporting our warfighters and helping maintain the peace … as an industrial partner to our Department of Defense and our allies around the globe. So the work is incredibly purposeful, meaningful, rewarding and important.”

Thompson said Nagel is a “fast learner” and possesses an “incredible ability to discern.” He admires Nagel’s effectiveness in applying himself to his work and seeking the best outcomes.

Nagel’s work also reflects a “great deal of character and integrity” that Williams said spurred him to continue investing in Nagel throughout his partnerships. He said Nagel’s perseverance in addressing investors’ challenges will translate into the way he advocates for the various constituents of the university.

“Rick will stick with those things that he thinks are important,”

Williams said. “I know he’s got a son, finance junior Decklin Nagel, going to OU, and he has been around there forever, so he is going to have their best interests at heart — their being the students and faculty. He will not give up or get sidetracked.”

Nagel’s investments stretch beyond his ventures with companies, Thompson said, into forming relationships. One example is his work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County.

The nonprofit’s mission is to “inspire and enable all young people” to “reach their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens,” according to its website. Nagel’s been on the nonprofit’s board 26 years — about as long as it has existed.

That’s fitting given how the organization brought Nagel to OU, and now he pays that forward by dedicating ample time to local board meetings as well as nationally as a trustee for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Nagel also established a scholarship fund for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County in 2017 through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Graduating high school seniors and alumni from the past two years who have been active in the Oklahoma County clubs are eligible, and the awards can be allocated toward tuition, fees, books and on-campus room and board.

Preference is shown to students who plan to study in a STEMrelated degree program as Nagel did when the club helped change his life.

That dovetails with OU welcoming the class of 2025, 25 percent of which are first-generation students. Oklahoma County President Teena Belcik said Nagel is devoted to supporting students who “came from a similar story.”

“If they haven’t been to college themselves, they’re a little bit out there on a limb on their own,” Belcik said. “(Nagel) is able to really understand that and help support them and encourage them and give them confidence that they can do this and do it well and be successful. I think having that history (and) that knowledge of what it takes is a unique perspective. … He’s walked in their shoes.”

Economic disparities in the U.S. are an issue close to Nagel’s heart, as he said he believes the ZIP code someone is born in determines their access to basic needs. He said he works with the Boys & Girls Clubs in the hopes of “leveling the playing field.” “(I want to) give kids a reason and opportunity to dream bigger than they normally would and make sure they’ve got the resources to be successful and self-sustaining adults,” Nagel said. “We help along their journey through youth so they’re making healthy choices, that they have academic support so that they can achieve academic excellence, that they’re going to be good citizens when they graduate with opportunities for the future, whatever that might be, (including going to) college, or going right into the workforce for both tech or the military.”

Despite his busy schedule, Belcik said Nagel always makes time for his commitments, especially when they surround decisions that could help younger generations. Nagel’s time off is centered on attending his 8- and 11-year-old daughters’ soccer games and giving back to his community.

Every board member is busy, Belcik said, but she knows no one busier than Nagel. She said his devotion to the clubs reflects his “rare personality.”

“We’ve recently doubled our number of clubs because there’s so much need for kids right now …

and he said — keep in mind, none of my 31 board members have been to see our new clubs — ‘I just feel out of touch. I haven’t seen the new clubs. I need to go do that.

Can I take a day off and we can go to each of the clubs,’” Belcik said.

“That’s how invested he is. He wants to see what’s working well and where he can maybe help if we’re struggling in some areas. … But, mostly, it’s just to connect with the kids and to thank the staff.”

At OU, Nagel said he sees “leveling the playing field” as something that could be accomplished in lowering tuition and seeking increased state funding from legislators. He said he sees a solution in examining OU’s budget to find creative ways to better fund students’ educational experience.

“I want to do my best to make sure our foundation is enriched in such a way where it can provide scholarship opportunities where needed, particularly for the first-generation students … making sure they’ve got the resources that they need to get to school to be successful and not have to worry about finances,” Nagel said.

“We know that will ultimately change the direction of that family forever.”

Belcik said Nagel’s care for students and desire to support them is “incredibly genuine,” and through it all, she is amazed by how Nagel still makes time for his family life.

“He’s a national board member, he’s a local board member, he’s a regional board member, he’s a regent at OU, he’s running a huge, important company, but his No. 1 priority is his family,” Belcik said. “He and his wife Kandi have a beautiful family, and they are his priority, and that is very hard to do when you’re pulled in so many different directions. I just think that’s an important piece of who he is.”

During OU President Joseph Harroz’s Sept. 17 inauguration, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) noted all eyes at the state level are on OU. As a regent, Nagel said, given his background, he recognizes the opportunity he has to help Harroz and the institution at large serve Oklahoma’s future leaders.

Nagel said he sees the university as a “complicated, political animal” with “lots of departments” that include integrations in education, maintenance, housing and food services and its police force.

Although the model is familiar to him from his years in business, he said his entrance onto the board this summer coinciding with the surge of the delta variant complicates his role. He said, however, that he thinks the university is doing a good job amid the “absence of a perfect solution.”

Considering the university’s handling of the pandemic, Nagel said the welfare and health of students are paramount. He said it is also important to balance that against what state law stipulates and how the university can provide an educational experience to students.

Nagel said he feels OU cannot challenge Senate Bill 658 and Executive Order 2021-16, given “current political winds and momentum.”

“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but what we do know is that if you take the vaccine, if you wear a mask, you’re 99 percent going to be fine, or better,” Nagel said. “We know the delta variant is contagious, but also cases in Oklahoma right now are coming down, and we know that if you happen to get COVID and have been vaccinated, you’re likely not to be a lot sicker than you were had you just got the flu. … I think OU has frankly done a good job

with it. I’m sure there are others who would say otherwise, but like I said, they’re imperfect solutions for, unfortunately, elegant and tough problems.”

Concerning public research and future employment, Williams said one of Nagel’s strengths is recognizing how investments in students’ education will effectively drive future employment.

The need for high-quality leaders is clear in the companies Nagel partners with, as he observes their recruiting and understands the qualities they seek in college graduates. Thompson said comparing this need to the graduates OU is producing will allow Nagel to encourage success beyond higher education.

“Students that are coming out that have the talent, the skills, especially leadership skills (and) directional skills — the industries are hungry for them,” Thompson said. “Making the connection between what OU is producing in the way of talent with what the market is wanting in the way of talent, I think that’s the place for Rick really wants to apply himself.”

Nagel said OU can better prepare its student body by recruiting people out of high school from all settings, whether they want to go to college immediately, join the military or earn a little money

before they apply. He said consistent advising is key in helping students avoid running through OU’s programs and graduating without job prospects to help them pay off any debts they may incur.

Tangible work experience paired with a forward-thinking curriculum will prepare students to enter the workforce, but Nagel said, more importantly, students require engagement and counseling throughout their journey. He believes OU is lacking in this area and thinks the regents could score some “quick wins” by investing in career placement and a larger academic advisory board.

“Imagine a day where you could come to the University of Oklahoma as a freshman, where it’s a big place, the buildings are tall, it’s confusing, you’re not sure how to get around, (but you’re) matched with somebody there that could get to know you, that will be with you for the entire time that you’re here, that will help you through that journey figuring out not just what classes you should be taking each semester just to graduate, but why you should be taking those classes,” Nagel said.

Nor man’s Chamb er of Commerce also opens opportunities for partnerships, as Martin and Nagel’s friendship and their desire to do business

with each other remains. Martin said working together would expand Nagel’s understanding of what Norman businesses need to succeed and encourage a closer alignment between city and university programs.

“If there’s an opportunity in Norman, a lot of students who come here from all over the country will remain here, if there’s a good job for them when they graduate,” Martin said. “And so he and I have a similar priority and focus in that regard, and we both want to see the local economy flourish.”

As Nagel now walks down the same path on the South Oval that his son, Decklin, strolls to classes, he said the university he knew in 1991 has changed immensely, from the Schooner Room he sat in on a crisp, recent afternoon, which didn’t exist when he was a student, to the university’s new focus on transparency and diversity.

Although Nagel can’t believe he is 30 years out of college, he hopes to serve students in the same way he did as an 18-yearold freshman — with wide eyes and a continued determination to make a life-changing university experience accessible. jillian.g.taylor-2@ou.edu

SPORTS

Nov. 16-22, 2021 •

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TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Freshman quarterback Caleb Williams during OU’s game against No. 13 Baylor in Waco on Nov. 13.

Williams falters against Baylor Freshman phenom frustrated by Bears’ tough defense AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright

WACO — After Caleb Williams’ 19-yard run late in the second half, he didn’t quite look the same.

The freshman phenom, who’d recently blossomed into Heisman consideration, had his throwing hand stepped on by an opposing defender as he fell out of bounds near Baylor’s 31-yard line. Before reentering late in garbage time, the former five-star recruit was 3-for-8 on passing for 37 yards and an interception while taking two sacks after waving his hand in pain before a packed crowd of 46,782 at McLane Stadium.

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Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said the stepped-on hand likely bothered his quarterback. Williams’ final production — 10-for-19 passing with 146 yards, two interceptions and a rushing touchdown — wasn’t enough in Oklahoma’s 27-14 loss to No. 13 Baylor on Nov. 13, snapping its nation-leading 17-game win streak.

OU’s quarterback controversy perhaps reopened amid Williams’ struggles, with redshirt sophomore Spencer Rattler entering with Oklahoma down 10-7 late in the third quarter. Rattler, who was benched for Williams against Texas on Oct. 9, failed to present a spark, finishing 4-of-6 passing for 36 yards in two drives, both resulting in punts.

“I don’t know how much that affected his throwing or not,” Riley said of Williams after the game. “It probably

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affected him a little bit. We were just a little stale, honestly. (Williams) had a little stress there in the second quarter and kind of began the third quarter where we had a few things that he missed that he just typically doesn’t miss.

“So, I was looking for a little bit of a spark. Spencer had had a good week, and I’ve told you guys I feel like I’ve got a tremendous room there. And so I went with Spencer. And again, you’ve got to make those decisions in the heat of the moment, (and) at that point I felt like it was the right decision.”

Oklahoma’s offense accumulated only 260 yards and 14 points, both its lowest totals under Riley. Baylor’s defense provided a tough test for both quarterbacks, even before Williams’ apparent ailment.

Dave Aranda, the Bears’ head coach and former LSU defensive coordinator, appears to have OU’s number, allowing

just 269 yards against it last season, and 322 with LSU in 2019, which rank No. 2 and No. 4 respectively in lowest yards per game during Riley’s tenure.

Williams’ first interception came on a forced pass into double coverage intended for redshirt sophomore receiver Jadon Haselwood. His other interception was off a broken play where Williams faked a handoff despite standing alone in the backfield before tossing the ball directly into a defender’s hands near redshirt junior running back Kennedy Brooks.

Oklahoma’s top two receivers in yardage entering the game, sophomore Marvin Mims and redshirt sophomore Jadon Haselwood, combined for just 68 yards on four catches. Senior receiver Mike Woods led the Sooners in receiving against the Bears with four catches for 53 yards,

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2021, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2021 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last

Keep your eyes open, don’t hesitate to ask questions, and be sure to cover your tracks or get everything in writing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Step out of your comfort zone if that’s what it takes to help make positive GEMINI (May 21-June 20) changes. Don’t live a lie or be a Big ideas followed by sound judgment martyr. You owe it to yourself to do and hard work will pay off. Don’t let what’s best for you. anyone discourage you or meddle in your affairs. Work at your own pace, SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) and don’t share what you are doing Get your facts straight before you until it’s ready. decide to start a debate. An emotional incident will bring you closer to CANCER (June 21-July 22) someone you think is special. Honesty Put restrictions on entertainment, will help you keep the peace. spending and over-the-top behavior.

You can have fun without going into CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) debt. Do something that appeals to Give credit where credit is due. Take your creative side. A unique path will the high road when faced with an lead to enlightenment. ethical choice. Don’t be afraid to use your skills and experience to bring LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) about positive change.

Avoid costly ventures or donations you cannot afford. Doing something AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) spontaneous will lead to setbacks.

Think things through before you make Stay focused on what’s attainable and a decision that can influence what you put your heart and soul into do next. Get the proper documentaeverything you do. tion or qualifications in order before starting something new. Listen to VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) others.

Information you gather will lead to a change of mind and direction. Don’t PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) let the unknown frighten you. It’s time When in doubt, ask questions. A new to branch out, try something new and look or image will lift your spirits. A explore what the world has to offer. professional change will allow you to use your skills more efficiently.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Romance is encouraged.

Back up and let things unfold before you take sides or let your thoughts be ARIES (March 21-April 19) known. Get out and do something that Go over the pros and cons of difficult will broaden your outlook, and you’ll situations and relationships. Knowing discover you have more options than what you are up against will help you realize. decide what and who are worth your time and effort. Keep an open mind.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You may know how a game is played, but don’t expect everyone to play fair.

while redshirt senior H-back Jeremiah Hall was third in receiving yards with only two catches for 24 yards.

Despite Riley chalking up the offense’s shortcomings to multiple reasons, he acknowledged Williams’ failures and frustrations.

“He made a couple errors here and there,” Riley said. “I think most of his frustration came from, we felt like, we had a lot of plays there that we, for some reason or another, didn’t make. … I think just some general frustration on not executing the way that we know we can and not making the plays that were there for the taking.”

With the game all but out of reach and the Sooners down 24-7 with less than four minutes remaining, Williams returned for their last drive.

He needed just four plays to march 75 yards in under three minutes. Brooks punched in

the meaningless 1-yard score, finishing with 51 yards on 13 carries.

Despite the insignificant final offensive drive for Oklahoma, perhaps it was a glimmer of Williams returning to form ahead of facing Iowa State at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, barring another quarterback change. However, the Sooners will likely need improvement under center, as the Cyclones rank No. 4 nationally in total defense, allowing just 282.4 yards per game.

“We have faith in both quarterbacks,” said Hall, one of OU’s team captains. “So we’ve all had our days. Caleb was able to get back in the game, and we were able to get things going.” austincurtright@ou.edu

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg November 16, 2021 ACROSS 1 Goals 5 Sound of disgust 8 Worshipper of Jah 13 Seemingly emotionless sort 15 Born as 16 Shining 17 Paul, in Italy 18 Get busy, as a bee 20 Pointless 22 Rich 23 Moral trajectory that bends toward justice, per Martin Luther King Jr. 25 “The end is ___!”

27 Conan’s network until 2021 28 Henhouse perches 30 As high as 32 Tito Puente’s “___ Como Va” 35 Have a cow?

36 (May I have some milk?)

37 Infuriate 38 French for “love” 39 Make up one’s mind 40 Wedding attendee 42 Comfy room 43 Voiced 45 Way to serve pastrami 46 Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 47 Civil rights activist Baker

11/16

48 Masthead title 49 Prefix with “angle” or “cycle” 50 Dog’s space to exercise 52 Fifth-century nomad 53 Dealt with bumps in the road?

57 Oreo filling 59 “Almost ready!”

61 Skewered meat dish 64 Negative person 65 “C’mon, be a ___!”

66 Bicycle wheel part 67 Score that beats a birdie 68 Period of note 69 Lovers’ quarrel DOWN 1 Snake that bit Cleopatra 2 “Let’s call ___ day” 3 *Fictional lunar settlement 4 Farm storage spot 5 Remove, as a wooden pin 6 Start to cache?

7 Leader’s metaphorical spot 8 *Iris, in Greek myth 9 French New Wave director Varda

Above It All

10 Kill it, in drag lingo 11 Bag at a bookstore 12 Truly impressed 14 *Fast-casual restaurants offer it 19 Ball game?

21 Palindromic sib 23 Place to play “Street Fighter” 24 Meandered 26 *Work week’s midpoint 29 Crime show starring Ice-T, for short 31 Dog or guinea pig 32 Wildly exaggerated, or a hint to two words that can precede each starred answer’s start

33 Response to “Who, me?”

34 Medical student at a hospital, e.g.

39 “Black gold” 41 Sea urchin in sushi 44 Being from another planet 48 Go astray 49 Language spoken in Sri Lanka 51 High-speed Amtrak train 53 Arborio or basmati 54 “Orinoco Flow” singer 55 Sudden feeling of guilt 56 Scam artist’s victim 58 Atlas contents 60 Roofing material 62 T’Challa, ___ Black Panther 63 As of today

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

11/9

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by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

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