A Different Time
Posted on: October 29, 2014
Image via heavy.com
Having now watched last night’s ’30 for 30′ with The Boz as well as listening to any number of interviews Bosworth has done both before and after the film’s debut, one thing stood out to me above everything else. When you listen to Bosworth, or any of the other former OU players who spoke during the film, talk about their time in Norman, it became painfully apparent to me the difference between those OU teams and the ones we’re currently watching.
Those guys back in the day very clearly had an attitude and a killer instinct this current OU program does not appear to have.
I can’t begin to properly express how much I loved to hear Bosworth talk about he and his teammates’ overwhelming desire to be great. To impose their will on someone. To dominate their opponent. Then, more often than not, they went out and did exactly that.
Which is not to say I believe the current OU players don’t want to be great. I’m 1000% confident they do want that. But there’s just something different about it. Frankly, it’s hard to really put into words but I can’t imagine I’m alone in feeling the way I do. You can just hear it in the way those guys speak about the expectations they had for one another.
I mean just think about this:
During @GotBoz44’s three seasons at Oklahoma, the Sooners only lost FOUR GAMES. #BrianAndTheBoz
— ESPN Films 30 for 30 (@30for30) October 29, 2014
That seems ridiculous because it is, and yet I can almost guarantee you those guys were absolutely pissed they lost four games….in three years. But the expectation was perfection and any thing less was a disappointment. I get it though, it’s a different time and game now than it was back then. Those were (one of) the glory days for this program and continue to this day to play a monumental role in what some of Sooner Nation feel are unrealistic expectations the rest of us have for this OU Football program. I just don’t get the sense there is that same level of expectation within the program like there was back in the day, and I definitely don’t get the sense there is the same level of disappointment if that expectation isn’t met.
Maybe it was just the time back then. Maybe it was Barry Switzer. Maybe it was just the players. Hell, it’s probably some combination of all those things and countless others. But whatever it was then, it’s different now
And I’m not really even anywhere near old enough (or at least I’d like to believe I’m not) to be coming off as the guy reminiscing about the glory days of OU Football, or pining for the way “things used to be.” But both this film and the discussion surrounding it has stirred up a lot of what my father instilled in me growing up, raising me to be an OU fan & the countless conversations we’ve had and will continue to have about OU Football.
We all came about being an OU fan in our own unique, at least to us, way and yet so many of us share a similar expectation for the program. Whether that expectation is based in reality or otherwise is entirely up to the individual. But at the end of the day we all want the program to be successful and it was fun getting to relive some of that vicariously through The Boz and this film these past couple days.
80 Comments
I think Switzer’s personality had a lot to do with it. You could tell Boz would run through a brick wall if that’s what Switzer told him to do. I’m sure the players like Bob, but they loved Barry.
I agree with this. I met Barry once, man could have been president. I talked to him for about a minute and I felt I would do anything for him. He just had that aura about him.
Agree. Switzer had a charisma that would have carried over today seamlessly. In fact he seems to be a guy who would have perhaps, dare I say, even better in this day and time.
I agree Jordan. It sounds weird but I remember when they would have to separate the teams at OU/TX cause they were fist fighting before the game started and that continued through the whole game. Just one example but they would kill themselves to beat Texas. Love some of the guys now, Striker in a way reminds me of the Boz, but we don’t have many of those crazed and violent guys we used to have.
Spot on, Jordan. Those were days when OU football had an identity and an expectation of greatness. No one in Switzer’s era worked as hard as some do today to alibi away the lack of conference titles, et al.
As someone who has been teaching in high school and college for the past 20 years, I can tell you all that the mindset of most kids is much, much different than it was when I was living and breathing with every one of those OU games in the late 80’s (it still pisses me off thinking about the hurricanes!). Kids today, for the most part, are competitive in different ways than they were when the Boz and the Sooners were wrecking havoc on whoever got in their way. With social media, camps, the internet, and the media being such a huge part of our lives, these kids grow up knowing each other. They still want to be great, like the Boz did, but their mindset is so different it is hard to tell if they really want to be great.
I think this makes Coach Stoop’s job much different and in many ways a lot more difficult than it was for Coach Switzer. I think what Coach Stoops has accomplished has been remarkable, in spite of the disappointments we have all been dealing with recently. I think the Sooners are a model program, that are a couple of plays away from being seeded either #1 or #2. I am very excited to see how this team continues to improve, and hopefully get better by that play or two that cost them against TCU and KState.
very well said
well said indeed. i think there’s too many athletes today worried about their “brand”. is there a love for the games we play(ed)? yes, but not the love to where it hurts to lose. there are those guys still out there but not as much. several guys on my teams were more worried about staying relevant than winning. guys worried about putting their name out there and “what happens when i can’t play no more. wonder if i can get that commercial or color commentary gig.” kinda like actresses, IMO. you have to have guys that have more piss and vinegar in em. seems to be more guys trying to not get hurt instead of doing everything they can to win ballgames. its about the collective good rather than personal or name on front not on back
I’ve often wondered what would have happened had social media been around when the Boz played. It probably would have been even worse. He was the first high profile college athlete that was smart enough to know controversy sells. Sadly, he probably would have been almost as loved had he just played the game.
No question that Stoops is operating in a different time. I too think that Stoops tenure has been incredible, and even though we get a little worked up with a couple of losses, he’s still done an incredible job.
It’s almost been 15 years since our last national championship…..and our recruiting is 2nd tier. But Bob hires friends and family and promotes a QB coach to OC, so I’m sure we’ll win one any time now. Yeah the program had a different attitude because the Head Coach had a different attitude. Now I’m not saying that Switzer needs to be our coach, but dang man…Bob has no killer instinct. His team often reflects that.
Not sure if you’re right on this one. I’m old enough to have watched Bob play and the man does not lack for ‘go’.
What has changed, a lot, since the mid-1980’s is that OU’s team has been tamed. The administration has intentionally taken the edge off because they were afraid of NCAA sanctions. So, what we have now is a team that is heavier on preachers-to-be than on guys who know their way around police booking procedures.
I’m not sure that’s a bad thing; but when you look at championship teams, and particularly their defenses, you tend to see violent guys who play, maybe, just barely inside the lines. Think of Miami in the day. Florida of a few years ago, USC, LSU. There are more Spikes than McCoys there.
A very few coaches can keep the edge and not go over it. Saban is one. Bob can do it, as well, but chooses not to. I think it’s because he honestly sees himself as a formative influence in his players’ lives and is trying to do the right thing. Unfortunately, that ‘right thing’ softens the team.
I may have worded it wrong. Stoops played sports, he’s obviously competitive. But, I do sense a lack of “killer instinct” in him if that makes sense. I also sense that he coaches tight…kinda like he’s afraid or nervous. I may be completely wrong, but his players often play that way, so it seems they would get that from him.
And you may be absolutely right. What I referred to was Stoops as a DB at Iowa and he was a Tasmanian Devil type of player. Maybe not the deepest tool box but an unstoppable motor. And no ‘give’ in his game.
Where he might lack is in ‘nasty’. I just don’t get the feeling that Bob would, for example, knee a guy’s groin if he could get away with it in a pile. Bosworth on the other hand? With gusto. Kind of the difference between Leach and Mangino. Leach wants to win and he’s fully capable of trickery. But Mangino is a mean man, who’ll hurt you if he can and you’re standing between him and something he wants.
I feel your response is a very enlighten assessment of why the “it factor” is frequently missing in Bob Stoops coached teams. Bob truly see each player with an opportunity of a lifetime if they get an education not just a football player with four years of eligibility.
Focusing in growing a person instead of growing a football player probably takes the “edge” off a person makes for less of a football player.
Very well stated Jed. You touched on some things that I, myself, have reflected on for the last few years now. Stoops is an awesome coach. Although, I do believe he has became comfortable and has lost some swagger we witnessed from 2000. He has definitely became a stronger liaison for the program but I think he has delegated much more authority and responsibilities to the assistants over the years. This can be a double edged sword. I think the firing sweep was his way of trying to rejuvenate the program. Yes, the team this year is missing that nasty swagger. More so, the team even lacks identity. And yet they are only a few dumb plays away from being undefeated. What concerns me the most right now is recruiting. We are a storied program with a top rated campus, a long tenured coach, and a plethora of amenities for recruits. We get a 14th rated recruiting class and everybody is so happy. Don’t get me wrong, I really like our crop last year and it’s not all about what the pundits think. But, look at all the recruits that we wanted most, that ended up somewhere else after we put our best sell on them……..over and over again. OU must re-establish Norman as the pinnacle university for football recruits. Recruits need to feel the rush to commit before someone else gets their spot. That is why Bama’s board fills up so fast.
Personally, I like Bob’s style with some criticisms. I like his loyalty, but he needs to temper it with more feedback and expectation. It is not good to knee jerk fire people….nor is it a service to them, however, to let them drift without addressing their lack of performance. I like his ‘cool’ demeanor. That’s better, 99% of the time, than the morons who are going ballistic all the time. Where I think he falls down a bit is in leadership. He leads by example and quietly, it seems….but for young men, there is a need to spike that punch with some fire.
There’s been growing frustration in Soonerland over the past decade or so. Some due to bad luck, some to complacency and that’s taken the shine off, a bit.
I’m still convinced that we’d do no better than Bob if we went shopping and likely would do much worse. (OU is a unique position and not everyone would fit as well as he has.)
The new staff members seem to be meshing pretty well and are driving themselves, which it seems is what’s required for USS Bob to operated well. I’m still on board.
Don’t get me wrong…………I’m a big Stoops fan. I just think it’s time for him to get that “have something to prove” attitude again. We can all be critiqued to improve our job performance. That kind of reflection is what can make us better at what we do.
Success and failure are relative. The difference is on how high you set the bar
I am old enough to have lived OU football since the 50’s but I am also aware that “the good old days” are personal memories and really don’t apply to the “culture” of today – both society as well as the players. For me, I believe the basic difference today is that the current staff/administration is “satisfied” or “content” with a 10-win season and winning a Big 12 championship is enough. Winning a Big 12 championship is just a step in the process of playing for a National Championship and I am NOT satisfied with a conference championship.
I don’t think anyone at Oklahoma is “satisfied” or “content” with a 10 win season. Imho, they want and bend every effort for more. Just because they understand that the results they get are better than the alternative that others experience, doesn’t in any way indicate “satisfaction.” You can understand your position relative to others and still think there’s room for improvement.
Times are different. I don’t think it’s necessary to have this outward “I’m going to break your face” expression to win. Roy Williams has noted that he lost to Texas once and vowed that would never happen again. If memory serves me right, it didn’t.
Performance = ability x motivation, generally speaking. That’s a simpler way to describe it for a forum like this. Boz and others might simply express their motivation with colorful behaviors, hair colors, and words. Others may be equally motivated, but don’t outwardly express it in this “I must break you” form.
As a side note, I was actually a little taken aback by Bo Jackson when he described the play where he and Boz collided. He simply said, “He was in my way.”
OU has lost some swagger. Bob would probably never walk into a High School with a fur coat on yelling “Where’s my future linebacker?” (that is sooooo Boss).
I’d like to see Bob not be so mechanical and blame losses on “…just didn’t execute well…”
I’d like to see Bob ask for crowd participation more. He did that once for Texas Tech. I was outside the stadium that night and could feel the noise.
I’d like to see an outward swagger, like Boz had, with OU’s current players. However, I don’t think outward colorfulness means much to winning. The internal motivation is what matter, not the showmanship.
Problem is you have to be able to back it up or you just look stupid… anyone remember the “land sharks” a few years back. We had swagger then, but got embarrassed because we couldn’t back it up.
Your statement = true.
Bama’s recent Galactus defenses are not swagger, not like 80s Miami teams. They are mechanical, machine-like. The Bama defense Version 2011 was one of the best defense I’ve ever seen. They were a Boa constrictor. There’s no need to flaunt when you’ve got a hold of your opponent and they cannot get away.
what was so awesome back then was if you got a first down, someone was gonna pay for it. the bone was nowadays spread. it was the “it” thing and was so hard to stop even tho you saw it in practice every day. then all of a sudden you had pro style thrown in and it was harder to play against 2 styles but those d’s that could, wow, they were fun to watch. nebraska, penn st, miami, sc, bama, nd but there was and always will be only one
Thank you for sharing this perspective.
BOOMER!
Every program has a comfort level.
ISU, Kansas are happy to compete and stay above .500.
OU appears to have settled around 10-2. or 9-3.
Never heard it said like and I don’t know whether that’s true but it was certainly well said.
It’s not about a comfort level, it’s about the reality of modern day college football, which is dramatically different than it was in Switzer’s day, in virtually every respect, including the rules, the number of players, access, recruiting, communication, and on down the line, not the least of which is the extreme change in the overall parity in the level of competition.
But that didn’t seem to stop Saban from winning 3 NCs in an incredibly short period of time. And Meyer grabbed two
Thanks espin. 🙂
if they run squeaky clean programs down there you can officially call me a monkey’s uncle and that’s not even including the oversigning crapola. i, for one, would not want to look a parent in the face and say your son just ain’t cutting the mustard any more and his scholarship is now no more
Meyer has exactly one more national championship than Stoops does. His teams’ “comfort” level had nothing to do with that. Saban actually won 4 NC’s in an incredibly short period of time :-). Lots of little things have to go just right to do that, but having a better “comfort level” with winning wasn’t the reason. Stoops wins games at a higher rate than Saban does. It’s important to remember that we’re talking about a dimension upon which you can find 2 coaches who surpass Stoops, and only 2 of them. That’s pretty rarified company. He doesn’t get there if his teams don’t both know how to win and have an attitude conducive to it.
I readily admitted that I don’t know if it has anything to do with comfort level but I also don’t know that the “era” is the issue. Again, Saban won 3 NCs in an incredibly short period of time (the LSU win wasn’t in that same “period of time” for me). And again Meyer won two. But you are correct Stoops is in very rarified company but that should come as no surprise, he coaches at a school with perhaps the most elite football tradition in the union boasting two predecessors who were the best of their time.
Posting a record of 10-2 every season, which many here are belittling, means having a winning percentage of .833. Of the coaches with 10 years in major conference competition, no one has done that! Only one is in the ballpark.
“Era” is an issue because in the pre-parity era the likes of Bear Bryant, Barry Switzer, and even Tom Osborne were able to win at that rate. Now there’s only one guy over .800. And we’ve got him. If you want to include Urban Meyer, who is only at 7 years right now, then there are two guys. Just two. Bob and Urban. No one else is close. No one is within 50 percentage points. This means that if you are disappointed in Stoops’ record, you would be more disappointed to the tune of at least one additional loss per year with the record of any other coach. And there are precious few even in that category, most would have 2, 3 or more additional losses each season.
In addition, since Stoops has been at OU, the team has won more games than any other major conference program. So if wins are what matter most, Stoops is the guy, hands down.
It comes as a surprise only because it is so rare. Elite program history is a guarantee of nothing. If that were the case Blake and the others would have had some success. There are a number of elite, tradition laden programs out there with legendary predecessors who were the best of their time and none of them have this track record, most have been on the rocks and many still are.
nice. well put. love me some stoops. love seeing all this put to paper. now we just need to finish off and put foot to ass
All good points but I think the original commenters point was “OU appears to have settled” so the relevant question might not be what coach Stoops’ record is or how many NCs he’s won but rather how many games and or championships he could win. I don’t know if he has “settled” and coach Stoops is no question a great coach but again, the original poster was really questioning whether there is more to be had. I personally believe there is but I’m not sure why it’s not being had. I just found the original commenter’s note interesting. Your responses seem to indicate that you can’t do any better than Stoops in this day and time and or coach Stoops is doing the best he can. So it’s impossible for you to agree with his original point…or any speculation I might be able to offer.
You and I read the OP differently. I didn’t see it as questioning whether there was more to be had. Of course there is. I’m not sure anyone disagrees with that, I certainly don’t.
The question is not whether you believe that there is more to be had, but whether you think Stoops cares about having it and is trying to do so.
What I took issue with was the idea that Stoops’ record indicates that he doesn’t care to be better because he is “happy” and “comfortable” with lesser success, and has “settled” for a lower standard.
@SuperKBrainiac:disqus
Saban back-doored his way into one title (LSU rematch) and got lucky (Colt McCoy injury) with another. Not trying to take anything away from the man but…………..he didn’t win those aforementioned titles outright.
Im just happy the defense is “ready to bring its A game” against Iowa State….smh
Would I be wrong to pine for at least a couple of players who drink whisky from the bottle, know how to roll one up one handed and are the first guys in the room to get looked at when a cheerleader turns up pregnant?
The kind of guys who pass interfere each and every play …. and never get called for it.
The kind of guys who know the bouncers and the strippers on a first name basis.
The kind of guys who make lesbians rethink things.
The kind of guys who diplomatically defuse an alley fight….and then sucker punch somebody just for the hell of it.
The kind of guys who are always in trouble with the trainers….but work out secretly at night just to frustrate them.
Just looking for a teensy injection of ‘win at any cost’.
‘Cause that, boys and girls, is what we’re talking about here.
We won 47 straight without almost all of that.
You really think that @oohrah_mama:disqus? Go read 47 straight by Jim Dent.
He’s got a point there. LOL
with some of that, then. 🙂
I really think Switzer would have thrived in this era of recruiting. His charisma would have eclipsed that of guys like Saban and Meyer. He also seems like a guy who would have known how to relate to the young player of this generation where simply being a disciplinarian isn’t enough.
Go back and watch the Sugar Bowl from last year, then watch any game this year, especially the three after the bye week. The players this year don’t want the wins near as much. There is no motivation or fire.
What if “Brian” had played for Fred Akers or Tom Osborne. My prediction is that he wouldn’t have been “the boz” but he would still have been an outstanding college player and he would have played longer in the NFL because he wouldn’t have grown ideas of doing more than just being a great football player. The talent at OU on the DL and in the secondary allowed him to flourish on the field and be so prolific to be a two time Butkis Award winner. I love Switzer but I don’t think he was good for Brian. They were too much alike.
I agree with you Jordan. OU has had 2 weeks to get things corrected.
In real estate it’s location, location, location!
In OU football it’s attitude, attitude, attitude!
Anxious to see what OU team shows up for the next 3 games (includes coaches).
I moved to Norman in the spring of Barry’s first season at OU and left after the ’86 Season but have stayed an avid follower of OU football. I think what I am about to say can be said about most football programs, but since I have followed OU it seems more apparent to me.
I think in football, more so than any other sport, the program takes on the personality of the coach. Once Switzer got to OU the program morphed to a loud, brash, confident program that looked over people and set their aim high on the horizon. Even with that air about it, it wouldn’t have translated to wins if it wasn’t clearly identified leaders on the field. The great OU teams, not only had a program behind it, but had people on the field led and shape the character of the play on the field. I am sure when Barry got Dupree he thought he had that guy who was going to shape the play on the field, but he failed to see Dupree just didn’t have the make up to lead a team. I think the story about Barry recruiting Boz was so central to the narrative and to Barry rebuilding the program – he had to see if he had that guy. Don’t get me wrong there were others, OU succeeded because Barry was brash, and Boz could deliver on the field. Look no further then Miami and Jimmy Johnson to see a parallel example of that.
After Barry I am afraid to say that the OU administration didn’t want the program to have a personality. Without it, it didn’t have the will to win, or the players to win for that matter. Then along came Stoops. It is pretty easy to understand his personality after looking at his coaching pedigree, he is a black & white, grinder and when OU won in 2000 they won with a bunch of grinders who were asked to play a position that many hadn’t previously in their careers and to grind it out. Make no mistake, the run and shoot air raid offense was all Bob’s personality, make the best with the hand you have been dealt. Even when he wasn’t winning the MNC, we had players that had Bob’s personality on the field, AP, probably worked as hard as Bob did, White grinded through 2 knee surgeries, Sam was HS grinder. I haven’t seen grinder or leader yet lately
Grinders aren’t satisfied with 2 loss seasons, you really think Bob has become complacent? I just think Bob hasn’t had his “Boz” on the field in sometime. To me I would much rather have that coach that gives the program a personality, than have that player. Look at last night, Boz left and OU still worked its way to the MNC – OU fell when the program lost its personality.
I call malarkey on all this. Soonermusic’s
comment is spot-on. It was a different time because there were different rules.
Back in the 70’s, Sports Illustrated once had an article entitled “That Old
Gang of Nine.” They were OU, Texas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Ohio State,
Michigan, and Penn State, teams that dominated the polls and the televised
games and the national championships. Then scholarship limits dropped from 105
to 95 in 1978 and from 95 to 85 in 1992, so more teams started getting great
football players. OU & Georgia sued to wrestle control of TV rights away
from the NCAA, so more teams started getting national exposure. Would Switzer
still be a great recruiter and a great coach in today’s game? Absolutely. Would
he and his players be able to get away with some of the shenanigans they got away
with? Absolutely not. Nor would we want them to. Would he dominate the way he
did in the 70’s and 80’s? I don’t think so. He’d be good, but Switzer himself
has said his teams didn’t have to deal with the parity that’s in today’s game.
Guys, just because we long for the good old days, don’t disparage the efforts and
desire of the young men that play their hearts out for our Sooners. Boomer!
excellent addition about the tv stuff. In the old days, if you chose TCU or K-State for example, you didn’t get on national tv nearly as often.
Many good comments have been made below about the differences in current teams and former teams, I will add one more that I’m not sure has been mentioned here. In those earlier championship runs, the coaches were playing with fifth year seniors. Players were not allowed to skip out early for the NFL and Freshmen were required to red shirt which gave them another year to grow and learn before seeing action. Without those 4 and 5 star athletes having to play the full term, some of those seasons may have been a little tougher.
The current OU teams seem very good when they are the hunter, not the hunted. I think that lack of desire to impose
Any organization is going to develop the personality of the man – or woman – who leads it.
I think a lot of it is also just fan perception. A not too long ago there was a year when the d-backs came into the season with a “take no prisoners” attitude. They had the highest expectations for themselves and were gonna dominate. The killer instinct was so strong they even nicknamed themselves, “sharks.” Didn’t turn out so well. Suddenly the attitude seemed faulty. The perception of a great attitude is more based upon results than anything else.
Very good point…especially like the last line of your comment. Very well said.
thanks, Super K. I appreciate everything you do on this site, and most of all the attitude with which you do it.
I don’t see any real difference in desire. The coach certainly makes a difference, but I also think these players today are trained and disciplined much more strictly largely because of the excesses of the Switzer era. As a rule, Stoops and the OU athletics department have placed the greater emphasis on “doing it right” rather than winning at all costs the way Switzer did. They are not afforded the luxury of having such a singular focus as just wanting to win. In today’s pc era with modern technology, social media, etc., these players are under constant surveillance and have role model and “good citizen” expectations placed on them that players from the 80’s never had to deal with. They are indoctrinated as to their obligations (among other things) virtually the moment they step on campus. CFB now is far more complicated than it used to be, and I think all of it takes a toll on a player’s focus and drive to be the best. Just my 2 cents anyway.
Point well taken.
I was a student at OU during that era, and I wanted to add a couple of things:
1. From 1983-1985, the Sooners lost 4 GAMES EVERY YEAR. Things weren’t so “different”, in fact, there were a lot of folks calling for Switzers’ head. Not only were we losing 4 games a year, we were losing to Texas and Nebraska.
2. When Bozworth got to Norman, it wasn’t with a lot of fanfare. Even though he was a tremendous part of that defense, there were quite a few excellent players too. I heard someone say OU wouldn’t have won the title without Bozworth, and they may not have, but there was a ton of talent on defense during those years.
Switzer was one of a kind. He was smart enough to surround himself with great assistants, and unmatched in personality. He definitely looked away at a lot of things going on, but his players loved him and would do anything for him.
Times are so much different now, and I think it’s unfair for anyone (I don’t think that’s what Jordan is doing here) to try to compare the Switzer era to the Stoops era. Switzer was kind of the town marshall in the wild west, while Stoops is more the CEO of a major corporation. Completely different times.
OU has had many years of success, and the mid to late 80’s were a great time for fans. unfortunately, the fans (and the program) paid a severe price for those great times.
That’s one thing I appreciate the most about Stoops. He’s managed to win consistently, while keeping the program clean. It’s probably much harder to run a sketchy program these days, but look at programs like FSU…they’re winning, but at what cost?
Dude——–1985 was their title year and in 84′ they woulda won it all if they’d defeated UW in the Orange Bowl.
C’mon man!
Holy crap, I don’t know how I screwed that up so badly. It should have been 1981-1983. It was only three years.
I need to get my act together! Definitely deserving of a “c’mon man!”.
Not sure I agree that the difference is so much attitude as it is the talent level. The 1985 team was stacked. Virtually every position had depth ( we even survived key injuries because the second teamers were so good. Migliazzo was a very good player, but his back-up, Dante Jones was great.
The 1985 Sooners, Frosh includes redshirt Frosh.
O-Line
Mark Hutson, Soph
Anthony Phillips, Frosh
Jon Phillips, Soph
Greg Johnson, Soph
Caesar Rentie, Soph
Mark Van Kiersblick, Frosh
Al Laurita, Soph
Travis Simpson, Jr
TE
Kieth Jackson, Soph
WR
Derrick Shepherd, Jr
RB
Patrick Collins, Soph
Anthony Stafford, Frosh
Spencer Tillman, Jr
Earl Johnson, Jr
Lydell Carr, Soph
Leon Perry, Frosh
Rotnei Anderson, Frosh
QB
Troy Aikman, Soph. Injured
Jamelle Holieway, Frosh
Eric Mitchell, Frosh
NG
Tony Casillas, Sr
DT
Steve Bryan, Jr
Richard Reed, Jr
Tony Wood, Frosh
DE
Kevin Murphy, Sr
Darrel Reed, Soph
Jeff Tupper, Sr
Troy Johnson, Soph
LB
Brian Bosworth, Soph
Paul Migliazzo, Jr
Dante Jones, Soph
Evan Gatewood, Jr
Richard Dillon, Soph
Kert Kaspar, Soph
DB
Rickey Dixon, Soph
Sonny Brown, Jr
Scott Garl, Frosh
Derrick White, Frosh
Derrick Crudup, Soph
Kevin Thompson, Frosh
Ken McMichael, Frosh
Andre Johnson, Soph ( injured in 1984, might have been one of the best corners)
28 of 42 listed were drafted into the NFL. But for injury, Earl Johnson and Andre Johnson would have joined them. I doubt that this year’s roster has 20. In fact, they have a lot to prove to even get close.
Bosworth, Reed, Casillas, Murphy, Jones and Dixon were dominating players. If you haven’t seen each play, watch some video. Sonny Brown was a perfect complement to Dixon.
The offense was marked by a fabulous offensive line, but the skill positions weren’t too shabby. Shepherd and Jackson as receivers, Collins and Stafford could fly as right and left halfbacks, Lydell Carr was a powerful fullback and Jamelle was a master ball handler.
Only Miami could match this assembly of talent. I believe that had Andre Johnson not been injured in the car wreck in 1984, we would have matched up much better against Miami’s receivers.
No way if we had 85 boz’s on this team nobody beat us sorry but if alabama and florida state can do it we can to alabama and florida state where down for a few year.s and have come back do you think they have made any excuse about not having any passion anybody who call’s them self.a sooner fan and say’s it okay just to be avarage is not a true sooner fan hell give a few more boz’s we would win every game
Of course the 85 team was better than the 2014 team. The current O-line isn’t nearly as good. Nor is the D-line. The linebackers aren’t even close. We don’t have a Dixon at safety or a Brown. Our running backs aren’t nearly as fast either. And on and on.
But if Miami hadn’t lost later, that great group wouldn’t have a national championship either. Winning a NC is really, really tough (1 out of 121 with about 5 strong contenders every year).
As for Bama and Florida State, really, you think they are different than anybody else. Just being demanding doesn’t make you a real Sooner fan. It just makes you unrealistic and unhappy most of the time. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of those at FSU and Bama.
No we are about championship’s that is not unrealistic to say any different sorry i love the sooner’s i know we can’t win every game but to say it’s unrealistic to have passion like the boz anand dream of winning a lot of championship’s no way my friend just give me some more boz’s
i just don’t think they’re doing it cleanly down there. you might say that’s just an excuse but i’m with some of these guys who want to win and keep tradition alive but do it with a clean program. would you really want to win 5 more championships in your life and then have your kids have to suffer through OU football on the death penalty?
No but why can’t we win five more championship’s and run a clean program we are the sooner’s we can do both
i hope so and i want that but if there are shady people running programs it’ll be hard to compete with that. i believe bob has actually come out and said he won’t oversign and that just scratches the surface on some of the accusations. i mean one dude tweeting out a picture in a brand new escalade and some suit store owner selling game used gear from several players. you have those examples and more and “there’s nothing to see here”. i would love to win and win some more but until the playing field is even its gonna be difficult. these might be excuses but i need more proof that nothing is going on than “just trust us, there’s nothing to these allegations”
Those guys reflected the attitude of their coach, as do these… methinks.
(Esco) “stirred up a lot of what my father instilled in me growing up, raising me to be an OU fan”.
It’s this dynasty of excellence, this demand for legendary near-perfection and seasonal expectations met yearly – that my generation grew up nurtured in. And one unfortunately that my sons have not yet experienced. Absolutely, I passed on our love for the Oklahoma Sooners to my sons, but the only experience near mine thst they’ve actually witnessed was the Perfect Season of 2000. It’s simply not the same, having been raised from earliest memory of winning seasons, year after year, of the admiration & jealousy from other programs’ fans of our famed, enviable football dynasty. Being taught to know that our high expectations would be met, the palpable pain of the snapped 47-game streak still hanging in the air of our proud state, even in my preschool years….it’s a rite of passage my kids have not experienced that breaks my heart a bit. It’s not a matter of “Well, IN MY time, the GOOD OL’ DAYS…” it’s simply the inborn, ingrained sense of exceedingly high expectations being not just met, but raised & embraced each new year, that we miss, we mourn, and we continue to hold out, hoping they will be eagerly accepted by each new team. I’m disappointed, a bit wistful, but always hopeful. Damn, we have a lot to be proud of…it would be nice for the program to want that and work for that again…
(Esco) “stirred up a lot of what my father instilled in me growing up, raising me to be an OU fan”.
It’s
this dynasty of excellence, this demand for legendary near-perfection
and seasonal expectations met yearly – that my generation grew up
nurtured in. And one unfortunately that my sons have not yet
experienced. Absolutely, I passed on our love for the Oklahoma Sooners
to my sons, but the only experience near mine that they’ve actually
witnessed was the Perfect Season of 2000. It’s simply not the same,
having been raised from earliest memory of winning seasons, year after
year, of the admiration & jealousy from other programs’ fans of our
famed, enviable football dynasty. Being taught to know that our high
expectations would be met, the palpable pain of the snapped 47-game
streak still hanging in the air of our proud state, even in my preschool
years….it’s a rite of passage my kids have not experienced that
breaks my heart a bit. It’s not a matter of “Well, IN MY time, the GOOD
OL’ DAYS…” it’s simply the inborn, ingrained sense of exceedingly high
expectations being not just met, but raised & embraced each new
year, that we miss, we mourn – and we continue to hold out hope they
will be eagerly accepted by each new team. I’m disappointed, a bit
wistful, but always hopeful. Damn, we have a lot to be proud of…it
would be nice for the program to want that and work for that again…
Amen, I will enjoy my beer now.
Back in the day things were different.
Was it Johnny Majors who in his first year at ISU gave out 100 scholarships?
Lavell Edwards at BYU gave scholarships to 19 QB’s in one year alone?
If memory serves.
True. Switzer never had to deal with 25/85.
I disagree somewhat with “it became painfully apparent to me the difference between those OU teams and the ones we’re currently watching”. Look at OU’s record before the Boz. They lost 4 games every year for the previous 3 years. Switzer had down seasons just like Stoops has. I for one am thankful for what Stoops has done. I’m pissed about this season too but that’s how the chips fall. I’m pretty sure Michigan, Texas, USC and many more teams would love to have our winning percentage every year.
Man, I was lucky. I was at OU for undergrad 1973-78, then at OU for grad school 1985-87. Not a bad time to be on campus for football season.
What I miss most is the Friday night Freshman games, back in the 1970’s. We’d all head to the stadium on Friday nights to see OU/KU or some such, with Freshmen like Billy Sims and leave thinking about how the OU domination would never end.
I’ve heard stories about those freshman games, bet they were awesome to watch.
They were like a freak show because OU was so deep and the teams we played were like HS teams. It was just a blast of big play after big play.
Jordan, you are not alone . Others who were around during the mid 80’s understand your appreciation of the difference in ‘then and ‘now’.
ou was among the recruiting elite back in the switzer days for a variety of reasons.
ou is no longer a recruiting elite. for the most part stoops has to do it with a completely different level of player.
we just aren’t able to sign the elite recruits anymore.