The Football Brainiacs

You may have forgotten what he looked like, but that’s a picture of Dimitri Flowers and it’s via ESPN

* Soft coverages – This is something that, in my opinion, Mike & Bob have always done and something I’ve always hated. If it’s 3rd & 12, I get playing your CBs 5-7 yards off. You’re obviously keeping your man in front of you and simply defending the first down marker. However, when it’s 3rd & 4 and you’re playing seven yards off then at the snap immediately go into your backpedal….well, this makes absolutely no sense to me. And that’s what I saw on one particular play from Julian Wilson in the Tennessee game, which lead directly to one of the easier third down conversions you’ll ever see.

If you’re playing off and allowing the WRs a free release against this West Virginia offense, let alone with a QB playing as well as Clint Trickett is right now, you’re just asking to get picked apart. OU’s pass rush is really, really good, maybe even great, but you’re not going to be able to rely on just that Saturday night in Morgantown. Get up close to the line, bump WVU’s receivers, throw off their timing on those short, quick routes Holgo loves to run so much.

Mike knows this. Mike will have a plan. Not to mention a monumental chip on his shoulder considering the way his defense played last time they came to town.

* Trickett’s dome – It really is a magnificent head of hair.

* OU’s offensive line – Look, if they’re going to be facing seven and eight man fronts every week from here on out then maybe I need to readjust my expectations for their ability to dominate the line of scrimmage. But I’d be lying, even making the concession that the Vols loaded the box all night last Saturday, if I said I wasn’t disappointed in OU’s ability, or lack thereof, to move the ball on the ground in that game. And even allowing for the ‘loaded box’ theory with the size OU has all along that o-line, why weren’t they able to simply wear out Tennessee’s front seven (or eight) until what seemed like pretty late into the fourth quarter?

I know, I know…S-E-C, but still.

If teams are will to sacrifice an extra man or two in coverage, then it’s obviously up to Trevor Knight and company to make them pay for that. And with 300+ yards passing you’d have thought he/they did exactly that last Saturday, yet the Vols never really adjusted their defensive approach.

I still think Ty Darlington can struggle at times and I still firmly believe match-up with Texas’ Malcom Brown is going to be an absolute nightmare. But WVU doesn’t have anyone like that, so even with Keith Ford out I think OU should be able to run the ball. But it’s going to be a challenge as it appears every OU opponent is going to approach games with the philosophy of loading the box and making Knight beat you with his arm.

* Samaje Perine – Perhaps stating the obvious a bit here, but I think this is a chance for Perine to really separate himself from Alex Ross as the No. 2 back after Ford returns from his injury. Outside of that one long run against Tulsa, I really haven’t been that impressed with Ross running the football. I think he’s a beast if he has a lane and there is no one in front of him, but if there’s even one defender it’s like he just tries to lower his shoulder and run the guy over. Rarely do I feel like I can remember him trying to make a move to get around a guy (short of just trying to turn on the burners to get the corner) or spin off a tackle like we’ve seen Ford do multiple times already in these first three games.

I think Perine has been much more effective running the ball and is just as capable a receiver as Ford and Ross. If he can come out and punish people while moving the ball consistently, I see no reason to believe Cale Gundy wouldn’t move him ahead of Ross.

And, to be fair, maybe Ross comes out and has a huge game himself. I’d be all for it. I’m not necessarily rooting for one guy over the other. I don’t particularly care who is running the ball so long as they’re successful. If they both have great games Saturday night all the better. I’m simply saying from what I’ve seen thus far, Perine looks like the more effective runner of the two.

* Josh Heupel – I make one comment about what I felt were some questionable play calls and next thing I know everyone is jumping down my throat. I mean you’re really going to tell me you were okay with that sequence on fourth down where OU calls a timeout, then Tennessee calls a timeout, then OU calls another timeout only to come out of said timeout and try to run some gadget play and failing to convert?

Yes, I’ve had my issues (and, yes, no one really cares nor does my opinion matter in the slightest) with Heupel and his play-calling in the past. But up until maybe a handful of instances (at best) last Saturday, he’s done as good a job as OU’s play-caller as anyone could have asked for, at least as far as I’m concerned.

I think this was a simple blip on the radar of an otherwise excellent job done. But I do think he has a tendency, at times, to really over-think things and try to call the perfect play. He has enough talent at his disposal he should just be able to relax and let the players do what they do.

* Dimitri Flowers – This one really isn’t all that complicated. I’d like to see them get him more involved in the offense. I know he’s a true freshman and we’re only three games into the season, but I really don’t want this to turn into another Trey Millard criminally underused situation.

* Ahmad Thomas – I thought this past Saturday was the first really noticeable sign of struggles we saw from OU’s first year starting safety. And it wasn’t just that one play for the long(ish) touchdown where he got completely lost in coverage. Which is not in any way to say he’ll be unable to overcome it, but you can rest assured Holgo saw that on film and will look to try and exploit whatever weaknesses he perceives there to be in this OU secondary.

* Sterling Shepard on punt returns – Is it just me or does it look like at times he’s not even looking to make a return? Has he been told to just make the fair catch and let the offense take over? I feel like I saw him and/or the coaches admit as much this week and I’m just not sure I follow the logic here. Why voluntarily give up potential field position and hamstring a dynamic return guy? Because he’s so vitally important to the offense and you don’t want to risk him suffering an injury on special teams?

Then why is he out there in the first place?

* Jed Barnett – I feel like I’ve mentioned this before, either here or elsewhere on TFB. But just as I expected, and maybe I’m alone on this, Barnett, to me, has been really inconsistent so far this season. He seems really slow to actually get the punt off and almost had one blocked against Tennessee. And it seems like whenever they have a chance to pin someone deep, he’ll unintentionally pooch it short or boot it through the back of the end zone. Although complaining about it, or whatever you consider this to be, is pointless. OU isn’t going to make a change.

I’m sure at least some of you are saying ‘My word, man. Over-analyze things a little more why don’t you, it’s just the punter.’ And you have a valid argument. I just don’t like not knowing what’s going to happen at that position when you send the guy out onto the field.

It’s nothing personal Jed, but I miss Tress Way.

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What will you be watching for Saturday night?