OU/Texas: A Fatal Flaw, But A Correctable One
Posted on: October 12, 2015
I have reviewed most of the Red River Rivalry game from this past weekend and there are a number of things to talk about. There are a number of things I’m sure the players and the coaches wish they had done differently. And in such a tightly contested game, I’m sure there are multiple things that one could point to that would have made the difference in the game. But there is one that was so critical and so fundamental…
Tackling.
In the first quarter, as I noted in my post this weekend, Marcus Johnson took the ball from almost a dead stop behind the line of scrimmage to score a TD from more than 25 yards out while tip-toeing the sideline. He went through at least 4 Sooner defenders. It resulted in 7 points.
OU started the 3rd quarter with bad tackling. And then later in the 3rd quarter when they began to seize some momentum it was halted by poor tackling.
On the first drive of the 3rd quarter a lot of folks were upset OU was playing a 2-4-5 defense. But Mike’s choice in the defensive personnel and front wasn’t the problem. In fact sometimes when you play a smaller set you can be more disruptive in the run game and you can play misdirection better. Let’s highlight a few key tackling issues in the 3rd quarter that had they been remedied would’ve changed the outcome of the game…
– On the first drive there were a couple of runs where an LB had space in the alley to make the tackle and didn’t. Both resulted in first downs.
– Here 2nd and 1 and OU has an easy tackle to make it 3rd and 4. Instead the tackle is missed and it turns into a 1st down.
– Here on 3rd and 9 you can see the defensive lineman has Heard in his clutches but can’t bring him down…
– On that same play when Heard breaks the initial tackle the Sooners still have guys available to kill the drive but they aren’t able to. Look at all those white jerseys.
– Here was the play where Texas was really able to regain momentum. They’re in 2nd and long and while Texas had a good call (draw off a sprint) OU has players there to slow this down and ensure that it only goes for a first but the Texas RB ends up nearly housing this ball for a huge 70-80 yard gain.
The bad news is OU gave a game away due to fundamentals. It’s unfortunate because it’s such a basic part of the game. The good news is this is correctable…one hopes. This isn’t an issue of athleticism.
Right before the TCU vs. Texas game Gary Patterson was asked what the biggest challenge would be for his defense. His response was, “We’ve beaten better with less.” GP says this despite sustaining a ton of losses on defense. Why would he be so confident? Because Texas is one dimensional. When a team is one dimensional then even if you’re out-manned physically you can out-number the team at the point of attack (I reviewed the game and GP played a lot of cover 0 in the first quarter). But he also knows that to stop a one-dimensional team, you just need to be fundamentally sound. And nothing is more fundamental than tackling.
TCU didn’t allow a single point to Texas until the 4th quarter. They played with more than 5 defensive starters out. They have a very fast but very undersized defense. One of their LBs is in fact listed at less than 200 lbs. And again, they didn’t allow a single point until late in the 4th quarter.
Like I said earlier this weekend, if I were coach Mike Stoops, after the Sooners gave up that first TD I would’ve come unglued. It was inexcusable.
228 Comments
My understanding is that OU does very little tackling in practice. Sounds like that needs to change and change fast.
In fact, I think I would be running the Oklahoma drill today.
Then many on here can complain of too many practice injuries and call for all coaches to be fired. Thanks, Super K, for your insight. I, for one, appreciate your work and demeanor concerning our team in the midst of so much craziness.
That is true. It’s not that they don’t do good on good, they just don’t tackle to the ground much.
Well, I would say that that practice is not working real well. If you don’t practice tackling then how do you get good at it. Theory only goes so far, I want to see someone de-cleated.
I believe there are NCAA rules limiting the number of days that include contact to either one or two.
Well, there you go. Two days of hitting/tackling is a helluva lot better than none.
I thought the same as you when I looked it up. The ncaa has full contact “rules” for pre season, but not in season, they do have guidelines and are looking at it to extend to rules. There are no in season rules for practice, but the guideline is for 2 full contact practices per week. http://www.ncaa.org/health-and-safety/football-practice-guidelines
Thanks, K! Your insight is always appreciated.
But but the coaches owe an explanation!!!!
These “correctable” articles are coming all too frequently. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate what you guys do, but at some point the “corrections” have to actually be made. This coaching staff is losing all credibility (with me at least).
Indeed but to be fair OU has tackled much better in the previous games.
Yes, so is it a coaching problem or a personnel problem? Probably a little of both, but ultimately the coaches are the ones bringing in the personnel and are highly paid to do their job. It’s time to start doing!!
It was a bad game. Until it happens over and over again, you don’t have a “problem” I would say it’s a concern. If they come out next game and can’t tackle, now you have a coaching and/or personnel problem.
8-6 over the last 14 games, that’s barely above .500. I believe we passed concern a few losses ago and are deep into the problem category.
Now you want to use last season to justify why this year’s team is flawed. And what’s even more ridiculous about people bringing up the last 14 games, is that stat only takes into account what crazy fans what to take into account. Go back and include ALL of last season if you’re only going to include the games that matter to you. They’re 12-6 in the last 18. So if things get turned around like I expect them to, and we go 10-2 (not sure how I feel about a bowl win without knowing the matchup but stoops is due for a win so I’ll go 11-2) then we’re talking about 19-7 in 2 seasons. And when you try to look at a trend who decides “hey I only want to take into account 14?” …the type of person who has an agenda.
Again I think ou has a bigger problem with the whiny fans than they do on the football field.
A lot of this bashing sounds like either Traber cloning (who always likes to put anything OU in the darkest place) or LT talk where everyone hates everything all the time. Traber would pick “the last 14 games” if it suited his point, as would Tramel. Too often fans just parrot what those sports experts (idiots?) say all day long without intellegently looking at the whats in front of them.
Ok, you don’t see the trend and are an optimist, I can respect that. So is it Baylor or TCU we are beating? Right now I can’t see us beating either and I’m not very confident with wins over Tech, K-State or OSU either. I’d love to go 10-2, but just can’t see how we get there with the current players and staff.
For me,I expect the Sooners to win every time they take the field, knowing full well that is unrealistic. I prefer my approach to thinking they will always lose and then be surprised when they don’t.
Amen to that!
I also prefer your approach.
Your approach will let you watch to the end … like the 1983 game where the OU kicker kicked an onside kick when he did not get the message not to, and then OU won the game. OSU led for most of the game. Me, on the other hand, I cannot afford to watch those kind of games because I have a very serious heart condition …. I really do. So, I have to take a different approach: Watch the game until they start to tank, then turn off the sound, and if it gets worse, I have to turn it off completely then go back to the highlights IF they come from behind to win. It’s just too much stress for someone with a heart birth defect and an ascending aorta aneurysm to deal with. Vodka helps though …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cusPh4mHPJQ
Sorry to hear about your heart condition.
I am a slow heart beat, doesn’t believe in panic kind of person. I’ve always been that way, which is why adrenaline and I have always been such close friends. The more juice that kicks into my system, the more things slow down and the more focused I become.
Plus, I don’t drink alcohol…at all. That crap is toxic. 🙂
Tcu is not as good as everyone thinks. I just think there’s more to stoops than winning games. Character is important. So IMO you’re not just having to replace wins (which is hard to do) but you have to find someone who can establish the same type of character at ou and win games. There’s not very many coaches out there when you look at it from that aspect. Look at jimbo fisher, Pete Carroll, Meyer and tressel. All won titles, but then you find out about all the character flaws later. Guys who’ve done it right and won titles in the last 16 years, are stoops, Saban and Mack. As I’m typing this bielema is on my tv going after a bama player and pretending he got pushed. I saw someone post that they would rather have bielema. And this is why I have an issue when fans downplay what stoops means to the program.
I agree with you. I would imagine USC is looking for a new coach and maybe an Ath. Dir. (could be rumors). The grass is always greener on the other side.
I get upset when OU loses especially to Texas, but replacing Bob Stoops would be a huge mistake. The first OU game I attended was the ’71 game (OU vs Nebraska) and I was upset at that time but I am still rooting for the Sooners.
And by the way thanks Super K, JY, J. Esco for all the time and your excellent reports.
I agree with most of that, but TCU did run Texas out of the stadium. And I’d strike Saban from that list, he’s not really a character guy. Whoever said they’d take Bielema is an idiot!!
I just think that’s the way a season goes. Texas underestimates tcu because they’re tcu but gets up for ou. Meanwhile tcu still wants to prove they can beat a big team like Texas.
I don’t think tcu is garbage by any means. I just think most teams circle that game this year which is different from the past. Clearly Texas didn’t circle the tcu game.
Yes they did, but there is a huge difference in the whorns. They have had the talent all year, they were just really young and experienced. When a team is that young its psyche is very weak and easily broken. TCU got them early and broke their will. You could see them just quit. Not to mention, a win over OU means a lot more to the whorns than a win over TCU.
Saban is not a character guy. A liar and a man that will win at any cost
What I mean with Saban is that you can’t pin any wrong doing on him. He runs a clean program from everything I’ve seen. I don’t like the guy either but I don’t think he’s cheating.
that guy will cheat his own mother in a game of cards to gain an advantage.
I understand that Steve Sarkisian is available?
Amen Zack!
Or, you can decide that looking at trends may not fit your agenda, thus paving the way for you to declare examining trends as illegitimate. By your logic, (just as an example) Bobby Bowden should have been allowed to coach until assuming room temperature, since the 6-7 win seasons that were becoming his norm only put a minor dint in his overall excellent career record.
No what I’m actually trying to explain is that it should be reasonable to have one down year in every 4 due to recruiting, senior leadership, and turnover from coaching staff and players. But if you want to use last year (and only the back half of the season to prove a point) then stoops and supporters of stoops should be able to use the 1 title, 4 NC appearances and 8 big 12 titles to explain why things are good here.
I wouldn’t have a complaint if 8-5 was the norm, but it happens from time to time and after bob’s 3 previous bad seasons (99, 05, and 09) he went on to win the big 12 and appear in a bcs bowl.
There’s a difference between what was happening at fsu at the end of Bowdens run and what is going on at ou and it’s not even close.
Bowden to reiterate with numbers, averaged 8 wins over his last 9 years. 2 seasons were vacated because of ineligible players, and those were only 7 win seasons. So he wasn’t winning even when he was breaking rules.
Stoops in his last 9 years 06-14, has 93 wins or an average of 10.33 wins per year. And actually has 5 conference titles. I don’t disagree that there’s a difference since 2008 but it’s not not as big of a difference as some suggest. Not enough to fire stoops.
From 99-05, 75 wins or average 10.7 and 3 conference titles in 7 seasons.
He’s also 10-7 vs Texas. And I believe 12-4 vs osu with 2 of those losses coming when ou was rolling in 01 and 02.
Those two OSU losses were to losing OSU teams. WTF??
The concern is that there are Sooner fans thinking that 12 – 6 or 19-7 is acceptable for 2 seasons at OU. And that is looking at the rest of this season with a very unlikely result. I expect this year to be about 8-5 which means a 2 year total of 16-10 or about what Gray Gibbs could do. That seems just above average but not elite. Shouldn’t Sooner fans expect much more?
Now that you’ve refuted his attack on the 2-4-5, he has to jump to a more general approach. 🙂 Love to see the scramble.
#4 hasn’t shown the ability to tackle for 3 year tho!
Agree and that is what makes it so mind numbing. My gosh it was Fexas. If you can’t get it up for them, then who in the heck can you get it up for? That first TD run was just pathetic. I just do not get it.
I still think the 2-4-5 wasn’t working, regardless of tackle issues, and we should have made an adjustment. LBs were being pasted by the OL, and it fell to our secondary to make too many tackles (or attempted tackles). I will say that J Thomas and ‘Chez made two of the best form tackles they made all year. Wish there could have been more. P.S. There were blatant holding calls on both of UT’s long TD runs. Guess the officials decided not to call holding.
Agreed. I am sure I saw one of their OL have their arm wrapped around one of our guys neck holding him as the running back went by.
Dusty D was all over the 2-4-5 earlier and he seemed to think it was a problem. We played a 3rd down defense against a 1st down offense all day.
I’m watching the second half, and in the first two run plays, Alexander got blocked twice by an OL, and Evans also got blocked by an OL, both plays resulting in first downs. This is the issue that I have with only two down D lineman, which frees up the OL to get to the 2nd level.
I understand but I’ve gone back and watched every play on the 2-4-5 and they weren’t beat at the LOS. Fair to disagree but I think a lot of points are easy to latch on to because they seem like the right answer but all too often you go back and watch and see that the issue was something different. Take the offensive line. The commentator mid-way through the 2nd quarter talked about their inability to handle pressure up the middle but up until that point Texas was bringing edge pressure that was unidentified or not picked up by the RB or the line. It wasn’t until later in the 2nd and into the 3rd where Texas changes their pressure look to interior pressure.
I bow to your football expertise, K, and love your breakdowns. They’re awesome. You know more about ball than I ever will. However, I must say there appears to be a contradiction in your support of the 2-4-5, in that you advocate for the extra LB and DB – but yet they are the ones who struggled with the poor tacklng and techique you mentioned. Wouldn’t a three or four down lineman set have enabled better penetration into the backfield and run stops at the LOS? As a running back I had a simple philosophy: better to be tackled by a corner than a LB, and better to be tackled by a LB than a D lineman.
K, thanks for your insight. Tackling was unacceptable and the 2-4-5 had nothing to do with tackling.
The issue was our offense. UT knew Baker bolted the pocket quick and always went to his right. UT attacked Baker on the edge early and mainly on his right and he had no where to go. Baker freaked and he didn’t hit his hot route or check down. The game is not on him but hopefully he learned a lot from this game cause he will see it more and more this year. In fairness to the defense, Baker’s lack of execution is what kept the D on the field for so long. Granted, our OL play was bad but he could’ve helped.
We would get a key 3 & out on D and our O would then go 3 & out. With this style of O, this isn’t supposed to happen.
Super K love your stuff. I also break down every game. I have to take an aside to your comments about the O Line. I agree on the pressure, but watch the interior of the line, and not just in this game, but every game this year. Ty and Nila are getting pushed around and quick DTs are sliding inside them with a swim move and in the backfield. Their combo blocks become a stalemate at the LOS. They made a great adjustment on a blitz in the WV game that led to Sheppard’s long TD pass. I know the backups are young pups, but with where we are with the line right now, I would say go with the new guys and get them some experience. They’re going to be starters next year anyway, might as well get a head start. It can’t get much worse.
It’s not just you.
K, I might be the only one that thinks that Byrd would be the hardest hitting LB’er we have. He has some size and comes with a mission, the boy can hit. He does have some speed and could actually cover some one when needed. What think you? Of course, that would leave us even shorter at safety.
My thoughts would be that there was no reason to consider changes on defensive personnel because really all levels have played well this year. But all this missed tackles were on everyone not just LBs.
Exactly right, I see more of an inconsistancy than an innate problem. I have thought at times that the D was awesome (Tennessee and WVU), Tulsa and Texsa not so much. Jay is very familiar with the tendencies of MS, I think he put together the perfect game plan to beat a MS defense also.
Byrd could be very effective against KSU as a walkup safety. This is a team he can lay the wood on.
Nice job, Super K.
Why is it that a team like TCU is able to come out and consistently bring their A game, yet we seem to struggle with “discipline” aspects. I mean, As someone that’s never played, why is it so hard for players to make tackles, almost deliberately play really badly.
Defensive play, while not the cause of this loss, IMO, was eerily reminiscent of the Clemson, A&M, Baylor games where we just look lost. For OU, that’s just inexcusible.
It comes down to how players mentally prepare before the game. A rivalry game where you’re projected to cream the rival can really do a number on how strong teams come out and how they respond to getting punched in the mouth.
Gary Patterson doesn’t get the top kids but he takes defense as a point of honor and pride. They are going to have bad days but it will rarely be due to things they can help.
TCU beat a horrendous Minnesota team by 7, TT had them dead until they had that miracle catch in the end zone. KSU scared them as well.
They are not invincible and have not really played well on Defense other than the Texas game.
It seems based on the interview quotes that the coaches know what is happening. They continuiously spoke of leverage and we as a defense were poor when it came to understand where to fit so that our help could show up and gang tackle. Truth is our safeties are some of the most underachieving safeties in OU history. They may have improved from last year but they are not above average at any part of he two prong ideal nature of the positon. I believe a safety has to be a ball hawk or a great tackler. Neither of our safeties would be considered either of those. My question is when do we see personel changes at the areas in question? Where are our highly routed safety recruits and why is Frank Shannon a non factor at linebacker?
Agree on the points but Parker has been decent. He shows flashes of brilliance just seems to lack that elite edge which might be experience. I mean, compared to Byrd..I would say he has done well. Not Tony Jefferson good, but he shows a lot of promise.
Parker is good. The other two are below average though I commend their effort. We pretty much addressed this during the Tulsa game I believe.
I was not including Parker in that mix as I consider him a nickel back. He should be the high safety and Zack Sanchez should play the slot corner with a bigger more physical corner on the edge like Mbanasor or Green. I would then sub the other safety with one of the true freshman that is furthest along. (Haughton, Mckinney or Sunderland) Of the 3, I would start the one who has the most big play potential even if they get beat occasionally because this defense lacks playmakers who cause turnovers.
Does JY have a breakdown or any ideas forthcoming of the direction that Offensive Line should go after this poor performance against Texas?
Any word from practice/program insiders forthcoming of personel changes being made on either side of the football? I believe the lack of changes due to poor play is what angers the fans most.
I feel like if we make the tackles that we had a shot at, we win the game. There is only so much a coach can do to fire up a team, at some point the players have to want to win and make the plays on the field. I think the offensive play calling and personnel could be better but that’s another story.
Offensive play calling was the main story, in my opinion.
That reverse on second down made me hurl profanities like crazy.
My problem with that play is it did not appear to me the lineman got physically get beat. It looked as if he just released the Defenive lineman and went to his left. When he saw there was no one to block he just appeared to look back with an oops look. If he even made a poor actual block . . . who knows
I think that was the 3rd or 4th time that reverse has been ran this season. All of them got demolished in the backfield.
I don’t remember seeing Bond on the field for this one. I think that helps us a lot on defense. Sometimes we forget as fans that we are dealing with kids. I was really worried about this one. Texas comes limping into this rivalry game with nothing to lose. Our kids did NOT respect their opponent, plain and simple and they got beat because of it. More a reflection on youth that ability to me. I am not down on this team, I just hope this is a lesson they use as fuel to hook it up every game after this. BOOMER!
Bond was hurt. Out for the week with an ankle.
I knew he was hurt but they thought he might play.
Might be out this week, too.
Sometimes those more serious ankle dings takes time.
Yessir. I had one mid season that wasn’t a serious sprain, but lingered with me well after the season was over.
Me too! Sometimes, no amount of tape can make those things comfortable enough to cut on with no regard to the pain.
Had a boot on at game, so I’d say that’s a safe assumption.
I actually walked in with his family on sat and asked how he was doing, they said he’s hopeful to get back this week but he’s still hurting a bit.
Good post, Super K.
I contend there was one outstanding tackle on the 80yard sprint draw run, that by a wHorn player on Jordan Evans. Perfect form and wrapped him up.
I was shocked to see a team have 58 running plays without a single hold. We are talking about a young inexperienced line too. That guy should’ve had at one if not two personal foul penalties to go along with that tackle/hold on Evans. Once I saw that, I knew the refs said, let’s get this game over. 8 freaking refs, not one holding penalty. Unreal.
The more I think about it, the more I believe Texas was thrown a bone or two out of pity. OU played like they could just walk in the Cotton bowl and score 50.
OR thrown ten or 20 bones …. the refs were giving them all the benefits of the doubt, and it’s crap like this coupled with that damn sports channel which shall not be named that makes college football unfair. But, oh well, us sooners love the underdog and shunned role … time to fight Bob. You cannot keep a good man down
I saw several others that weren’t called.
Yeah, it was the refs fault for sure.
Byrd seems to consistently take poor angles or puts himself in positions where he has no good angle. With the 2-4-5, I think you have to get one more big body on the field. makes it to simple to simply overwhelm a guy like Striker with a offensive lineman. My question, why can’t the QB and WR see the blitz an adapt? in the first half, texas blitz a DB lined up over a receiver several times and our guy would run a 15 yard route. You have to cut that off and throw into the space the DB vacated. How do we not make that adjustment?
BS said in the presser that the WRs need to shorten their routes on pressures. I.e., they knew to do this, but failed to do it.
Well if every wide receiver on the team made the same mistake repeatedly they weren’t prepared by the coaches correctly.
Sticking with this theme.. There were a ton of missed or not tackling to the ground vs WV as well.. It obviously carried over.
If I correctly recall reading that OU hasn’t been practicing tackling in order to mitigate the chance of injury, then what do teams do in those cases to try to keep poor tackling from being a problem? Or is it more of a tackle in practice or don’t tackle in games type situation?
It looked like Zach Sanchez has been showing everyone how to tackle.
OU is not an intense practice tackling team. I’ve been to other schools practices, including Texas…there are some teams that are really violent in practice. It’s helped OU mitigate injuries though as you noted.
I miss players like Strait who would leave an imprint on you when he hit you.
Mitigate injuries, sure I could see that. But it sure as hell takes away your “tougher than nails” attitudes too. No wonder Bob’s teams have lost their backbone in the past 7 years. I’m a believer of you “practice the way you play.” Don’t tackle in practice, won’t tackle in game. Not getting nasty in practice, keeps you from ever being a “nasty” team. Let me guess, Bob’s earlier teams practiced with much more intensity and hitting?
For me I see teams like Kansas State, TCU, even OSWho have injuries that they overcome and even make it look easy sometimes. What bothers me is we never have a ton of depth. We don’t have that next man up type of attitude.
True.
Seriously? We don’t have a next man up kind of attitude? What happened when or number one linebacker was unavailable two years in a row, or with the O-line last year, when any number of players went down. Or with the O=line earlier this year when our two upperclassmen were injured?
EDIT: I realize the grass is always greener, but I think we’ve had several examples of terrific, next man up attitude. I agree that we have some depth issues and have had, but again, that’s probably a grass is always greener situation. You look at ALL t;he teams and pick out the ones where next man up was successful, and ignore the ones where it wasn’t, because that’s not news.
And Sark is officially gone now. Yet we have problems…
man, haden fires 2 hc’s in 2 yrs…….I would say the big cigars don’t mince words with haden
Sark was a bad hire to start, he was mediocre at UW. SC could do alot better.
Haden has got to be on the hot seat. And the president of the university may be as well if he/she has been there since Pete Carroll was there.
reports coming out now that he had well-known alcohol problems while at wash…….
Shocker….its like ummm he didn’t just start drinking when he got to LA…..
Kind of like Howard. Boy, his wife could drink. Seen them put down a few at Crispy’s.
If I’m USC I got after Utah coach
or chip kelly
Chip will never go to SC. I could see maybe Scott Frost getting that gig.
SC will not hire a OC. They want a proven guy
Like Sark? lol
exactly, they won’t go that route again. he was a head coach at Washington first hahahaha
They have to stop hiring Alumni and ties too…just find a good young coach or a good available NFL coach.
I agree. kind of what we did with gary gibbs and blake.
I could see them calling Ken Norton too.
yeah, didn’t think about that one
I think he wants out of the NFL. Philly vs LA
I live in Philly. He has NEVER given any indication that he’s wanting to go back to college.
Of course not he would snowballed to death if he did lol
Google that incident. That was one scrawny santa, and he deserved what he got.
A scrawny Santa deserves whatever snowballing comes his way.
Hahaha
If Saban misses playoffs, he’s ready to leave Bama. He can’t stand their media or deranged fan base anymore than we can.
I’m sure he and Chris Peterson are at the top of the list. Maybe chip kelly. Heck maybe stoops. I know Jordan was half kidding about dean making a report saying there’s interest but maybe there would be.
Mack Brown, 🙂
I like to drink. Maybe I can get the job.
At least we are not SC. Im 200% sure that stoops wont be on the sideline drunk.
I’m over the Texas game…Now what do we do against a K state coach who has clearly outcoached Stoops for a very long time. And if he was at a power house program would probably be the best coach in college football. K satate is licking there chops right now. But I must say that our lbackers are slow. You could see it on the field, and Stop biting so hard on misdirection.
The Purple Wizard is the most underated coach in football history. His teams don’t beat themselves, and the run a system that is very difficult to stop. But I think OU can do it.
has done more with less every year. one of the best ever
As Bum Phillips once said of Don Shula, “He can beat yours with his, and he can his with yours.”
I like the old guy
KSU is 3-9 vs OU since Stoops got here, how is that he’s getting outcoached for a very long time?
Not really an X and O point but this is the newest post so I’ll share here.
Sometime it’s important to look in the mirror and remember who you are, not who you think you are. We have always said our standard is National Championships, not winning records or bowl games.
-Just this week Ohio St passed us as the all-time leader in weeks ranked #1.
-Since 2000, we’ve had 3 seasons with fewer than 10 wins. We’ve played for the NC 4 times.
-OU is the only team to play in all of the BCS Bowls.
-Every one of these teams have experienced several losing seasons over the past 10 years: Alabama, LSU, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio St, Texas, FSU, USC, UCLA. Notice who’s not included…OU!!!
-# NC’s: Alabama 10, Notre Dame 8, OU 7, USC 7, Ohio St 6
Just to put our current slump into perspective, we have now gone 15 years without winning the NC. Alabama had a 17 year drought until their recent streak. Notre Dame is currently in a 27 year drought. USC is currently in an 11 year drought. Before ’03-’04, they had a 27 year drought. OSU had a 34 year drought until 2002.
The problem is, all of those teams except ND have won the NC multiple times since we won in 2000. Over the years we have maintained the most stability of any program in the country. We just haven’t pulled off the big win quite as often as Alabama or ND.
It’s now been 7 years since we sniffed a NCG. By comparison to these other teams
in our category, we are STILL among the elite of the elite. Since 2008, we’ve now had 2 seasons of single digit wins (’09 and ’14).
Think about this, in ’13 when we beat Alabama and won the Sugar Bowl, we lost to Texas. In ’08 when we played for the NC, we lost to Texas. In ’06 when we played in the Fiesta Bowl, we lost to Texas. Losing to Texas sucks but it doesn’t have to define our season. I will admit, if one of our team captains would have pulled a Tim Tebow speech after the game, I
would feel a bit better. His intensity after their loss that one year and they go win the NC was pure will and determination. Do we have it? We’ll see…
I appreciate your optimism, and I hope you’re right. However, I think the talent level has dropped significantly at OU since 2008. Not only that, but parity is more a factor than ever. OU was always on the cutting edge in regards to how the game was played and now they’re trying to catch up to teams like Baylor, TCU, and Oregon(although not this year, but you get my point).
“and Oregon (although not this year) ” And there’s the issue. Most teams are here today, gone tomorrow. Btw, even during this current slump, over the past 5 years OU remains #8 in the country in winning percentage among all major (power 5) conference teams.
It’s not just optimism, it’s pure leadership. OU needs leaders to step up and lead the team … lead off the field and lead on the field. Remember Teddy? That dude was a pure Sooner leader … remember Rocky? same thing. The Boz? total leader … we need that now, more than ever.
I have been saying this also. I think that is our biggest problem, the talent level dropping. When we went to NCGs we had multiple 1st rd and early rd picks. When was the last time we had a top 10 recruiting class also? People say stars don’t matter, including myself, but during the NCG they put up a stat of like the last 5 NCG teams past 4 or 5 recruiting class and the avg was like 4th. I’m still not sold on that, but I think u have to make it up in developing NFL level talent… Which IMO has really fell off last 5 years or so.
If it is talent level, then why is TCU and K State beating us? The past 2-4 years even Texas hasn’t had as much talent, but they beat us twice. Our talent level may be down compared to AL, Ohio State, Oregon, LSU, etc. But it is not down compared to other Big 12 teams. Fact is Baylor, TCU and KSU are better coached and play with more passion than OU does. OSU plays with more passion when they play us because we always think we will win (like last year vs a sorry OSU team). I think OU is of the opinion people are still scared of us, when in reality they know our defense will stink and our offense will go generic as soon as we get up by 10-14 points.
Totally agree we have been outcoached also.. IMO I just just don’t think we recruit or develop the talent to compete for championships right now. Talent can cover up coaching. Also Texas hasn’t exactly been a slouch in recruiting or anything… Had a higher ranked class than us in 2 of past 4 years, including #2 in 2012.
I and many other fans have the memory of a goldfish.
Don’t come in here with your logic and stats and common sense!!!
I’m mad as hell dangit!!!
I need the shenanigans to stop!!! Out last 14 game we have looked like chewed up dog sh**!!!
But I like where your minds at!! My hearts there, just not wrapping the noggin around it at this time.
I haven’t seen this addressed much and not sure if I am the only one feeling this way but with a patchwork offensive line against WVU we didn’t play to bad except for a few missed assignments. We then have all starters back against a Horns team that has not been very good at stopping the run or getting that many sacks thus far this season and I witnessed our senior center (who makes the line calls) miss numerous blocks or get manhandled. In the first quarter a lot of pressure came off the edge and the newer starters were beaten or Mayfield just didn’t pick up the blitz well enough. After that we flat out got beat by the D-Line across the board. I know Darlington is a great ambassador for the team and seems like a hell of a great guy but I just think the line looked much better (again with a few missed assignments due to inexperience) with the back up center than we did Saturday. If we are probably not going to play for the NC or even the Big 12 title (if we get mud stomped by Baylor) this year then it’s time to put away the loyalty to Darlington and put a more talented, less experienced guy in there to get this thing going for next year or we may be saying the same crap this time next year. Also if St. John is to slow to handle an edge rush without changing his stance and giving the defense the play then throw Samia in and let’s get these young guys ready for what should be a hell of a team in 2016. Soap box over!
Could someone please explain to me what Hatari Byrd was doing on the play where Charles Tapper missed the tackle on the QB in the backfield? I rewinded and it just blew my mind. He just ran up to the QB and just looked at him.. You can see on the photo he still had the QB a good 8 yards behind on the LOS.
He isn’t a great open field tackler yet. He stops his feet and doesn’t seem to have a good feel for how to close space or gain leverage. He is still pretty inexperienced though. So he has time to develop.
I hope he can learn quickly, because he definitely looks the part.
Isn’t he a junior that has somewhat significant playing time? He doesn’t have long to figure it out.
He’s played some… but I think this is his first year as a full time starter.
TCU didn’t allow a single point to Texas until the 4th quarter. They
played with more than 5 defensive starters out. They have a very fast
but very undersized defense. One of their LBs is in fact listed at less
than 200 lbs. And again, they didn’t allow a single point until late in
the 4th quarter.
That is exactly what I was alluding to earlier today when it was questioned over and over about OU playing only 2 down linemen. I think OU was trying to get speed and better tacklers on the field, due in large part to Heard. And in a lot of ways, it worked. There weren’t too many plays where we were simply shoved back and didn’t have a defender around the ball to stop it for a relatively short gain, or worse. Problem was tackling. We’ve tacked better this year, but starting with the Tulsa game (and really even some plays against Tenn), you could tell we would have tackling issues once we played better competition. I don’t know what to make of that, but it’s been a problem for a few seasons now. I honestly think it goes back to getting better players on the field thru recruiting. Not all of them need to be better, but some of them do.
I think we are getting better and better, but the 3 best DBs are true freshmen.
And tackling has gotten worse everywhere to be honest. The ncaa wants to take hitting out of practice. Just wait until it’s pads one day a week (gameday) it will get ugly then.
Honestly surprised more people are not teaching the Pete Carroll school of tackling. It’s all about the rugby tackle, targeting near hip, driving through the thighs with the SHOULDER, wrapping and rolling the player. Takes the head completely out of the equation. If there is one thing that all Carroll teams have done, it’s tackle well. They can do their drills without pads or helmets. It is incredible to watch. Hit up Youtube and look for “Seattle Seahawks Tackling”. There is a 25 minute one that is really good.
Excellent assessment. Good to see more & more thinking clearly rather than emotionally.
I gave them an A+ for touch football.
I wonder how K-state is preparing their players after their loss?
K-state players are forced to read all Wildcat reader boards for the week and respond to all the hateful, insensitive and ignorant posts of all the readers. Players must be respectful and issue immediate apologies to each of the posters regardless of how crazed the post may be. Finally, they are required to sing the winning school’s fight song while running all the bleachers in the stadium daily following the defeat. /sarcasm
Does anyone have information about the K-state attack? I mean, what makes them lethal? Does OU have better match ups?
Ou has better players, so ou needs to step up and prove that. I bet it’s a close game though kstate runs the ball very well and they’re willing to run the qb a lot. Plus the bootleg they run which looks like a run play all the way (linemen 8 yards downfield) opens up all kinds of pass plays. This is the type of game we pay stoops $5 million to coach. Can he bounce back and show last week was just a bad game?
since we lost, next 2 are turning points of season imo
Here’s my two cents: You don’t think of K State as a spread team, but they do that very effectively, placing defenders on an island, and forcing them to make sure tackles. They often utilize a FB, and run the read option extremely well with their QB. Steady, concise, well oiled offense that rarely makes mistakes and stays on schedule. Special teams are always good. They no longer have the great Tyler Lockett, thank goodness, so not as explosive, but can still hit you with big plays downfield. This is a team that exemplifies the sure and steady approach of “matriculating the ball downfield.” They played OSU and TCU to a draw, basically. I think this is the best team we have confronted yet.
Here are two videos to compare contrast… 2014 and how Auburn defended K ST and our game last year…https://youtu.be/6pHTUH4qXEk
https://youtu.be/aXEc23zYkCw
I am sick of losing. K St has won 2 of the last 3, Texass 2 of the last 3, Bay 3 of 4, Ok st, 2 OU 2 in last 4, Everyone else it’s OU and business as usual…The bleeding stops this Saturday!
This will be another tackling challenge for OU. The k state QB is very much like a younger Colin Klien. He will run often. In the TCU game he chucked the ball up for grabs several times and his WRs posted up like a basketball player and got it- some of the times. They have a road grater power formation for short yardage TCU could not stop on consecutive plays. Defense will blitz a lot. DEare tall but kind of lanky. They won’t over power anyone but the will test the OU tackles. Decent interior D-line that is certainly good enough to anchor down and plug run lanes.
In my opinion there is nothing to this k state tea that we haven’t seen the last four or five years. The TCU game was not as close as the score indicated. Boykin threw some picks. It was like TCU was toying with them and could score whenever they “put their mind to it”. OU will have its hands full on both sides of the ball.
TY
I say we run at their d ends then.
That will require blocking…something this team really doesn’t like to do.
Their goal line power run formation decimated TCU last week on their first TD. This will be a challenge.
They ran it two more times in the second half and scored. How would you like to be the KSU QB and be sandwiched by the three fullbacks pushing you from behind while the d-line is pushing the other way? That had to hurt.
Also, their QB stands tall in the pocket against pressure, and has a nice arm. I’m watching the TCU-KSU replay, and the ‘Cats are impressive. They ran right at TCU’s smaller LBs. In the first half they have covered the short routes well.
I was going to watch Dodgers-Mets to see how many times Utley got beaned, but they decided not to play him.
But maybe they could still bean him while he’s just sitting in the dugout.
Suspended games 3 and 4.
Yes, but he appealed, and is eligible to play tonight. But they’re sitting him out.
Wow. Professional sports and appeals.
I know. Ridiculous.
Thanks for the logic, facts and insight K. I was more disturbed by the Tennessee and Tulsa games than I was this one technically but, it being Texas and the general perception of the program I can understand the uproar. I don’t allow the success or lack there of a bunch of 20 somethings to color my temperament or logic about the game of football (been around it and coached it too long). Again thanks…interested to see how the rest of the season plays out and how the team rebounds. I believe with all the changes (coaches, schemes, personnel) the efficiency of this offense is still coming. Some have forgotten the time it took Briles to get Baylor really going into the machine it is today; not to mention OU is still playing with a lot of players built for a different scheme.
Great reminder. This offense is in it’s freakin 6th game here. Now it doesn’t help that the players are not holding their blocks long enough. But I think LR will adjust to more underneath and swing passes, wheel routes, perhaps running to the left of our OL…I am pretty sure that they are saving the end around to Westbrook for later.
They’ve already got one loss and have begun conference play. Why does anybody think they’re holding anything back at this point? For whom?
Well, imho, the end around with OU, goes under the trick play category. I mean, you don’t use a fake punt every game.
Jet sweeps are a trick play?
They have only ran one this year is what I’m thinking so for OU the jet sweep is not a play they use often.
Not sure about that (saving anything at this point). I would have to know their situational play calling package. Too many unknown from a fans perspective. These coaches are smarter than given credit for and have won a lot of tough games. Be different if we had program insight..but we don’t. So I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the season look for growth and chemistry (coaches and players). Don’t want just a single successful season a culture of success. They will get there but it will take more than 5 games for that to happen. I do believe if the OL had better options with the younger kids, they would be playing. Let’s hope this fire will create steal each game and they will in full ezcaliber mode in November.
Steal=steel
Mr.Sanchez please explain to me why this team didn’t try more to establish the run?Second why didn’t we try more short passes to take the pressure off of Baker Mayfield the play calling by Lincoln Riley was unacceptable.
The play calling gives Mayfield certain options one of them seems to be a swing pass to Mixon. But he didn’t take it. Why? You must ask him. I don’t think LR would say like JH only look for Shep. You can’t run if you can’t control the LOS. To me the OL is the problem. Perhaps if the D line can’t limit K st, then I’ll include the D line as a problem.
Thank you for legitimate analysis K. So many are throwing out Traberisms everywhere, with all emotion & little to no insight.
Those people will smirk & say to selves you’re making excuses for team, because it doesn’t fit their agenda of tantrum.
Thank you for staying level headed.
I think OU by 14 or more, will be more focused this week and KSU had a heart breaking loss. If OU come out flat and loses then there needs to be a coaching change next year
Whose coach are you going to change, it definately will not be Stoops. KSU, maybe Texas, who? Stoops won’t leave here until he decides to leave. He isn’t on the hot seat, never been on the hot seat, will never be on the hot seat.
And prob shouldn’t ever be on the hot seat. Like it or not, as long as he keeps winning as much as he has been, he’s earned the right to leave when he wants.
What as long as he wins 8 or 9 games that is acceptable what that is the new normal what used to be the greatest college football program ever?
Pimping your agenda isn’t going very well here, is it Poodle boy.
Well yeah but at least I saw Oklahoma when they where great back in the 70’s and 80’s to bad Mr.TeX you can’t see to you will continue to support him until he’s fired or he walks away.
Go PUAR.
Go Sooners but down with Bob stoops your best buddy.
You aren’t a fan of the Sooners, you are only here to promote your agenda and try to harm OU football.
You are a fool, but you are not fooling anyone here.
God bless Mr TeX for free speech where you can say anything I don’t no how I am harming the program I don’t play or coach the Sooners maybe you can explain that to me?
Piss off.
You still haven’t told me how I am harming the program?
No one said 8 or 9…Last year was a hiccup. 10-2 this year!
I am not saying everyone on this site but there are some who now except 8 and 9 win seasons as the new normal having watched the Sooners since the 70’s I say hell no we are Oklahoma to hell with 8 or 9 win seasons.
Then there are those who aren’t fooled by foolish trolls like you.
Dude, I think you’re dreaming. This team, with what they’ve SHOWN, will never beat Baylor or TCU. Right now KSU, TTU and OSU look doubtful at best.
A bunch of 8 win seasons in a row, and Bob would leave on his own accord. Mixing in 10 win seasons and 8/9 win seasons, he has earned the right to leave when he wants. Sorry, I know some of you don’t like hearing that, but it’s the reality of the situation.
For that reason we will never win another national championship or even make the playoffs under him at least we won’t have to watch him lose another championship game.People like you who defend Bob Stoops are in a state of denial.
And people like you are swimming in their own guano.
I wouldn’t say never. He needs to hit some home runs in recruiting. And needs the last 2 classes to really pan out. Along with this 2016 class. If baker can get his one year of eligibility back, then his senior year we should be contenders for real. This year and next year are probably 10-3 or 11-2 type seasons but missing bad in 2011 and 2012 on the recruiting trail is still killing us. We need to strike gold with the top talent we bring in.
My point I have been trying to get people to look at is the program over the last 5 or 6 years as been declining and it’s starting to get away from Bob stoops.We are looking at 4 losses this year when is he going to turn this around.My view is he not going to be able to so at what point do you remove Bob stoops as coach?
You don’t have a point, only an agenda.
My agenda is only to see Oklahoma great again when Barry Switzer and bud wilkinson coached this team.
Piss off agenda Poodle.
i would love to see a defense that attacks and is just flat nasty. we need more hitters and swagger. we looked confused out there and didn’t seem to be up at all. we need everyone to watch brian bosworth film before every game.
That idea of watching old film before games – I believe – was over-utilized for this game. Personally, I believe they watched too much film of the 2013 loss when instead they should have been watching film of Superman, Marcus Dupree, 63-21, 55-17, 65-13, 63-14, The Boz, etc., among others.
The ol Ball coach forced out at S. Carolina. Retiring, “effective immediately.”
That doesn’t make me feel as weird as the realization that I saw him play in college.
some of the most entertaining cfb games were the yrs of spurrier vs bowden……you could plan on seeing some creative plays by both
Some of the most entertaining pressers.
Just learned that Sarkisian is out, too.
I’m a Gamecock fan and a fan of the HBC but his “Gimme two or three more [years]” comment last year cost the team countless recruits and eventually his job. No big time recruit is going to go to a school knowing his coach won’t be there by the time he’s a junior.
So what I just read basically says out coaches can’t coach tackling and/ or we have 11 starters who somehow manage to start that can’t tackle.
I’m not sure which one disturbs me more.
Once I saw that 1st qtr td where OU looked like a bunch of matadors, I knew we were in for a long day.
Ole’
Not sure if you remember the movie “Major League”. But all I could think of was the manager yelling at the third basemen, Dorn, “no more of that ole’ BS, Dorn!!!”
Great movie…..maybe someone on our team should get a chicken. ?
If temas decide to bring pressure on the QB by outside blitzes I would think putting a TE on the end would help slow that down- chip the blitzed and then roll off for a short pass or stay in and block the blitzer while also keeping a safety or LB occupied with the responsibility of covering the TE.
I am sure LR has thought all this through. Just seems kind of insane to keep running the same stuff and it getting squashed. BB keeping St. Johns in at RT when he was hurt (according to observations here) is a mystery.
I am very upset that we lost last week, but I am ready to get over it and get on with the season. Still love OUr Sooners and look forward to another game this weekend! Go get em’ boys!
One of the things I like best about this forum is that the writers focus on the problem, instead of just blaming – an exceptionally feminine trait. The focus should always be on solving the problem and leave assignment of blame to courts of law.
Outstanding article, Super K.
I’m amazed at how critical our fan base can be. The crazy thing is that if the team runs the table (crazy yes but not necessarily unrealistic) we are back in the thick of things. Sometimes it takes a loss to regroup and hopefully that’s what happens (see Ohio State last year). We do have the talent and all the issues can be corrected (jury still out on the O-line though…just keeping it real). But let’s stay with the boys and have some faith Sooner nation! The road back starts with K-State on Saturday. Send some good Karma to the boys! Boomer!
This game was lost because not only was Lincoln Riley completely unprepared for the barrage of blitzes Texas ran all game long, at no time did he ever make the correct counter which would have been to run screens, delayed draws and shovel passes. Had he done this OU would have won this game by 25-30 points because it would have led to huge gains and forced Texas back into their base defense which has been getting scorched all year. The defense held the Longhorns to 24 points and 7 of those came from a turnover so it wasn’t the defense that lost the game. This one goes 100% on Lincoln Riley.
Gerald McCoy Says Greg Schiano’s Drills Teach Him How To Tackle
How could a former USA Today high school defensive player of the
year not know how to tackle? Apparently it happened to the 2005 winner,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, according to an
article on Pro Football Talk by Michael David Smith. Its only now with
new head coach Greg Schiano that McCoy is starting to learn proper
tackling technique.
“We do a tackling circuit before every practice, and I’ve never done
anything like that before,” McCoy said. “I realize now that, before, I
was just playing football. Now, I’m really learning how to tackle and I
think it’s going to help me a lot.”
Even though the drill right now are still non-contact, Schiano is
stressing the proper form for tackling in his practices. Safety Ronde
Barber says that Schiano really hammers home the emphasis on details.
“Everybody talks about fundamentals, but he hammers it,” Barber said.
“We get fundamentals every day. He’s definitely a teacher and that’s a
good thing.”
If the proper technique helps the Buccaneers defense this season, things could rapidly turn around for Tampa Bay.
http://tampabay.sbnation.com/tampa-b…ling-technique