A Few Post Game Thoughts
Posted on: January 2, 2018
I’ll have more thoughts on the OU defense, in general, up later (it’s already up on the donor board).
– For a team that really struggled on defense for a large portion of the year, this was a great first season for coach Riley. I know it didn’t end the way everyone had hoped but this is only the beginning for a coach that is going to be in plenty more games like the one we just saw.
– As Georgia became more comfortable and OU played tighter and tighter, you just felt like it was a game where Oklahoma was going to need to be a complete team; a team that can flex on both sides of the ball. And they simply aren’t that team. They don’t play fundamentally sound football.
– The defense held up fairly well I suppose in the second half. The problem is, OU needed a good defense throughout the game. You need a good to great defense in the playoffs. You definitely have to have a defense that can stop the run when they know the run is coming. And you need a defense that can force a one dimensional team (freshman QB) to pick their way down the field. Too many one hitter quitters.
– I’m not quite sure why Riley seemed so hesitant to run the ball down hill in the second half. Strangely, it felt like in his desire to score on every drive prevented him from scoring on any drives. I don’t know if he had no confidence in his offensive line or no confidence in his defense but he seemed to pressing and Baker took on that same characteristic.
– I also don’t know why he went away from his tempo calls. I suppose to slow the game down. But if you’re going to do that then you need to run the rock.
– The fact that OU felt uncomfortable running downhill on so many 3rd and short plays was tough to watch.
– Despite the Sooners having Baker Mayfield, UGA was very comfortable getting in the OU wide receivers’ faces.
– On the flip side, I don’t know if I’ve seen a defense so allergic to playing tight coverage as this OU team. A freshman QB, I’d think you’d want him to make difficult throws.
– Bottom line is OU is on the right track offensively, Lincoln shouldn’t have score 30+ points every game. It’s time OU had a defense worthy of the Crimson and Cream.
