Post Practice Notes and Quotes (Offense)
Posted on: September 22, 2014
Will continue updating…
Coach Josh Heupel
– Emphasized how big it is when they can run the ball. Talked about how it allows them to control the tempo the game and sets up the play action.
– On Samaje, “strong, physical, does an unbelievable job of taking care of the football…moved the pile…did a great job of setting his blocks up…and then running through the defender that you can’t block.”
– “WRs did a great job of blocking on the perimeter.”
– When asked about the rotation going forward at the running back Josh said, “before it’s all said and done we’re going to need all these guys…but certainly when a running back has the hot hand like he (Samaje) did the other night then yeah, we’re going to continue to give him some carries”
– When asked if Samaje would continue to get as many carries as he got the other night Josh said “I don’t know…that’s a lot of carries for one ball game”.
– More on Samaje, “he’s strong, he’s physical, he’s mature…he’s done a great job of taking care of the ball…he’s maybe one of, if not the most mature people…players…I’ve ever seen come into this program since I’ve been around here.”
– Praised the skill guys in general in that they haven’t turned the ball over on a fumble (outside of Trevor’s fumble). He said the players understand, “for us to win a championship we have to take care of the football”.
– Talked about how well the RBs are finding the hole in the zone scheme running and setting up their blocks in general. “You dont rush for as many yards as we did the other night unless there’s a lot of guys doing a lot of things right”
– Said that a lot of what they’re going to do in the off week is work on fundamentals and work particularly hard with the back-ups and the guys you don’t see a lot in order to develop the depth that will be needed as OU goes into conference play.
– When asked how good the offensive line is and how it compares to past teams he said “I’m not going to put them on that level…yet” when comparing them to the 08 team…but “they have a chance…to be one of the most physical offensive groups we’ve had around here”
KJ Young
– KJ Young was asked about Samaje Perine and he said, “I’m hearing a lot of ‘Optimus Perine’…that’s a good name. I’ll go with that”
– Said that he (KJ himself) feels he is gaining confidence each week and is “stepping up to the challenge and making big plays”.
– When asked about the difficulty of adjusting to slot he said, “it’s not really that difficult when you do your preparation…you do everything you’re supposed to do throughout the week…you visualize yourself making big plays…you just go out there and do it”
Sterling Shepard
– Said that the offense is doing well but “there are a lot of things we can correct if we want to be the team we wanted to be at the beginning of the season”
– Said the receivers need to continue working on blocking and said that they need to continue to work on catching the ball. Seemed disappointed that they had some drops in the WVU game.
– Called Samaje a “beast”
– Said he caught the ball so close to the end-zone because he wasn’t aware as he said he needed to be of where he was on the field.
– Said that he was limping a little in the WVU game because his calf was cramping up but said he’s fine now.
– Talked about KJ Young and said, “He’ll catch everything. KJ’s got some big hands. Anytime he gets his hand on the rock he’s gonna catch it. He’s been doing a great job of getting open and picking up the 3rd downs…” Also said that KJ’s confidence continues to grow and “week by week he’ll just get more comfortable”
Adam Shead
– Said it’s a “really good feeling” to be able to run on a team and wear them down. Said, “we put our hearts and souls into this…” so being able to run on them like that, “feels goods”
– Loved this. He mentioned that Samaje Perine bought the entire offensive line Dominoes Pizza after the game.
Ty Darlington
– Said that as an offensive line they love blocking for Samaje. He said his physicality “sets the tone” and makes them, as offensive linemen, want to be even more physical in the run game. “We want to impose our will on people”.
– As a player they don’t get to see everything because they’re blocking…but Ty said they love going back and watching the film…specifically mentioned the TD where two guys bounced off his leg.
– Really found this interesting. He said that part of the way Samaje inspires the offensive line is in that they know he can break so many tackles so a block that may seem insignificant because there are other blockers…they know they’ve got to make because Samaje could break the unblocked defender’s tackles.
– Ty said that coach Stoops calls Perine…”the raging bull”
– Said that he loves how “chippy” the game gets. He said he loved seeing Dionte Savage pin his guy on the ground. Overall there is just a real desire in the tone of these offensive lineman to be physical, be nasty and impose their will. Clearly the Bedenbaugh effect.
– Said that there are so many guys on the offensive line that have “volatile personalities”…in terms of the aggressiveness and said that Trevor is the one who brings “balance” to the group. Sounds like they have a perfect combination of that heat that makes a line aggressive and vicious but they’ve also got that level headed voice to make sure the aggression is controlled.
– Mentioned that some of the offensive linemen have to make weight. Specifically mentioned Adams and Shead having to make weight each week haha. It was a light moment but thought it was interesting nonetheless. So despite how big Bedenbaugh likes he his big boys up front…he still wants them to be athletic.
27 Comments
Still haven’t heard the latest on Baker Mayfield. Is he eligible or not? Heard several stories through out the afternoon. Hoping that if he is…….then they will have TK finally RUN the dang ball once in a while to keep the DT’s and DE’s from ignoring him and crashing inside constantly on our running backs and making a clean block extremely hard
go to the content bar and click on ‘original posters’
Based on what has been reported so far, I’m completely confident that I don’t know what the heck is actually true at this point.
Based on your breaking news, I’m confident that I am as informed as anyone.
lol. Nice way to put it
Thanks rphokc, I hadn’t ever used that forum before. Even a geezer like me can learn something from fellow Sooners.
……one geezer to another…….I hadn’t either ’til today
I hope that Josh replays his own comments and realizes that we have a team makeup that can run to set up the play action pass and not the pass to set up the run offense. This pass first offense that worked when we didn’t have the nasty O line is gone. We are equipped to kick a$$ and take names now. Let’s get it on!
Is Darlington saying Shead & Adams need to lose a few?
Good weight is better than just weight.
Who is Adams? He must have meant Adam Shead and someone else, but got the names mixed up.
Was confused as well. I think he meant Evans.
Maybe also Savage. At least we don’t have any converted tight-ends at tackle this year.
The Raging Bull. Nice comparison, Coach.
Texas has a raging bull too, but I believe it’s like “raging hom…” …well, it’s almost similar.
Thank for the excellent notes.
Hope to see more informative posts like this the next two weeks, as the meat of the schedule is approaching and there many young players that need to step up.
After the game they had Saturday night, I would think the O-lines weigh in might show they dropped some pounds.
Guys, just read the conference rules and it is clear. Tech can deny Baker and force a hearing by the conference. It is then in the hands of the conference as to the outcome.
The best possible end is that Tech will decide to just let this issue go and not press the issue. Otherwise, I think it is less than a 50/50 chance for Baker to be able to play.
It is easy to paint Tech as the bad guys here, but the rule is the rule. The rule needs to be changed. This shouldn’t apply to non-recruited walkons as a minimum.
I thought Tech are the ones that blocked Baker under the guise of the rule, They could have released him but chose not to. Scumbag”Kool” Kliff paid NOTHING for his education. They should have no say if he takes said talents to another college. In this case, NCAA (If report is accurate) is getting it right, and if the B12 overturns this ruling then there is definitely an agenda.
Just because you have the capability to do something doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. TTech had the ability to at least say, we won’t block you from receiving a scholarship, even if we oppose immediate eligibility. Instead, they waited nine or ten months until it was less likely OU would have a scholly available before doing that.
There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.
The receivers will only get better. KJ young is getting more confident, Neal shows some spark, and Sterling continues to run ridiculous routes and beat much taller DBs for the ball. That deep ball early in the 2nd half helped open the run game a lot and I’d hate to completely shut the pass.
Good stuff. LOVE to see OUr nasty line demoralize people. Then, late in the game, after you have been demoralized and broken….you get #32 coming at you. Good luck TCU!
I love it that all 3 of our rotating backs can plow with power into the hole.
During the presser, I wish JH would come out of the closet and say, I don’t like TE’s other than to block. Multiple times during the game, Bell found an open zone for an easy 1st down only to wave his hands. I’m not saying we need a TE oriented offense but it would sure balance the passing game if Bell got involved.
I find it interesting that pros use the TE or two in every game. JH will say, we played to what they gave us. We must play in a league that does a heck’va job covering TEs. I digress.
I feel for bell and mcnamara…….bell has one yr to make some noise to even get noticed by the nfl and don’t think mcn has stepped foot on the field and the season is a third over……andrews must be beside himself with excitement having been moved to te from wr
If we are going to more of a ground game then a TE is essential to keep the chains moving. If we had dominant WRs I could see the logic but reality is we don’t. I realize Shep is good but to me he should be in the slot. It would be different if DGB was on the outside with Shep and Neal but…
“Overall there is just a real desire in the tone of these offensive
lineman to be physical, be nasty and impose their will. Clearly the
Bedenbaugh effect.” BOOM! Love it!