The Football Brainiacs

Wow.  I mean how can you put it any other way?  Right on the opening snap, they take it to the house on a simple off tackle play to the left.  The wife immediately rises to her feet and walks out of the room, knowing this isn’t going to be pretty today. But wait!  A flag.  Then, somehow we hold them.  Then we held them again.  The offense couldn’t get it going until the 2nd quarter, and then it finally got untracked gashing them down the field.  Then Trevor gets hurt.  Has anyone had any more significant injuries this year?

1.  Trey Millard

2.  Corey Nelson

3.  Jordan Phillips

4.  Trevor Knight

5. Colvin playing injured

6. Damien Williams gone (not an injury but still)

Anyone who says that Bob stoops isn’t one heckuva coach is lying or doesn’t know what they’re talking about.  Mike Stoops kept those young guys scrapping and fighting all day.  Time after time, they stoned Oklahoma State on 1st down, forcing them to get off schedule and throw the ball earlier in the set of downs than they wanted to.  The guys played with that never give up, fight like hell and the outcome will take care of itself mentality you love to see.  Case in point was that Gabe Lynn gets juked out of his shoes, and Julian Wilson runs the guy down to force the 1st and goal.  Gabe showing great character steps in and helps out on two key stops to get the big goal line stand!  By the way, have Chuka Ndulue and Charles Tapper played better than they did today?  Tapper went off on that last drive, and Chuka was hitting Chelf all day long.

Today’s game really illustrated why you recruit young men with character.  Our guys fought, scrapped, scratched and took everything that was given to them.  While it wasn’t pretty, Oklahoma State only outgained us by 42 yards.  I texted K, and said that they kept letting us hang around early on.  When you do that against a well coached high character squad, you’re setting yourself up to lose.  That’s exactly what Oklahoma State did.  All week long, family members, friends and even guys I worked with were chirping about what the pukes were going to do to us.  I had a conversation last night right before I left work with one of my guys (an Oklahoma State fan).  I told him that they really expected to just roll their helmets out onto the field and get a win.  Our sooners were going to cower and quake under the mighty banner of that goofy looking cowboy thing they trot around…Really?!  I told em heck no man!  You guys are gonna get a fight tomorrow whether you like it or not, and our guys don’t roll over for anybody.  I admitted that Oklahoma State should win the game based on injuries and how hot they’ve been lately, but that we were gonna hit em in the mouth and not back down.

There were so many big plays that made this game for us…

The punt return by Saunders

The goal line stand tackle by Tapper and then Chuka

The catch by Moneycutt

The pick by Julian Wilson

The throw coming off the goal line to Shepard to switch field position

The catch and run by Brennan clay, and then the stiffarm down to the seven and get out of bounds to stop the clock.

The great throw by Blake Bell and the great job by Jalen Saunders securing the ball and getting his feet down to win it.

Then, to close it out, the D Pins their ears back and dominates on the last drive to force the turnover and get the insurance TD.

It would have been easy for Blake Bell to have been pouting all year after getting benched, but the kid just has a great attitude.  Comes of f the bench and wins the dang game.  Who can dispute that he just has Bedlam’s number?  Two years in a row that he comes up big with less than 30 seconds to go to beat Okie Lite.  Gundy’s going to see Blake Bell in his sleep.  There wasn’t a huge disparity in the statistics..

Okie Lite, 200 rushing, 200 throwing for 400 Total.

Sooners, 168 rushing, 193 throwing for 358 Total.

Desmond Roland’s 51 yard run, had it not occurred would have actually had the Sooners outgaining this mighty Oklahoma State offense.  While you can’t play what if, what you can do is just see how well this defense played today.  They were gritty and tough and all of the things that you want them to be.  Mike Stoops is building a defensive juggernaut.  With the experience these guys have gotten this year, adding Devante Bond at the jack position, getting Jordan Phillips back and hopefully getting Corey Nelson for one more year (long shot but it aint over), will have this defense playing absolutely lights out.  Then you get those young bucks another year in the offseason strength and conditioning program, and look out man.

It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with the QB competition in the spring.  While you love Trevor as a player, he can’t seem to stay healthy.  We’ll see where it goes, but man oh man.  I am so glad that we shut them up today up in Stillwater.  I can’t stand orange of any shade.  Enjoy the rest of this chilly day Sooner Faithful, and make sure you soak up the warm rays of kicking that cowboy tail today!   Boomer!