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Monday, September 30, 2013

OU Sooner post game analysis - Notre Dame












           Oklahoma Sooners                   35


           Notre Dame Fighting Irish       21



Oklahoma defeated the University of Notre Dame Saturday, in South Bend, 35-21. The win was only the second for OU against the fighting Irish in 11 games. For Bob Stoops, it marks the third time his teams have played Notre Dame and the second time in South Bend. Stoops is now 1-2 against Notre Dame. Very few schools have a winning record against Stoops or, for that matter, Oklahoma.

On this Saturday though, the Sooners owned the game from the start. Oklahoma scored 14 points inside the first three minutes of the game converting two Tommy Reese interceptions in to points. From that point, the Sooners and Irish traded punches but the Irish could never get closer than 7 points. The defense set the tone and the offense, led by Blake Bell, continued the efficient play they established in Norman, two weeks ago, against Tulsa. The Sooners capped an impressive victory in front of a capacity crowd in South Bend in which the Irish honored the 1957 team that ended the Sooners record 47 game win streak. The impact of the victory was evident on the faces of the players, coaches, fans and especially, Bob Stoops. It was a big win in an important game and the faithful Sooner Nation  fully recognized its significance.

The Grades:

Defense - A.

The defense would have rated an A+ if not for the running game of Notre Dame and especially Greg Atkinson. The Irish rushed for 220 yards and Atkinson ran for 148 by himself. The Notre Dame offensive line opened holes big enough for Atkinson to get through, his elusive running style and speed did the rest. The A is a result of the defensive pressure and pass defense. The Sooners kept adequate pressure on Reese and Backup Andrew Hendrix to allow the secondary to keep pace with the Irish receivers. Had Atkinson not scored on a 80 yard run in the 3rd quarter, this might have been a 35-14 blowout.

Blake Bell - A+.

Any fear that Blake Bell would fold under pressure in his first road start was forgotten after the first offensive series. Bell was in command of the Offense from the start and despite throwing a couple of errant passes in the first half,  looked as good as he did at home against Tulsa. Bell solidified his claim as starting quarterback and proved that he was indeed a gamer. Bell left the game late in the third with muscle cramps but returned to finish after, as Stoops put it, getting "gassed up". It was evident when Bell returned to the Sooner sidelines that it would take a lot more than muscle cramps to keep him out of the game. If Blake remains healthy, the Sooners have tremendous upside going forward.

Offense - A.

The offense was efficient and stingy with the ball. The Sooners gained 450 total yards, 238 passing and 212 on the ground. The Sooners had no turnovers for the second straight game and only 4 penalties, two of which were intentional delay of game penalties to gain extra punting room. Three running backs saw time and eight different receivers caught passes. Sterling Sheppard had his second standout game and it would appear that he is becoming Blake Bell's favorite target. There were several missed scoring opportunities that would have widened the score. All are correctable and can be blamed on youth and experience.

Special Teams - A.

Michael Hunnicutt was perfect again with PAT's and kicking 2 field goals. The punting game was not as fluid as it has been to start the season though as Barnett punted 5 times but failed to pin the Irish inside the 20 on any of them. The biggest surprise on special teams came as the Sooners executed a two point conversion late to keep the Irish behind by 14. Overall, the special teams played well and remain a huge asset to the team.

Attitude - A+

Perhaps the most evident improvement by the Sooners this year is attitude. It was clear on the first offensive series by Notre Dame that these were not the same Sooners that lost to Notre Dame in Norman last fall. Oklahoma has regained the swagger and intensity that defined them early in Bob Stoops career. They have the look of a team that can be potentially dangerous and dominant going forward.

Overall it was the most complete road victory that the Sooners have played in a long time. The scary thing for upcoming opponents is that this team is not yet mature. There are a lot of young, first year starters on this team and this was clearly supposed to be a rebuilding year. It looks like Stoops and his staff didn't want to wait.

It was clearly a big game win for Big game Bob. Welcome back!

Up next: TCU

Cman and Buster's Top 25: Week 5


AP Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Stanford
6. Georgia
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. Texas A&M
10. LSU
11. Oklahoma
12. UCLA
13. South Carolina
14. Miami (FL)
15. Washington
16. Northwestern
17. Baylor
18. Florida
19. Michigan
20. Texas Tech
21. Oklahoma State
22. Arizona State
23. Fresno State
24. Mississippi
25. Maryland



CMan's Top 25

1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Stanford
6. Louisville
7. Georgia
8. Florida State
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Washington
13. S. Carolina
14. UCLA
15. Baylor
16. Miami (FL)
17. Northwestern
18. Michigan
19. Florida
20. Texas Tech
21. Arizona State
22. Oklahoma State
23. Mississippi
24. Maryland
25. Fresno State

Buster's Top 25

1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Ohio St.
4.Clemson
5.Stanford

6.Georgia
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Oklahoma
10.Texas A&M
11.Washington
12.South Carolina
13.LSU
14.UCLA
15.Baylor
16.Miami
17.Northwestern
18.Michigan
19.Florida
20.Texas Tech
21.Mississippi
22.Arizona St.
23.Fresno St.
24.Maryland
25.Oklahoma St.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 5

POWER RANKINGS


#1. Oklahoma Sooners (4-0, 1-0)

Last week: Defeated Notre Dame 35-21

Oklahoma secured the top spot this week based, not only on the win in South Bend, but the way they won. The swagger that the Sooners have missed the last few seasons has returned and the Sooners look like a potentially dominant football team again. The defense set an early tone Saturday with two interceptions that resulted in a 14 point lead for OU inside the first three minutes of the game. On offense, it's safe to say that Blake Bell solidified his hold on the starting QB position. There are still a few areas that the Sooners can improve on the field, however, the OU mental game is as strong as it has been since Bob Stoops arrived in Norman. Up next, TCU.

#2. Baylor Bears (3-0, 0-0)

Last week: Bye

Baylor entered it's bye week as one of the most prolific scoring teams in college football this year. While it would appear that the Bears are firing on all cylinders they should be concerned about what happened to OSU in Morgantown. The Bears opponents have all been sub-par and all three victories have come in the comfortable confines of Waco. Baylor host the Mountaineers next Saturday and, while its not a road test,  it will be the first real competition the Bears have faced this year. We should know a lot more about Baylor after the game next Saturday. Up next, West Virginia.

#3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0, 1-0)

Last Week: Bye

The Red Raiders enjoyed a well deserved bye week. After a 4-0 start, the rest came at a good time. The victory over then ranked TCU, remains Techs biggest win although the Horned frogs are not who we thought they were. The road ahead looks winnable for the Red Raiders as they sweep through the bottom of the big 12. Tech doesn't look to have a real hurdle until they take on OU in Norman on October 26th. Up next, at Kansas.

#4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 0-1)

Last week: Lost to West Virginia 30-21

It has been said that you can't play a Kansas State non-conference schedule and be prepared for the Big 12. That caught up with the Pokes Saturday and should haunt Baylor, for at least a week. Losing to the Mountaineers on the road is bad enough but the Cowboys really beat themselves. Poor special teams play and a lack of the stout defense that has defined their early season. The Cowboys have three winnable games upcoming before they visit Texas Tech on the first weekend of November. we'll find out how they respond next week in Stillwater. Up next, Kansas State.

#5. Texas Longhorns (2-2, 1-0)

Last week: Bye

The best thing about the bye week for Texas is that they won their last game and Mack Brown didn't have to answer any really tough questions. There have been a slew of conversations out side of Texas about the future of the Longhorns coaching staff. Will Mack stay or ascend to the AD chair at the end of the season. time will tell. Oklahoma and the Red River Rivalry loom in two weeks so the answer could come quickly. A tune-up with the Cyclones in Austin comes first. Win, lose or draw the next couple of weeks, I still believe a new coach will be stalking the Texas sidelines in 2014. Up next, Iowa State.

#6. TCU Horned Frogs (2-2, 0-1)

Last week: Beat SMU 48-17

Despite the drubbing of SMU at home last week, I no longer believe TCU belongs in the top 5 of the Big 12. The Horned Frogs will have to earn their way back in. Two of their next three games are against the top tier of the conference....on the road. If they finish these next three at 1-2, my instincts will  be correct. TCU looks to be a decent football team, just in the wrong conference. The days of 10-1 seasons for TCU appear to be long gone. Up next, at Oklahoma.

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2, 1-1)

Last week: Beat Oklahoma State 30-21

After a big win Saturday against the Cowboys, the Mountaineers probably wish their bye week was this week not next week. The reality is they have to travel to Waco and take on the undefeated Bears next Saturday. However, coming in after a big win gives West Virginia renewed confidence and the Bears wins, all blowouts, have come against some very bad teams. The victory over OSU is not enough to be considered a turning point. A victory in Waco would. If the Mountaineers play a near perfect game they could win. If they don't, the victory over Oklahoma State will just be a high point in a very long season for West Virginia. Up next, at Baylor.

#8. Kansas State Wildcats (2-2, 0-1)

Last week: Bye

The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for the Wildcats. A loss to Texas punctuated what has been a disappointing season thus far for Bill Snyder. The Wildcats next two games come against top tier Big 12 competition and they cannot afford to fall to 0-3 in conference. If they do, it would appear that Snyder's magic is running out. The fans in Manhattan have become accustomed to winning. A bad season for KSU might not be enough to save one of the best coaches the college game has seen. Up next, at Oklahoma State.

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (1-2, 0-0)

Last week: Beat Tulsa 38-21

I said last week that a win would get the Cyclones out of the cellar. Beating the Hurricane in Tulsa was a big win for Iowa State. The first one always is. However, it was Tulsa. Reality now stares at the Cyclones as they start the Big 12 conference schedule. Their move up to #9 may be short lived but, then again, they are trying to stay ahead of the Kansas Jayhawks. Up next, Texas.

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-1, 0-0)

Last week: Bye

The Jayhawks come in at #10 because.....that's where they belong. Kansas had a bye week so that their fans could attend the Jayhawks first basketball practice. The good news for Kansas, they didn't lose last week. The bad news, there is more football to play. The Jayhawks will be hard pressed to win again until they host the Wildcats in week 14. By then the basketball season will be in full swing and no one in Lawrence will care what happens at memorial stadium. Up next, Texas Tech.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

CMan's OU Pregame - Notre Dame













                                             OKLAHOMA SOONERS (3-0)

                                                    

                                    NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (3-1)





Two of the most storied college football programs meet on the field this Saturday. The Sooners of Oklahoma and the fighting Irish of Notre Dame. As prominent as these two programs are they have only played 10 times and Notre Dame has won 9 of them. Perhaps the most famous was November 16, 1947 in Norman Oklahoma. A 7-0 loss to Notre Dame ended the Sooners record 47 game winning streak. Ironically, the streak started in 1953 and the Sooners first game that season was a 28-21 loss to the Irish. The streak also included Oklahoma's lone victory against Notre Dame, a 40-0 win in 1956.

Notre Dame has certainly had the Sooners number. Bob Stoops is 0-2 against the Irish losing in South Bend in 1999, Stoops first at OU, and losing last year in Norman. Few teams have a winning record against Stoops.

Today's game is in South Bend. The Irish are typically tough to beat at home as are the Sooners. These two teams are not quite the same as the two that met in Norman last year. Both will be playing different quarterbacks and the Irish are missing several key members on both sides of the ball including star linebacker Manti Te'o.

For the Sooners, quarterback Blake Bell starts his second game. His first on the road. Bell played well in his first start but it was in Norman, against a Tulsa team that managed to lose to winless Iowa State team Thursday, at home. How well Blake Bell plays may well determine the outcome of the game.

The Sooner defense has played well to start the season but against much weaker offenses. They gave up 20 to Tulsa who only managed to score 21 to a much weaker Iowa State defense. How they play against a pass happy Irish offense will also go along way to determining the final score. The positive for the Sooner defense is that they are pretty solid at defending the run and Notre Dame is struggling in the run game. If OU can make the Irish offense one dimensional, a win in South Bend is likely.

The Irish have ho-hum wins against Temple, Purdue and Michigan State and a 41-30 loss at Michigan. The Irish had to rally late to beat Purdue 31-24 and only beat Michigan State at home 17-13 in a game that the Spartans tied 10-10 late in the third. Notre Dame has only exceeded 100 yards rushing in one game. They have survived on the strength of their passing game.

The Irish offense is not nearly as efficient as it was in 2012 and the defense is not as dominant. The Irish running backs are unproven and the offensive line seems to have some holes. The Irish defense is still strong up front but has a little softer secondary.  It is safe to say the Irish are not as confident a team as they were last season when every break seemed to go their way.

The game looks pretty even on both sides of the ball. It's difficult to say who has the edge at any position, especially this early in the season. The Sooners have played all three at home and the only loss for Notre Dame was on the road. I usually get a feel for a game one way or the other. Not this one. The Odds makers favor OU by a field goal. The game looks like a pick-em to me.

I think the game will come down to a combination of the play in the Sooner secondary and how Blake Bell leads the offense. If the Sooner defense can stifle the Irish air attack and stuff the run, Notre Dame will struggle to score. I also believe we saw the real Blake Bell last week. He was given an opportunity to prove he was the guy against Tulsa and he knows a win in South Bend will solidify his hold as the starter. Bell is a gamer and the defense will feed off of his play. If the game plays out in that manner, the only advantage the Irish will have is home field. It won't be enough.

Sooners win 24-17.


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Buster and CMan's Top 25: Week 4

AP Top 25

1.Alabama (56)
2.Oregon (4)
3.Clemson
4.Ohio St.
5.Stanford

6.LSU
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Georgia
10.Texas A&M
11.Oklahoma St.
12.South Carolina
13.UCLA
14.Oklahoma
15.Miami (FL)
16.Washington
17.Northwestern
18.Michigan
19.Baylor
20.Florida
21.Mississippi
22.Notre Dame
23.Wisconsin
24.Texas Tech
25.Fresno St.

Buster's Top 25

1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Ohio St.
4.Clemson
5.Stanford

6.LSU
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Georgia
10.Texas A&M
11.Oklahoma
12.Oklahoma St.

13.South Carolina
14.UCLA
15.Baylor
16.Washington
17.Miami (FL)
18.Northwestern
19.Michigan
20.Florida
21.Mississippi
22.Notre Dame
23.Texas Tech
24.Wisconsin
25.Fresno St.

CMan's Top 25

1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Stanford
5. Clemson
6. Louisville
7. Georgia
8. Florida State
9. LSU
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma State
12. South Carolina
13. Oklahoma
14. UCLA
15. Washington
16. Baylor
17. Miami (FL)
18. Northwestern
19. Michigan
20. Florida
21. Mississippi
22. Wisconsin
23. Notre Dame
24. Texas Tech
25. Maryland

CMan's Big 12 Power rankings - Week 4

POWER RANKINGS


#1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0, 0-0)

The Cowboys bye week couldn't have come at a better time. The Sports Illustrated article posted its final installment on Monday (a day early) and gave OSU a almost two weeks to absorb any fallout. Now it's back to football and the SI article will fade like the first three Cowboy opponents did. The 'Pokes Take on the Mountaineers in Morgantown Saturday. Look for OSU to wake up next Sunday with a 4-0 record.

#2. Baylor Bears (3-0, 0-0)

Baylor beat Louisiana-Monroe 70-7 in Waco Saturday to become the first team since LSU in 1930 to score at least 60 points in 3 consecutive games. Baylor has only surrendered 23 points in its first three games, albeit against lesser competition and all in Waco. The trend should continue though, after a bye week the Bears host a West Virginia team that will likely be licking its wounds from the contest with OSU.

#3. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0, 1-0)

With the Mountaineers stunning shutout loss to Maryland and Louisiana-Monroe getting bombed at Baylor, the Sooners victories against the two do not look as impressive. However, no one knows what the outcome of either would have been had Blake Bell been the starting QB. At any rate, the Sooner defense played well in both. OU takes on Notre Dame in South Bend this week and the Fighting Irish have not looked good in a loss to Michigan two weeks ago and a weak home victories against Purdue and  Michigan State the last two weeks. If the Sooners can put it all together next Saturday, a victory on the road looks  very possible.

#4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0, 1-0)

The Red Raiders were not nearly as impressive in a 33-7 victory over Texas State this week only leading 13-0 at the half. Tech did pull away in the second half after Texas State pulled close at 13-7 to start the second half. The Red Raiders are 4-0 to start the season and they finally get a bye week. The face Kansas in Lawrence in week 5 and should pick up where they left off. The Red Raiders could easily be 7-0 when they roll in to Norman to face OU in week 7.

#5. TCU Horned Frogs (1-2, 0-1)

TCU enjoyed a much needed bye week and hopefully made some adjustments. Gary Patterson may be rethinking the decision to join the Big 12. But, they are here and must play the schedule. The Horned Frogs are not used to being a sub .500 team and despite playing a weak SMU team next Saturday, they roll in to back to back road games at OU and OSU. The odds don't favor a winning record for TCU anytime soon. TCU will likely be 2-4 when Texas comes to visit in late October.

#6. Texas Longhorns (2-2, 1-0)

Texas moves up two spots this week based on their win over KSU and, despite my earlier prediction, I don't think West Virginia can beat them. The real question is are the Longhorns good or are the Wildcats really bad. I'm going with the latter at this point. I am not sold on Texas or new (old) defensive coordinator Greg Robinson. The "Mildcats" looked horrible in this game and Texas did not look much better. Texas gets a bye week this week and then travel to Iowa State next week. They have lost in Ames but should win this one.

#7. Kansas State Wildcats (2-2, 0-1)

The loss to Texas was bad enough, how they lost was worse. The Wildcats could not tackle to save their lives. They looked as bad as they did during the Ron Prince years. KSU could not stop the Texas offense whether it was led by Ash or Case McCoy. Not the kind of defense the Wildcats are used to. KSU gets a bye week breather this week but they probably wish it was longer than a week. They face OSU in Stillwater in two weeks followed by a home date with Baylor.

#8. Kansas Jayhawks (2-1, 0-0)


The Jayhawks are only #8 because they won last week and West Virginia lost. They won ugly though beating Louisiana Tech 13-10, in Lawrence,  on a last second field goal. The game winning drive only happened because La Tech, who led most of the game, fumbled deep in Kansas territory late in the game. Kansas looks like Kansas. Bad. However, It's fall in Lawrence and that can only mean one thing. Bill Self is dusting off his whistle.

#9. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1)

The Mountaineers loss Saturday to Maryland is no shock. The game was played in Baltimore and the Terp's came in to the game 3-0. The shocker was that West Virginia could only muster 175 yards on offense and were shutout for the first time since 2001. It gets worse, the Mountaineers have to travel to Stillwater and Waco in the next two weeks. I said last week that it could be a long winter for Dana Holgerson, if this keeps up it could be his last winter in Morgantown.

#10. Iowa State Cyclones (0-2, 0-0)

Despite the poor performances of the rest of the bottom four, Iowa State will remain #10 until they win. the Cyclones have enjoyed two bye weeks in the first four weeks of the season which is good for them otherwise, they might be 0-4. The Cyclones face Tulsa on the road next week and then host Texas the following week. They will likely be 0-4 anyway.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

QB...or not QB? A Sooner controversy.

Blake Bell
Trevor Knight


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There has been a firestorm of controversy surrounding Bob Stoops and his staff with respect to the choice of, red shirt freshman, Trevor Knight as starting quarterback for the 2013 season. Almost everyone assumed that 3rd year quarterback and "BellDozer" front man Blake Bell would get the nod. Bell had displayed big game skills at running in short yardage situations over the last few seasons and most assumed that he take full command of the offense when four year starter Landry Jones had exhausted is eligibility.
 
Bob Stoops policy of closed practices does not lend itself to learning much about any player that has not seen substantial game time. As a result, little was known about Trevor Knight or, sophomore Kendal Thompson. Glimpses of all three were available during open scrimmages but they were protected from hits and, as a result, were only moving at half speed. We were told by the coaches that the competition was tight and, up to Thompson's foot injury, the job was wide open. However, limited visibility and very little information from players and coaches led to guesses and pure speculation.
 
Kendal Thompson's injury came at a bad time. There was even speculation that Thompson had the upper hand till that point. However, it was now a two man race. The fall practices had just about completed and Stoops made his decision known. It would be Trevor Knight under center for the home opener against Louisiana-Monroe.
 
Knight played well at times in the opener. His running ability stood out as he gained team high 103 yards on 13 carries. His passing was a different story. He displayed a strong arm but his accuracy was a huge question mark. He completed only 11 of 28 attempts for a meager 86 yards. He did connect for 3 touchdowns and only 1 interception but most of his passes were to high or to low. Was it freshman jitters? First start butterflies? Only time would tell. Little did we know the answer would come a week later against big 12 foe West Virginia.

Trevor Knight passed for more yards (119) than he ran for (47) against West Virginia but he only threw 1 touchdown. Knight was hurried all day and tossed two interceptions on drives that would have put the game out of reach. Had this game been played in Morgantown, the Sooners would have likely lost. As it was, the 16-7 victory provided little comfort to those in Norman. The passing issues that Knight displayed in the first game continued to plague him against the Mountaineers. Fan patience was running out and the coaches were not pleased either. Blake Bell entered the game in the 4th quarter and, while he only attempted one pass, he moved the offense on the ground efficiently. Conventional wisdom dictated that the Sooners kill the clock and "run" out the game.

It was revealed after the game that Knight had suffered a slight knee injury and would not play in the third game of the season. Blake Bell was slated to start his first game at Quarterback for the Sooners. Bell did start and was very successful throwing, running and directing the offense. He looked calm, collected and poised. Bell threw for 413 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 51-20 victory over Tulsa. Now, before you get to excited, me and my bad knees could probably thrown for 250 against the weak Tulsa secondary. Having said that, Bell had complete control over the offense and looked like he belonged under center. The offense moved in much the same fashion as it had under Landry Jones and Sam Bradford. In fact, Bell threw for more yards in his first start than either Jones or Bradford. After the game, speculation exploded.

Did Stoops and company make a mistake? Should Bell have been the starter from game 1? Why does the disparity between the two quarterbacks look so wide? These are all reasonable questions and I believe they are easily answered.

Trevor Knight may well be a superior quarterback in many respects. He can certainly run better than Bell and it appeared, at least in the first two games, that OU was moving towards an offense that featured a running quarterback (See Kendal Thompson). Knight may even have better range and a deeper long ball than Bell. Blake may be more accurate. Take out West Virginia, and both quarterbacks face similar defensive backfields. But, Blake threw only one (incomplete) pass in the West Virginia game and only a couple in mop up roles over the last two seasons. We really didn't know what he was capable of and frankly, I'm not sure anyone did.

The difference between the two boils down to speed, experience and comfort. Trevor Knight had never played in a division 1 college game prior to his first start. The speed at this level does not compare to high school and can't really be simulated on the practice field. Hitting receivers in practice while being chased at half speed is just not the same a real time game speed. Prior to his first start, Blake Bell had played in two dozen games at this level. He had hours of practice throwing pass drills to the wide receivers. He had a comfort level with the offense, the players and the speed of the game. Bottom line, Bell was more experienced and, by default, more comfortable in a game setting. As it turns out, he's not a bad passer either.

Trevor Knight is only going to get better. He will get stronger, smarter and more comfortable. That is the reward of experience. If Bell has a good game against Notre Dame next week, look for him to remain the starter. If Bell succeeds, the job will be his until he uses up his eligibility or gets injured. Knight will likely get the backup snaps and he will get another shot to start in the spring.

Whether Trevor Knight ever cracks the starting lineup at OU again is unknown. Nothing is given in college football. He will have to work at it and work hard. Blake Bell will leave, eventually. But Kendal Thompson remains and I guarantee that Bob Stoops will never stop recruiting quality quarterbacks.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Buster's OU Sooners Game Analysis: Week 3





Oklahoma Sooners (3-0)





Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1-2)







The Oklahoma Sooners won their third home game of the season on Saturday against Tulsa by a score of 51-20. Blake Bell was named the starter at the beginning of the week and had a lot to prove during his first career start. The offense finally came out putting up points like the Sooners usually do, and special teams rolled right along with them. The defense did look a bit shaky, but without the captain of the defense, Aaron Colvin, that was expected.

First, lets take a look at the offense: A

Quarterback: A+
Blake Bell had already proven to the world that he can beat almost any defense on his feet (with the exception of Kansas St.). Being named the starter after a poor first two games by freshman quarterback Trevor Knight, he also had a lot of pressure to throw the ball. Bell passed for 413 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. This performance set a record for a first start at quarterback at OU. Bell was also named Big 12 offensive player of the week. I do believe that we have found a solid quarterback option, but lets remember it was against Tulsa. Regardless, a performance like this earns an A+.

Running Backs: B+
The running back core for Oklahoma did not play bad, they just didn't put up the numbers that were recorded the past two weeks. Yes, I know that is because of the extreme success we were having through the air. Roy Finch was the leading rusher for the Sooners as he rushed for 68 yards on 8 carries. Brennan Clay will continue to get the majority of the touches for the Sooners, despite his below average performance on Saturday. True freshman Keith Ford is looking like he could be the next big time back for the Sooners. I love the way he runs with such power and speed at the same time, much like a young Adrian Peterson. The future is looking bright for the running back position at OU.

Wide Receivers: A+
Sterling Shepard was the leading receiver for the Sooners with 123 yards on 8 catches, and two touchdowns. He was followed by Jaz Reynolds with 109 yards, and one touchdown. Much like his father, Shepard is going to have a very successful career at Oklahoma. It is nice to have more than one target to throw to this season, unlike last year when all we had was Stills, and the season before, Broyles. The receiving core is looking solid thus far, with great route running, and few dropped passes.

Lets take a look at Special Teams: A
Jed Barnett is looking every bit as good as Tress Way was for the Sooners (Now punting for the Redskins). He is averaging over 40 yards per punt, and giving up little to no return. You got to love what the punt return team is doing this year as we have already almost seen several taken back. Kickoffs are still looking excellent, sending most of them through the endzone.

Finally, the defense!: B+

Defensive Line: B+
The defensive line is looking as solid as ever! The only thing that worries me is the amount of big gain plays we allowed Tulsa to have. Those big gain plays lead to the majority of their scoring. I know that is not all the lines fault, but with no push up front, it is hard for those linebackers to fill the gaps. Tapper is looking to be a solid threat for our defensive line, and should only continue to get better with age and experience.

Linebackers: A-
Frank Shannon and Corey Nelson have already shown that they have improved greatly from last season. The defense only gave up a total of 95 rushing yards against Tulsa. I know this is not all credited to them, but the linebacker performance was again outstanding. The only thing I would like to see improvement on is our linebackers in coverage. Anything coming across the middle should be like target practice for these boys. Coverage is something the linebackers at Oklahoma have always struggled with (ask Tom Wort).

Defensive Backs: B-
Gabe Lynn has to be the most improved player for this defense. I do not think that it was the talent wasn't there until this season, I just think he was in the wrong position on the field. Lynn got beat play after play for three seasons play cornerback. Finally moving him to safety as a senior and he has caused at least one turnover in every game thus far. Having Aaron Colvin out (concussion) killed our secondary giving up 226 yards, and contributing majorly to the 20 points scored by the Tulsa offense. I understand that Cortez Johnson has to step up in this situation, but after all, he is just a sophomore playing in his first career start.

Overall the Oklahoma Sooners get a grade of A-. The Sooners looked fantastic and fun to watch, and the defense showed much potential in the younger guys getting to start for the first time. It may have not been the best performance outside of the offense, but a win is a win. At the end of the day, the Sooners are 3-0!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Buster and CMan's Top 25: Week 3

AP Top 25

1.Alabama (59)
2.Oregon (1)
3.Clemson
4.Ohio St.
5.Stanford

6.LSU
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Georgia
10.Texas A&M
11.Oklahoma St.
12.South Carolina
13.UCLA
14.Oklahoma
15.Michigan
16.Miami (FL)
17.Washington
18.Northwestern
19.Florida
20.Baylor
21.Mississippi
22.Notre Dame
23.Arizona St.
24.Wisconsin
25.Texas Tech

Buster's Top 25

1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Ohio St.
4.Clemson
5.Stanford

6.LSU
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Georgia
10.Texas A&M
11.Oklahoma
12.Oklahoma St.
13.UCLA
14.South Carolina
15.Michigan
16.Miami (FL)
17.Florida
18.Washington
19.Baylor
20.Northwestern
21.Mississippi
22.Notre Dame
23.Texas Tech
24.Arizona St.
25.Wisconsin

CMan's Top 25


1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Clemson
5. Stanford
6. Georgia
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. LSU
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma State
12. South Carolina
13. Oklahoma
14. UCLA
15. Michigan
16. Washington
17. Baylor
18. Northwestern
19. Miami (FL)
20. Notre Dame
21. Florida
22. Mississippi
23. Arizona State
24. Texas Tech
25. Wisconsin


Sunday, September 15, 2013

C'Mans Big 12 power rankings - Week 3

POWER RANKINGS


#1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0, 0-0)

The Cowboys finally played a game in the comfortable confines of Stillwater after spending the first two weeks of the season in Texas. Oklahoma State took on a decent Lamar squad and dominated the game on both sides of the ball winning big 59-3. The Cowboys look as strong as ever on offense but their defense is the story thus far in 2013. I'm going to have to see the 'Pokes beaten, or at least challenged, before they lose their hold on the top spot. Oklahoma State will enjoy a bye week before heading to West Virginia in two weeks.

#2. Baylor Bears (2-0, 0-0)

A bye week has proven to be the only thing that can stop the Bears offense this year. Baylor remains #2 despite not playing this week. Baylor takes on Lamar next week and then enjoys a second bye week in three weeks. We won't get a real glimpse of the Bears ability until they face West Virginia at home in week six.

#3. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0, 1-0)

Oklahoma moves up this week based on the performance of quarterback Blake Bell. In his first ever start, Bell threw for a record 413 yards and 4 touchdowns. Bell's on field performance surpassed that of both Sam Bradford and Landry Jones in their respective first starts. The question is, how different would the first two games have been with Bell calling the signals. The Sooners dispatched in-state foe Tulsa 51-20 playing well on both sides of the ball. The Sooner defense missed Aaron Colvin in the secondary and Gabe Lynn was injured during the game, but OU defended well until the fourth quarter as they subbed most of the starters out. If they both return for Notre Dame we should have a good game in South Bend in two weeks.

#4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0, 1-0)

The Red Raiders beat TCU 20-10 in Lubbock Saturday but needed back-up quarterback David Webb to seal the deal. TCU is reeling and probably did not deserve the preseason pub they received. However, Texas Tech and first year head coach Kliff Kingsbury are undefeated and have a quality conference win. Texas Techs next three opponents are Texas State, Kansas and Iowa State with a bye week included, All game Tech should win. The first real test comes in week 8 when they travel to Morgantown and take on West Virginia. A win against the Mountaineers and they likely come in to Norman 7-0.

#5. Kansas State Wildcats (2-1, 0-0)

The Wildcats have recovered from their opening day loss to NDSU by beating two "lesser" opponents. After beating Louisiana-Lafayette two weeks ago they downed UMass 37-7 Saturday in Manhattan. Kansas State travels to Austin next weekend to face Texas, where winning is not what it used to be. KSU has won the last 5 against the Longhorns and should win Saturday. We may have to wait until week 7, when Baylor pays a visit to Manhattan, to find out how "real" the Wildcats are.

#6. TCU Horned Frogs (1-2, 0-1)

I am not ready to write off the Horned Frogs season despite two losses in their first three games. An opening week loss to #6 LSU and a week three loss to Texas Tech, who should be ranked this week, sting but TCU has been in bigger holes. Having said that, TCU looked confused on offense at Tech and they need to get the wrinkles ironed out with a bye week and a game at home against SMU coming up. After that they face tough road games at OU and OSU with a home date against Kansas in the middle. If they don't,  they could find themselves in a huge hole going in to the second half of the season.

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1, 0-1)

The Mountaineers have had a tough season and its only week 3. A weak win at home against William and Mary, a devastating early conference loss at OU and a blowout win against a ho-hum Georgia State team. The Mountaineers are a tough group to figure out. They face an undefeated Maryland squad next week on the road and then return to Morgantown to host OSU. We could be looking at a 2-3 West Virginia team when the roll in to Baylor in week 6. If they start 0-3 in the Big 12, it will be a long winter for Dana Holgerson.

#8. Texas Longhorns (1-2, 0-0)

Wow. How quickly  things have fallen apart in Austin Texas. The Longhorns lose in consecutive weeks on the road at BYU and at home against  Mississippi. The Longhorns gave up 40 to BYU and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was shown the door in favor of Greg Robinson. Texas then gives up 43 to Mississippi at home. Different coordinator, same old Texas defense. The Longhorn offense might be worse than the defense. They look as rattled and confused and are playing with zero confidence. Texas host KSU and travels to ISU before the Red River Rivalry. Perhaps it's time for Mack Brown to start planning his retirement.

#9. Kansas Jayhawks (1-1, 0-0)

After a solid 31-14 victory over South Dakota in their opener, the Jayhawks fall this week, 23-14, to Rice. It's difficult to follow up that first sentence without mentioning Bill Self and the Jayhawk basketball team. The Jayhawk fans would trade almost anything (except Bill Self) for Mark Mangino. Say what you will about Mangino, he could coach football. Kansas may never have another winning season in football, and certainly not if it takes away from basketball. Mangino did both. Charlie Weiss will do neither.

#10. Iowa State Cyclones (0-2, 0-0) 

Someone has to be last, might as well be Iowa State. After an opening week loss to Northern Iowa and a bye week to lick their wounds, the Cyclones welcomed in-state rival Iowa and promptly lost 27-21 to the team that lost to Northern Illinois in week 1. The good news for Iowa State, they get another bye week. The bad news, they have to travel to Oklahoma in two weeks and play a decent Tulsa team. Cyclones head coach Paul Rhodes has done some good things in Ames. Unfortunately he's done some really bad things too. The Iowa State Cyclones will win this year, although they might have to wait for basketball season to do it.

Friday, September 13, 2013

CMan's OU Pregame - Week 3







Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1-1)

Oklahoma Sooners (2-0, 1-0)


The Oklahoma Sooners take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in Norman Saturday at 11:00 A.M. The biggest question on the mind of Sooner fans is how will Blake Bell do in his first official start. The Sooner offense has proven two things in the first two games of the 2013 campaign. First, they can run. The Sooners have averaged over 300 yards per game thus far. Second, the passing game that has been the hallmark of recent OU teams apparently went to Pittsburgh with Landry Jones.

The lack of a passing attack would render the Sooners one dimensional. One dimensional offenses have a tendency to make an average defense drool. Tulsa would qualify as an average defense. The Golden Hurricane have been less than stellar in two games this season suffering an opening week loss to Bowling Green 34-7 and escaping at home last week against Colorado state 30-27,  kicking a field goal with no time remaining.

On paper and in Norman, this game should be a blowout win for OU. However, with a huge question mark at quarterback and the anticipated continued progress of the renewed Sooner defense, this could be a very low scoring affair. Oklahoma clearly wins at every position in this contest even with the question at quarterback. But, a weak defense will look good if the opposing offense struggles to move the ball. OU will need to score to win the game.

There is good news. It is my contention that Trevor Knight struggled in the passing game due to a lack of experience in real time college football. The speed of defenses in the college game is far superior to the defenses he faced in high school and, frankly, at practice the last two years. While Knight practiced against the number one Sooner defense he was still in a blue jersey. It's just not the same as real time game speed facing a defense that has, as it's sole purpose, stopping you. Blake Bell has that game experience and not just in mop up roles. The Bell Dozer package was used a lot, and against some of the best defenses in the FBS. Bell excelled in that package and was effective moving the ball. But, can he pass effectively. We'll find out on Saturday.

All questions aside, the reality is this, Oklahoma has better athletes. The Sooners are bigger, faster and deeper than Tulsa. Oklahoma has better coaching, better facilities and a stronger tradition. OU should win this game and they should win going away. At the very least, the Sooner defense will make it very difficult for Tulsa to move the ball effectively and should apply more pressure on the skill players than The Golden Hurricane have seen this year. Points for Tulsa will be hard to come by.

I predict Blake Bell will be fine. He might start slow but once he gets in a rhythm,  I have confidence that he will move the offense on the ground and in the air. At the end of the day, the Sooners will score and the defense will do their job. Oklahoma wins 31-7.


BUSTER UPDATE: The Destiny Christian Wildcat football team scored a 74-40 victory over the OKC Patriots on Friday night. Buster, the DCS quarterback, continued his torrid senior season passing for 339 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, The game ended on a somber note with a serious injury to a Patriot player. Prayers for a positive outcome and speedy recovery are in order and would certainly be appreciated.




Sunday, September 08, 2013

Buster and CMan's Top 25: Week 2

AP Top 25
1.Alabama (57)
2.Oregon (1)
3.Clemson (1)
4.Ohio St. (1)
5.Stanford

6.Texas A&M
7.Louisville
8.LSU
9.Georgia
10.Florida St.
11.Michigan
12.Oklahoma St.
13.South Carolina
14.Oklahoma
15.Miami (FL)
16.UCLA
17.Northwestern
18.Florida
19.Washington
20.Wisconsin
21.Notre Dame
22.Baylor
23.Nebraska
24.TCU
25.Mississippi


Buster's Top 25:
1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Ohio St.
4.Clemson
5.Texas A&M

6.Stanford
7.LSU
8.Georgia
9.Louisville
10.Florida St.
11.Michigan
12.South Carolina
13.Oklahoma
14.Oklahoma St.
15.UCLA
16.Northwestern
17.Miami (FL)
18.Washington
19.Wisconsin
20.Florida
21.Notre Dame
22.TCU
23.Baylor
24.Nebraska
25.Mississippi

CMan's Top 25:
1.Alabama
2.Oregon
3.Ohio St.
4.Clemson
5.Stanford

6.Texas A&M
7.Louisville
8.Georgia
9.Florida St.
10.LSU
11.Oklahoma St.
12.S. Carolina
13.Michigan
14.Oklahoma
15.Notre Dame
16.Florida
17.UCLA
18.Northwestern
19.Washington
20.Wisconsin
21.Baylor
22.Nebraska
23.TCU
24.Texas
25.Miami (FL)


Buster's OU Sooners Game Analysis: Week 2

Sooners: 16
Mountaineers: 7










After a dominating performance against ULM, the Sooners were still doubted by many (including myself) on both sides of the ball. Giving up only 15 yards rushing against ULM, many doubted their ability to do the same against a stronger and faster offense. With the exception of the single touchdown given up in two games, the defensive performance has been solid. However, fans had no reason to doubt the offense ran by freshman Trevor Knight, who proved to be shaky in every aspect of the game besides running the ball himself. Special teams still proved to be one of OU's stronger aspects of the game. Lets take a look at how each faired against a stronger and faster Mountaineers team.

Offense: C+
The only thing saving this Sooner offense from receiving a lesser grade is senior running back Brennan Clay. Clay rushed for 170 yards. This hasn't been done since DeMarco Murray in 2010. Brennan Clay seemed to pick up positive yards with every touch. Stoops has said that with all three backs competing so well this year, the one who finds a rhythm will stay in the game. Clay proved to be that guy this weekend against West Virginia. Damien Williams didn't show much expect for his ability to pick up short yardage. He hasn't seemed to ever recover from that leg injury last season.

Through the air, the Sooners had a very below average performance. Oklahoma has a very strong receiving core this season, but simply no one to throw them the ball. Trevor Knight again came out throwing the ball poorly. Being his second game in Norman we can no longer blame his nerves for these awful passes. Throwing into triple coverage and to the wrong area could just be freshman mistakes, but they are mistakes the Sooners cannot afford.

Quarterbacks: D+
Trevor Knight has some serious work to do in order to keep his starting job (That is if he is even healthy). Knight had 119 yards on 20 attempts. Not to terrible if you can take away the two interceptions with only one touchdown. Knight is a guy who has tremendous talent running the ball, but the passing just isn't there. He did rush for 42 yards on 7 carries.
Do to what I think is an injury, Blake Bell got the call to start in the fourth quarter. Bell came in and ignited the crowd (The student section at least). Bell was 0-1 passing and 21 yards rushing on 2 carries.

Say what you will about the quarterback situation, but neither of these guys compare to what we had last season. The Sooners need to find a solution soon, because only running the ball will not get a W in three weeks against Notre Dame.

Defense: A+
We can sit back and look at the fact that the defense allowed a 65 yard rushing touchdown, or we can chose to be non ignorant Oklahoma fans and realize the defense has only given up 7 points in two games. The Oklahoma defense has been playing outstanding thus far. They say defense wins championships, but in this case the defense is going to have to win every game. If the Sooners want a championship run the defense will have to lead the way.

Secondary: A+
The defensive backs for the Sooners seem to have come out looking to prove something. Gabe Lynn was moved to a safety this season and is fitting in perfectly. Lynn caught an interception and picked up a fumble for the defense this week. We know what Aaron Colvin can do, and what he will do. Colvin went out with a cracked tooth and jaw pain, but will be ready to go next week.

Special Teams: A-
I really wanted to give the special teams an A+ this week, but anytime you miss a field goal it has to knock off points. Hunnicut has been great these past two seasons (the best since Garrett Hartley) and I have full confidence he will continue to do so. The Sooners didn't lose much in the aspect of punting as Jed Barnett averaged 44.6 yards on 5 punts. The kickoff team has been great sending the majority of the kicks through the endzone, and giving almost no gain on the returnable kicks.

The Sooners get an overall rating of a B- this week due to the lack of offense. Maybe that is the plan this season, score a few points then take over field position and dominate the game on defense. Whatever it is, I feel the Sooners have a great season in store, maybe even getting back to that championship swagger.

Next week: @Tulsa 11:00 AM

CMan's Big 12 Power rankings - Week 2

POWER RANKINGS

 
 

#1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-0)

The Cowboys have played two good games on both sides of the football. Both games have been on the road in the state of Texas. It has been difficult to find a real weakness in the team thus far despite the early quarterback controversy. The offense looks like Oklahoma State and the defense, at least the starters, look like an SEC defense. After two games, it looks like only Sports Illustrated has the best chance to slow the Pokes.

#2. Baylor Bears (2-0)

The Bears have score 139 points in two game and given up only 16. Having said that, the opponents were Wofford and Buffalo. The difference? Baylor would have struggled against competition this kind of competition in the past, now they are humiliating them. OU and Texas used to do the same to similar competition and they also beat strong teams. Baylor looks real but we'll have to wait for week 6 when they take on WVU to start the conference season.

#3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0)

Like Baylor, Texas Tech has been lighting up the scoreboard scoring 101 in their first two games. Unlike the Bears they started their season on the road at SMU. New head man Kliff Kingsbury looks to lead  the team as coach in much the same way he did as QB. The Red Raiders defense looks stout to start the season giving up only 36 points in their first two games. Reality might hit Lubbock next week though as they open the conference season at home against #24 TCU.

#4. Oklahoma Sooners (2-0)

Ok, before the Sooner faithful storm my bunker, let me explain. I would have ranked the Sooners higher based on the defensive improvement alone. But, the days of outscoring opponents will cease once they get deep in conference play. Unless Stoops and company get the offense on track the defense will only wear. The key to the renewed defensive pressure displayed by the Sooners is rest between series. The OU offense can not afford to go 3 and out or end drives without putting points on the board. The bright spot on offense is the renewed running attack. However, without an effective passing game opposing defenses will stack the line making the run game far less effective.

#5. TCU Horned Frogs (1-1)

A season opening loss to #12 LSU is nothing to be ashamed of. A home win against Southeastern Louisiana is nothing to write home about, especially when you were only up 17-14 at the half. The Horned Frogs offense caught speed in the second half but the vaunted TCU defense is not what it has been in recent years. The loss of Sr. QB Casey Pachall to injury might be a bright spot as Sophomore QB Trevone Boykin has clearly outplayed Pachall and gives the Horned Frogs their best chance to win.

#6. Kansas State Wildcats (1-1)

Kansas State rebounded from a humiliating home loss last week to 2 time FCS National Champion North Dakota State by defeating Louisiana Lafayette 48-27 in Manhattan. The Wildcats always start slow at the start of the season but they don't normally lose. The Wildcats defense is a concern giving up 51 points in two games to lesser quality opponents at home. The offense looks like a typical Bill Snyder offense. The Wildcats play Oklahoma State in week 6, in Stillwater. we'll know a lot more about the Wildcats after that game.

#7. West Virgina Mountaineers (1-1)

The Mountaineers lost to OU yesterday but they showed a lot of promise during the game. Either WVU started the second team against William and Mary in week 1 or they just didn't care. The Mountaineers that played in Norman Saturday were a far better team. While they couldn't do much against the Sooner defense the West Virginia defense gave the Sooners fits all night. WVU played a sloppy game but their defense looks vastly improved and the offense will catch up.

#8. Texas Longhorns (1-1)
 
A loss to un-ranked BYU in Provo is not horrible unless you're ranked in the top 15. Texas was. The loss itself wasn't as bad as how they lost. BYU rushed a Texas record 550 yards against the Longhorns. BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, on a surgically repaired knee, ran for 259 by himself. The Texas offense was so woeful that Mack Brown took QB David Ash out in the second half in favor of Case McCoy. New quarterback, same anemic offense. I thought the Longhorns were overrated to start the season, they certainly weren't the #15 team in the country. I'm not sure they belong in the top 25. I picked Un-ranked KSU and WVU ahead of Texas in the rankings because I believe they can both beat the Longhorns. We'll find out in two weeks when the Wildcats visit Austin.

#9. Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)

Jayhawk fans have a lot to be excited about in the first two weeks of school this year. The Jayhawks had a bye week in week 1, the football team won it's home opener and Jayhawk basketball is just around the corner. Kansas defeated South Dakota (Not to be confused with North Dakota State) in Lawrence Saturday 31-14. The Jayhawks travel to Rice next week and finish the non-conference schedule with a home game against Louisiana Tech in week 4. They should emerge 2-1 which is the last time they will be over .500 for the rest of the season. That's ok though, by mid-season most Jayhawk fans will be watching basketball.

#10. Iowa State Cyclones (0-1)

The good news for the Cyclones is that they didn't lose Saturday. The bad news, they have to play again this week against Iowa to determine who will be second in the state to Northern Iowa. After Iowa the Cyclones visit Tulsa, not a lock either. If  Iowa State plays at this level in the big 12 conference it will be a long season in Ames. unlike Kansas, the Cyclones aren't dominant in basketball anymore. It looks to be a long, cold winter in Iowa.

 



Saturday, September 07, 2013

CMan's OU vs WVU - Pregame

Sooners
Mountaineers
Very few Sooner and Mountaineer fans will forget the "defense optional" football game played in West Virginia in 2012. Most would like to forget the game. The Sooners needed a late touchdown drive by Landry Jones to escape Morgantown with a 50-49 win. Jones threw for 554 yards that game but was overshadowed by WVU's Tavon Austin and his Big 12 record 572 all purpose yards. In all, the Sooners gave up 778 yards. No OU team had ever surrendered more.
 
Sooner defensive coordinator Mike Stoops would love to get the taste of that game out of his mouth today. OU brings a new defensive scheme to the match up today and based on the performance last week, Stoops might just have found the right mouthwash.
 
The good news? Tavon Austin and wide out Stedman Bailey, who caught 13 passes for 205 yards and 4 touchdowns in the game, are playing for the St. Louis Rams now. WVU quarterback Geno Smith will start for the New York Jets on Sunday.
 
The Mountaineer offense looked awful weak against William and Mary last week needing a score with 3 minutes left to defeat the Tribe 24-17 in Morgantown. West Virginia appears to be a shell of last years offensive powerhouse. However, its only one game and WVU Head Coach Dana Holgerson has a history of getting the most out of his offensive players. His offensive system will always provide multiple scoring opportunities.
 
Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight will start his second game as a Sooner. After a slow start last week Knight played well in last weeks opener. The Sooner offense should be sharper and more fluid this week. With the first start under the belt Knight should be far more comfortable today as he leads the Sooner offense. If the coaching staff corrected the passing miscues and the missed screen assignments from last week, the Sooners should have multiple scoring opportunities today. The Mountaineers defense gave up an average of 38.1 points per game in 2012, the Sooners should have no trouble reaching that total today.
 
On the defensive side of the ball OU should continue what it started last week. The key to the game today is pressure. If the Sooner line and linebackers can get consistent defensive pressure on the quarterback it should disrupt the Mountaineers passing attack. Our linebackers spent a great deal of time in the offensive backfield last week against ULM and should be able to do the same today. The defensive speed the Sooners displayed last week will serve them well in stopping any sideline options the Mountaineers attempt. I don't expect another shutout but I don't expect a repeat of last years game either. After all, this game is at Owen Field where the Sooners are 81-5 under Bob Stoops.
 
Predictions this early in the season are never easy. This game is particularly hard because it is a conference game. Having said that, the Sooners should win this game by a comfortable margin. I'm going with OU to win 38-17.
 
On a side note, Buster's DCS Wildcats improved to 2-0 with a 46-28 win on the road over Southwest Covenant last night. Buster threw 3 touchdown passes including a long of 42 yards. For his career, Buster has surpassed the 3000 yard mark and has 41 touchdowns. Not bad for a guy with less than two years under center.








Sunday, September 01, 2013

CMan's OU Sooners game analysis: Week 1

















Louisiana Monroe - 0
Oklahoma Sooners - 34

The Oklahoma Sooners entered the 2013 football season with a lot of  unanswered questions. Closed practices and lack of information are par for the course at OU. Head Coach Bob Stoops has never been known for his transparency when discussing his team or its outlook.
 
The Sooners ended the 2012 season with a demoralizing Cotton Bowl loss to Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel and former Big 12 foe, Texas A&M.  Questions.
 
Gone are four year starter at QB Landry Jones and several assistant coaches along with several other key players on both sides of the ball. More questions.
 
There were certainly more questions than answers, frankly we knew little about this team or any potential answers on Saturday morning. So, let's take a look at the game last night and address what I think were  the most glaring questions at game time.  
 
 
Who is Trevor Knight and why was he chosen over Blake Bell as the starter?
 
Has the OU defense improved in the second year of Mike Stoops return as defensive coordinator?
 
How effective will the special teams be?
 
What impact will the new coaches have?
 
Were the questions answered? After a slow start, I believe they were. Let's break the game down and see how well the questions were answered.
 
The Grades:
 
Quarterback Trevor Knight - B+
 
If you asked for a grade in the first quarter I would have given Knight a weak C. He was nimble on his feet and his decisions were hurried. His arm looked strong but he couldn't hit the side of a barn. Knight started the game 1-6 passing. Most of his passes were too low or way too high. His receivers didn't do much to help either. The offensive line couldn't get the run game started which forced a lot of 2nd or 3rd and long situations for the rookie. He did, at times, show the patience of a veteran in the pocket and made some solid decisions in break downs. Not a good start. I'm sure many OU faithful were not only questioning the decision, but looking for the BellDozer to enter the game.
 
Now, if you asked for a grade from the 2nd quarter on I would give Knight a solid A. Once the jitters left and the offensive line started to gel, Knight looked like a starter. By the second half his passing was on target, his runs were fluid and the running game started to wear down the ULM defensive front. Knight finished the game with 11-28 passing for 86 yds, 3 TD's and 1 questionable interception. While the passing yards need improving, he did finish with 103 (team leading) rushing yards. The most rushing yards for a QB since Jason White in 2001 and the first QB with more rushing yards than passing than Eric Moore in 1998.
 
Trevor Knight has enormous upside. This was ULM, but Knight gave a wonderful peek at what was possible in the future.
 
As for Blake Bell, he entered the game in the fourth quarter to mop up. He was playing with mostly second stringers but could have played a lot better. The gap between the two QB's on this night was pretty wide.
 
OU Defense - A
 
The rush defense was solid from the start of the game however,  the pass defense early was reminiscent of last years woefully ugly secondary. Thankfully it didn't last. The catalyst was the pressure up front. The OU front line and linebackers played most of the game in the ULM backfield. The defense created havoc for ULM QB Kolton Browning. They hurt him early and often. They forced hurried throws and mad dash scrambles. OU defensive end Charles Tapper appeared to be Browning's roommate for most of the game. ULM crossed midfield twice and only managed 9 first downs, 6 of those came in the first quarter.
 
ULM finished the game with 166 total yards, 128 passing and only 38 rushing. This from a team that averaged 400 total yards in 2012. Their longest run was 6 yards. The longest pass reception, 14 yards.
 
The defense was vastly improved. It is evident that the front line pressure relieved any secondary threat. If the defense can continue to pressure the quarterbacks and stuff the run, the OU defense should fare a lot better in the big 12 this season than they did in 2012. I would still like to see the secondary tested before the bulk of big 12 games start. the good news is WVU and its high powered offense pay a visit to Norman next week.
 
Special Teams - A+
 
The special teams played a huge role in last nights game. ULM returned 1 kickoff for 65 yards and did not return a single punt. Nick Hodgson's kicks were finding the end zone repeatedly and   Place kicker Mike Hunnicutt was 2-2 on field goals and 4-4 on PAT's. The biggest surprise for me was new punter Jed Barnett. Barnett averaged 43.6 yards on 7 punts with a long of 54. Four of his punts landed inside the ULM 20. In addition to consistent yardage, Barnett's hang time allowed our special team players to get down field and prevent any return.
 
New coaches impact - A
 
The lines on both sides of the ball were better. the defensive line was aggressive and mobile. the linebackers moved with confidence and speed reminiscent of past sooner linebackers. The offensive line started slow but eventually opened huge holes that the OU running backs exploited.  OU quarterbacks were given ample time to make decisions in the pocket. The down field blocking got increasingly better as the game wore on. Football games are won in the trenches and the Sooners owned the trenches last night.
 
Overall it was a dominant performance after the first quarter. My friend Buster tells me that the first quarter performance by Trevor Knight was to be expected. He said the bad throws were a combination of nerves, first game jitters causing the failure to follow through. Buster says he's been there and I believe him. You see Buster is a darn good, State Champion, high school quarterback.
 
I am looking forward to the evolution of Trevor Knight and the continued improvement of the Sooner defense. Sure, its only one game but there are far fewer questions going in to next week than we had on Friday.
 
One side note: Saturday nights win was the 150th of Head Coach Bob Stoops career  at Oklahoma. He  is now just 7 wins shy of tying Barry Switzer for all time wins at OU.
 
Up next: West Virginia visits Norman.