Oklahoma Sooners mid-season report card :

          
         We have passed the midway point of the Sooner football season. The Sooners sit at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12 conference. The lone loss came in the Cotton Bowl against unranked Texas. A loss to the Longhorns in any season is tough for OU fans to stomach. A loss against an unranked and inferior Texas squad is an insult. With seven games in the books its time to take a look at how the Sooners have graded out thus far in the 2013 season.



Offense: C-

The Sooner offense has been this seasons biggest disappointment. The quarterback controversy was just the tip of the iceberg. The Sooner passing game has been one of the best in the nation starting with Josh Heupel in 1999. OU typically sits at the top of the offensive rankings in the big 12 and in the top 10 nationally. The 2013 Sooners rank eighth in the Big 12 (10 teams) in pass offense ahead of only TCU and Kansas. OU has thrown for 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while completing only 59% of their passes and averaging an uncharacteristic 194 passing yards per game. Nationally OU ranks 90th in pass offense and 62nd in scoring offense. in the Big 12 Oklahoma ranks sixth in scoring offense  at 30 points per game and they are also sixth in 3rd down conversions at 39.4%.

The only reason that OU doesn't have a lower grade on offense is the running game. The Sooners are second in the Big 12 in rushing offense with a 228 yard average per game. Nationally, OU is ranked 18th. The problem in the run game for the Sooners is they have only scored 8 rushing touchdowns in seven games putting them on a pace to score half as many rushing TD's as they did in 2012 and 2011.

Then there are the quarterbacks. Trevor Knight showed signs of brilliance with his feet in the first two games but he couldn't hit the side of a barn with a pass. A knee injury forced the insertion of Junior Blake Bell as the starter. Bell started with a bang throwing for 400+ against Tulsa. However, as Dean Blevins told Al Eschbach after the game, "You could have thrown for 200 against the Tulsa pass defense". Bell was good at Notre Dame, but was fronted a 14 point lead by the OU defense. Bell started to slide against TCU and fell flat at Texas and in the first quarter at KU.  Bell looks increasingly uncomfortable with his decision making leading to "happy feet" and he is a far different quarterback playing from behind than he is with a lead. Blake ranks between 5-7 in the Big 12 in QB statistics. Nationally Bell ranks 52nd.

Despite the obvious weaknesses, OU does lead the Big 12 in time of possession at 32:18.


Defense: A

I might of graded the defense a B because they have been inconsistent. However, they are leaps and bounds ahead of where they have been the last few years. The Sooners are giving up a hundred yards less this year than last (293 vs 398). The lead the Big 12 in total defense and pass defense. They are second in scoring defense and 5th in rush defense. The scoring defense has improved from 25 points per game in 2012 to only 17 this season. OU is ranked 9th nationally in scoring defense. OU seems to be better conditioned as well. They are stronger in the 2nd half than in the first. If not for the defense, the season might look very different right now.

The loss of defensive starters Cory Nelson at linebacker and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips make the defense weaker, especially against the run. We will see how defensive coordinator Mike Stoops adjusts his defense to adapt.



The biggest improvement on defense this year has got to be attitude. OU has rediscovered the defensive swagger they have been missing for several years. The Sooners defensive energy has been at a high level all year, except for the Texas game.


Special teams: B+

The Sooner special teams have been a surprise this season. Both kickers, Place Kicker Mike Hunnicut and punter Jed Barnett, were relative unknowns going in to the season. Hunnicutt is second in the Nation and ranked number one in the Big 12 in Field goal percent at 93.8%. He has missed only one field goal and one PAT on the season. Barnett got off to a quick start but has seen his punt average drop from a high of 46 to his current average of 41 yards per punt, 9th in the conference.

On the strength of the leg of Kicker Nick Hogdson, Oklahoma is second in the conference in Kick off coverage with a league leading 30 touchbacks and a second fewest 260 total return yards allowed.

Red Zone: C

The Sooners red zone struggles continue. Oklahoma is ranked 6th in red zone offense scoring on 84% of their chances. In 32 trips they have scored 15 touchdowns and kicked 13 field goals, a 1-1 ratio. In 2012 the Sooners had a 3-1 ratio of TD's to FG's. Too many field goals not enough touchdowns.

The Sooners red zone defense is giving up scores 86% of the time. They are ranked eighth in the Big 12 and only few scores from 10th. Top ranked Baylor only allows points 56% of the time.


Overall: B-

I could easily grade the Sooners an overall C but they are 6-1. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The loss of 4 year starter Landry Jones and roster full of underclassmen said it would be. The 5-0 start was a surprise. Many picked the Sooners to lose at Notre Dame and some suggested a loss against TCU was also possible. Very few predicted the loss to Texas. So, 6 wins at this point is not bad. However, they appeared dominant and in late season form after the win in South Bend but after the Texas game, the same Sooners looked lost and beatable. The first quarter melt down at KU did not restore any faith. Oklahoma finished the KU game strong, especially on defense, but games that looked winnable at the start of the season are now question marks. This weekends game against Texas Tech will tell us a lot more.

There is also the question at quarterback. The reasons that Blake Bell was passed over for Trevor Knight at the start of the season were not evident until the second half of the TCU game. Since that game they have become painfully evident. While I'm not ready to suggest that Knight should be reinserted as the starter, I do think Bob Stoops should explore some run option packages for him. It's not a wild theory, the BellDozer package was born of the same mindset in 2011. And then there is Kendall Thompson. Many close to the program thought he was the leader going in to the season until he injured his foot in fall practice. perhaps he should be given a few snaps as well. I don't mean to question Bob Stoops coaching ability, his 155 coaching wins are exactly 155 more than I have. I am suggesting that he is stubborn at times, and this is one of those times.


Oklahoma  has five regular season games left this year. They could go 5-0 as easily as they could 0-5. My guess, based on their performance to date, is that they will finish the season 4-1 with a loss at Baylor in a couple of weeks. For  the Sooners, a 10-2 record in 2013 is respectable. For Sooner fans, anything short of a championship is not acceptable. A loss to Baylor and the Sooners will probably not win the their ninth Big 12 title this year leaving a bowl championship as their only hope. Unfortunately, that's not a given this season either.