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Its #11. There are plenty of opportunities for him to make throws, but the kid is terrified. He needs to transfer to a FCS school and we need to buy a QB this offseason.

I've noticed a few posts suggesting that our defense isn't as good as we think it is. Look, I get it, we're all frustrated. But the D is far from a problem, and is, in fact, pretty dang good.

For those that like efficiency measures, FPI has our defensive efficiency at #12 nationally.

What I'm taking a deeper dive into today is turnovers. Both traditional, and on downs.

Here are some facts to chew on:

• In 6 SEC contests, we've committed 14 traditional turnovers.
• 3 have been DST touchdowns. Of the remaining 11, an astonishing 10 have occurred at the 50, or in our own territory.
• Of the 10 post-turnover drives that started in our territory, the defense has allowed 36 points.
• The opponent did not score on the post-turnover drive that started in their territory.
• In those same 6 games, we've turned the ball over on downs 12 times.
• Half of those resulted in the opponent taking over at the 50 or in our territory. The defense allowed 13 points on those six post-turnover drives.
• Of the six post-turnover drives where the opponent started in their own territory, the defense has only allowed 7 points.
• So, combined, that's 16 drives where the defense had to stop an opponent that began in our territory, and resultingly gave up 49 points. ~3 points per drive.
• And, combined, that's 7 drives where the defense had the benefit of starting on the right side of the field, which resulted in 7 points. Exactly 1 point per drive.
• We only have 28 points off of opponent turnovers, 15 of which have been directly scored by our defense.

If we were to strip out turnovers, and the possessions immediately following them, here are the scores to our SEC games this year:

• Tennessee (W, 15-12)
• Auburn (L, 16-21)
• Texas (L, 3-20)
• South Carolina (W, 9-8)
• Ole Miss (L, 7-26)
• Mizzou (W, 13-7)

The defense isn't perfect (would love a few more TOs forced, more consistent pressure off the edge, and a lot less of at least one guy in our secondary), but it's been playoff caliber.

Notes on Robinson, injuries, Theo Wease and Jalil Farooq.

As I continue to recover from this horrible loss I had a thought this morning and figured I'd share.

We all know the SL hire turned out to be the wrong one. But was it also an indicator of the JA issues we now see? The overriding reason given (and parroted by the media) was "let's keep things consistent for JA", "we don't want our young QB to have to learn a new system". It occurs to me now in hindsight that may have been a sign. QBs learn new offenses all the time and they had a full off-season to implement it if an outside OC hire was made.

I really like JA and still believe he's a talented QB, but he just wasn't ready for the adversity of limited WR talent and a struggling OL. When the adversity came, his "football IQ" suffered. Maybe the decision to be easy on him and not give him a new scheme to learn was a foreshadow of things to come.

I know, hindsight is 20/20, as they say.

I know there has been lots of talk and rumblings about firing BV and bringing in someone new from the top down. I will admit I responded on X Saturday night to someone and said it was time to hit the reset button from the top down. There are a lot of areas you have to admit there have been improvement with the program, but I know the wins are not coming fast enough and the improvement in some areas have left a lot to be desired. Heck as fans we can even question are the best players getting the amount of game reps they deserve??? I do think there has to be a ton of soul searching has to be done in a lot of areas for sure. There have been some ugly losses and there is NO DOUBT about it, but I’m going to list a couple records here of two very successful coaches and what their first 4 years looked liked-
Coach #1
4-3
9-5
6-7
10-4
Coach #2
6-5
6-6
7-5
6-6
This is pre NIL of course, but I’m 41 yrs old and these are maybe two of the most successful coaches I have seen since the mid 2000’s outside of Bob Stoops.

I’m not trying to justify what this season has been because it has been a mess and embarrassing offensively for us as fans, and for sure for these players and this team. Just based on the records above though do we as fans need to pump the breaks a tad and see if BV can go get him a good O Coordinator, hold this recruiting class together, and hit a couple massive additions in the portal and turn this ship around?

The records above are the records of Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban and what their first 4 years looked like of coaching. I even looked at Saban’s run at LSU and it wasn’t until year 4 before he got things turned in the right direction.

Who would you like to see OU hire as the next head coach if it where to happen this season.

What players should we be keeping a close eye on for a potential decommitment? I know coaches across America are blowing the up to the phones of all our commits. This has happened with Florida Stare and we are next.

Personally, I feel like Cortez Mills and Michael Fasusi won’t stick in the class.

I've been talking with some people close to the program.

First on BV: Donors are starting the rumblings about a HC search. Nothing definitive yet, just rumblings. I'm under the impression he will get a chance to find an OC, but if things are not going well, even mid-season 2025 a change could be made. I'm expecting him to at least finish out the 2025 season, but his seat is like a volcano about to erupt going in to the 2025 season.

On the OC search: Let me just start out by saying the donors and Joe C. are allotting a big sum to hire an established OC. First, yes the Will Stein momentum has been fading, but has recently picked back up slightly. Joe C. And BV have been in talks with his agent more this week. Marion, Kinney, Korn, and Kotelnicki are out of the running. Below I'll give my short list based on what I've heard:

1. Will Stein
2. Joe Craddock
3. Dan Mullen
4. Collin Klein

I've heard rumors of another one but have not been able to confirm. Will Stein is at the top of their list, but I give it a 25% chance. Joe Craddock is the bet I'd make at this time.

Bonus: Joe Jon has not been considered for the OC job since Seth left. He's basically been coaching to save his job on the future staff, but I've heard since tonight, he will be promptly fired at the end of the season.

On Joe C.: Donors are not happy with the BV hire so far and the lack luster performance of both the Football and Men's Basketball respectively. If BV is fired he might be replaced as well. Those are just initial rumblings, but noteworthy in my opinion. Most want to keep Joe C. Until he retires but he may not make it or be forced to retire.

Haven’t seen this mentioned yet but what about…. Cam Rising?

He’s a veteran who has played a ton of games. Was originally committed to OU. Is really tough. Has never been prone to turnovers. Could be a one year bridge QB to either Hawkins or the next QB recruit. I realize there is an injury concern but there is no reason to think he won’t be 100% going into spring.

More than anything - the guy knows how to win. He won 2 conf titles at Utah. He’ll be a good leader and won’t shit away a game when it’s there for the taking

Here's your AI summary of the postgame pod from Thune and Coach Clinton:


The life of an OU football fan has taken a harsh turn this fall. It’s the dead of night in a Holiday Inn Express in Oak Grove, Missouri, the backdrop fittingly disheveled and weary, much like the fans and the team they cheer for every weekend. Once a powerhouse, Oklahoma’s football team is now firmly entrenched in a losing season, and after yet another defeat, it's time to question everything—coaches, players, and the direction of the program.

The Missouri Meltdown

On a chilling night in Columbia, Missouri, the Sooners managed new ways to dishevel their hopes, reminiscent of the fall from grace seen in programs like Nebraska. This time, the Missouri Tigers snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat, leaving the Sooners with no clear path forward. By the end of the game, it felt like rock bottom for OU, a point that’s hard to digest for both the team and its supporters.

In a game where several fans had stood firm behind head coach Brent Venables, the closing moments against Missouri may have shifted opinions drastically. With a schedule leading into matchups against Alabama and LSU, it seems the road ahead only gets steeper for the Sooners.

The Unfolding Crisis in Oklahoma

The podcast from the Holiday Inn perfectly summarized the current state of OU football, throwing light on the cracks within the foundation. The Missouri loss highlighted persistent issues: a lack of offensive consistency, turnovers, and tactical naiveté. The Sooners managed to convert their modest 23-16 lead into a 30-23 downfall, riddled with questionable plays and missed opportunities, an unfortunate recurring theme.

The Offense Struggles to Shine

Under the faint glow of any positive takeaways, the offense struggled. Oklahoma’s offense has been inefficient, with frequent lapses occurring in the most critical phases of the game. Adding fire to this inferno, questions about starting quarterback Jackson Arnold and the direction at quarterback for the rest of the season run rampant. His performances have not been what Sooners fans hoped for, raising foundational questions about the future leadership of the offense.

Defensive Breakdowns Continue

Defensively, Oklahoma presented a dichotomy—showing strength in the first half only to falter as the game progressed. The defense conceded to Drew Pyne and the Missouri offense during a critical juncture, a tough sight for any fan holding out hope for victory.

Coaching and Culture in Question

The coaching staff hasn't been spared scrutiny either. Fans have started to compare Brent Venables to past OU coaches who failed to meet the glory days' standards. Managing talents like Arnold and navigating the impending recruit classes remain daunting tasks for Venables as such.

In practice, the decision-making process that determines who sees the field has been questioned. Players like Xavier Robinson, Jacob Jordan, and Eli Bowen have shown tremendous potential yet have been underutilized in favor of others who fail to deliver, indicating a need for reevaluation from the coaching staff.

Looking Ahead to an Uncertain Future

So where does Oklahoma go from here? With a bye week ahead, followed by games against football giants Alabama and LSU, the Sooners need to regroup and reassess. Who will lead as quarterback remains a puzzle, with Venables facing the dilemma of sticking with Arnold or opting for a seasoned Casey Thompson or exploring the potential of Michael Hawkins.

As the regular season winds down, the Sooners are on the brink of missing bowl eligibility, a once inconceivable notion. The fanbase's patience wears thinner by the game, with a future uncertain. Changing the narrative will require decisive actions, some introspection, and a return to the discipline and prowess that once defined Oklahoma football.

A Call to Action for the Sooners

There's little time to implement those changes—only two games remain to turn back towards a winning path. The Sooners are at a crossroads, needing a spark to pull themselves back from the depths of despair, rekindle the fighting spirit that has defined their legacy, and provide something for fans to believe in once again.

As the dust settles in Oak Grove, Missouri, the call for Oklahoma is clear: It’s time for a change, and fast. The culture, player utilization, and strategical approaches need immediate addressing if the Sooners are to rise once again from their rock bottom.

Try and lure Rashad Samples closer to home let him go recruit some dudes on offense. He is a hell of a recruiter and has been Assistant HC for 3 schools now. He hasn’t called plays but this thing more about Jimmy’s & Joes instead of the X’s & O’s. OU don’t have them on offense.

I counted at least 6 different blatant holds tonight . None were called. Holton was destroying his guy several times it was missed.

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I wanted BV to be the next great HC at OU. After watching 3 years of this, I don't believe it is going to work out.

Obviously the offense is terrible, no need to rehash that. But the defense is not a really good defense. They're better than the defenses of the past several years, but they're not a great defense. They consistently collapse when the going gets tough.

Go back to Bob's 2001 team. The defense was great with an equally inept offense, but still found ways to win games. The 2001 offense wasn't good, but it wasn't keystone cops every time they took the field. They at least had a scheme and plays they were trying to execute. And they didn't consistently make horrible mistakes that gave the game away.

I don't see how this gets any better by simply adding a competent OC & QB coach. Will it help? Sure, but is it going to suddenly make this a disciplined football team that takes pride in the details of winning.

Everybody points to BVs recruiting and I agree it is better than TBOW. But he's doing the same thing at LB that BB did on the OL.

I think it's time to find a proven winner HC if OU wants to get back to the top.

How OU could have let Gabriel go without a dog fight is the biggest screw up ever by a OU head coach. To not have been able to discern that Jackson Arnold wasn’t ia competent quarterback is pitiful . Venables decision to ride with Arnold into a new season only displays his complete lack of understanding of how to run an offense and evaluate talent. All if which is a fireable offense: Time to walk the plank.

Also looking for an OC so we will have to outbid them most likely for an elite OC

@Jesse Crittenden posted the pff grades as always (thank you!) and I have questions on how it works. If our offensive line is like the worst in cfb and our dline is one of the best, how are their pff grades always so similar??? And how was Spencer browns grade so high when I saw him getting whooped all night? Gabe said howland looked pretty solid so how come his grade is so low?

Each lost season puts you two years back in recruiting. Time to make a splash and get Curt Cignetti. Blow it up.

Watching the show and I am_ucking sick of his _ucking attitude and his idiotic _ucking 'WE GOTTA DO BETTER' crap... When? Next season against Temple... or how about the what should be the worst team in FBS Kent state... Hell... they are 0-9 and I wonder if they were on the schedule this coming Saturday @ Kent Ohio... would Arnold be able to pass for 100+YARDS? His smart ass replies to Dean asking him if there was moisture causing the fumbles which is a fair question and Venables reply with hs smart ass smirk. I am done with his ass... I fear Castiglione will ride his ass until it' too late to avoid the Smellofbourbon/Blakes 4 seasons of misery,

That is who we could and should hire.