2016 "Way to Early" Predictions

[PryorFan]

Way to much top 5 optimism in 2016 for the Sooners? I'm reigning it in until it's earned on the field. Way too many major disappointments in the last number of years and one cannot discount the good fortune the Sooners enjoyed in 2015 by not facing Baylor and TCU starting QBs negating the Texas loss. 2016 is loaded with possible bumps in the road:

Houston @ home - LR will have to have the offense primed to outscore a potent Houston offense
TOSU @ home - Buckeyes lose a lot of players but will still be formidable with a returning QB
Baylor @ home - Baylor starting QB will be back so their offense will be more potent than Houston's plus they will have a very good defense
@ TCU - game against a very physical team top 10 team but they will be breaking in a new QB
KSU @ home - Sooners have not beaten KSU in Norman in several games and Snyder is back for 2016
Texas - Stoops has not proven that he can prepare the Sooners for Charlie Strong's Horns

Sooners can win them all or they can lose 3 to 4 of them. Win the first two at home and it could very easily set a positive tone for the remainder of the season. At any rate, it will be hard not to enjoy a season this loaded with top 10 talent (except for the sorry Horns, embarrassing!).

Boomer Sooner

 

[Schoonerman]

Pryor,

Pretty good analysis of the upcoming season.

I feel confident that Stoops will take care of KSU and texas. TCU will have nearly everyone returning on D, but an almost entirely new offense. Houston, Baylor and tOSU all present major challenges and will be very tough games. Fortuantely, two of the three (Baylor & tOSU) are in Norman, but Houston as a road opener will be an incredibly difficult game.

 

[Sooner_Dynasty]

As long as our OL continues to get better I see no reason why we shouldn't be a very good team next year and have a great chance to beat all those teams.

 

[Okie70]

Houston a road game. Otherwise comments are fair given the level of the opponents. If anything happens to Mayfield might be a reply of the 2009 horror season. What a waste of a great Sooner D.

 

[bcsoonerfan]

Houston can expect a heavy dose of Perine and Mixon to keep their offense on the sidelines. They are dangerous but they don't have the horses in the trench to stop our RBs and if they over commit you can bet Mayfield will have an answer.

Inexperienced Ohio State early on the road favors us.

 

[KCtornado]

I like our season layout...but we have to play flawless early on...then smoke the rest aftet that in big 12 play. Baylor...Ohio State...TCU have lost vast number of starters...important players. Time for the young guys to compete for open Sooner slots...

 

[CTOkie]

Way to much top 5 optimism in 2016 for the Sooners? I'm reigning it in until it's earned on the field. Way too many major disappointments in the last number of years and one cannot discount the good fortune the Sooners enjoyed in 2015 by not facing Baylor and TCU starting QBs negating the Texas loss. 2016 is loaded with possible bumps in the road:

Houston @ home - LR will have to have the offense primed to outscore a potent Houston offense
TOSU @ home - Buckeyes lose a lot of players but will still be formidable with a returning QB
Baylor @ home - Baylor starting QB will be back so their offense will be more potent than Houston's plus they will have a very good defense
@ TCU - game against a very physical team top 10 team but they will be breaking in a new QB
KSU @ home - Sooners have not beaten KSU in Norman in several games and Snyder is back for 2016
Texas - Stoops has not proven that he can prepare the Sooners for Charlie Strong's Horns

Sooners can win them all or they can lose 3 to 4 of them. Win the first two at home and it could very easily set a positive tone for the remainder of the season. At any rate, it will be hard not to enjoy a season this loaded with top 10 talent (except for the sorry Horns, embarrassing!).

Boomer Sooner

OU seems to be getting a lot of "love" for 2016....and I agree with you on the six potential "bumps in the road"...with perhaps West Virginia away.
I see every game on the schedule as winable if OU can get a quick infusion of help early on from the inexperienced and/or unproven players on the roster. Everyone knows there's talent on the roster because there's ALWAYS talent available, and more coming in. But I believe that running the table may be too much to hope for for a team losing a great player like Shepard, 5 of 6 linebackers, two offensive linemen, unproven depth at receiving behind Westbrook and Andrews and the loss of Tapper and Sanchez on defense.
What I'm hanging my hat on is the number of highly rated players from the 2015 class, 14 of whom were 4-star prospects. The 2014 class had 8 4-star players along with Mixon, a 5-star player.
Then there are the injuries that happen all too randomly and frequently. As we know, injuries can diminish a team's success. Questions also loom: How is Mayfield going to hold up ? Will Perine's ankle hold up ? How is Walker recovering ?
Lot's of questions. Lots of potentially good answers.