Even Dana Holgorson is handing off his title as play caller to Jake Spavital. It's extremely hard to do both, even for seasoned coaches. Riley will learn to groom someone to take his place.
Honest Expectations For this Season
- Thread starter bcsoonerfan
- Start date
I am selective in my optimism. I felt strongly all season about OU Softball getting a Natonal Championship repeat. And I talked about this many times as the season progressed.
I feel just as strongly for our present football team. I think our defense will be one of OU's best because of great front line play and our linebackers led by Caleb Kelly and OBO who will play great............ "Brian Bosworth great".
We will have probably the nation's best and deep offensive lines with OU having two great dangerous QBs, Baker and Kyler. This is Mark Andrews year to shine. He will scare a bunch of D-backs with his size and speed.
This is a great OU football team and 2017 is our year to win it all.
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Seems like I remember Boswell.........heck of a player.
As for this season sir, I do believe we might be in the mix if Perine and Mixon had returned. It pains me to say that I just can't see us going to the playoff this year much less a natty. Who is even going to be our feature RB this year?
Thank you my great friend, . I had a senior moment. My mind was on something else.
Bosworth "heck of a player"
Rodney Anderson Abdul Adams Dimitri Flowers, several talented freshman & the nation's best OL
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Adams was a nice little back but I can't see him being a go to type of player. Same for Flowers. Now Anderson might have a chance if he can stay healthy....right now I would say that position is a little up in the air. This might be a reason to get Kyler Murray on the field in the slot and give him the ball 6 - 8 times a game.
I agree.
Last season when Perine was hurt & Mixon missed a game Flowers started at HB and had a hell of a game running and catching the football. He showed a burst of speed and had great hands. .He had over 100 yards rushing.
Ya I remember that game...he did a heck of a good job. I'm just not sure we want him to be our feature guy. As you said though, we are supposed to have a great Oline so that will obviously help out the running game tremendously. We may not need an Adrian Peterson back there.
Am I the only one who didn't think our oline was great last year? Solid or decent yes, but far from dominate. It's still an area we need to improve
I see your point berryhill. I think they started off slow and got better as the year progressed. I think we are hoping they continue where they left off.
The Lackawanna kid can't play many downs, because he's too small to pass block well. But as a spotted in player, he has the capability of making great things happen. He has some pizazz. How it all plays out, depends a lot on who stays healthy. If Anderson is available for 14 or 15 games, then we might have something special. But what are the odds of that?
OU has had plenty of successful season's when they didn't have "a guy" at RB.
I don't expect the same unbelievable production that Perine and Mixon provided, but RB hasn't been a problem since forever it seems. Adams and Flowers have proven their measure and there's better talent behind them.
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Sutton is 5'8" 192 lbs.
Quinton Griffin was 5'7" 190 lbs at OU.
I never heard of issues with Griffin's size when it came to blocking, running, or receiving,
Quinton Griffin was 5'7" 190 lbs at OU.
I never heard of issues with Griffin's size when it came to blocking, running, or receiving,
Clay, Finch, Brown, Patrick and Thorton (think was his name) were all smaller guys regarding height.
Murray and Peterson were about the only "tall guys".
2013 is one of two examples of what you're saying.
OU had Clay, Damian Williams, Finch, and Ford....all 4 who rushed for a combined 2,384 yards, with Clay (957 yards) and Williams (946 yards) as the best producers.
Then there was 2003, featuring Works, Jones and Hickson on a team that went 12-2....thanks to Heisman winner Jason White and a great receiving corps, and a good defense.
The 2017 team can have a good running game as long as a few "ifs" come through: Anderson needs to be healthy, Adams needs to prove himself and at least one of the three newcomers needs to deliver some quality production....my bet is either Sermon and/or Sutton.
Since this thread s about what we each predict the OU team will do this season think there are some factors where we are much improved from last season
1. QUARTERBACK DEPTH
Last season we had only two QBs Baker Mayfield & incoming freshman Kendall.
Thank goodness Baker remained healthy.
This season we have two proven very special QBs.In my opinion Lincoln Riley is NOT a Bob Stoops. II think Kyler Murray gets a lot of snaps. He is a dangerous QB with his 4.3 speed. Baker will get most snaps but Kyler will come into key games early
2. OFFENSIVE LINE
Not only wlll many call OU's deep talented OL the nations best, they could turn out to be one of OU's best ever.
3. DEFENSIVE LINE AND LINEBACKERS.
OU in a 4-3 defense has a lot of talent in our front seven. Caleb Kelly and OBO will remind many of our great twosome linebackers from many past Sooner teams Caleb and OBO are very special. maybe even Brian Bosworth special.
4. DEFENSIVE BACKS
I think both of our seniors Stephen Parker and Thomas both have the talent to play like All-Americans and show the leadership for the entire team.
1. QUARTERBACK DEPTH
Last season we had only two QBs Baker Mayfield & incoming freshman Kendall.
Thank goodness Baker remained healthy.
This season we have two proven very special QBs.In my opinion Lincoln Riley is NOT a Bob Stoops. II think Kyler Murray gets a lot of snaps. He is a dangerous QB with his 4.3 speed. Baker will get most snaps but Kyler will come into key games early
2. OFFENSIVE LINE
Not only wlll many call OU's deep talented OL the nations best, they could turn out to be one of OU's best ever.
3. DEFENSIVE LINE AND LINEBACKERS.
OU in a 4-3 defense has a lot of talent in our front seven. Caleb Kelly and OBO will remind many of our great twosome linebackers from many past Sooner teams Caleb and OBO are very special. maybe even Brian Bosworth special.
4. DEFENSIVE BACKS
I think both of our seniors Stephen Parker and Thomas both have the talent to play like All-Americans and show the leadership for the entire team.
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That's nice but it's not a realistic evaluation. Our oline should be solid and definitely one of the best in the big 12, but I doubt it's the nation's best and definitely not the best ever at OU. It's strength is in the experience, but other than Brown there isn't a lot of big time talent. When I say big time I mean NFL talent. Our defense last year was anywhere from average to just plain embarrassing and that includes the secondary. Could they be all big 12? Sure. But they would need to take a huge jump to be all American caliber. Qb? Baker is a stud, probably the best qb in the nation. Wr? Nice talent there but most of it is unproven. Rb? Again lots of talent, most of it unproven. I see us losing to Ohio State and perhaps a conference game. Considering how much we lost, I wouldn't consider it a pretty good first year for Riley.
Agree. OU lost 40% of its offense and yet the usual lofty expectations remain.
The long term future could be very good.....including the 2017 season.....but right now, this team is in transition both on the field and on the sidelines.
Medic007
Sooner starter
Where are you getting that Murray has 4.3 speed?
Medic, I read where Murray said he ran a 4.38 during winter workouts. It was in an article about the JUCO receiver, Brown, who is supposedly as fast or faster than Dede, but Murray is faster than him. I'll try and find the article and post the link.
I think we've got at least 4 lineman that will play in the NFL, but I get your point.
Bobby Evans, Dru Samia, and Erick Wren were all named Big XII Honorable Mention last year.
I think most of us just expect them to improve, so if we're looking at a line where four out of five guys (or more) are All Big XII first or second teamers, then I think that might actually be a post 2000 OU best. I'd have to go back and look at some of the others to see the final commendations.
Big if though. I like this line, I just think their strength is more so that they work hard and have a lot of starts and not necessarily because they have big time talent. What was the 2008 line if someone can remember???
2007 is the only overlapping year for that group though.
Trent was just a sophomore. He played in every game but only started 6.
So 2007 accolades:
Brandon Walker - Big XII Second Team
Trent Williams - Nothing (advantage Dru Samia)
Phil Loadholt - All-American Honorable Mention (advantage Orlando)
John Cooper - Big XII First Team
Duke Robinson - All-American First Team
So going into this season, our current line has advantage at 2 positions over the 2007 line. They still have the potential to show more and be neck-and-neck with the 2007 line. Just my opinion. I certainly wouldn't scoff at anyone claiming the 2007 line as the best ever.
Trent was just a sophomore. He played in every game but only started 6.
So 2007 accolades:
Brandon Walker - Big XII Second Team
Trent Williams - Nothing (advantage Dru Samia)
Phil Loadholt - All-American Honorable Mention (advantage Orlando)
John Cooper - Big XII First Team
Duke Robinson - All-American First Team
So going into this season, our current line has advantage at 2 positions over the 2007 line. They still have the potential to show more and be neck-and-neck with the 2007 line. Just my opinion. I certainly wouldn't scoff at anyone claiming the 2007 line as the best ever.
I read the same article bama. Murray said he ran 4.38, but I don't know if we have that as an official time on him.
Medic007
Sooner starter
I have read that but it was probably unofficial hand timed. I've seen him run in person and I think a 4.38 is quite a stretch. He's fast, but he's no Percy Harvin or Adrian Peterson. I'd say he's more likely a 4.5.
I've finally gotten to the age where running without unintentional farting is impossible.
Just wait, JCon. Eventually you will make up a new tune just walking to the bathroom each morning.
Definitely not official, but that's likely where Bull came up with his 4.3 reference. Medic has seen Murray run and says he isn't that fast, so I will go with the his assessment until an official time is reported.
Medic007
Sooner starter
Oh he's plenty fast. I just don't buy the sub 4.4 speed. He does have freakish field awareness though. In space he's hard to catch because it's difficult to get an angle on a shifty guy who sees you trying to get an angle.
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