It's hard to know what you can take away from a dominating FCS win, but I'll do my best. Here are the things this team can build on.
1. Confidence. The offense, and to some degree the defense needed this. It's the first time we've seen complimentery football, and the first time this season the defense could feed off of what was happening on the other side. Neither the O or the D was perfect, but they both did would you should do against a far inferior opponent.
2. We finally have witnessed the potential this offense has with a really good offensive line. When you open lanes, and protect, good things happen. It doesn't take a genius to see that building a really strong offensive front should be priority #1 starting in December, 2024. On a side note, am I the only one who wasn't upset with EPL's unnecessary roughness call in the third quarter? I loved it!!! That kid has the DAWG in him and needs to play a lot in our remaining games this season.
3. We have two very capable quarterbacks and we need to do whatever necessary to keep them both focused on the original plan. This is Jackson Arnold's team for at least this year and next. And Hawkins has a bright future after that. If you can protect these guys, they are both playmakers (which takes us pack to point #2).
4. Joe Jon called a great game. I imagine his game plan against Ole Miss would have looked much better with dominant offensive line play. (Again, taking us back to point #2). I'm not saying he should be the permanent hire, but it's clear he is head and shoulders better than Seth Littrell. Give him a dominant offensive line, and I think JJF is capable of winning a lot of games in the SEC.
Again, it's hard to know how much of today will translate against Missouri. OU did what they should have, and what they were expected to do against a supremely overmatched opponent. Which is more than we can say about anyone we've played since Temple. Confidence is everything, especially with young men coming of age. I really hope these guys found something today and build on it.
1. Confidence. The offense, and to some degree the defense needed this. It's the first time we've seen complimentery football, and the first time this season the defense could feed off of what was happening on the other side. Neither the O or the D was perfect, but they both did would you should do against a far inferior opponent.
2. We finally have witnessed the potential this offense has with a really good offensive line. When you open lanes, and protect, good things happen. It doesn't take a genius to see that building a really strong offensive front should be priority #1 starting in December, 2024. On a side note, am I the only one who wasn't upset with EPL's unnecessary roughness call in the third quarter? I loved it!!! That kid has the DAWG in him and needs to play a lot in our remaining games this season.
3. We have two very capable quarterbacks and we need to do whatever necessary to keep them both focused on the original plan. This is Jackson Arnold's team for at least this year and next. And Hawkins has a bright future after that. If you can protect these guys, they are both playmakers (which takes us pack to point #2).
4. Joe Jon called a great game. I imagine his game plan against Ole Miss would have looked much better with dominant offensive line play. (Again, taking us back to point #2). I'm not saying he should be the permanent hire, but it's clear he is head and shoulders better than Seth Littrell. Give him a dominant offensive line, and I think JJF is capable of winning a lot of games in the SEC.
Again, it's hard to know how much of today will translate against Missouri. OU did what they should have, and what they were expected to do against a supremely overmatched opponent. Which is more than we can say about anyone we've played since Temple. Confidence is everything, especially with young men coming of age. I really hope these guys found something today and build on it.
