Key to success in 2016

[barkingwater2000]

We had two losses last year, both against mobile QBs against whom we had no answer. "Upstairs, off the field" didn't matter.

We haven't had an answer for a good mobile QB in 20+ years

 

[CTOkie]

We had two losses last year, both against mobile QBs against whom we had no answer. "Upstairs, off the field" didn't matter.

Make that two HEALTHY quarterbacks.

 

[tdsooners]

We haven't had an answer for a good mobile QB in 20+ years

That is a problem for every team. Against Texas and Clemson, but particularly Texas, the Offense let us down. We scored less than half our average in both contests. It kills me how some fans think the defense should never give up a play. The game is now designed for the offenses to be successful. Look around college football and you will see very few teams that don't need to score with a team like Clemson to have a chance to win. Heck they scored 40 on Alabama...3 more than they scored on us...and Bama has how many 1st rounders,on that defense? Our fans need to lighten up on the criticism of the d. We were extremely solid,on that side of the ball last year.

I've been watching some replays and what concerns me most is....
1- replacing the pass rush we got from Striker and Tapper. No one on the D disrupted Qbs or made as many big plays as these guys. My hope is a healthy walker and more experienced and deeper front 3 can get more push up the middle than we got last year which will help but I think mike may have to gamble with blitzes a little more as strikers jump and quickness of the edge will be tough to replace.

2- Replacing big plays at WR. It isn't just Shep who we have to replace though he is certainly the top concern. But Neal also made a ton of plays. My hope here is that our OL will be better and Riley will have a better handle on how to use the run game than he did early last year. Mixon will see more work lined up as a WR a think and adding the young guys at RB to the mix allows us to overcome injury better. I think we also have to hope Westbrook can be as big a factor or bigger when teams key on him. Lots of options here and a lot of talent....we just need to have it mesh quickly.

3- The OL will have to gel quickly. It will likely take some time for the passing game to come together and with 2 tough opponents in the first 3 weeks....getting the run game going early in the season is huge I think.