I've decided to do my own version of "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" in respect to the defensive performance against Tulane. Feel free to chime in or share your thoughts too, b/c I'm sure I'm missing certain details. I'm just a passionate fan that's way too invested into a CFB team. What the fvck do I know?
So, what do we really make of Saturday's defensive performance?
I've seen far too many "same leaky defense" and "Defense sucks" comments that I thought were laughable and shortsighted. I saw most of them on Saturday after the game, and that's to be expected after Tulane drops 35. The defense is nowhere close to being a finished product, but I for one am actually very excited about this defense and think it could still live up to the pre-season hype. Still, there's no doubt that some of the defensive critiques were justified, and some were just typical knee jerk reactions by passionate fans. All in all, the defense could've played MUCH better. But again, there were a lot of positives to take from this opening game. I know many of you on here want perfection, but you're not going to get it in Game 1. OU will only get better, and I suspect the tackling and effort issues will improve.
Before I dive into "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", let's look at a few things to remember when evaluating the OU defense against Tulane.
I'm not trying to make excuses for the defense, but we have to consider that the offense did NOT play complimentary football. The defense was put into 3 really shitty situations against Tulane from the 2 Rattler picks, and the 4th and 1 failed conversion. IMO, the failed 4th down is a turnover. On all three "turnovers", Tulane started on the + side of the field, and a few times started around the OU 45 or better. On all 3 drives OU gave up a TD. Now, the OU defense has to get stingier and I think it will, but that's not going to help any defense. 21 points came off those "turnovers", so take those 3 turnovers out and I think OU doesn't give up more than 17 to 20 points. Also, I still maintain that if Linc punts on that 4th and 1, then I think OU goes on to win by 30+. I'm here to talk about the defense, but that was a huge turning point in the game. At that point, the defense had been dominant for the previous quarter and a half, and that failed 4th down gave Tulane much needed life and killed the OU defensive momentum.
The defense also played almost the entire 2nd half. Substitutions were too prevalent, and it's safe to say OU tinkered a bit too much b/c they thought they had the luxury to do so. Oh well, they'll learn from that and I'm sure we'll see tighter rotations moving forward.
But here are my thoughts on what I perceived to be "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" in respect to the OU defense against Tulane.
The Good
1. Turnovers - For a quarter and a half, the defense absolutely dominated, and forced three turnovers in ONE QUARTER. Let's just think about that for second. There was a time in the not so distant past when OU went 4 or 5 straight games without forcing a single turnover. That 4 or 5 game stretch happened most recently in 2019 in AG's first year. One of Grinch's main calling cards is forcing turnovers, and that's exactly what happened against Tulane with three total TO forced. Hell, in the first 3 games of 2020 we only forced 2 total. 1 against Mo State, none against KSU, and 1 against ISU. Sure, DJ Graham and Bowman should've both had interceptions, but I'll take 3 forced TO each and every game. I still think DJ and Bowman would make that pick 8/10, so those 2 plays were IMO a microcosm of the entire game. So close to breaking it wide open, but just couldn't capitalize.
2. QB Pressure & Rush Defense - Just how good was the defensive pressure? I'd say pretty damn good with 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. And how damn good is Isaiah Thomas? It's a shame how underrated he is. IMO, here's the most consistent guy on defense and could honestly be the star of the defense this season. He was absolutely fantastic Saturday. Grimes also looked really good, and Clayton Smith sure looks the part. I do realize that one fumble was more Tulane screwing up than OU forcing it, but the defense had started to impose its will at the point when Pratt just lost the snap. I'm sure he was hearing footsteps on that miscue. I think by season's end, we may see that Pratt ends up being one of the best QB's we'll have played all season. How many QB on our upcoming schedule could still respond that well after getting hammered the entire game? If we pressure a Spencer Sanders or Purdy like that, they're liable to throw 2 or 3 picks or have multiple turnovers. The defensive pressure was pretty relentless for most of the game, and it was outright dominant from 2nd Quarter thru the 3rd quarter when Linc inexplicably went for the 4th and 1, thus killing the defensive momentum. The one negative I'll say about this is I don't remember seeing any batted balls at the line of scrimmage. Also, guys like Perrion, Bonitto, and Redmond were relatively quiet so just think how scary the D can be if they're firing on all cylinders. Noteworhty contributors also include Ellison, Coe, and Roberson. Coe had a very nice QB pressure and absolutely fvcked Pratt on one pressure. Coe looks like he could be a monster.
OU rush defense only gave up 100 yards on 32 carries, for a 3.1 YPC average. I'll take that all day, everyday. Their main RB only had 39 yards on 10 carries, and the leading rusher was you guessed it, Michael Pratt. Sure, the jet sweep or end around TD run was a bad display of angles and tackling, but outside of that Tulane mainly got garbage yards off Pratt scrambles. A guy with his athleticism is going to make a few plays, especially against a very aggressive defense and pass rush.
3. Young DB's - Bowman looked like the real deal to me. Sure, he dropped a pick but did y'all see how high he jumped for it? Wow. He is incredibly explosive, and I think he'll be a true difference maker at NB. He's only a true freshman, just think how good he'll be once he gets more experience. He is the most athletic NB OU's had since I can't remember when. McCutchin also looked really good. He made a nice 1on1 tackle at one point, and jammed the receiver like a DUDE in the video below. Damn son, when's the last time we saw an OU DB make the receiver his bitch? Graham also should have had a INT, and yes I know he dropped it, but did you see how beautiful his coverage was? Technique was perfect, and he turned his head and moved his hips at the perfect moment to almost come down with an incredible interception. Remember, only 3 or 4 years ago our DB's were INCAPABLE of turning their heads and routinely got flagged for PI. So yes he dropped the pick, but that coverage there was a thing of beauty and there were no PI Saturday. Key Lawrence also looked like a DUDE. I think he could end up being the starter by year's end, he's just physically looks the part. It's been a LONG time since we've seen an OU safety with that build. Steven Parker?
The Bad
1. Broiles & DTY - I hate to do it, but why is Broiles playing? It's very clear to EVERYONE that he shouldn't be seeing the field at a program like OU. He got burned badly on Sat, and he's lucky Pratt overshot his receiver or else Broiles gives up a long TD. I'm sure he knows the defense like the back of his hand, but what good is that when he can't cover and is slow? He's been over-recruited. I realize guys like Bryson W, Mukes, and even Key may be subject to mental lapses here and there, but which is worse? A mental lapse that leads to busted coverage, or a guy that has a busted tire and can't run? I'm shocked that Broiles played as much as he did. I don't get it. I'll probably get roasted for this one, but DTY didn't impress me Saturday. He was the leading tackler, but he whiffed on many tackles and seemed to take wrong angles quite often. I think DTY is a solid player, nothing more and nothing less, but he wasn't good Saturday IMO.
2. Busted or Bad Coverage - Too much busted coverage, especially in the 1st quarter. I'm not too worried about this, I chalk it up to it being the 1st game. But even after the defense settled in, the secondary gave up too many pass plays. OU gave up 296 yards passing, but it took them 45 attempts to get there. That's still too much though. I think their motion really gave us a ton of fits. That offense has so many moving parts, so we honestly should've seen this coming more than we did considering OU is such an aggressive and pursuing defense. Let's also give Pratt some credit, that dude can ball.
Flat passes were wide open as well. On Tulane's first TD, Asamoah is late to cover the flat and gives up an easy TD. Later in the game, the same thing happens although I'm not sure if it was 24 or another LB. Either way, that shouldn't happen at all, let alone multiple times in a game.
With all that being said, it also seemed like OU could never get in front of routes or get their hands on balls other than the near Graham and Bowman picks. Fields had a nice deflection near the goal line, but it seemed many of the incompletions came by way of great pressure on Pratt or just a bad throw by him. I'd like to see more pass breakups moving forward, and I think we will.
The Ugly
1. Bad Tackling, Poor Effort, & Inconsistent Play - I think this is pretty obvious. The tackling was just atrocious on Saturday. We saw the same thing happen in the early season losses to KSU and ISU, and by mid-season to season's end OU seemed to be one of the better tackling teams in the country. I suspect the same will happen, but it's still concerning for a team to be end the season so well and start off so poorly. I guess it just proves what Bobby Stoops and many coaches have always said. The previous season has no bearing on the current season. I think the poor tackling came as a shock to all of us. As an intelligent fan, you have to expect some rust and mistakes in Game 1, but this was excessive. It's especially disappointing considering it happened in the 1st quarter before some of the 2nd and 3rd teamers played. On the end around TD by Tulane, Asamoah takes a TERRIBLE angle and hero dives at the ball carrier. What the hell was that? As we all know, it wasn't just Asamoah. The DB's and LB's routinely got caught reaching and just using terrible fundamentals.
IMO, tackling and poor effort were the most frustrating parts of the game, even moreso than Rattler's issues.
It's pretty clear that OU didn't come out with fire and intensity. We all saw it early on, and Rattler & Linc admitted in the postgame. It's still shocking to me that a legit nattty contender would come out with as little fire as they did, but I suspect that lack of effort will get better now that the team almost got their ass beat. Like I told my dad on Saturday, this 5 point win may be the best thing for this team b/c it's the wakeup call they seem to need every year but without sacrificing an L this time.
Like I mentioned earlier, the OU defense dominated for a quarter and a half. But in the same breath, it struggled for the better part of two and a half quarters. If this defense can even put together 3 full quarters, then I think we could see a Top 10 defense this year.
2. LB Play - Let's just call a spade a spade. LB play was downright embarrasing. I think this will end up being one of the strenghts of the defense by season's end, but the LB shit down their leg in the 1st Quarter and just kept projectile shitting down their leg. David U had a really nice play on a 3rd down, and Asamoah and White had a few decent plays, but LB play was a big letdown. As for positives, Clayton Smith looks like the real deal. I kept hearing people slobber over Stutsman, but I don't remember ever seeing him make a big play, albeit in minimal snaps. Maybe I just missed it, but the only notable time I remember seeing him was when he got juked by Pratt for a decent run. I think Bonitto was a force at times, but he had just a meh game. The last 4th down play was a bit discouraging to me. He had great pressure, but tried to hero dive for the game sealing sack. Instead, had he just pursued Pratt for another yard or two, he could've tackled him for maybe a 1 or 2 yard gain. I'm not faulting the guy for diving though, because Bonitto probably ends up sacking 7/10 QB's on that play. Pratt just happens to be a damn stud, or at least we made him look like one. Caleb Kelly seemed to make a few plays, but Stripling was a non-factor it seemed. I wonder if he'll get passed by Clayton Smith by mid-season. He seems like a JAG, but maybe it's too early to tell.
3. Tulane 4th Down Conversions - Tulane went 4/6 on 4th down conversions. That's a BIG deal. They've just flat out got to be better on that. I don't know how many converted 4th downs led to TD's or points, but I'd venture to say that it probably led to an additional 10 to 20 points. Cut those in half and we're looking at a much different scoring defense allowed stat.
To end, it's never as good or as bad as it seems.
So, what do we really make of Saturday's defensive performance?
I've seen far too many "same leaky defense" and "Defense sucks" comments that I thought were laughable and shortsighted. I saw most of them on Saturday after the game, and that's to be expected after Tulane drops 35. The defense is nowhere close to being a finished product, but I for one am actually very excited about this defense and think it could still live up to the pre-season hype. Still, there's no doubt that some of the defensive critiques were justified, and some were just typical knee jerk reactions by passionate fans. All in all, the defense could've played MUCH better. But again, there were a lot of positives to take from this opening game. I know many of you on here want perfection, but you're not going to get it in Game 1. OU will only get better, and I suspect the tackling and effort issues will improve.
Before I dive into "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", let's look at a few things to remember when evaluating the OU defense against Tulane.
I'm not trying to make excuses for the defense, but we have to consider that the offense did NOT play complimentary football. The defense was put into 3 really shitty situations against Tulane from the 2 Rattler picks, and the 4th and 1 failed conversion. IMO, the failed 4th down is a turnover. On all three "turnovers", Tulane started on the + side of the field, and a few times started around the OU 45 or better. On all 3 drives OU gave up a TD. Now, the OU defense has to get stingier and I think it will, but that's not going to help any defense. 21 points came off those "turnovers", so take those 3 turnovers out and I think OU doesn't give up more than 17 to 20 points. Also, I still maintain that if Linc punts on that 4th and 1, then I think OU goes on to win by 30+. I'm here to talk about the defense, but that was a huge turning point in the game. At that point, the defense had been dominant for the previous quarter and a half, and that failed 4th down gave Tulane much needed life and killed the OU defensive momentum.
The defense also played almost the entire 2nd half. Substitutions were too prevalent, and it's safe to say OU tinkered a bit too much b/c they thought they had the luxury to do so. Oh well, they'll learn from that and I'm sure we'll see tighter rotations moving forward.
But here are my thoughts on what I perceived to be "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" in respect to the OU defense against Tulane.
The Good
1. Turnovers - For a quarter and a half, the defense absolutely dominated, and forced three turnovers in ONE QUARTER. Let's just think about that for second. There was a time in the not so distant past when OU went 4 or 5 straight games without forcing a single turnover. That 4 or 5 game stretch happened most recently in 2019 in AG's first year. One of Grinch's main calling cards is forcing turnovers, and that's exactly what happened against Tulane with three total TO forced. Hell, in the first 3 games of 2020 we only forced 2 total. 1 against Mo State, none against KSU, and 1 against ISU. Sure, DJ Graham and Bowman should've both had interceptions, but I'll take 3 forced TO each and every game. I still think DJ and Bowman would make that pick 8/10, so those 2 plays were IMO a microcosm of the entire game. So close to breaking it wide open, but just couldn't capitalize.
2. QB Pressure & Rush Defense - Just how good was the defensive pressure? I'd say pretty damn good with 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. And how damn good is Isaiah Thomas? It's a shame how underrated he is. IMO, here's the most consistent guy on defense and could honestly be the star of the defense this season. He was absolutely fantastic Saturday. Grimes also looked really good, and Clayton Smith sure looks the part. I do realize that one fumble was more Tulane screwing up than OU forcing it, but the defense had started to impose its will at the point when Pratt just lost the snap. I'm sure he was hearing footsteps on that miscue. I think by season's end, we may see that Pratt ends up being one of the best QB's we'll have played all season. How many QB on our upcoming schedule could still respond that well after getting hammered the entire game? If we pressure a Spencer Sanders or Purdy like that, they're liable to throw 2 or 3 picks or have multiple turnovers. The defensive pressure was pretty relentless for most of the game, and it was outright dominant from 2nd Quarter thru the 3rd quarter when Linc inexplicably went for the 4th and 1, thus killing the defensive momentum. The one negative I'll say about this is I don't remember seeing any batted balls at the line of scrimmage. Also, guys like Perrion, Bonitto, and Redmond were relatively quiet so just think how scary the D can be if they're firing on all cylinders. Noteworhty contributors also include Ellison, Coe, and Roberson. Coe had a very nice QB pressure and absolutely fvcked Pratt on one pressure. Coe looks like he could be a monster.
OU rush defense only gave up 100 yards on 32 carries, for a 3.1 YPC average. I'll take that all day, everyday. Their main RB only had 39 yards on 10 carries, and the leading rusher was you guessed it, Michael Pratt. Sure, the jet sweep or end around TD run was a bad display of angles and tackling, but outside of that Tulane mainly got garbage yards off Pratt scrambles. A guy with his athleticism is going to make a few plays, especially against a very aggressive defense and pass rush.
3. Young DB's - Bowman looked like the real deal to me. Sure, he dropped a pick but did y'all see how high he jumped for it? Wow. He is incredibly explosive, and I think he'll be a true difference maker at NB. He's only a true freshman, just think how good he'll be once he gets more experience. He is the most athletic NB OU's had since I can't remember when. McCutchin also looked really good. He made a nice 1on1 tackle at one point, and jammed the receiver like a DUDE in the video below. Damn son, when's the last time we saw an OU DB make the receiver his bitch? Graham also should have had a INT, and yes I know he dropped it, but did you see how beautiful his coverage was? Technique was perfect, and he turned his head and moved his hips at the perfect moment to almost come down with an incredible interception. Remember, only 3 or 4 years ago our DB's were INCAPABLE of turning their heads and routinely got flagged for PI. So yes he dropped the pick, but that coverage there was a thing of beauty and there were no PI Saturday. Key Lawrence also looked like a DUDE. I think he could end up being the starter by year's end, he's just physically looks the part. It's been a LONG time since we've seen an OU safety with that build. Steven Parker?
The Bad
1. Broiles & DTY - I hate to do it, but why is Broiles playing? It's very clear to EVERYONE that he shouldn't be seeing the field at a program like OU. He got burned badly on Sat, and he's lucky Pratt overshot his receiver or else Broiles gives up a long TD. I'm sure he knows the defense like the back of his hand, but what good is that when he can't cover and is slow? He's been over-recruited. I realize guys like Bryson W, Mukes, and even Key may be subject to mental lapses here and there, but which is worse? A mental lapse that leads to busted coverage, or a guy that has a busted tire and can't run? I'm shocked that Broiles played as much as he did. I don't get it. I'll probably get roasted for this one, but DTY didn't impress me Saturday. He was the leading tackler, but he whiffed on many tackles and seemed to take wrong angles quite often. I think DTY is a solid player, nothing more and nothing less, but he wasn't good Saturday IMO.
2. Busted or Bad Coverage - Too much busted coverage, especially in the 1st quarter. I'm not too worried about this, I chalk it up to it being the 1st game. But even after the defense settled in, the secondary gave up too many pass plays. OU gave up 296 yards passing, but it took them 45 attempts to get there. That's still too much though. I think their motion really gave us a ton of fits. That offense has so many moving parts, so we honestly should've seen this coming more than we did considering OU is such an aggressive and pursuing defense. Let's also give Pratt some credit, that dude can ball.
Flat passes were wide open as well. On Tulane's first TD, Asamoah is late to cover the flat and gives up an easy TD. Later in the game, the same thing happens although I'm not sure if it was 24 or another LB. Either way, that shouldn't happen at all, let alone multiple times in a game.
With all that being said, it also seemed like OU could never get in front of routes or get their hands on balls other than the near Graham and Bowman picks. Fields had a nice deflection near the goal line, but it seemed many of the incompletions came by way of great pressure on Pratt or just a bad throw by him. I'd like to see more pass breakups moving forward, and I think we will.
The Ugly
1. Bad Tackling, Poor Effort, & Inconsistent Play - I think this is pretty obvious. The tackling was just atrocious on Saturday. We saw the same thing happen in the early season losses to KSU and ISU, and by mid-season to season's end OU seemed to be one of the better tackling teams in the country. I suspect the same will happen, but it's still concerning for a team to be end the season so well and start off so poorly. I guess it just proves what Bobby Stoops and many coaches have always said. The previous season has no bearing on the current season. I think the poor tackling came as a shock to all of us. As an intelligent fan, you have to expect some rust and mistakes in Game 1, but this was excessive. It's especially disappointing considering it happened in the 1st quarter before some of the 2nd and 3rd teamers played. On the end around TD by Tulane, Asamoah takes a TERRIBLE angle and hero dives at the ball carrier. What the hell was that? As we all know, it wasn't just Asamoah. The DB's and LB's routinely got caught reaching and just using terrible fundamentals.
IMO, tackling and poor effort were the most frustrating parts of the game, even moreso than Rattler's issues.
It's pretty clear that OU didn't come out with fire and intensity. We all saw it early on, and Rattler & Linc admitted in the postgame. It's still shocking to me that a legit nattty contender would come out with as little fire as they did, but I suspect that lack of effort will get better now that the team almost got their ass beat. Like I told my dad on Saturday, this 5 point win may be the best thing for this team b/c it's the wakeup call they seem to need every year but without sacrificing an L this time.
Like I mentioned earlier, the OU defense dominated for a quarter and a half. But in the same breath, it struggled for the better part of two and a half quarters. If this defense can even put together 3 full quarters, then I think we could see a Top 10 defense this year.
2. LB Play - Let's just call a spade a spade. LB play was downright embarrasing. I think this will end up being one of the strenghts of the defense by season's end, but the LB shit down their leg in the 1st Quarter and just kept projectile shitting down their leg. David U had a really nice play on a 3rd down, and Asamoah and White had a few decent plays, but LB play was a big letdown. As for positives, Clayton Smith looks like the real deal. I kept hearing people slobber over Stutsman, but I don't remember ever seeing him make a big play, albeit in minimal snaps. Maybe I just missed it, but the only notable time I remember seeing him was when he got juked by Pratt for a decent run. I think Bonitto was a force at times, but he had just a meh game. The last 4th down play was a bit discouraging to me. He had great pressure, but tried to hero dive for the game sealing sack. Instead, had he just pursued Pratt for another yard or two, he could've tackled him for maybe a 1 or 2 yard gain. I'm not faulting the guy for diving though, because Bonitto probably ends up sacking 7/10 QB's on that play. Pratt just happens to be a damn stud, or at least we made him look like one. Caleb Kelly seemed to make a few plays, but Stripling was a non-factor it seemed. I wonder if he'll get passed by Clayton Smith by mid-season. He seems like a JAG, but maybe it's too early to tell.
3. Tulane 4th Down Conversions - Tulane went 4/6 on 4th down conversions. That's a BIG deal. They've just flat out got to be better on that. I don't know how many converted 4th downs led to TD's or points, but I'd venture to say that it probably led to an additional 10 to 20 points. Cut those in half and we're looking at a much different scoring defense allowed stat.
To end, it's never as good or as bad as it seems.
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