to our conference opponents, the Fatted Calf? Or, perhaps, the conference Heifer?
For discussion, I've looked at the national recruiting rankings for each conference team over the last 6 years (beginning with the 2010 season). It appears to me that since 2012, we have been annually the most underachieving conference team outside of UT.
I've recently read several articles on OUr teams fortunes and they've been pretty discouraging. We've seen our better days under the present coaching regime and the future under their leadership appears to be falling. We won our last National Title in 2000 so they're obviously very difficult to achieve. That doesn't bother me so much. My area of concern, though, is our increasing inability to represent our conference as it's champion. Our last conference title was in 2012 (shared) and 2010 (outright).
Since the 2010 season, we have been fairly consistent in our national recruiting rankings with a high ranking of #7 (2010) and a low of #15 (twice accomplished - 2013 and 2014). Pretty decent and a testament to our brand and the efforts of our coaching staff. These rankings, however, do not seem to bear the anticipated fruit one might expect especially in relation to the better fortunes recently of our conference peers. Look at these chart numbers over the last 6 years of national recruiting rankings:
Team 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
OU 7 14 11 15 15 14
UT 3 3 2 24 20 12
OSU 31 28 32 36 27 38
TCU 46 26 37 30 50 34
BU 39 46 45 31 35 43
TT 41 20 26 51 43 40
KSU 63 69 59 66 47 45
KU 55 34 75 46 55 67
ISU 60 51 88 58 56 69
WVU 27 47 48 25 45 33
Clearly, OU and UT have been consistently superior in the conference regarding their ability to attract the better players. Most of that period, Mack Brown was at the helm of UT and Bob has been our constant.
It was clear to me that Mack got lazy and complacent over time. Lucrative contract and a legacy that was pretty impressive. Until his last few years when the program wheels began to loosen. The talent was being recruited but the coaching wasn't getting it done.
Similar parallels appear to be haunting Bob. Rich contract, strong legacy, talent still remains at a high level - especially in light of what our conference competitors are attracting, and revolving door coaches. Has anyone noticed the 40-50 lbs Bob has gained in personal weight over the last year or two? Is he still a good coach? He's getting the Jimmy's and the Joe's but are we preparing them appropriately for OU expectations?
No doubt, Bob is a great man. He helps generate big money for the program and is generally well liked. But, is he a coach on the decline ala Mack Brown?
Forget another national title under Bob. Ain't gonna happen IMO. But, certainly conference titles are reachable, right? BU and TCU, though, are doing much, much more with much, much less and they appear to be the present and long-term conference elite. Their coaches appear hungrier than ours. They have that chip on their shoulders that we seem to no longer possess.
We are more than an hour away from playing KSU on the road. By national rankings, KSU's recruiting results are pretty dismal. But, Coach Snyder seems to get his boys ready for us every time.
I have strong concerns over today's game as well as for our immediate and long-term future under the present leadership.
Boomer Sooner
For discussion, I've looked at the national recruiting rankings for each conference team over the last 6 years (beginning with the 2010 season). It appears to me that since 2012, we have been annually the most underachieving conference team outside of UT.
I've recently read several articles on OUr teams fortunes and they've been pretty discouraging. We've seen our better days under the present coaching regime and the future under their leadership appears to be falling. We won our last National Title in 2000 so they're obviously very difficult to achieve. That doesn't bother me so much. My area of concern, though, is our increasing inability to represent our conference as it's champion. Our last conference title was in 2012 (shared) and 2010 (outright).
Since the 2010 season, we have been fairly consistent in our national recruiting rankings with a high ranking of #7 (2010) and a low of #15 (twice accomplished - 2013 and 2014). Pretty decent and a testament to our brand and the efforts of our coaching staff. These rankings, however, do not seem to bear the anticipated fruit one might expect especially in relation to the better fortunes recently of our conference peers. Look at these chart numbers over the last 6 years of national recruiting rankings:
Team 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
OU 7 14 11 15 15 14
UT 3 3 2 24 20 12
OSU 31 28 32 36 27 38
TCU 46 26 37 30 50 34
BU 39 46 45 31 35 43
TT 41 20 26 51 43 40
KSU 63 69 59 66 47 45
KU 55 34 75 46 55 67
ISU 60 51 88 58 56 69
WVU 27 47 48 25 45 33
Clearly, OU and UT have been consistently superior in the conference regarding their ability to attract the better players. Most of that period, Mack Brown was at the helm of UT and Bob has been our constant.
It was clear to me that Mack got lazy and complacent over time. Lucrative contract and a legacy that was pretty impressive. Until his last few years when the program wheels began to loosen. The talent was being recruited but the coaching wasn't getting it done.
Similar parallels appear to be haunting Bob. Rich contract, strong legacy, talent still remains at a high level - especially in light of what our conference competitors are attracting, and revolving door coaches. Has anyone noticed the 40-50 lbs Bob has gained in personal weight over the last year or two? Is he still a good coach? He's getting the Jimmy's and the Joe's but are we preparing them appropriately for OU expectations?
No doubt, Bob is a great man. He helps generate big money for the program and is generally well liked. But, is he a coach on the decline ala Mack Brown?
Forget another national title under Bob. Ain't gonna happen IMO. But, certainly conference titles are reachable, right? BU and TCU, though, are doing much, much more with much, much less and they appear to be the present and long-term conference elite. Their coaches appear hungrier than ours. They have that chip on their shoulders that we seem to no longer possess.
We are more than an hour away from playing KSU on the road. By national rankings, KSU's recruiting results are pretty dismal. But, Coach Snyder seems to get his boys ready for us every time.
I have strong concerns over today's game as well as for our immediate and long-term future under the present leadership.
Boomer Sooner
