We were a preseason #1, had the leading heisman contending QB, and many of us thought it was NC or bust this season? How could people have been so wrong? I think even Herbie picked us to win the natty.
remember when
- Thread starter OUnabomber
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Who knew there would be such an obvious Big 10 agenda also? Herbie will weep again if his beloved Buckeyes aren’t in it.
No one looked at who was NOT on the team:
DE Perkins
DB Brown
OT Ealy
RB's Stevenson, McGowan and Henderson
WR's Rambo, Bridges
Center Humphrey
It appears that the absence of OT Ealy and C Humphrey has decreased the worth of the offensive line this season.
When you combine those two offensive linemen and the three RB's being gone, it explains to a large degree OU's recent struggles offensively.
The 2020 season was salvaged when Perkins and Stevenson returned to the roster halfway through the season and made OU a much better team instantly.
And for what it's worth now, both backup quarterbacks justifiably transferred for more playing time and the fact that if at least one remained, OU's depth at QB would have been more secure.
I remember thinking Saturday morning before the Baylor game how we were going to roll since our D players were back. And then our O got shut down and our D allowed 300 yards rushing. Flashbacks of the WVU bowl game debacle. But it could be much worse no doubt.
I’m beginning to think our AD has become willing to accept coaching short comings as long as we win conference championships. Compromising is a bad habit and sends the wrong message,
We'll be fine guys. CTOkie is right. We lost a lot more from last year's team than was given credit for, and this year was a little bit of a rebuilding year.
My concern the energy. Why can't this team get motivated to play anybody? I won't solely blame the coaches but it is concerning that they can't or won't light a fire under these guys. After sliding in the polls and being slapped in the face by the committee, they had everything they needed to put a chip on their shoulders.
And as I've continued to harp on, failing to be be aggressive defensively continues to frustrate me. What we're doing isn't working. Why do we refuse to change?
At this point I don't really care if we win the conference or even make the playoff. I already know what the end result is. Until I see something different it is a given we'll be a 2nd tier team with no real shot at winning a national title and in some ways even competing for one.
And as I've continued to harp on, failing to be be aggressive defensively continues to frustrate me. What we're doing isn't working. Why do we refuse to change?
At this point I don't really care if we win the conference or even make the playoff. I already know what the end result is. Until I see something different it is a given we'll be a 2nd tier team with no real shot at winning a national title and in some ways even competing for one.
The lack of energy has been an issue for years now. Sometimes they don't even look motivate to play Texas.
It wasn't the number of players that left the time but the quality of those players.
Stevenson was as good a runnung back as OU's ever had and Perkins solidified the defense immediately.
Stevenson was as good a runnung back as OU's ever had and Perkins solidified the defense immediately.
We expected the team to be as good as it was at the end of last year despite losing key contributors, and despite last year not really being as good as it seemed. We played a lot of watered down offenses in the time after the suspended guys returned. Teams with back up quarterbacks. Then Florida was a shell of the regular season team. We really weren't as good as the record made it appear.
And the key difference makers went to the NFL early. Humphrey was PFF's number one center in The League the first half of this season. He was replaced at OU by a freshman, and is the weak link this year. Center is the key to the way Bedenbaugh does things. We lost the key rusher on that team. Those two losses combined to diminish OUr running game to a much lesser effectiveness. Rattler needs a great running game to be an effective passer. Look at the early games last season against KSU and ISU.
Then on defense we lost OUr best corner for most of the season. But the big thing was the loss of Ronnie Perkins. OUr defense was pretty average last season, until he returned. Then he started requiring double teams. It made everybody better. There is no real difference maker on this defense. Nobody that HAS to be doubled. It gives the other offense the ability to dictate. It's why we have so much trouble, keeping opponents from possessing the ball. There are certainly other factors, but those are the big ones.
You lose people every year. Sooner or later you have to stop using that as an excuse as to why it will be "next year". Most of our players underperformed this season and there is no leadership or chemistry. Not sure who to blame, but it was a major disappointment.
I remember all the pre-season hype and everything you mentioned but me thinking we'd win a NC this year. I just didn't think it was possible w/ all the holes in the O-line and a depth issue at LB & Safety.
True. But everybody expects that OU will be the same, no matter the turnover. My senior year, we returned eight offensive starters from the greatest rushing offense in NCAA history, including an all American center, and Greg Pruitt. The whole line returned except one offensive guard, who was maybe the fourth best OL from 1971. But Jack Mildren was gone to play safety in the NFL. We went 11-1 again, and finished 2nd in the nation again. But the offense wasn't nearly as good, despite a better passing game.
Who you lose may be replaced, but they might not be replaced in greatness. The loss of Perkins was a big deal. But more critically, the defense last year was pretty ordinary without him. It was improved over two or three years ago, but it wasn't what we were comparing things to. It's not about coaches, it's about specific players. They make the plays, or they don't. On third down this season, there has been a lot of don't.
Of course there's a turnover in college football each year, now more than ever with transfers, suspensions and the NFL.
My point is that the players OU lost from last year, especially two players (Perkins and Stevenson), all had a year left to play at OU. The team seemed to be rejuvenated when they came back and it didn't hurt that OU faced a weaker schedule due to opponents having to play backup QB's....as Plano mentioned.
My point is that the players OU lost from last year, especially two players (Perkins and Stevenson), all had a year left to play at OU. The team seemed to be rejuvenated when they came back and it didn't hurt that OU faced a weaker schedule due to opponents having to play backup QB's....as Plano mentioned.
So we all just fell for the hype once again? I'm starting to think we will never win a NC again. Especially when going to the SEC...depressing
I want a stacked defense 3 deep at each position. You know, like bama. The rest will work itself out obviously. Is this too much to ask for? 😁
Almost all I see in this thread are reasons why we can’t challenge for a national title. And I agree with most. So what the hell can be done to put this football program upright again? Or are the coaches just going to settle for less than the fans expect. Maybe we expect too much. Really? Do we really need a monster defense? Can’t we settle for 10 or 11 wins a year and another bowl win against lesser competition? I got an idea let’s get into the CFP playoffs every year and never win another bowl game. That will really make fans happy, I bet. I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t want to compromise. If we never win another natty in my lifetime, I don’t want it to be because our coaching staff doesn’t have a sense of urgency.
I’m 75 so maybe you can appreciate my frustration and give me a pass.
Energy, eh?
You know we had 11 or 12 tackles for loss (TFLs) against BU on Saturday?
On defense, guys were getting off blocks, getting in the backfield, and making plays. Didn't make enough, I understand. But energy and effort-level were not the problem, at least on the defensive side of the ball.
I just watched LR's little coaches show, and he took some responsibility for the loss, and said that he could have called a better game.
I thought the whole offense under-performed vs BU. Coaches, WRs, O-line, and QBs. Everybody save maybe Kennedy Brooks, who didn't have a lot of holes to run through (and Gray, who got very few touches).
How can you praise this defense? Seriously.
The TFL's and energy level were also accompanied by many missed tackles and poor coverage, now an OU defensive trademark.
But some of that was likely due to fatigue from having to be on the field due to the sluggish offense.
I took nothing good from this game. Baylor was prepared and played well. The better team on Saturday won, hands down.
Oklabama, you do not require a "pass" for making insightful remarks, which is your trademark.
And your earlier post on this thread was one of your best.
I'm not necessarily praising them, I was just saying that I thought they played hard on Sat.
And again, by hook or crook, they held Baylor to 10 points through three quarters. I know I keep repeating that, but to me, that's pretty significant. In my opinion, we were still in that game at the end of the 3rd quarter because of the defense.
Out of special teams, offense and defense, defense was the least of our problems on Saturday.
Maybe, OUsooner67, possibly, you're a little too focused on the story told by the full-game stats (which are unflattering to the defense) versus the context and timeline of exactly how the stats were accumulated.
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I think we need to accept that we are not a team that can reload. We must rebuild when we lose NFL level talent.
Possibly but I guess I have just given up that our defense will ever be what it should be. Its been a liability for many yrs. Frustration has set in and its hard to get rid of.
You are right. The defense played good enough for us to win Saturday. The offense was terrible as was the field goal kicker
I think back to the early 2000’s when Seneca Wallace was a Heisman contender BEFORE he played OU and got obliterated. Those defenses were attacking. Different offenses today but Stoops teams found a way to shut down those Texas Tech offenses when others were baffled. What did Stoops say back then: It all starts and ends with great tackling. Tech was going to complete passes but you limit them by great tackling and no yards after catch. Those same sentiments ring true today. Tackling
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Missed tackles has seemed to be a trademark for our defenses for 15 years...
Bobs brother basically said that we were just going to have to live with teams like Tech scoring a lot of points against us. Seems like it was about that time that our D starting going down hill big time and we have yet to recover. However, they did play much better than the offense against Baylor. That has to be one of the worst offensive performances that I have seen in a long time by OU.
That may be the dumbest thing I’ve never heard an OU coach say.
I get that there's more scoring in football nowadays and that many teams like Oklahoma have yielded scores like an arena football team.
But in recent years in a few games in which OU lost, all it would have taken to win was ONE quality stop....and OU's defense would fail to deliver. ONE stop.
We're never going to see any team have a stonewall, shutdown type defense as we did 20-30 years ago. Even the top teams like Alabama and Georgia have had to escape a few scoring "orgies"....but their defenses always contribute one or two game-changing stops in those types of games to get a win.
When Alabama or Georgia win a high scoring game there's no mention of their defenses being bad because over the course of the season, those defenses can stop opponents in clutch situations.
OU, not so much.
But in recent years in a few games in which OU lost, all it would have taken to win was ONE quality stop....and OU's defense would fail to deliver. ONE stop.
We're never going to see any team have a stonewall, shutdown type defense as we did 20-30 years ago. Even the top teams like Alabama and Georgia have had to escape a few scoring "orgies"....but their defenses always contribute one or two game-changing stops in those types of games to get a win.
When Alabama or Georgia win a high scoring game there's no mention of their defenses being bad because over the course of the season, those defenses can stop opponents in clutch situations.
OU, not so much.
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