Riley wouldn't use his massive OL to run the ball. Instead he tries some wide runs with the receivers, over and over, and got nothing. Could have ran on them.
Riley's fault
- Thread starter WVSooner
- Start date
Riley looked like a rookie, he should have called a timeout when they lined up in the wildcat
Ahem, the D gave up 54 points. We were up 31-17 at halftime and that last fg by them before the half should not have even happened. We played good for a half but unfortunately there are 2 halves in Football.
Oh well I am used to it. After all the other huge letdowns by the Sooners this one is easier to take.
Oh well I am used to it. After all the other huge letdowns by the Sooners this one is easier to take.
And lets be honest here...this wasn't a Big XII offense like OSU built for racking up yards and points. It was your usual SEC offense that everyone outside of the SEC likes to claim is dinosaur football. Well...the dinosaur won out again tonight.
Going into this game I had began to think OU had an offense that could overcome the old saying of "defense wins championships". But right now it's just another reality check that defense still wins championships, and will continue to win championships while OUs fancy offense is sitting at home watching another national title game on TV.
Overall though, in the 2nd half Kirby adjusted, Lincoln didn't. They went to all these silly plays instead of what was working then went super conservative in overtime
He went ultra conservative in overtime!
The entire 3rd quarter was a textbook display of the coaching mismatches in this game.
Play calling in the 2nd half and OT was not good. To conservative and not attacking the middle of the field.
We still put up 41 points against a top defense.
We still put up 41 points against a top defense.
Until OU gets a defense we won't win another NC. I said it all season, as long as Mike is DC we won't sniff another one. I hope Riley will do something about it but I have a feeling we are stuck with MS.
Ya but 31 of those were in the 1st half. This game was lost in the 3rd qtr by far. If OU just sustains a couple of drives that qtr it's a different ballgame.
Riley cratered. No one expected Mike to save the day...we knew this would come down to the O, but it was butt-puckered nothing. UGA stopped on the first OT and you go for broke considering their RBs and our D....but nope. Damn....
I just wonder if playcalling and game management are too much for Riley? We have seen times this year (including during this game) where game management was questionable. I am still not over the squib kick.
Additionally, it's hard to make adjustments on offense when you are trying to manage a game.
Additionally, it's hard to make adjustments on offense when you are trying to manage a game.
Though I will say this...had UGA not gifted OU with that fumble return, OU scored 7 points in the 2nd half. OUs offense scored 7pts in the 2nd half. One single TD. Let that really sink in before calling this an "ELITE" offense.
Or better, a complete and utter lack of defense loses championships. OU scored 45 in regulation and could have won this game with an average D.
I have to admit, I was thinking the same thing. The counter with anderson and those sneaking little draw hand-offs with anderson we're consistently successful. Rodney averaged EIGHT yards a carry... but they wouldn't give it to him twice in a row (first and second down) on any of the late drives.
Really, really frustrating.
Offense struggled in the second half against a strong defense but damn what do you want from them.
I'm proud of them for fighting back when momentum was against them. And Georgia gets credit too. They adjusted.
But you can't give up 45 in regulation and really have optimism. The players are good. The scheme is broken and the entire defense needs of breath of new life with replacing Mike.
I'm proud of them for fighting back when momentum was against them. And Georgia gets credit too. They adjusted.
But you can't give up 45 in regulation and really have optimism. The players are good. The scheme is broken and the entire defense needs of breath of new life with replacing Mike.
4 straight runs in overtime. The defense held to a field goal. We have the Heisman winning qb and we run 4 straight times. Where are the RPO's. why not take a shot to the end zone. Riley called his worst game in that 2nd half and overtime.
O line was getting owned most of the second half and nobody was getting open. I think OU was 7 of 17 passing in the second half and georgia was getting to Baker quite often. The great OU offense managed only 7 points in the second half. Georgia made great adjustments on D at the half. Mike Stoops was probably on the can reading the newspaper.
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This right there. You hold UGA to FG why not go for the jugular. Hell let Baker be Baker and if he throws an INT trying to get the game winning TD then that would have been easier to handle than watching Siebert kick get blocked. Lincoln really screwed the pooch with his play calling the entire 2nd half
There is an axiom in coaching. Keep doing what's working until they stop you. LR must not have heard it.
Ga came out stunting and blitzing in the 2nd half. Baker was sacked and others were tackled for losses. They rattled Baker. It showed. Bad passes. Holding the ball way, way too long in an attempt to make a play. INT thrown. Poor Special Teams play w/ bad punting and a blocked FG. These plays were game changers. There was also some very bad execution as well. I've never witnessed the option play executed so badly. We can & most likely will point out flaws etc. but going into the season we all knew our LB play was weak and the defense an issue. We are who we are. We started a Freshman LB as the MLB. That in of itself is very, very telling. This team was not a National Title team. Too many lower class man kids starting or played a heavy amount of of time all over the field tonight. We only got to this level of play because of Baker and his leadership. I recognize that most are very disappointed but this isn't on Riley. He's been building this program since the day he arrived. Today was a great learning experience for these guys. Boomer Sooner everyone!
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I agree with most of this but I do think Riley made some mistakes in the second half and especially in that 1st OT. His play calling in that 1st OT was not aggressive and it should have been. However I think he will learn from this and will be anothet great coach at OU.
We scored 9 vs UT in the 2nd half, so not unheard of this season. Complaints about Riley not keeping the foot on the gas and lack of 2nd half adjustments (see v. Clemson 2 years ago) are valid.
As for the 3rd Q meltdown - when up by 2 TDs (should have been 17) you can afford to run your stud backs Anderson and Sermon....but yet again, Sermon was put on ice, even though it was obvious he was dying to give his all vs his home state team. Instead Riley has Baker run for his life until the 3rd sack, as if we were the ones behind. And then when the game is on the line has has Baker tossing laterals against a UGA D whose signature is speed. Simply befuddled by the brain farts....
I didn't like the call w/ the WR sweep. I openly questioned it when it occurred. But perhaps Riley & Baker saw something we didn't. Who knows really.
I agree WNAS.
I don't think anyone really thought this team was a National Title Caliber team, we had a good run and its over. I think Riley had some growing pains this season as should be expected in his first season as HC. I think he did a great job with what he had to work with. I don't think anyone is shocked how the defense played all season. All most of us have done is complain about it all season long for good reason. I don't know why OU does not put more of an emphasis on the defensive side of the ball but until we do it will continue to be our achilles heel and will keep us from winning another National Title. For weeks I thought OU could and probably would beat Georgia but I always came back to one problem that would keep us from winning, that defense.
If we had a top 10 defense with that offense we would have won today pretty easily. OU is the type of program that should never field a crap defense like we have grown accustomed to. It just makes no sense to me at all why it is acceptable.
I don't think anyone really thought this team was a National Title Caliber team, we had a good run and its over. I think Riley had some growing pains this season as should be expected in his first season as HC. I think he did a great job with what he had to work with. I don't think anyone is shocked how the defense played all season. All most of us have done is complain about it all season long for good reason. I don't know why OU does not put more of an emphasis on the defensive side of the ball but until we do it will continue to be our achilles heel and will keep us from winning another National Title. For weeks I thought OU could and probably would beat Georgia but I always came back to one problem that would keep us from winning, that defense.
If we had a top 10 defense with that offense we would have won today pretty easily. OU is the type of program that should never field a crap defense like we have grown accustomed to. It just makes no sense to me at all why it is acceptable.
Riley's backside hole just tightened up in OT.
This is not the first time Riley decided to go conservative when he felt like we had the game in hand. He has done it several times. I just can't believe he would do it in this type of game and not put the team away when we had the chance. He also didn't let Baker be Baker......he would rather run gimmicky plays.
The offensive possession OU had before Georgia got the ball back to tie it at the end was the worst play calling IMO. I'd sure hate for OU to actually put the dagger in the heart and finish the game or at least pin Georgia further back down the field. I hope Lincoln gets away from this conservative, trying not to lose play and gets a killer instinct like they had in the first half and play that way for 4 quarters... For some reason this year I feel like more times than not OU looked really complacent after halftime
It was not Rileys finest moment. The defense, as bad as it was, actually made several key stops and the O wasn't able to pick up a first down.
Read what you just posted...
"The defense, as bad as it was, actually made several key stops".
Well how about that! Our defense made 'several' key stops.
I guess my point is that for years now we've had to lean on the offense to 'W' every series, of every game. It's as if we've all been programmed through time that OU football is always offense first. The defense looked like crap last night. I mean it was pathetic. It made a Freshman QB look All Pro Tom Brady like. And the Special Teams play was even worse. But here we are on our message board nit-picking a few offensive plays that was called. Well yes, in every game win or lose there are going to be some plays that we all question. But the facts clearly show that the offense did not lose this game.
I want a defense that makes more than 'several' key stops. OU will never experience another National Title w/ a defense that can make just 'several' key stops. It just won't happen.
"The defense, as bad as it was, actually made several key stops".
Well how about that! Our defense made 'several' key stops.
I guess my point is that for years now we've had to lean on the offense to 'W' every series, of every game. It's as if we've all been programmed through time that OU football is always offense first. The defense looked like crap last night. I mean it was pathetic. It made a Freshman QB look All Pro Tom Brady like. And the Special Teams play was even worse. But here we are on our message board nit-picking a few offensive plays that was called. Well yes, in every game win or lose there are going to be some plays that we all question. But the facts clearly show that the offense did not lose this game.
I want a defense that makes more than 'several' key stops. OU will never experience another National Title w/ a defense that can make just 'several' key stops. It just won't happen.
If we are discussing offense - and we are - we scored 38 in regulation. And given our crap D scheme and UGA's backs, Riley had to have known 31 wasn't enough at half (which he frittered away even before the half with the squib kick). 7 offensive points in the 2nd half means you were outcoached via second half adjustments. Period.
I think he showed his age and panicked, trying to win via Baker even when UGA adjusted to bring the heat.. The wisdom of more time in the saddle would have told him to hammer UGA with Anderson and especially the fresher Sermon in the 3rd to counter UGA's blitz (or a damn screen pass dumped over the rush - don't know why that is not in the repertoire).
Finally, on the first D stop (3 points) in OT, Riley must have known our D could not do that against Chubb/Michel 2 short drives in a row and should have gone for broke as that was our best opportunity to win (I would have even considered a fake FG knowing we'd likely have to score a TD when we went right back out there....which we didn't.)
At all events all eyes are on Riley to make one simple change: Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers (who were out of position all game long).
Got it. So what you’re saying is that our Defense sucks so bad that the HC, OC, and all of the offensive players need to score 60 pts to win. And if they didn’t, then the loss is on the HC & OC.
Not me. I ain’t a buyer of what you’re peddling. Now if next Riley keeps MS around then he knows what he has to do. Score 60+ each game. If he doesn’t...then I’ll be a buyer. But no sir, not this year, not this game. Not yet.
I guess what I"m saying is that as bad as the D was, the offense had so many chances to win the game.
I think that has been OU football for a while now. This time the offense failed, but they could have put it away a number of times. Riley's play calling blew my mind.
Even with this Defense I think we would have beaten Bama and won the NC, but we gave the Georgia game away with play calling. The defense played like it has been, the offense failed where it had not.
We could have been the first team to say offense wins championships.
I think that has been OU football for a while now. This time the offense failed, but they could have put it away a number of times. Riley's play calling blew my mind.
Even with this Defense I think we would have beaten Bama and won the NC, but we gave the Georgia game away with play calling. The defense played like it has been, the offense failed where it had not.
We could have been the first team to say offense wins championships.
Which is why it fricking disgusts me. MS is in what? Year 5 or so of stint two, and he hasn't even fielded an average defense yet. And the special teams coach can head out the door with him.
The D caused a fumble and returned it for a td. Georgia gets the ball back and what happens.......the D forces a 3 and out. Then what happens? The offense can't pick up a first down and gives the ball right back to them. If we pick up 1 or 2 first downs the game is over.
Now in OT the defense makes another big stop forcing a field goal. What do we do? We fail to pick up a first down and settle for a fg ourselves. The offense had at least TWO golden opportunities to put this game away and they couldn't do it. I would argue it was largely because of pathetic play calling but whatever.
The d was pathetic...I don't disagree. But we already knew that. What we didn't know is that Riley was going to go all Mike Leach trickeration on us and not let Baker be Baker late in the game. We had our chances and totally blew it
Losing the game isnt what bothers me as much as the way OU lost it. Bad play calling in 2nd half and OT along with what we all already knew about our shitty D is what cost this team.
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