Wife has been battling strep throat since Wednesday night, so no pod appearances even though I fully planned on being on the postgame this time around 
But she's back and life can return to normal. Whew.
OK, let's roll.
Fields still the Iron Man
I'm choosing violence to start this week's edition. I really like what Pat Fields has done in the first three weeks of the season. I do, SorryNotSorry. And Alex Grinch must as well because...
...Fields was the only defender to play all 63 snaps vs. Nebraska. He had nine tackles and the two-point return. I think Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell do a quality job in run support, and we know they know every assignment there is.
He's a two-time captain for a reason, right?
A couple of quotes from Pat on Saturday. I asked Pat about the confidence level of the defense.
"We're incredibly confident. You'll see guys like (Isaiah Thomas) frustrated after the game, (Jalen Redmond) frustrated after the game after they have a very productive game. But it's like we know what we're capable of. And even though we came out and we played well, there's like a lot of plays that we left on the field. Me for example, I had two missed tackles. (Thomas) had some missed sacks. Other guys who missed on some plays and we left them out there. But even though we won the game and it's said that we 'played good,' I think it's the ambition and the pursuit of perfection that the defense has adopted. We're always like continuously hungry and ambitious to keep on going and keep on improving."
See, I don't mind that. He's acknowledging they're doing well but leaving things on the table, too.
Almost the same question, but phrased about where this defense is as Big 12 play starts?
"I think it's a tricky game because with football you can never stay stagnant. You know what I mean? Because it's like a behavioral thing, so with behavior it's either good or bad. So, I have to say that we're not comfortable because we have to keep on improving and excelling or else we're going to quickly fall into complacency. So, I think that's kind of like the mentality. And regardless, in a football game, you're always going to leave plays out there. Like I said, I missed two tackles. So, in the back of my head, even though I did this and that this game, it's like I left two tackles out on the field. And you add two tackles up across 12 games, that's 24 tackles. You know what I mean? Now you're looking at being a 60-tackle guy and an 80-tackle guy. You know what I mean? So I think we're hungry to keep on improving."
I can live with that. You really started to see who has that trust factor because Key Lawrence (7), Jeremiah Criddell (6) and Josh Eaton (4) combined for 17 snaps when you were down two notable members of the secondary. Fields and DTY were back leading the pack again at 63 snaps and 58 snaps, respectively.
***
(Jacobe finally played well with me watching)
Jacobe comes to life
I might as well just accept that watching a top-tier cornerback in high school football is going to do nothing for me. Gentry Williams (twice), Jayden Rowe and now Jacobe Johnson. Learn absolutely nothing about those guys as DBs in the last four weeks.
But now I know what Johnson can do offensively and that competitive fire he has. It was a throwback to Big 12 days with the shootout between Mustang and Norman last Friday night. Mustang receivers (Johnson, Andre Dollar) vs. Norman QB Tias McClarty.
McClarty's sixth touchdown with :03 left gave Norman the 62-58 victory.
OK, onto Johnson. That's what I had been hoping to see and didn't see as a sophomore. Some of those catches were extremely competitive and showed great ability after the catch. Johnson finished the night with three touchdowns.
Johnson hasn't been evaluated yet by Rivals, but now I can get onboard with the lofty rankings he has elsewhere. Would still love to see what he could do as a pure corner, but alas, that will come another day. He checks the boxes and put on a fun show last weekend.
Johnson was back in Norman on Saturday, hanging out with Porter Moser as we know Johnson has been offered by OU for both basketball and football. It's hard for me right now to see a way Johnson isn't a Sooner for the 2023 class.
This week? Broken Arrow vs. Westmoore on Thursday, first chance to see Robert Spears-Jennings. Then Booker T. one more time at Choctaw (Steele Wasel, Desean Brown, RJ Jackson) on Friday night
***
Onto the next one
That's the motto for OU basketball right now. Continue to put in the work with elite 2023 kids, especially the ones in the state. But just crossing off one 2022 name after another, as now we Terrance Arceneaux (Houston) and Denzel Aberdeen (Florida) to that list.
Talking around, though, and no signs of being discouraged and no signs of panicking. OU coaches know the portal will be their friend for 2022, but they're gonna keep fighting to try to make that not nearly as massive a necessity as it is right now.
Who's the next one? OK, it's Brendan Hausen week.
Hausen was at Villanova over the the weekend. Now has trips lined up to OU, Oregon, Texas Tech in the next month and maybe a trip to Arizona State. Hausen will be in Norman this upcoming weekend.
Speaking of the 2023 kids, OU did offer Cameron Barnes over the weekend when he was in town for his unofficial visit.
See how this week progresses, but I know OU has felt excited about Hausen for a while. It's one recruit where, to my knowledge, OU doesn't feel like it was too far behind the curve. There have been quite a few where it felt like just too late and not enough time. Haven't had that feeling with Hausen. I could be wrong.
***
Bonus
Dude, D.J. Graham been doing this one-handed thing for a while.
Like in 7th grade.
And high school.
And preseason camp (and Caleb Williams admitted it was against him).
And Saturday.
***
Bonus II
There are times I firmly believe OU football's social media team tries way too hard to be cool. But, yea, this worked. This definitely worked.
But she's back and life can return to normal. Whew.
OK, let's roll.
Fields still the Iron Man
I'm choosing violence to start this week's edition. I really like what Pat Fields has done in the first three weeks of the season. I do, SorryNotSorry. And Alex Grinch must as well because...
...Fields was the only defender to play all 63 snaps vs. Nebraska. He had nine tackles and the two-point return. I think Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell do a quality job in run support, and we know they know every assignment there is.
He's a two-time captain for a reason, right?
A couple of quotes from Pat on Saturday. I asked Pat about the confidence level of the defense.
"We're incredibly confident. You'll see guys like (Isaiah Thomas) frustrated after the game, (Jalen Redmond) frustrated after the game after they have a very productive game. But it's like we know what we're capable of. And even though we came out and we played well, there's like a lot of plays that we left on the field. Me for example, I had two missed tackles. (Thomas) had some missed sacks. Other guys who missed on some plays and we left them out there. But even though we won the game and it's said that we 'played good,' I think it's the ambition and the pursuit of perfection that the defense has adopted. We're always like continuously hungry and ambitious to keep on going and keep on improving."
See, I don't mind that. He's acknowledging they're doing well but leaving things on the table, too.
Almost the same question, but phrased about where this defense is as Big 12 play starts?
"I think it's a tricky game because with football you can never stay stagnant. You know what I mean? Because it's like a behavioral thing, so with behavior it's either good or bad. So, I have to say that we're not comfortable because we have to keep on improving and excelling or else we're going to quickly fall into complacency. So, I think that's kind of like the mentality. And regardless, in a football game, you're always going to leave plays out there. Like I said, I missed two tackles. So, in the back of my head, even though I did this and that this game, it's like I left two tackles out on the field. And you add two tackles up across 12 games, that's 24 tackles. You know what I mean? Now you're looking at being a 60-tackle guy and an 80-tackle guy. You know what I mean? So I think we're hungry to keep on improving."
I can live with that. You really started to see who has that trust factor because Key Lawrence (7), Jeremiah Criddell (6) and Josh Eaton (4) combined for 17 snaps when you were down two notable members of the secondary. Fields and DTY were back leading the pack again at 63 snaps and 58 snaps, respectively.
***
(Jacobe finally played well with me watching)
Jacobe comes to life
I might as well just accept that watching a top-tier cornerback in high school football is going to do nothing for me. Gentry Williams (twice), Jayden Rowe and now Jacobe Johnson. Learn absolutely nothing about those guys as DBs in the last four weeks.
But now I know what Johnson can do offensively and that competitive fire he has. It was a throwback to Big 12 days with the shootout between Mustang and Norman last Friday night. Mustang receivers (Johnson, Andre Dollar) vs. Norman QB Tias McClarty.
McClarty's sixth touchdown with :03 left gave Norman the 62-58 victory.
OK, onto Johnson. That's what I had been hoping to see and didn't see as a sophomore. Some of those catches were extremely competitive and showed great ability after the catch. Johnson finished the night with three touchdowns.
Johnson hasn't been evaluated yet by Rivals, but now I can get onboard with the lofty rankings he has elsewhere. Would still love to see what he could do as a pure corner, but alas, that will come another day. He checks the boxes and put on a fun show last weekend.
Johnson was back in Norman on Saturday, hanging out with Porter Moser as we know Johnson has been offered by OU for both basketball and football. It's hard for me right now to see a way Johnson isn't a Sooner for the 2023 class.
This week? Broken Arrow vs. Westmoore on Thursday, first chance to see Robert Spears-Jennings. Then Booker T. one more time at Choctaw (Steele Wasel, Desean Brown, RJ Jackson) on Friday night
***
Onto the next one
That's the motto for OU basketball right now. Continue to put in the work with elite 2023 kids, especially the ones in the state. But just crossing off one 2022 name after another, as now we Terrance Arceneaux (Houston) and Denzel Aberdeen (Florida) to that list.
Talking around, though, and no signs of being discouraged and no signs of panicking. OU coaches know the portal will be their friend for 2022, but they're gonna keep fighting to try to make that not nearly as massive a necessity as it is right now.
Who's the next one? OK, it's Brendan Hausen week.
Hausen was at Villanova over the the weekend. Now has trips lined up to OU, Oregon, Texas Tech in the next month and maybe a trip to Arizona State. Hausen will be in Norman this upcoming weekend.
Speaking of the 2023 kids, OU did offer Cameron Barnes over the weekend when he was in town for his unofficial visit.
See how this week progresses, but I know OU has felt excited about Hausen for a while. It's one recruit where, to my knowledge, OU doesn't feel like it was too far behind the curve. There have been quite a few where it felt like just too late and not enough time. Haven't had that feeling with Hausen. I could be wrong.
***
Bonus
Dude, D.J. Graham been doing this one-handed thing for a while.
Like in 7th grade.
And high school.
And preseason camp (and Caleb Williams admitted it was against him).
And Saturday.
***
Bonus II
There are times I firmly believe OU football's social media team tries way too hard to be cool. But, yea, this worked. This definitely worked.
