Season is about half way and I grade Mike Stoops an A-

[Got Rings?]

I will admit that after last year I was one of the fans saying I hoped that Mike would move on and that I had hoped that Bob would have highly suggested that Mike move on for the good of the program. However, I will be the first to admit that Mike has surprised me so far this year and that he has done a good job so far(except the Texas game). I was wrong about Mike Stoops this year.

I believe him moving upstairs has helped a great deal and that the DB coach Cooks is an awesome addition to the staff. They have done wonders in the secondary so far this year.

The only hiccup was the Texas game and when I heard Mike say the Texas QB run game surprised him ( the reason for the A- and not an A+). I still can't figure that one out but overall the defense is playing with confidence and swagger that hasn't been there the last couple of years. Of course the meat of our schedule is coming so I hope I am still saying the same thing in about a month.

I think we have a punchers chance of running the table and that would sure be Sweet! This team is fun to watch and seems like they genuinely like each other and play together as a team.

I'm excited for the big run in November. I hope we play with our hair on fire the rest of the way.

Boomer Sooner

 

[iasooner1]

Great post GR !

 

[bcsoonerfan]

This was the "make or break" year for Mike as far as my opinion goes regarding his continued presence on the staff. I had/have confidence that he could return to his more aggressive tendencies of the past.

It hasn't been perfect and still there have been a few spots of frustration (loose coverage against Tulsa, no adjustment against Texas), but overall there has been significant improvement. I had great confidence in our defensive personnel this season so my expectations were greater, so I'd give him a B grade so far, with potential to make it an A by season's end.

 

[BillyRay]

I will go with an A- right now also.

I feel like giving a B, but the last 2 games, plus the Tennessee game really pushes the defense back into the range.

Of course the Texas game is the biggest hiccup. Even though the bulk of the blame for that loss is on the offense, it's still just a huge head scratcher as to why Mike was so reluctant to make adjustments. It really just baffles me.

 

[SoonerBorn_LionBred]

I will admit that after last year I was one of the fans saying I hoped that Mike would move on and that I had hoped that Bob would have highly suggested that Mike move on for the good of the program. However, I will be the first to admit that Mike has surprised me so far this year and that he has done a good job so far(except the Texas game). I was wrong about Mike Stoops this year.

I believe him moving upstairs has helped a great deal and that the DB coach Cooks is an awesome addition to the staff. They have done wonders in the secondary so far this year.

The only hiccup was the Texas game and when I heard Mike say the Texas QB run game surprised him ( the reason for the A- and not an A+). I still can't figure that one out but overall the defense is playing with confidence and swagger that hasn't been there the last couple of years. Of course the meat of our schedule is coming so I hope I am still saying the same thing in about a month.

I think we have a punchers chance of running the table and that would sure be Sweet! This team is fun to watch and seems like they genuinely like each other and play together as a team.

I'm excited for the big run in November. I hope we play with our hair on fire the rest of the way.

Boomer Sooner

The ONE THING I KNOW about OU is that they play their best football when they are the underdog! So I am excited about the month of November too!

 

[Yankees03]

Minus the Texas loss, our D has played well. However some big boys loom in the month of November. We will find out then if our D is for real

 

[soonersoldier]

I will admit that after last year I was one of the fans saying I hoped that Mike would move on and that I had hoped that Bob would have highly suggested that Mike move on for the good of the program. However, I will be the first to admit that Mike has surprised me so far this year and that he has done a good job so far(except the Texas game). I was wrong about Mike Stoops this year.

I believe him moving upstairs has helped a great deal and that the DB coach Cooks is an awesome addition to the staff. They have done wonders in the secondary so far this year.

The only hiccup was the Texas game and when I heard Mike say the Texas QB run game surprised him ( the reason for the A- and not an A+). I still can't figure that one out but overall the defense is playing with confidence and swagger that hasn't been there the last couple of years. Of course the meat of our schedule is coming so I hope I am still saying the same thing in about a month.

I think we have a punchers chance of running the table and that would sure be Sweet! This team is fun to watch and seems like they genuinely like each other and play together as a team.

I'm excited for the big run in November. I hope we play with our hair on fire the rest of the way.

Boomer Sooner

I believe because of where they are at and what they have in front of them the month of November will determine; hello Captain Obvious. The point being if his defense does well against the last three or even 2 of 3 then no question high B or low A for the year with momentum for a bowl and next year. And I don't want to hear that BUs QB is out; zippy the fing clown could throw for 300 yards and 4 td's in that system. However if Baylor and TCU' offenses roll where does that leave us?

 

[Okie70]

B+ about right given the Texas issue. But real progress as shown in last two games plus Tenn. I think the O, except in the RRS, is helping Mike just as much, especially with the new run emphasis. But the toughest games are still ahead. Real break re: Baylor QB. Will be watching the newbie against KState next week. For the first time I have a feeling OU can win that game. And TCU in Norman.

 

[AbsoluteZer0]

B+ about right given the Texas issue. But real progress as shown in last two games plus Tenn. I think the O, except in the RRS, is helping Mike just as much, especially with the new run emphasis. But the toughest games are still ahead. Real break re: Baylor QB. Will be watching the newbie against KState next week. For the first time I have a feeling OU can win that game. And TCU in Norman.

I think you are exactly right. TN might be the toughest game we have played and they are 3 and 3. We have a lot to prove. I am not convinced Tech is as good as the record shows. Time will tell where we are and by the time we get to the meat of the schedule, there is no excuses nor should have beens. It is time to show what we are capable of.

I think the defense has proven to be good enough to win if the offense can supply 20+ points and that is what it will take.

Every game is a new game. Nothing before it matters.

 

[PryorFan]

Excluding the Texas debacle, Mike Stoops has done a nice job in 2015. Moving his antics off the sidelines and canning the 2-4-5 have been huge. Let's hope his D finishes strong in November.

 

[Soo-ner]

I will go with an A- right now also.

I feel like giving a B, but the last 2 games, plus the Tennessee game really pushes the defense back into the range.

Of course the Texas game is the biggest hiccup. Even though the bulk of the blame for that loss is on the offense, it's still just a huge head scratcher as to why Mike was so reluctant to make adjustments. It really just baffles me.

New defense coaches A
Mike C-
Bob B

 

[Phaeded]

I don't know how you average Mike out at an A-anything when 2 of the 7 games played to date are flat out Fs (3&4 Tulsa is struggling in the American Athletic Conf but threw for over 400 yards against us and 3&4 Texas threw for less than 60 yards, so all Mike had to do was load up against the run) . And we've only had 2&1/2 road games - UTenn's passing game sucks, Texas, a quasi-road game, was a fail, and KSU is in free fall (I've not seen a worse O this year - #120 nationally in total offense)).

But let's be honest here folks - the one school our D has had little answer against the last two years is BAYLOR and scheming that O should have been job 1 for Mike and Bob in the offseason. Its an away game but we are now facing a true frosh. I don't care how unreasonable this statement is, its true: MIKE EARNS HIS KEEP IN WACO.

 

[OU50]

I don't know how you average Mike out at an A-anything when 2 of the 7 games played to date are flat out Fs (3&4 Tulsa is struggling in the American Athletic Conf but threw for over 400 yards against us and 3&4 Texas threw for less than 60 yards, so all Mike had to do was load up against the run) . And we've only had 2&1/2 road games - UTenn's passing game sucks, Texas, a quasi-road game, was a fail, and KSU is in free fall (I've not seen a worse O this year - #120 nationally in total offense)).

But let's be honest here folks - the one school our D has had little answer against the last two years is BAYLOR and scheming that O should have been job 1 for Mike and Bob in the offseason. Its an away game but we are now facing a true frosh. I don't care how unreasonable this statement is, its true: MIKE EARNS HIS KEEP IN WACO.

Kind of the way I see it. We have been better, but we have not played a team that SHOULD have been able to really test us yet.

 

[BillyRay]

But let's be honest here folks - the one school our D has had little answer against the last two years is BAYLOR and scheming that O should have been job 1 for Mike and Bob in the offseason. Its an away game but we are now facing a true frosh. I don't care how unreasonable this statement is, its true: MIKE EARNS HIS KEEP IN WACO.

You are right man, Mike has really had no answer or solution to slow down, much less stop, Baylor's offense. And I've been as critical and hard on Mike for it as anyone. Especially last year was embarrassing. In Norman, Baylor could have pushed close to 70+ if they had not taken the foot off the gas in the 2nd half.

But here is my version of being honest....name ANY defensive coordinator that has consistently shut down Baylors offense. When you play Baylor, I think teams have to expect to score AT LEAST 40+ to even have a snow balls chance in having even a prayer at winning that game. No defenses consistently shut down Baylor. I really believe the only thing that can stop Baylor.....is Baylor. If OU faces a Baylor offense that is really firing on all cylinders, then it spells big trouble for OU...or any team for that matter. You have to catch Baylor having a bit of an off week (or a backup QB) to really take advantage and get out with a victory.

So I think it may be time to take a few steps back and realize that it's not so much Mike's inability in stopping Baylor's offense. It's more of a situation of Baylor's offense is simply an offense that NOBODY has truly figured out how to stop or slow down yet.

 

[ccraider]

B- Texas
A- Tulsa
A+ all other games.

 

[soonerdave]

Minus the Texas loss, our D has played well. However some big boys loom in the month of November. We will find out then if our D is for real

Throw out any loss and things look better, unfortunately we don't have that luxury.
C+

 

[Brentwood Sooner]

Hope it's not a D after playing TCU and Baylor

 

[8085sooner]

I don't know how you average Mike out at an A-anything when 2 of the 7 games played to date are flat out Fs (3&4 Tulsa is struggling in the American Athletic Conf but threw for over 400 yards against us and 3&4 Texas threw for less than 60 yards, so all Mike had to do was load up against the run) . And we've only had 2&1/2 road games - UTenn's passing game sucks, Texas, a quasi-road game, was a fail, and KSU is in free fall (I've not seen a worse O this year - #120 nationally in total offense)).

But let's be honest here folks - the one school our D has had little answer against the last two years is BAYLOR and scheming that O should have been job 1 for Mike and Bob in the offseason. Its an away game but we are now facing a true frosh. I don't care how unreasonable this statement is, its true: MIKE EARNS HIS KEEP IN WACO.

This

Tulsa breaks ANOTHER record against Mike Stoops and Texas run the ball all day.
If Baylor plays, just a little better then Tulsa, Mike Stoops defense, will give up 60+
Hold Baylor under 40 and I'll give the Mike Stoops his do, give up 60 and I'll call for Mike Stoops head on a stick.
OU will have statistically, the best defense in the conference, after the next two games. It does not mean, we are playing great defense.