@Eddie_Rado - So what's happening here? Like what in the world is going on? Is this a sign of things to come? Is this really what this team-- filled with expectation-- is going to be? I'm not asking these questions because I have the answers. I'm asking these questions because I really have no idea. I suppose I'm the one that is supposed but I've thrown my hands up in the air. You're guess is as good as mine.
I know folks aren't happy. I know this isn't what you all signed up for. I know Oklahoma is 3-0. But that's it. What is this 2021 edition of the Oklahoma Sooners?
On paper it's good match-up. Nik Bonitto should have a good afternoon. He's quietly -- or maybe not so quietly-- coming off his best game of the season and West Virginia's offensive tackles should be in for a long day.
Offensive success versus the Mountaineers has become commonplace under Lincoln Riley. The negatives have outweighed the positives. That's pretty obvious.
We've been told not to hit the panic button -- just yet. And I'll obey the commands. But my hand is hovering. I'm ready to strike. I'm a believer in Lincoln Riley's words. They aren't as far off from what you expected. Yet I'm bullish in thinking the steps are going to be made. We're going to find out what this team is about over the next four weeks. It's starts Saturday night in primetime.
* Oklahoma forces 3+ turnovers
* We'll say where has this Spencer Rattler been?
* Kennedy Brooks records first 100+ yard game of the season
* Marvin Mims leads team in receiving
Oklahoma 38
West Virginia 24
@BPrzybylo - This is the week, right? The week where we learn if Oklahoma was just sleepwalking through the non-conference part of its schedule? Or if the Sooners in 2021 just aren’t as good as everybody had hoped, at least in September.
There was a lot to like in last week’s victory, starting with the running game of Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray and the play of the defensive line.
That continues Saturday as Lincoln Riley is done playing scared with his two backs and lets them be who they’re going to need to be for OU to make a run at anything significant the rest of the way.
Gray gets his first rushing touchdown as a Sooner, and the duo combines for more than 150 yards to make life just a little easier for Spencer Rattler and the receivers.
But yes, this has to be a dynamite performance from Rattler. Because even though he’s not wrong that if you take out two or three throws from each game, then he’s good, but it’s been three games in a row. You don’t get to just keep on saying that. A lot of quarterbacks probably feel that way. Clean it up.
He will, throwing for just under 300 yards with a couple of touchdowns. And maybe more importantly, not giving the ball away for the third straight game.
Part of cleaning it up goes toward him finding a comfort factor with guys like Jadon Haselwood and Marvin Mims. Those should be the first two options, and then Mario Williams and Mike Woods to follow. Would love to have the H-Back position become a factor again, but it’s something have to see first instead of assuming anymore.
The defense causes a couple of turnovers to make sure it’s not another nail-biter. But it’s also not a laugher victory for the Sooners, kicking too many field goals instead of punching it in for six.
They do enough to get to 4-0 but not enough to have everyone believing it’s a national championship-caliber team just yet.
OU 30, WVU 21.
@Josh_M - Alright last week I wasn't a buyer and feel like my take was largely vindicated.
This week, I feel weirdly more optimistic? I can't really explain it except to say that I think Oklahoma has no reason to be surprised by anything they see this weekend. This defense is a style they've seen before and with how much West Virgina operates in deep zone work, Oklahoma should have answers at the ready. On offense, it's a scheme and system they are familiar with - even if they didn't see it last year.
Basically the Sooners are heading back into territory they are familiar with, even if it's still talented and dangerous.
A perfect example? West Virgin'a defensive line. It's a talented group with some NFL potential but it's a group that averages a little over 6-foot-3 and just under 262 pounds. They'll face an offensive line group that just got done with a talented Nebraska bunch that averaged 307 pounds and over 6-foot-4. It's just a very different reality and something that Oklahoma is more at home facing.
I think this could be another slow start offensively but West Virginia's offense is going to give Oklahoma chances to make big plays on defense. If they can do so Oklahoma can start to squeeze on the Mountaineers.
As much as anything, Oklahoma is having problems offensively - there's just no argument to the contrary but West Virginia would like to have their problems and has some real questions on the offensive line and as such may struggle to block Oklahoma's group of dangerous pass rushers.
It may not be pretty but over time I think it's something of a slow strangulation of the 'Eers.
Oklahoma 41
West Virginia 17
I know folks aren't happy. I know this isn't what you all signed up for. I know Oklahoma is 3-0. But that's it. What is this 2021 edition of the Oklahoma Sooners?
On paper it's good match-up. Nik Bonitto should have a good afternoon. He's quietly -- or maybe not so quietly-- coming off his best game of the season and West Virginia's offensive tackles should be in for a long day.
Offensive success versus the Mountaineers has become commonplace under Lincoln Riley. The negatives have outweighed the positives. That's pretty obvious.
We've been told not to hit the panic button -- just yet. And I'll obey the commands. But my hand is hovering. I'm ready to strike. I'm a believer in Lincoln Riley's words. They aren't as far off from what you expected. Yet I'm bullish in thinking the steps are going to be made. We're going to find out what this team is about over the next four weeks. It's starts Saturday night in primetime.
* Oklahoma forces 3+ turnovers
* We'll say where has this Spencer Rattler been?
* Kennedy Brooks records first 100+ yard game of the season
* Marvin Mims leads team in receiving
Oklahoma 38
West Virginia 24
@BPrzybylo - This is the week, right? The week where we learn if Oklahoma was just sleepwalking through the non-conference part of its schedule? Or if the Sooners in 2021 just aren’t as good as everybody had hoped, at least in September.
There was a lot to like in last week’s victory, starting with the running game of Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray and the play of the defensive line.
That continues Saturday as Lincoln Riley is done playing scared with his two backs and lets them be who they’re going to need to be for OU to make a run at anything significant the rest of the way.
Gray gets his first rushing touchdown as a Sooner, and the duo combines for more than 150 yards to make life just a little easier for Spencer Rattler and the receivers.
But yes, this has to be a dynamite performance from Rattler. Because even though he’s not wrong that if you take out two or three throws from each game, then he’s good, but it’s been three games in a row. You don’t get to just keep on saying that. A lot of quarterbacks probably feel that way. Clean it up.
He will, throwing for just under 300 yards with a couple of touchdowns. And maybe more importantly, not giving the ball away for the third straight game.
Part of cleaning it up goes toward him finding a comfort factor with guys like Jadon Haselwood and Marvin Mims. Those should be the first two options, and then Mario Williams and Mike Woods to follow. Would love to have the H-Back position become a factor again, but it’s something have to see first instead of assuming anymore.
The defense causes a couple of turnovers to make sure it’s not another nail-biter. But it’s also not a laugher victory for the Sooners, kicking too many field goals instead of punching it in for six.
They do enough to get to 4-0 but not enough to have everyone believing it’s a national championship-caliber team just yet.
OU 30, WVU 21.
@Josh_M - Alright last week I wasn't a buyer and feel like my take was largely vindicated.
This week, I feel weirdly more optimistic? I can't really explain it except to say that I think Oklahoma has no reason to be surprised by anything they see this weekend. This defense is a style they've seen before and with how much West Virgina operates in deep zone work, Oklahoma should have answers at the ready. On offense, it's a scheme and system they are familiar with - even if they didn't see it last year.
Basically the Sooners are heading back into territory they are familiar with, even if it's still talented and dangerous.
A perfect example? West Virgin'a defensive line. It's a talented group with some NFL potential but it's a group that averages a little over 6-foot-3 and just under 262 pounds. They'll face an offensive line group that just got done with a talented Nebraska bunch that averaged 307 pounds and over 6-foot-4. It's just a very different reality and something that Oklahoma is more at home facing.
I think this could be another slow start offensively but West Virginia's offense is going to give Oklahoma chances to make big plays on defense. If they can do so Oklahoma can start to squeeze on the Mountaineers.
As much as anything, Oklahoma is having problems offensively - there's just no argument to the contrary but West Virginia would like to have their problems and has some real questions on the offensive line and as such may struggle to block Oklahoma's group of dangerous pass rushers.
It may not be pretty but over time I think it's something of a slow strangulation of the 'Eers.
Oklahoma 41
West Virginia 17
