Ten thoughts about the Sugar Bowl

[Plainosooner]

1. It is easier to play big boy football when the other team's offense is mediocre at quarterback, which seems to describe just about every team in the SEC.

2. Wonder if Mixon might have been MVP of the game, if not for two years ago.

3.Mead has become a reliable player, and a solid blocker, which in this offense is really important. I'm pleasantly shocked.

4. OUr Oline faced a terrific front, and once they got figured out what Auburn was doing, blocked them really well. I think that Riley might be getting a little too much credit for the greatness of this offense, and Bedenbaugh, not enough. His halftime blocking adjustments have been stellar at the end of the season, and he's got the OLine to the point where they can adjust on the fly. Big boy football, indeed.

5. After Jordan Evans set his jaw and started being the player he needed to be, OUr defense was been pretty good since the embarrassment in Lubbock. Replacing him next year will be the toughest task on the team, unless we lose both Perine and Mixon. The latter is a strong possibility.

6. Joe Mixon isn't a workhorse back. But he's as good a shared time running back as there is in the country. His reception on third and 22 changed the game. Auburn knew after that, that they were is big trouble, no matter who their quarterback was.

7. I was typing a post about snap problems and about to post it, when Wren threw one over Baker's head. Most of the second half, he threw floaters back there. It looked like Alvarez against Houston.

8. It has to rankle SEC people in Nawlins for OU to come in and beat the two Alabama SEC schools three years apart. Bob has kept backing it up. I think part of that led to pretty low attendance last night. The locals no showed.

9. Steven Parker and Ahmad Thomas played their best combined game ever. Great game plan by the defensive staff.

10 Four and oh against the SEC the last four seasons. Last night was a whuppin'.

 

[RASooner]

Love you analysis Plaino. I always look forward to reading them.

RAS

 

[K2C Sooner]

Plaino, can you explain the funky play where both the offense and defense seemed to go into freeze frame. Baker took of for 8 or 9 yard run? No penalty. It sure looked odd in real time.

 

[Huntin Hard]

Very good information Plainosooner. I think you are right on all points

 

[Plainosooner]

Plaino, can you explain the funky play where both the offense and defense seemed to go into freeze frame. Baker took of for 8 or 9 yard run? No penalty. It sure looked odd in real time.

We didn't get a good look at the play. OU had just converted third and 22 on the wheel route throwback to Mixon, which was a brilliant throw by Baker and a really nice catch. And we went quick snap.

We snapped the ball with counter trey blocking scheme, which meant that both the right tackle and right guard pulled behind the center. But the center, the left guard and the left tackle didn't move.Mixon was on the right of Baker, and with the blocking scheme, should have taken a handoff on the counter trey to the left. But he didn't move either. And just stood there with his hands on his knees.

My guess that it was a trick play. I say that, because Wren snapped the ball, and then didn't fire out. and Samia and Evans both pulled up at the same time, just passing behind Wren, and then just stopped. Baker appeared to try to give the ball to Mixon and when Joe wouldn't take it, just took off.

The mystery is why Auburn didn't move on defense. They just stood there. It was like we used no snap count, and when they saw OUr guys stopped, they stopped.

The flip side, is that Baker started waving to the two wides on the right to go. That would make you think that it was impromptu. The only way that you'd know is to ask either an offensive player, or LR.

I'd guess 60% designed trick or 40% just a weird reaction by the Auburn defense to the quick snap. But I lean to the former. There had to be something in the way things developed that NOBODY on the defense moved. That would get you to guessing that they saw something on tape that made them think they could do the equivalent of a very old back yard play. Baker made seven and after we overcame 78's sixth or seventh ULC penalty when Mixon got roughed up at the end of a nice run to the three, Baker's throw to Andrews on the replica of Montana to Clark, got us OUr first touchdown. The drive changed the game.

 

[8085sooner]

11. Auburn calling a Timeout with seconds left on the clock to score a junk TD, was a Punk a$$ move. Totally uncalled for and classless

 

[JConXtsy]

Definitely a messed up play.
I think the players heard something that sounded like a whistle that we couldn't hear on TV.
Mixon literally had no idea what was going on, and there weren't any escape outlets for Baker. If it was a trick play, it was as dumb as they come, because if the defense played, he would have no one to pitch or throw to.
I think Baker was the only guy that realized a whistle hadn't been blown. Once he realized nobody was going to help him out, he ran.

 

[Plainosooner]

Definitely a messed up play.
I think the players heard something that sounded like a whistle that we couldn't hear on TV.
Mixon literally had no idea what was going on, and there weren't any escape outlets for Baker. If it was a trick play, it was as dumb as they come, because if the defense played, he would have no one to pitch or throw to.
I think Baker was the only guy that realized a whistle hadn't been blown. Once he realized nobody was going to help him out, he ran.

That's as good an account as any I've heard. I'm surprised nobody asked about it.

 

[BawlzDeep]

Rain played a part too. Folks were caught off guard and where getting soaked Saturday night in the French Quarter. The local bars said the crowds were very small for a bowl game. Tickets were plentiful too.

 

[RASooner]

Definitely a messed up play.
I think the players heard something that sounded like a whistle that we couldn't hear on TV.
Mixon literally had no idea what was going on, and there weren't any escape outlets for Baker. If it was a trick play, it was as dumb as they come, because if the defense played, he would have no one to pitch or throw to.
I think Baker was the only guy that realized a whistle hadn't been blown. Once he realized nobody was going to help him out, he ran.

Yea that is what I thought. Ball was snapped and everybody is looking at each other, thinking the play was dead.

RAS

 

[CalSooner]

1. It is easier to play big boy football when the other team's offense is mediocre at quarterback, which seems to describe just about every team in the SEC.

2. Wonder if Mixon might have been MVP of the game, if not for two years ago.

3.Mead has become a reliable player, and a solid blocker, which in this offense is really important. I'm pleasantly shocked.

4. OUr Oline faced a terrific front, and once they got figured out what Auburn was doing, blocked them really well. I think that Riley might be getting a little too much credit for the greatness of this offense, and Bedenbaugh, not enough. His halftime blocking adjustments have been stellar at the end of the season, and he's got the OLine to the point where they can adjust on the fly. Big boy football, indeed.

5. After Jordan Evans set his jaw and started being the player he needed to be, OUr defense was been pretty good since the embarrassment in Lubbock. Replacing him next year will be the toughest task on the team, unless we lose both Perine and Mixon. The latter is a strong possibility.

6. Joe Mixon isn't a workhorse back. But he's as good a shared time running back as there is in the country. His reception on third and 22 changed the game. Auburn knew after that, that they were is big trouble, no matter who their quarterback was.

7. I was typing a post about snap problems and about to post it, when Wren threw one over Baker's head. Most of the second half, he threw floaters back there. It looked like Alvarez against Houston.

8. It has to rankle SEC people in Nawlins for OU to come in and beat the two Alabama SEC schools three years apart. Bob has kept backing it up. I think part of that led to pretty low attendance last night. The locals no showed.

9. Steven Parker and Ahmad Thomas played their best combined game ever. Great game plan by the defensive staff.

10 Four and oh against the SEC the last four seasons. Last night was a whuppin'.

I appreciate your analysis. Always check for them. Thanks.

 

[MikeNAustin]

1. It is easier to play big boy football when the other team's offense is mediocre at quarterback, which seems to describe just about every team in the SEC.

2. Wonder if Mixon might have been MVP of the game, if not for two years ago.

3.Mead has become a reliable player, and a solid blocker, which in this offense is really important. I'm pleasantly shocked.

4. OUr Oline faced a terrific front, and once they got figured out what Auburn was doing, blocked them really well. I think that Riley might be getting a little too much credit for the greatness of this offense, and Bedenbaugh, not enough. His halftime blocking adjustments have been stellar at the end of the season, and he's got the OLine to the point where they can adjust on the fly. Big boy football, indeed.

5. After Jordan Evans set his jaw and started being the player he needed to be, OUr defense was been pretty good since the embarrassment in Lubbock. Replacing him next year will be the toughest task on the team, unless we lose both Perine and Mixon. The latter is a strong possibility.

6. Joe Mixon isn't a workhorse back. But he's as good a shared time running back as there is in the country. His reception on third and 22 changed the game. Auburn knew after that, that they were is big trouble, no matter who their quarterback was.

7. I was typing a post about snap problems and about to post it, when Wren threw one over Baker's head. Most of the second half, he threw floaters back there. It looked like Alvarez against Houston.

8. It has to rankle SEC people in Nawlins for OU to come in and beat the two Alabama SEC schools three years apart. Bob has kept backing it up. I think part of that led to pretty low attendance last night. The locals no showed.

9. Steven Parker and Ahmad Thomas played their best combined game ever. Great game plan by the defensive staff.

10 Four and oh against the SEC the last four seasons. Last night was a whuppin'.

Mixon is an every-down back. If you don't see it next year in Crimson and Cream, you'll see it within three years in the NFL. He reminds me a great deal of Leveon Bell. Maybe doesn't have the top gear. But everything else is very similar.

He'll be a three down workhorse (fantasy PPR machine) in the NFL.

 

[Plainosooner]

It was five months ago, and things change. But against Houston, Joe was less effective with a heavy workload.

It's a major reason they took away kick return duties from him. When Samaje went down in game one, and then returned less effectively, we needed Joe to be the workhorse, and he wasn't up to it. After about five or six consecutive snaps, he seems to lose a little burst and will leave to rejuvenate.

I hope you're right, but that's not what I saw this year. I also thought he had some nagging injuries this year. He seemed to me to have his best burst of the year against Auburn. There were a couple of 10-yard gains where he just exploded. And on his td run in the 2nd quarter, he essentially blew by two unblocked defenders.

Nobody in the SEC seems to play very well against really quick pace. From the 2nd quarter on, OUr Oline kicked their butts. A lot of folks think that two in their front four will go in the first three rounds.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

It was five months ago, and things change. But against Houston, Joe was less effective with a heavy workload.

Really? 14 touches, 3 on returns. 6 carries, 5 receptions. He had 181 all purpose yards against Houston.

In 24 touches against Auburn, that would be 10 more..., he had 180 all purpose yards.

I'd rate your above statement as completely false.

 

[Plainosooner]

When you don't make first downs, you get fewer touches from scrimmage. After the first drive, he wasn't very effective in Houston.

 

[JConXtsy]

Really? 14 touches, 3 on returns. 6 carries, 5 receptions. He had 181 all purpose yards against Houston.

In 24 touches against Auburn, that would be 10 more..., he had 180 all purpose yards.

I'd rate your above statement as completely false.

You stole my words.
I'd add that running a receiving route implores you to go full throttle for an entire play too regardless of touching the ball. You don't get the little breaks that an every down back gets when he just has to take two steps up and half-ass block someone, or take a fake and jog a couple of steps.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

When you don't make first downs, you get fewer touches from scrimmage. After the first drive, he wasn't very effective in Houston.

So how was his workload heavier?

Second drive he caught a pass and had a 60 yard gain. That was after his 32 yard TD run...

 

[CTOkie]

Mixon would be an every-down back on most teams but OU has always had a rotation of good backs starting after the 2001 season.....even when Peterson and Murray played.
Allen Patrick, Kejuan Jones and Chris Brown shared playing time during Peterson's time at OU (2004-2006) and Chris Brown, Allan Patrick and Mossis Madu shared playing time during Murray's time (2007-2010).
The game is too physical to have one workhorse-type back these days. Perine and Mixon would testify to that.
OU had a nice trio this season with Perine and Mixon and little-used Abdul Adams, who should have a nice career at OU.......and in 2017, there will be Mixon, Adams, hopefully a healthy Rodney Anderson and a trio of good freshmen backs arriving in Brooks, Sermon and Sutton.

 

[CTOkie]

As for the Sugar Bowl game itself, I saw it as a game of major importance for Oklahoma to win. It wasn't an epic game of two great teams, but given all that has happened this past season, OU really could not afford to lose this game even to an 8-4 opponent.
Now OU apparently has the Mixon situation behind it (for the most part), a great freshman class arriving, brand new facilities that will be ready to go by September, a remodeled and expanded stadium, Mayfield's return and the momentum of a ten-game winning streak.

 

[iasooner1]

But no Section 22 in attendance anymore; the U gave his long-time seats to the visitors...

 

[Plainosooner]

So how was his workload heavier?

Second drive he caught a pass and had a 60 yard gain. That was after his 32 yard TD run...

Returning punts and kickoffs. More consecutive snaps whether he touched it or not.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

His last touch on the offensive side of the ball was a 13 yard reception in the 4th quarter, following a yard run.

Before that, Mixon had 4 touches in the 3rd quarter, 2 catches, 1 nine yard rush, and a KO return... big workload...

 

[BillyRay]

When you don't make first downs, you get fewer touches from scrimmage. After the first drive, he wasn't very effective in Houston.

He wasn't very effective against Houston because Riley effectively abandoned the running game after the first half. Joe stop getting touches. Not sure what the heck you are talking about that Joe couldn't handle the "heavy workload" of the Houston game?? What game were you watching??

 

[bcsoonerfan]

Stoops has always seem to prefer sharing the load at RB, and for good reason.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

Returning punts and kickoffs. More consecutive snaps whether he touched it or not.

Baxter and Quick were the punt returners against Houston. Baxter fair caught two, one went into the end zone, and Quick returned one for 10 yards. That accounts for all four of Houston's punts in the game. Of 7 kickoffs, Mixon returned 3.

He was given a 7 yard loss for recovering a fumble. He lost 3 yards on a 3rd & 1 when the OL blocked no one. He lost 2 yards on a screen pass.

So, do you still think his workload was too heavy? He had 13 "true" touches in the Houston game.

By way of comparison, he had 18 touches against aOm. 11 carries for 99 yards, one a 79 yard TD. That gives him 20 yards on his other 10 carries. He caught 2 passes for 19 yards and returned 5 KO's... All purpose yards totalled 201.

Against Ohio State he had 14 touches. 9 carries for 78 yards, 2 catches for 15 yards, and 3 KO returns for 132 yards. All purpose yardage was 225 for the game... Even if you take away his longest carry and his 97 yard return, he had more total yards than any other Sooner that day...

I guess 20 to 25 carries/receptions is too many for a 5* running back? Even one who averages 6.8 YPC?

For the season, Mixon averaged 20.75 touches in his 12 games. He also averaged 194.2 all purpose yards per game. So please, explain to me how his workload was heavier...

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

It was five months ago, and things change. But against Houston, Joe was less effective with a heavy workload.

It's a major reason they took away kick return duties from him. When Samaje went down in game one, and then returned less effectively, we needed Joe to be the workhorse, and he wasn't up to it. After about five or six consecutive snaps, he seems to lose a little burst and will leave to rejuvenate.

I hope you're right, but that's not what I saw this year. I also thought he had some nagging injuries this year. He seemed to me to have his best burst of the year against Auburn. There were a couple of 10-yard gains where he just exploded. And on his td run in the 2nd quarter, he essentially blew by two unblocked defenders.

Nobody in the SEC seems to play very well against really quick pace. From the 2nd quarter on, OUr Oline kicked their butts. A lot of folks think that two in their front four will go in the first three rounds.

I'm one to believe the O-Line wasn't getting it done in the first few weeks of the season. It showed in the run game big time. During the Sugar Bowl, much like the conference play, the O-Line settled in and had a very good season. It makes a huge difference. Add to this, I think Mixon was super jacked up, highly motivated and seriously focused after his press conference. As was Baker, and the O-Line. They had a couple of offensive goals. Show support for Mixon and get Perine the OU all time yards stat. They accomplished both.

 

[PtLavacaSooner]

I'm one to believe the O-Line wasn't getting it done in the first few weeks of the season. It showed in the run game big time. During the Sugar Bowl, much like the conference play, the O-Line settled in and had a very good season. It makes a huge difference. Add to this, I think Mixon was super jacked up, highly motivated and seriously focused after his press conference. As was Baker, and the O-Line. They had a couple of offensive goals. Show support for Mixon and get Perine the OU all time yards stat. They accomplished both.

Against Ohio State, Mixon had carries of 12, 8, and 4 yards in the first half. His next carry was midway into the 3rd quarter for no gain. So with less than 22 minutes left in the game, Mixon had 4 carries for 24 yards. He then popped off runs of 31, 17, and 2 on the same drive, before having a 5 yard gain and a 1 yard loss in the 4th quarter...

Even with 3 sacks, OU averaged 4.9 YPC against Ohio State. Perine had 17 for 60 though... Mixon 9 for 78...

Against Houston, OU had 26 carries. 5 of those were sacks. Mayfield had 13 of the 26 carries, Mixon and Perine 6 each, and Brooks 1. Mixon averaged 6.7 YPC and Perine 5.2... Overall, OU averaged 2.7 YPC, many of those were called passes where Baker scrambled or was sacked...