I want to make sure that I emphasize how much I appreciate this team. These players and coaches renewed my spirits this season with inspired play and admirable tenacity. They played at the absolute maximum of their ability all season, and tonight I saw a spirited performance, with both sides of the ball executing a gameplan that was coherent and reasonable. Sure, some things could have worked out better. A few playcalls, a few penalties, a few errant passes; and if everything had gone right, maybe Oklahoma would have squeaked out a win.
This also underlines my concern, however. This seems to be the new reality of this program. Oklahoma has almost no margin for error. Clemson spent the first half bogging down in the red zone, throwing the ball into coverage, and showing genuine confusion at some of Lincoln Riley's machinations. Oklahoma clung heroically to a one-point lead as a result. In the second half, a bigger, stronger football team mauled Oklahoma in a way that makes individual criticisms seem petty or agenda-driven.
Oklahoma did not have the talent to win if things were breaking against them. Or better yet, they didn't have the talent to stem the tide and reverse the momentum of the game. Once the attrition started figuring into the game, the superior talent of the Clemson bench really flexed it's muscle. Oklahoma needed to land big punches early, and then dance around it's opponent. Clemson, on the other hand, just needed to stay in the fight to eventually impose it's will. And in retrospect, it was an eventuality more than a probability.
The Sooners simply can't match up man-for-man, player 1 through player 85, against the elite programs anymore, because Oklahoma hasn't recruited at an elite level since realignment took effect. I don't want this to be another rant about realignment, so let's just say that regardless of the reason, Oklahoma doesn't recruit like a major program anymore. After booking 7 top-10 classes in the aughts, they haven't finished in that group since. Whatever the reason, be it conference affiliation, facilities, or lacking connections in Texas, Oklahoma will live in this reality until the recruiting ticks up again. There is an easier path to 11 wins and the conference championship in OU's current situation, it's true, but with a very limited ability to win in the playoffs.
I know it's an overreaction to a single game, but the talent disparity was startlingly evident from the beginning. I appreciate this team so much, and it's not that I can't recognize great individual talents at Oklahoma, but Clemson had a depth of superior athletes that let them dictate play. All of the wonderful chemistry, and ingenuity, and progress couldn't overcome a team that could just push them around man-for-man.
Great season, guys. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I even enjoyed watching the boys play their guts out tonight. I think Bob Stoops and his staff did a magnificent job with this group this year, and I have no doubt that they will have us right back in the thick of things next season with a team that will likely improve. I hope they know that even if they run into a similar roadblock next year, I'll be proud of the way they fight to represent my alma mater.
This also underlines my concern, however. This seems to be the new reality of this program. Oklahoma has almost no margin for error. Clemson spent the first half bogging down in the red zone, throwing the ball into coverage, and showing genuine confusion at some of Lincoln Riley's machinations. Oklahoma clung heroically to a one-point lead as a result. In the second half, a bigger, stronger football team mauled Oklahoma in a way that makes individual criticisms seem petty or agenda-driven.
Oklahoma did not have the talent to win if things were breaking against them. Or better yet, they didn't have the talent to stem the tide and reverse the momentum of the game. Once the attrition started figuring into the game, the superior talent of the Clemson bench really flexed it's muscle. Oklahoma needed to land big punches early, and then dance around it's opponent. Clemson, on the other hand, just needed to stay in the fight to eventually impose it's will. And in retrospect, it was an eventuality more than a probability.
The Sooners simply can't match up man-for-man, player 1 through player 85, against the elite programs anymore, because Oklahoma hasn't recruited at an elite level since realignment took effect. I don't want this to be another rant about realignment, so let's just say that regardless of the reason, Oklahoma doesn't recruit like a major program anymore. After booking 7 top-10 classes in the aughts, they haven't finished in that group since. Whatever the reason, be it conference affiliation, facilities, or lacking connections in Texas, Oklahoma will live in this reality until the recruiting ticks up again. There is an easier path to 11 wins and the conference championship in OU's current situation, it's true, but with a very limited ability to win in the playoffs.
I know it's an overreaction to a single game, but the talent disparity was startlingly evident from the beginning. I appreciate this team so much, and it's not that I can't recognize great individual talents at Oklahoma, but Clemson had a depth of superior athletes that let them dictate play. All of the wonderful chemistry, and ingenuity, and progress couldn't overcome a team that could just push them around man-for-man.
Great season, guys. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I even enjoyed watching the boys play their guts out tonight. I think Bob Stoops and his staff did a magnificent job with this group this year, and I have no doubt that they will have us right back in the thick of things next season with a team that will likely improve. I hope they know that even if they run into a similar roadblock next year, I'll be proud of the way they fight to represent my alma mater.
