So he is leaving OU for the same position at WVU. Thats a step backwards, going from a SEC team to a Big 12 team. Does this mean he believes that OU cant improve on the 6-6 record for next year and BV will be let go? Why else take a lateral move?
Zac Alley
- Thread starter coeSooner81
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Oh well, it's not like he was going to have a long future at OU after BV and co. are sh1t-canned after next season.
Venables has an opportunity to replace Alley with a coach of similar or better ability. Because he’s a defensive coach, maybe he will.
At this point I really don't have any faith in BV to make good decisions in anything related to football. He'll probably go after Grinch
I could see him just promoting another one of his pet projects in Skalski to coach LB's, and BV himself will go back to calling Defenses.
I think this is the most important decision that BV will make.. It's interesting to me that he just hire a 29-year-old OC, when he had to live with the inexperience of his 2024 DC. My guess is that Alley wanted to be a little closer to the roots in his life, that WV offered him more money, but mostly because there's something wrong with the heart of our program. We seem to have the largest group of outgoing portal guys. And we're likely to be as bad next season as we were this season. And if BV is sent packing, the coaches on the staff will all be looking for new jobs. Alley's perception by others is probably higher than it will ever be, so leaving right now might be a smart move. It's a safer move.
My guess is that he wants more freedom to run HIS defense, than to oversee BV's defense, which is similar to his, but not identical. And getting out of the SEC, will give him at this point in his career and his life, to be more successful. If he didn't want to be here, I'm glad he's gone. But unless BV knew in any way that this was coming, that he was less prepared for this, than any hire of his, ever. And he better get this right. The future perception of OU in the SEC depends on it.
My guess is that he wants more freedom to run HIS defense, than to oversee BV's defense, which is similar to his, but not identical. And getting out of the SEC, will give him at this point in his career and his life, to be more successful. If he didn't want to be here, I'm glad he's gone. But unless BV knew in any way that this was coming, that he was less prepared for this, than any hire of his, ever. And he better get this right. The future perception of OU in the SEC depends on it.
I really think Oklahoma has to really open up the check book in the portal and DC position. It's extremely frustrating that Oklahoma can't seem to get all the pieces of the puzzle together. We go from great offense and mediocre defense. This year good Defense and,well an offense that's bipolar
Anyone else worried about the Linebackers for next year. Not only do we not have a coach, the depth is thin. Kanak, McKenzie and Lewis will be the upper classroom of the group. Then Oshamingo, Heinke, Nesta and Carlson who is a walkon. We only took one LB in the last class and doesnt look like we attempted to bring anyone in from the portal. Without Stutsman this may be the weakest position on defense next year.
I think this is highly probable. In essence, I read Zac's leaving as a vote of no confidence in the future of the staff so he left for job security reasons and I doubt anyone external to current staff or outside of BV's sphere is jumping at the chance to join a lame duck coaching staff.
So Dabo is making a change at DC since Texas ran it down his throat. A "Buddy Hire" will bring Goodwin to OU as DC.
Texas, NU, ND, Ala, Tn, Mich, USC and of course OU in the 90s had some periods of 5-8 year droughts of mediocricy. I think thats what we as fans better get ready for again. We can only hope its not a 9 year drought of not winning a bowl game like it was for NU.
I just dont see this current staff ever winning more than 8 games or sniffing the playoffs. I think OU is more likely over the next 5 years if this staff stays in place to be constantly 6-6 or 7-5 at best. I just have no faith BV is the right man for OU.
I truely hope I have to eat crow on this.
I just dont see this current staff ever winning more than 8 games or sniffing the playoffs. I think OU is more likely over the next 5 years if this staff stays in place to be constantly 6-6 or 7-5 at best. I just have no faith BV is the right man for OU.
I truely hope I have to eat crow on this.
If we can flip the script and the offense is on the field more than the defense, I think they can reach 8-9 wins plus a bowl win.
Alley is leaving for better job security which OU can’t provide given Venables being on the hot seat next year.
I think Alley should have stayed at OU at least another season regardless of what happens with V. We have a lot of kids on D coming back next season and should be good on that side of the ball again. He could then probably find a better job than WV.
Agree Plaino...
In addition, the threshold for success of a DC in the Big 12 is nothing close to what it is in the SEC...
So Dabo just fired his DC, I am sure BV is on the phone with him now. Question is do we want someone who was just fired? Texas ran all over that defense. If he does come to OU hopefully he will bring LB sammy Brown with him. Brown visited OU and was heavily recruited by BV.
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It did and OU also beat Texas, who suffered its only loss of the regular season in that game.
I believe if Gabriel had played against Arizona, OU’s chances would have significantly better as Arnold there 3 picks and a fumble in that game.
I was talking about going forward. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong about what I stated in regard to BV.
Make all the excuses you want about this past year but the fact are BV failed this team with terrible hires and some very bad in game management.
With a very easy schedule yes but cocked it all up after the texass momentum. Fast forward to now and here we are.
Venables has made mistakes in hiring and game management, and the Navy loss was inexcusable.
And Venables is (and should be) on the hot seat. Even for me, he's getting harder to defend.
But the injuries, defections and a patchwork offensive line, along with the most difficult schedule in OU history are facts, not excuses.
Not sure the next DC will be and really dont think it matters. BV is going to run his defense. The most important hire is a really good LB coach. Our LB group is really athletic, but lacks discipline. McKenzie, Lewis, and even Kanak have to be really good next year. They have all been in the system for 3 years now, and should know the system frontward and backward. Stutsman was the backbone of this defense and will be hard to replace.
The injury epidemic was not BV's fault, except in the eyes of some OU fans.
That could be part of the problem. How many former DC's have had success trying to micromanage the defense after becoming head coach, while being mostly oblivious to everything else that is going on? Bob Stoops was a DC at Florida, and he correctly recognized the role of a head coach is to be more of a CEO than trying to micromanage responsibilities that he used to have as a DC. For a more recent example, see Dan Lanning at Oregon.
I never said the injury issues was his fault and I don't see many OU fans I know blame that on him. It is the other issues that you seem to be blind about. I think most fans are aware of this. Some fans refuse to ackowledge that this just may not have the been right hire. Next year will tell our fanbase if it was or not. As I said I hope I have to eat crow and will admit I was wrong, something I have never seen you capable of doing.
We will just have to agree to disagree on this. The lack of direction on offense cost this team just as much as the injuries did. As LV stated earlier, if the offense had just been average this team wins a few more games. Now we get to see if Arbuckle and Mateer can take this offense to at least average in 2025. Don't get me wrong, injuries do play a part but you also have to have coaches who are capable of overcoming those issues to at least make the offense respectable.
The talent level or lack thereof made the offense ineffective, as well as poor play calling and the inability to improve as the season went along.
I do put some of the blame on the coaches as much as I do injuries and Arnold’s poor play and the very tough schedule.
You have to know that the many failures on this 2024 team were coming from many directions. As I have said, it was the “perfect storm” that hit this team.
I am with you. Regardless of injuries, how many positions can we name that made improvements over the year? The offensive line gelled after the season was lost. I am not seeing anyone rising to the occasion outside of Xavier and that was really just one game. At some point, it is on the players, but across the entire offensive side of the ball? That is on the coaches.
I’ve wondered how this team in 2024 would have succeeded if Nick Saban had been named head coach before the 2024 season.
Would his genius overcome injuries to the receiving corps, the poor play of the offensive line, Arnold not being the stud we expected him to be and the brutal schedule?
This is not to excuse Venables, but only to speculate if Saban (or any coach) could have done better with all that went wrong.
Would his genius overcome injuries to the receiving corps, the poor play of the offensive line, Arnold not being the stud we expected him to be and the brutal schedule?
This is not to excuse Venables, but only to speculate if Saban (or any coach) could have done better with all that went wrong.
Just pure speculation here but I would venture to say Saben produces 2 more wins at the least and doesnt lose to Navy.
If he got hired on July 1, 2024, Saban probably would have fired Seth Littrell on July 2 and brought in an offensive coordinator who hadn't been fired at his previous school.
Then what would he do about the injuries to the receiving corps, a weak offensive line and Arnold’s regression?
I mean no disrespect here but…
1. How do we know those injuries would have happened under someone else?
2. Saben if he had been hired, would have been here long before June and would have likely brought in his own staff and some players that would have followed him to hell and back.
3. Doubt the OL would have been in shambles.
4. I would almost 100% say Arnold would have advanced under a Saben led staff. If he didn’t you can guarantee he would have started the QB who did.
Just saying ……
