Football question

[WichitaSooner]

I’d take the over at 7.5 pretty easily, just because the team won 6 games last season with a generationally incompetent OC and some regression with injury luck.

That's fair. But we also have one losable noncon game this year. I know Tulane was decent last year, but Michigan is a more talented team, and also is used to playing big road games like this, so I feel like they will be more of a challenge.

 

[WTSooner]

Of course there was a "reasoning", even i wouldn't posit that bv threw darts at a board to choose him. It was a very moronic reason (and "influenced"/forced by JC), but, sure, it was a reason.. but it was malpractice to do it. We had the HOTTEST OC spot in the entire sport.. and we choose a retread/fired coach simply bc he played at OU and he was already at OU. Real trailblazers.

Uhh, no. Retread/fired coach? Maybe as a HC, but Littrell had a bunch of success as an OC. Developed some solid QB's in the process. He wasn't hired because he was already on the staff, he was on the staff because the plan was always to have him step in after Lebby. I challenge you to find anything suggesting Littrell wasn't a good OC when in that role prior to OU. He was very good.

BV obviously values continuity. Say what you want, but it's worked out on the defensive side of the ball with only one spot (Roof --> Alley --> Dreiling/Goodwin) will turning over since BV was hired. Less success on the offensive side, but still largely the same crew with Lebby and Littrell moving on, and now Arbuckle.

Coaches typically hire assistant coaches that they know. Are their exceptions? Sure. But those of you that constantly think OU should bring in complete unknown coaches and in some cases have them learn a system they aren't familiar with, that is a weird way of thinking. OU cannot run their program the same way Bama, or tOSU, or UGA, or texas does. We have different resources and strengths/weaknesses. Personally, I think continuity and guys that love the University and working for a guy like BV are a must. Had Littrell worked out, he'd likely have been here a very long time. That hiring shouldn't have gone as poorly as it did. A lot fed into that.

Littrell isn't a bad offensive coordinator, just like Josh Heupel wasn't when were was here either. Sometimes the fit and timing doesn't work.

 

[WTSooner]

That's fair. But we also have one losable noncon game this year. I know Tulane was decent last year, but Michigan is a more talented team, and also is used to playing big road games like this, so I feel like they will be more of a challenge.

What big road games?

This will be their first road game against an SEC team in their program's history.

They generally play a pretty weak OOC schedule, thus their roster's big road games would be playing @tOSU and @Penn State twice each over a 4 season stretch.

 

[WTSooner]

I have no inside sources so I have no idea what the truth is on those hirings, but Seth/Finley were disasters, and that was obvious even without the benefit of hindsight. And in general, I think the offensive staff has been bad since Brent was hired. I mean, I love DeMarco from his playing days, but think he has done a bad job coaching the RBs. Hell, most the time he doesn't even play the right guy. I am very interested to see how he handles the playing time this year. Barnes has been a below average back for three years. The next time he makes a defender miss or gets the extra yards that great backs get will be the first. Yet if history is a guide, Demarco will probably have him as the main backup to Ott to start the season mainly because he likes his pass blocking and/or doesn't trust the younger, more talented guys. That whole position is a mystery to me. Teddy and Gabe love Blaylock -- but they also loved Hicks for two summers and that guy barely got more snaps than I did in his OU career. And I rarely hear Robinson, let alone Tatum, mentioned. Tatum was supposed to be the next great back and at this rate, he will have more fumbles and blown assignments than highlights in his OU career. And Ott -- let's just say that I will only believe that he is fully healthy if he is in the starting lineup and getting the lion's share of the carries in the first half of the opener.

You should get out of your comfort some and read some other boards.

Tatum - Has not dedicated himself to football enough to move up the depth chart. Probably won't at this point, would be my guess. Not everybody works out. Not every talented player gets to college and wants to dedicate himself to what it takes to be a good college player.

Robinson - Has been banged up. Missed a bunch of time this Fall. I like him as a player but don't let ONE game (Bama last year) influence you on where he is as a player.

As for Barnes opening the season likely 2nd on the depth chart. Let it play out. Everything I've said says he is running the all well. He hasn't been healthy the past few years, but he's had some good games. Let's see what he looks like before we say where he should be on the depth chart.

Blaylock has to learn to do the other things well before you can play him a bunch. He has a lot to learn in terms of blocking and assignments. Running the ball isn't the only thing a RB has to do well to play.

 

[WTSooner]

I doubt it, but here's hoping (i bet he'd survive with a 7 win season even). I'm a big bv doubter bc why wouldn't I be at this point? He speaks nicely and says good things about leadership concepts.. but i don't think hes intelligent, hes not an organized, focused, good leader as a HC, and has done typical lazy incestuous football hires.. good luck.

please just go off instead and win us a ship and make me look dumb

Because there is a LOT to like about him as a HC. Namely that he is the best defensive coordinator in the game, so having him as a HC means you likely have a top 10 defense going forward. Culture is going to be huge at OU since we don't have texas or aTm money. And we don't have ten 5* recruits in our backyard. BV is building the type of team/roster/culture that I think it will take to keep OU as a winning program, consistently, over the next decade. Not every good coach could succeed here. He's shown he isn't afraid to make changes. Lebby was kind of pushed out. Littrell was fired during the season. Arbuckle was probably the hottest OC name this offseason, or definitely in the top 3. Alley wanted more automony and was told he could leave. OU was at the forefront of the GM movement, and that doesn't happen unless BV and his staff are on board. They players all love him. The offense was "good enough" his first two years, the defense was really good last year. It'll come together, this year I think.

Personally, I think you have to look really hard to not see a path to BV becoming a really good HC at OU.

 

[WTSooner]

I have been reading a series where The Athletic's draft experts have ranked the top 20 or more prospects at every position over the past couple weeks. OU has very few guys near the top of any of those lists, and at some positions, don't have any guys listed, period. I listen to the pods where all the OU media guys discuss position battles, and it feels like there are lots of spots where we have a few good-but-not-great guys battling for roles. I don't think that wins a lot of games in the SEC. You need studs -- guys who will be first or second round picks, and I still think we are quite a ways from that.

And I very much disagree on Brent. I think he is one of the worst in-game coaches I have seen. I am a Raiders fan, and last season was like a dark comedy for me each weekend, seeing whether Brent or Antonio Pierce would screw up more basic in-game decisions.

OU has PLENTY of talent.

We might be a little short on what is needed to regularly compete for the SEC title or a NC, but we have plenty of talent to win 9+ games, make the Playoffs, and be a tough game for anybody on our schedule.

 

[WichitaSooner]

And so it begins. Barnes listed as our starting RB. Which means (a) Brent has been lying about the severity of Ott's injury and none of the fan boy media members did any digging, and/or (b) DeMarco is truly clueless. Three years of Barnes is more than enough to realize that he is the very definition of mediocre.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Because there is a LOT to like about him as a HC. Namely that he is the best defensive coordinator in the game, so having him as a HC means you likely have a top 10 defense going forward. Culture is going to be huge at OU since we don't have texas or aTm money. And we don't have ten 5* recruits in our backyard. BV is building the type of team/roster/culture that I think it will take to keep OU as a winning program, consistently, over the next decade. Not every good coach could succeed here. He's shown he isn't afraid to make changes. Lebby was kind of pushed out. Littrell was fired during the season. Arbuckle was probably the hottest OC name this offseason, or definitely in the top 3. Alley wanted more automony and was told he could leave. OU was at the forefront of the GM movement, and that doesn't happen unless BV and his staff are on board. They players all love him. The offense was "good enough" his first two years, the defense was really good last year. It'll come together, this year I think.

Personally, I think you have to look really hard to not see a path to BV becoming a really good HC at OU.

What does culture mean? Is it just a word? Does it just mean guys wear suits and talk about "OU DNA" and the "soul mission" and brag about how tough the strength coach is? Or does/should it mean that you play with discipline, don't commit stupid penalties and turnovers, win close games because you are tough mentally and physically?

I have no idea if the players "all" love Venables. Frankly, I don't care about that. I would rather have a competent coach who some of the players think is a massive d%ck.

 

[TheMont]

And so it begins. Barnes listed as our starting RB. Which means (a) Brent has been lying about the severity of Ott's injury and none of the fan boy media members did any digging, and/or (b) DeMarco is truly clueless. Three years of Barnes is more than enough to realize that he is the very definition of mediocre.

Ott as 3rd string RB (with an OR!!) is concerning to me... a) because I've never understood DeMarco's RB "rotations" and b) because this is trigging for last year's WR room where guys had "minor" injuries (just like what's being reported about Ott) and are listed as questionable for weeks on end and then never see the field. I truly hope Ott is just being used lightly as a precaution for week 1 and he'll be a heavy part of our game plan against Michigan. He's good enough (when healthy obvs) to take this offense to the next level; DM better use him accordingly!

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I will lose it if Barnes is really rb1

 

[SoonerBounce13]

My prediction:

W-Illinois State
W-Michigan
W-Temple
W-Auburn
W-Kent State
L-UT
W-@USC
W-Ole Miss
L-@UT
L-@Bama
W-Mizzou
W-LSU

 

[WichitaSooner]

Ott as 3rd string RB (with an OR!!) is concerning to me... a) because I've never understood DeMarco's RB "rotations" and b) because this is trigging for last year's WR room where guys had "minor" injuries (just like what's being reported about Ott) and are listed as questionable for weeks on end and then never see the field. I truly hope Ott is just being used lightly as a precaution for week 1 and he'll be a heavy part of our game plan against Michigan. He's good enough (when healthy obvs) to take this offense to the next level; DM better use him accordingly!

You nailed it. I know all the insider and scoop guys are already saying not to worry, it is just because Ott and a couple others were "banged up," but I still think of Brent saying numerous times last season that the receivers were "close" and that they were "running around" at practice. I will believe it when I see it. Like I posted last week, football coaches are obsessive freaks when it comes to practice. They don't sit guys for a week or two if there isn't something significant going on.

Man I wish college football coaches would just grow up and realize that pro teams get by just fine even though they have to be transparent with injuries.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Ott is 3rd because he missed 2 weeks of camp that is it ..

I would bet a ton of money that he gets the most touches vs Michigan

 

[BoulderSooner]

i have OU at 10-2 I am drinking the hopium

 

[WichitaSooner]

Ott is 3rd because he missed 2 weeks of camp that is it ..

I would bet a ton of money that he gets the most touches vs Michigan

Ok, but how do you explain some of the others? We were lead to believe Eli and the two Gibsons were really the only guys with meaningful injuries. Well, how about Doleby, who some consider one of our best players when healthy? He isn't even listed, so obviously he isn't healthy, either.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Ott is 3rd because he missed 2 weeks of camp that is it ..

I would bet a ton of money that he gets the most touches vs Michigan

But Ott is listed as a starting kick returner...so that doesn't jive

I guess I'm just tired of DM giving guys carries just because they are team guys.
I don't care the Barnes has been a great teammate.
I care about the best players playing

 

[SoonerDutch]

Ott is 3rd because he missed 2 weeks of camp that is it ..

I would bet a ton of money that he gets the most touches vs Michigan

I sure hope so and I would buy that 100% if DM had been more consistent in rotation the last couple of years.

I default to competency but after 3 years of strange philosophy, benefit of doubt is not there any longer.

 

[WTSooner]

What does culture mean? Is it just a word? Does it just mean guys wear suits and talk about "OU DNA" and the "soul mission" and brag about how tough the strength coach is? Or does/should it mean that you play with discipline, don't commit stupid penalties and turnovers, win close games because you are tough mentally and physically?

I have no idea if the players "all" love Venables. Frankly, I don't care about that. I would rather have a competent coach who some of the players think is a massive d%ck.

Culture is actually caring about the players you play with and the coaches. It's about playing above your punching weight, as a group, because you play as a single unit. It's about passing up the NFL draft to come back for your Senior season. It's about taking less money to stay at OU then you could get Portaling out and going somewhere else. It's about not transferring out of the program after a tough year. It's about saying the right things. It's about not having off the field (legal) issues.

It's about all of the little things that help build a program when you can't just go buy players.

Sure, playing good football is a piece of that, but you assume BV has failed if the players don't execute. He still doesn't have a roster of just his players, though it's getting closer this year. If they fail on the field this year, I'll be very critical. But I don't think they are going to. Then what? What are you going to say then? That BV is finally doing what he's capable of? What he's paid to do? That you knew he "could" do it all along?

Several of you don't believe BV can turn it around. When he does, you don't get to say "well, he finally did it." You'll need to admit you were straight up wrong in your assessment.

 

[WTSooner]

You nailed it. I know all the insider and scoop guys are already saying not to worry, it is just because Ott and a couple others were "banged up," but I still think of Brent saying numerous times last season that the receivers were "close" and that they were "running around" at practice. I will believe it when I see it. Like I posted last week, football coaches are obsessive freaks when it comes to practice. They don't sit guys for a week or two if there isn't something significant going on.

Man I wish college football coaches would just grow up and realize that pro teams get by just fine even though they have to be transparent with injuries.

Do you really expect BV to be honest to the media and the fans about injuries? You think Nick Saban was out there giving detailed, accurate injury news on his players?

You don't have to like BV and what he's done at OU, but that's an unreasonable expectation.

 

[WTSooner]

My prediction:

W-Illinois State
W-Michigan
W-Temple
W-Auburn
W-Kent State
L-UT
W-@USC
W-Ole Miss
L-@UT
L-@Bama
W-Mizzou
W-LSU

Similar to mine.

I'm predicting 9-3. I think 10-2 and 8-4 are the other options. I'd be pretty surprised if we didn't finish with one of those three records.

I won't concede a single game on the schedule. That said, I'd predict the following losses:

Bama - Tough road game and they'll want revenge. That said, they do play LSU the week before.
texas/LSU - Two tough teams. Could see us losing one of these.
Tennessee/South Carolina - Two tough road games. Again, could see us losing one of these.