Football question

[BoulderSooner]

yeah...but it was illinois state with a full line that played together last year.

And blaylock looked good but wasn't spectacular by any means

fodje got the most snaps at RG (he wan't on the team last year) and Baklenko got the most snaps at LT (he was at stanford last year sexton played what 6 snaps)

 

[WichitaSooner]

fodje got the most snaps at RG (he wan't on the team last year) and Baklenko got the most snaps at LT (he was at stanford last year sexton played what 6 snaps)

But that's still pretty good continuity -- it's extremely rare for a team to have 5 guys back. When you have 3 or 4 returning guys who have not only played, but played together, you shouldn't struggle in game one against weak competition.

Thanks for replying to my question about Ott. This is when I would love for any one of the beat guys to press Brent to explain his usage Saturday. If it is about "saving him," since when do teams save healthy players who are being paid a lot of money to play? If it is because he missed practices, then why did guys at other positions get a lot of snaps despite also missing a lot of camp? And if you are, in fact, trying to keep him healthy, why give him one offensive series in the fourth quarter when the game was long since decided? I have heard lots of the podcasters talk about how bizarre it was, and all those guys have media credentials and get to attend pressers and the weekly interviews. I wish they would grow some stones and ask the questions.

 

[SoonerDutch]

Yeah, I don’t understand the roster decisions with RB and the messaging. It’s mindblowing.

But it’s a waste of time to want beat guys to hold them accountable IMO.

 

[cowboysooner]

Wichita, Brent answered your question last night on his monday night show. Ott missed most of fall camp and so they have held him out until he could get some practice reps and get fully health. People don't have to agree with it, but most coaches make players earn the right to play. They don't just play them because they are the best player. This is different with most coaches at the professional level as the players are fully mature and not being developed. But, in amateur sports, you try and develop a culture of hard work and most coaches think this is by making kids earn their opportunities. In the end, a kid has to perform in the game, but sometimes not starting a player or limiting his opportunities and giving them to another player, is just the motivation for the better player to work harder. People can differ on this issue, but that is what I have seen and heard a lot of coaches say. In short, if a kid misses a lot of practice time a lot of coaches are going to make him earn his way back onto the field. Especially, when the next game is an FCS school. My guess is Ott is at practice this week and will be a key figure against Texas.


BTW, anyone know what time the walk of champions will take place this week? Missed it last Saturday.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Wichita, Brent answered your question last night on his monday night show. Ott missed most of fall camp and so they have held him out until he could get some practice reps and get fully health. People don't have to agree with it, but most coaches make players earn the right to play. They don't just play them because they are the best player. This is different with most coaches at the professional level as the players are fully mature and not being developed. But, in amateur sports, you try and develop a culture of hard work and most coaches think this is by making kids earn their opportunities. In the end, a kid has to perform in the game, but sometimes not starting a player or limiting his opportunities and giving them to another player, is just the motivation for the better player to work harder. People can differ on this issue, but that is what I have seen and heard a lot of coaches say. In short, if a kid misses a lot of practice time a lot of coaches are going to make him earn his way back onto the field. Especially, when the next game is an FCS school. My guess is Ott is at practice this week and will be a key figure against Texas.


BTW, anyone know what time the walk of champions will take place this week? Missed it last Saturday.

Sexton started. Halton played a lot. Did they not also miss a fair amount of time in camp?

After hearing Brent today, I am more skeptical than ever that Ott will be the true lead back Saturday. His comments are eerily similar to last year’s comments about the receivers.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Wichita, Brent answered your question last night on his monday night show. Ott missed most of fall camp and so they have held him out until he could get some practice reps and get fully health. People don't have to agree with it, but most coaches make players earn the right to play. They don't just play them because they are the best player. This is different with most coaches at the professional level as the players are fully mature and not being developed. But, in amateur sports, you try and develop a culture of hard work and most coaches think this is by making kids earn their opportunities. In the end, a kid has to perform in the game, but sometimes not starting a player or limiting his opportunities and giving them to another player, is just the motivation for the better player to work harder. People can differ on this issue, but that is what I have seen and heard a lot of coaches say. In short, if a kid misses a lot of practice time a lot of coaches are going to make him earn his way back onto the field. Especially, when the next game is an FCS school. My guess is Ott is at practice this week and will be a key figure against Texas.


BTW, anyone know what time the walk of champions will take place this week? Missed it last Saturday.

This ain’t amateur sports anymore.

Play the best players or start job hunting. Especially if the missed practice was from injury.

 

[WichitaSooner]

This ain’t amateur sports anymore.

Play the best players or start job hunting. Especially if the missed practice was from injury.

And especially when the GM has spent the past several months explicitly saying that they are moving to an NFL model. Can you imagine the Eagles starting their worst RB and saying it’s a reward for his work in camp, and justifying it by saying that Barkley missed the first couple weeks of camp?

 

[BoulderSooner]

This ain’t amateur sports anymore.

Play the best players or start job hunting. Especially if the missed practice was from injury.

not in the equivalent of a preseason game

 

[WichitaSooner]

not in the equivalent of a preseason game

Again, show me any examples of other teams sitting their best players when they are healthy. Like I said, why play Mateer? Thomas? Go down the list. Ott is the only healthy player who was held out by the coaches, if you believe Gabe's assertion that the three offensive linemen essentially held themselves out of the game. Every P4 team plays at least a couple glorified scrimmages each season, and even before NIL, their starters at least play a few series. As I said this morning, if Ott plays and looks rusty and/or doesn't seem in synch with the line, I don't want anyone (not directing this at you, more at the fanboy media) making excusing about it being his first game for OU.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Again, show me any examples of other teams sitting their best players when they are healthy. Like I said, why play Mateer? Thomas? Go down the list. Ott is the only healthy player who was held out by the coaches, if you believe Gabe's assertion that the three offensive linemen essentially held themselves out of the game. Every P4 team plays at least a couple glorified scrimmages each season, and even before NIL, their starters at least play a few series. As I said this morning, if Ott plays and looks rusty and/or doesn't seem in synch with the line, I don't want anyone (not directing this at you, more at the fanboy media) making excusing about it being his first game for OU.

ott was not "held out" he was the kick returner and got a few snaps late at RB


and that is not what Gabe said at all ... ...

 

[WichitaSooner]

ott was not "held out" he was the kick returner and got a few snaps late at RB


and that is not what Gabe said at all ... ...

He absolutely said that. He called out the three O-linemen by name and said "you need to play." He then doubled down and said, "enough of this sitting out and taking your time stuff. You gotta play ball. Football players play football." He went on at length about how he played through a similar issue when he was returning from a concussion to what Simmons is dealing with, but pointed out that he did play. Also talked about how even though the heat issue with Fasusi was scary, he needs to be out there. Wrapped up that segment by saying again, "offensive linemen, if you can go, you gotta play."

 

[SoonerDutch]

If limiting Ott’s reps were done in a vacuum, I’d buy this much more but the history with DM is frustrating and the ongoing messaging from Venables/Arbuckle is doublespeak IMO.

I still think Ott plays and OU beats UM but defending this conduct seems impossible to me haha. I don’t blame anyone for thinking this is going to fall apart lol.

 

[WTSooner]

"Were gonna get out there and not pound and destroy Illinois state! We want to finesse them all game. Don't fire off the ball, ease it baby ease it. Then, next week will turn it up a notch."

Like it or not, we're going to be a lot more finesse on offense this year than some of you want.

I don't believe that will hold us back, but hasn't that always been the argument with an Air Raid offense, that the OL tends to not be dominant in the run game? We've heard it for years. I think they can overcome it in time, but with Arbuckle, still young, first year at OU, not a great OL last year, definitely going to be a better passing team.....yeah, I think the run game is going to be the aspect of the offense playing catch up.

And as long as they can pitch and catch it with a high level of success, I can deal with that. The run game is going to be a work-in-progress all season. WSU didn't run the ball with much success last year, other than when Mateer ran it. That wasn't a coincidence.

 

[WTSooner]

He absolutely said that. He called out the three O-linemen by name and said "you need to play." He then doubled down and said, "enough of this sitting out and taking your time stuff. You gotta play ball. Football players play football." He went on at length about how he played through a similar issue when he was returning from a concussion to what Simmons is dealing with, but pointed out that he did play. Also talked about how even though the heat issue with Fasusi was scary, he needs to be out there. Wrapped up that segment by saying again, "offensive linemen, if you can go, you gotta play."

You and Gabe make it sound like it's the player's choice.

It's not.

 

[WTSooner]

Pretty sure EPL redshirted last year. He's also a project. Late to start playing football, iirc.

And again, let's not act like the OL did nothing well. They did VERY well in pass blocking. And they did well enough in run blocking that Blaylock was running it fine before he got hurt.

 

[WTSooner]

Again, show me any examples of other teams sitting their best players when they are healthy. Like I said, why play Mateer? Thomas? Go down the list. Ott is the only healthy player who was held out by the coaches, if you believe Gabe's assertion that the three offensive linemen essentially held themselves out of the game. Every P4 team plays at least a couple glorified scrimmages each season, and even before NIL, their starters at least play a few series. As I said this morning, if Ott plays and looks rusty and/or doesn't seem in synch with the line, I don't want anyone (not directing this at you, more at the fanboy media) making excusing about it being his first game for OU.

I'd argue that we don't have a lot of data on what other teams are doing. I think you POSSIBLY sit guys because of the playoffs. Those extra games. Also due to the importance of the bigger games, and the number of bigger games. This isn't the Big 12. We can't get our best players hurt against a bad team, then just steamroll thru the next 3-4 games. The next 3-4 games in the SEC are a big deal, and those teams can all beat you. You need your best players healthy and available in the games that matter. In the games you need them to win.

How do you manage that? How does that change things? I don't know. Nobody probably does exactly. But I think it does change things. We heard tons of stories last year at OU and other schools about kids not playing in games they were healthy enough to play in. Or choosing to take a redshirt because they hadn't won the starting job, or because the team lost 2 of their first 3 games.

If you think Fasusi was cleared to play and chose not to, you don't know much about the kid. I'd argue the same is true of Simmons. He is a Senior and in a dog-fight for the starting RT spot, and you think he sat out the opener when he was cleared to play?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

You and Gabe make it sound like it's the player's choice.

It's not.

You don't know that

 

[WTSooner]

You don't know that

It's much more likely it's a coaching or training decision to keep them out, then the players.

Like I said, a couple of of those guys are fighting for a starting spot. Guys like that don't sit out games they are healthy enough to play. Simmons is a Senior. 1/12th of his season is gone. You really think he chose that? That ALL of them chose that? After the training staff held Fasusi out of practice for a week or more for heat exhaustion?

Complain that OU's training staff is too conservative. I'd likely believe that. But I don't believe that we had multiple players in fights for starting spots elect to sit out. In no world does that make sense.

 

[WichitaSooner]

It's much more likely it's a coaching or training decision to keep them out, then the players.

Like I said, a couple of of those guys are fighting for a starting spot. Guys like that don't sit out games they are healthy enough to play. Simmons is a Senior. 1/12th of his season is gone. You really think he chose that? That ALL of them chose that? After the training staff held Fasusi out of practice for a week or more for heat exhaustion?

Complain that OU's training staff is too conservative. I'd likely believe that. But I don't believe that we had multiple players in fights for starting spots elect to sit out. In no world does that make sense.

All I know is that in 5 years of listening to their pod, I’ve never heard Gabe directly call out players, by name, for not playing through something. And he was very clear in saying it was the players; he didn’t mention the medical staff or coaches.

You may be right that the staff wants to play it safe, too, especially after last year. But one of the reporters said Simmons cleared concussion protocol 10 days or more before the game. If so, then I have little doubt that if the player had been adamant that he wanted to play, he likely would have been able to talk his way into the lineup.

But getting back to Ott … it’s clear that he was healthy Saturday. You don’t put a guy back to return kicks, and give him a carry in the fourth quarter, if he isn’t healthy. Given that, I think it’s ridiculous to not allow him a meaningful opportunity to get his feet wet. He missed a fair amount of time last season, so why have Michigan be his first legit action as a running back in 10 months or however long? Give him 8-10 carries, then get him out of the game and play Blaylock and X. And put Barnes in as a “reward” late in the fourth quarter to ensure that our punt team will get work after a 3-and-out.

 

[IBSooner]

I’m just going into game super skeptical- PTSD and just wierd wierd comments about players playing. All the questions will be answered Saturday- run game has to get something going- dunno if Mateer will be able to win this game by himself