Football question

[WichitaSooner]

Is this your description of Avant? Like because he’s 5’10 or because you think he will have a small role on special teams?

It’s your prerogative to project out Hatton as lackluster under a new position coach based on Tatum not hitting his potential under a previous coach, but that seems pretty lazy to me.

I’m a little more bearish than most on the portal additions especially relative to other peer programs but OU was unlikely to get involved for Smothers or Brown who I guess are the most likely to meet your goal of a “high level D-1 guy.” Do you have specific alternatives?

Personally think OU will reap dividends in the run game with the TE room changes most, obviously recruiting at a higher clip but Hansen sounds like a competent blocker especially compared to recent disasters.

I don’t think a guy who ran for a few hundred yards at a lower level will be anything other than a depth running back. If our basketball team signed a transfer who averaged five points a game at a low or mid major program, I wouldn’t expect him to be a major piece, either. I’d guess you could probably set the O/U on his rushing yards this season at around 300 and be confident taking the under. I expect him to have a pretty big role on special teams from what it sounds like. But not as a RB.

As for alternatives, my point is that we apparently didn’t even try to make the position a priority, despite major injury and productivity issues the past three years. Improved blocking will help, but it won’t make our running backs any more talented.

 

[CoachTalk]

I don’t think a guy who ran for a few hundred yards at a lower level will be anything other than a depth running back. If our basketball team signed a transfer who averaged five points a game at a low or mid major program, I wouldn’t expect him to be a major piece, either. I’d guess you could probably set the O/U on his rushing yards this season at around 300 and be confident taking the under. I expect him to have a pretty big role on special teams from what it sounds like. But not as a RB.

As for alternatives, my point is that we apparently didn’t even try to make the position a priority, despite major injury and productivity issues the past three years. Improved blocking will help, but it won’t make our running backs any more talented.

You only have so much money to spend.

Hatton high end recruit.

You have Blaylock and X. Who both can be really good.

 

[WTSooner]

As for alternatives, my point is that we apparently didn’t even try to make the position a priority, despite major injury and productivity issues the past three years. Improved blocking will help, but it won’t make our running backs any more talented.

I think our staff has more confidence in our backs than you do. Time will tell who is right there.

But I also think we had bigger holes to fill and use our available NIL on.

We needed some help on DL (Thomas and the UTSA kid). We needed a starter-quality LB (Sullivan). We signed an OL with multiple of years of starting experience. We signed three TE's, including the kid from Tennessee who is pretty talented. We signed two starting WR's (Harris and Livingstone). Probably just not the appetite to go spend on RB too.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I think our staff has more confidence in our backs than you do. Time will tell who is right there.

But I also think we had bigger holes to fill and use our available NIL on.

We needed some help on DL (Thomas and the UTSA kid). We needed a starter-quality LB (Sullivan). We signed an OL with multiple of years of starting experience. We signed three TE's, including the kid from Tennessee who is pretty talented. We signed two starting WR's (Harris and Livingstone). Probably just not the appetite to go spend on RB too.

In my view, RB has been as big an issue as any for us for three years running. Since we were not going to bring in anyone to take Mateer's job, I would have made RB a huge priority and spent money there. I know it isn't easy to address all the needs we had -- our offense has been so bad that every position group needed massive upgrades. I just have a really, really bad feeling that when September rolls around, we will still lack a clear, number one RB, still struggle to run for more than 4 YPC, and still have lots of games where we have no depth because X and Blaylock are "banged up." And as for the freshmen, I hope this is no longer a thing with DeMarco thankfully gone, but I easily can envision hearing how great they look in practice, but "they aren't there yet as far as pass protection and knowing the offense."

 

[WTSooner]

In my view, RB has been as big an issue as any for us for three years running. Since we were not going to bring in anyone to take Mateer's job, I would have made RB a huge priority and spent money there. I know it isn't easy to address all the needs we had -- our offense has been so bad that every position group needed massive upgrades. I just have a really, really bad feeling that when September rolls around, we will still lack a clear, number one RB, still struggle to run for more than 4 YPC, and still have lots of games where we have no depth because X and Blaylock are "banged up." And as for the freshmen, I hope this is no longer a thing with DeMarco thankfully gone, but I easily can envision hearing how great they look in practice, but "they aren't there yet as far as pass protection and knowing the offense."

Like I said, let's see how the running game looks this year. Healthier backs. Better OL. Better TE's. More attention given to the scheme and being able to run effectively in the SEC. A new RB's coach.

Lots of reasons to think X and Blaylock can be good enough with those other changes.

 

[SoonerDutch]

I don’t think a guy who ran for a few hundred yards at a lower level will be anything other than a depth running back. If our basketball team signed a transfer who averaged five points a game at a low or mid major program, I wouldn’t expect him to be a major piece, either. I’d guess you could probably set the O/U on his rushing yards this season at around 300 and be confident taking the under. I expect him to have a pretty big role on special teams from what it sounds like. But not as a RB.

As for alternatives, my point is that we apparently didn’t even try to make the position a priority, despite major injury and productivity issues the past three years. Improved blocking will help, but it won’t make our running backs any more talented.

Sorry, I can only go off what you explicitly type. I appreciate the clarity. Yeah, I am expecting him to be OU’s third string running back. 300 yards seems reasonable for a third string guy although I’d probably take the under (because I think more highly of Hatton).

From a roster management perspective, that doesn’t seem unreasonable to me especially if Blaylock and Robinson are your primary guys. Not to mention Hatton. Again, I trust OU/broader recruiting services' evals over the thought that he is going to not get developed under a new coach because Tatum failed to meet expectations.

Again, I can only go off what you type and you originally said you were upset that OU “needed a proven, high level D1 guy.” So now it’s that OU didn’t make the position a “priority?” Sorry, what is your exact critique here?

Even if I was to consider Blaylock/Robinson as not talented (I don’t, they’re serviceable and think TB has upside IMO but don’t want to go down a rabbit hole with you), if we’re getting a bump in on-field production from scheme improvements in a more cost-effective way? It sounds like you think OU should have upgraded at QB and/or RB. With a high level, proven D1 guy? I imagine a lot of programs are hoping to do that as well, just not as cost-effective.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Sorry, I can only go off what you explicitly type. I appreciate the clarity. Yeah, I am expecting him to be OU’s third string running back. 300 yards seems reasonable for a third string guy although I’d probably take the under (because I think more highly of Hatton).

From a roster management perspective, that doesn’t seem unreasonable to me especially if Blaylock and Robinson are your primary guys. Not to mention Hatton. Again, I trust OU/broader recruiting services' evals over the thought that he is going to not get developed under a new coach because Tatum failed to meet expectations.

Again, I can only go off what you type and you originally said you were upset that OU “needed a proven, high level D1 guy.” So now it’s that OU didn’t make the position a “priority?” Sorry, what is your exact critique here?

Even if I was to consider Blaylock/Robinson as not talented (I don’t, they’re serviceable and think TB has upside IMO but don’t want to go down a rabbit hole with you), if we’re getting a bump in on-field production from scheme improvements in a more cost-effective way? It sounds like you think OU should have upgraded at QB and/or RB. With a high level, proven D1 guy? I imagine a lot of programs are hoping to do that as well, just not as cost-effective.

Ok, I will make it as explicit as possible: we should have signed a transfer running back to come in and be our starter. We need someone better than X or Blaylock. I would not count on/assume/hope/pray that either of those guys will suddenly be healthier or better, especially with the knowledge that Blaylock is going to miss the entire spring and that both of them were hurt for most of last season. Am I glad we may finally have a TE who can block? Sure. But do I think that, and a transfer O lineman who may start, will all of a sudden make us a great running team? No chance. I honestly don't know how this is even a controversial take. We were something like 100th nationally in rushing. Our own head coach, who so many people adore, said recently that our running game was terrible (can't recall if the exact word was terrible or awful or pathetic, but it was along those lines).

We don't need "serviceable backs." This has been said many times on this board and on podcasts and TV, but it is true: if you watch games throughout the country any given week, you will see tons of RBs making big plays. OU, of all places, knows all about guys like that. We have had a bunch of them. But we haven't for three years now.

 

[Eielson]

The most talented guy we have had since Gray left is Ott.

Some posters on here are truly helpless.

 

[SoonerDutch]

Ok, I will make it as explicit as possible: we should have signed a transfer running back to come in and be our starter. We need someone better than X or Blaylock. I would not count on/assume/hope/pray that either of those guys will suddenly be healthier or better, especially with the knowledge that Blaylock is going to miss the entire spring and that both of them were hurt for most of last season. Am I glad we may finally have a TE who can block? Sure. But do I think that, and a transfer O lineman who may start, will all of a sudden make us a great running team? No chance. I honestly don't know how this is even a controversial take. We were something like 100th nationally in rushing. Our own head coach, who so many people adore, said recently that our running game was terrible (can't recall if the exact word was terrible or awful or pathetic, but it was along those lines).

We don't need "serviceable backs." This has been said many times on this board and on podcasts and TV, but it is true: if you watch games throughout the country any given week, you will see tons of RBs making big plays. OU, of all places, knows all about guys like that. We have had a bunch of them. But we haven't for three years now.

Like I said, ok to disagree & want to hear pushback on different aspects but just want to be sure I understand specific critiques. I think the optimistic case is a significant step up at TE (JJF and that room are generationally bad, i don’t think that can be overstated) in terms of blocking prowess and improvement at OL with maturation/development not just a “transfer O lineman who may start.” Pretty high on Fodje and Fasusi. I don’t think it’s controversial to expect an improvement based on that?

If your alternative is “get a top three portal RB or upgrade at QB,” I’d love to do that too. I imagine the coaching staff likely considered as well.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Like I said, ok to disagree & want to hear pushback on different aspects but just want to be sure I understand specific critiques. I think the optimistic case is a significant step up at TE (JJF and that room are generationally bad, i don’t think that can be overstated) in terms of blocking prowess and improvement at OL with maturation/development not just a “transfer O lineman who may start.” Pretty high on Fodje and Fasusi. I don’t think it’s controversial to expect an improvement based on that?

If your alternative is “get a top three portal RB or upgrade at QB,” I’d love to do that too. I imagine the coaching staff likely considered as well.

I honestly don’t think they did consider it. There were always posts about receivers and TEs and defensive players they were looking at, but I never heard any reports they looked seriously for any RBs. Which seems strange to me.

 

[Eielson]

Like I said, ok to disagree & want to hear pushback on different aspects but just want to be sure I understand specific critiques. I think the optimistic case is a significant step up at TE (JJF and that room are generationally bad, i don’t think that can be overstated) in terms of blocking prowess and improvement at OL with maturation/development not just a “transfer O lineman who may start.” Pretty high on Fodje and Fasusi. I don’t think it’s controversial to expect an improvement based on that?

If your alternative is “get a top three portal RB or upgrade at QB,” I’d love to do that too. I imagine the coaching staff likely considered as well.

It's amazing that in one post he can praise Ott's talent. In the next post states that a talented RB will fix it. All while said RB ran for a total of 68 yards.

The run game involves 11 players at a time, with contributions from multiple coaches. We improved at nearly every position, and likely didn’t backside anywhere except for Burks, who was severely underutilized due to our QB throwing like his hand was broken anyway. I don't think a serious conversation can be had with somebody who thinks the RB is all that matters to the run game. It's such an elementary concept that if somebody doesn't grasp it, they simply don't want to.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I honestly don’t think they did consider it. There were always posts about receivers and TEs and defensive players they were looking at, but I never heard any reports they looked seriously for any RBs. Which seems strange to me.

because those in the building don't think it is a big need ..

 

[SoonerDutch]

I honestly don’t think they did consider it. There were always posts about receivers and TEs and defensive players they were looking at, but I never heard any reports they looked seriously for any RBs. Which seems strange to me.

OU did get a running back, just one that you’re not high on. You don’t think OU scouted Brown/Smothers (just using the high profile portal RBs not exhaustive) or other QB options? Why? Because they weren’t in on those guys at the $ values that UT was at? No news reports from On3?

As opposed to what I think you’re implying if I am understanding correctly, I think it’s way more likely that the OU coaching staff is higher on the guys they have at RB/QB and they feel they could get better value at other positions (in $ terms and relative to what’s available). So they came to different conclusions.

 

[SoonerDutch]

It's amazing that in one post he can praise Ott's talent. In the next post states that a talented RB will fix it. All while said RB ran for a total of 68 yards.

The run game involves 11 players at a time, with contributions from multiple coaches. We improved at nearly every position, and likely didn’t backside anywhere except for Burks, who was severely underutilized due to our QB throwing like his hand was broken anyway. I don't think a serious conversation can be had with somebody who thinks the RB is all that matters to the run game. It's such an elementary concept that if somebody doesn't grasp it, they simply don't want to.

Yeah, I think OU did a great job in the portal considering the resource constraints that get thrown around for them.

Would prefer Smothers over Blaylock or especially Robinson but I assume it’s not financially feasible more than an eval (although I’d admit I’m not making an eval lol). Getting above average blocking at TE has to be WAY more cost effective.

 

[The_Banker]

 

[Eielson]

Yeah, I think OU did a great job in the portal considering the resource constraints that get thrown around for them.

Would prefer Smothers over Blaylock or especially Robinson but I assume it’s not financially feasible more than an eval (although I’d admit I’m not making an eval lol). Getting above average blocking at TE has to be WAY more cost effective.

I'll reserve judgement at this time, but the chances that Smothers would have fixed our run game last year round to 0.

As Wichita stated, he's clearly not as talented as Ott!!

 

[hoopsaustin]

The most talented guy we have had since Gray left is Ott.

You're high. XRob might be a day 1 but prolly more likely a day 2, pick

 

[hoopsaustin]

I don’t think a guy who ran for a few hundred yards at a lower level will be anything other than a depth running back. If our basketball team signed a transfer who averaged five points a game at a low or mid major program, I wouldn’t expect him to be a major piece, either. I’d guess you could probably set the O/U on his rushing yards this season at around 300 and be confident taking the under. I expect him to have a pretty big role on special teams from what it sounds like. But not as a RB.

As for alternatives, my point is that we apparently didn’t even try to make the position a priority, despite major injury and productivity issues the past three years. Improved blocking will help, but it won’t make our running backs any more talented.

Dominique Waley was a NAIA RB at Langston before he walked on at OU and stole the starting role before his leg exploded vs KU. He was such a hard runner. We don't know anything about what these guys are gonna do yet. Stranger things have happened.

I'm much more bearish about out pathetic WR room which I get to hear every year is so talented and loaded and then they are straight bums