Well, football sucks. Bring on BBall season!

[stormspencer]

Who was the last dominating linebacker we had. I think that is at least part of the reason for our terrible third down failures on D.

IMO, Jordan Evans is the worst starting LB of the Stoops' era. He absolutely does not fit the scheme that are trying to employ. It wouldn't break my heart if he, Ahmad Thomas or Will Johnson were very limited in the amount of time they see on the field the rest of the year. I think our defense would get better automatically simply with the "addition by subtraction" concept when it comes to those three.

 

[stormspencer]

I couldn't agree more!

I also have a feeling of helplessness about our defense unlike anything in my recent memory. With few exceptions, outside of perhaps our defensive line, our defense appeared to be lost at times, out of position more often than not, and completely overmatched by Tech's skill players.

I am at a loss to understand how our defensive secondary could allow TTU's receivers to be wide open time after time the entire game? Some say its a lack of talent, some say it's coaching. I think the answer may be a combination of the two. But, even if it's a deficiency in talent, the blame falls squarely on the coaching staff, more specifically on Mike Stoops.

One thing is clear, our coaches have to do a better job of evaluating and bringing in talent on defense. That's on Mike, and to a great extent on his brother who seems to struggle with cutting his losses when it comes to making a decision that affects a family member or close friend.

Nailed it. A change of philosophy on the defensive side of the ball MUST take place this off-season. I don't think Mike Stoops is a bad coach, but his schemes are failing miserably this season. And his refusal to evolve or attempt variances of his scheme will be his downfall. Whether it is a talent issue, over-complicating things, or a combination of both....he has proven that he can't put the players in the best position to be successful. And that may be the most important aspect of game-planning as a coach.

 

[thebigabd]

Awesome game... love shootouts.

 

[chuckb]

That was the worst football game I've ever watched from start to finish that involved the University of Oklahoma. I've never felt this way after a win. Just disgusted.

We played one a few years ago at West Virginia where Tavon Austin went off for about 500 yards and OU won. I shouldn't feel nauseous after watching my team win but those 2 games -- the W. VA game and last night's - were just awful to watch.

 

[usedtobe1]

Last night's game left me more depressed about the team than any win I've ever watched. I felt like it was a loss. The defense is a hot mess. Honestly, Mike needs to do his brother a favor and take himself out. Maybe they've already discussed it privately.

 

[NickZepp]

Mike Stoops for all of his career as a defensive coach before his return to OU was a 4-3 variant basically Tampa 2 guy. Now OU's switched to a 3-4 variant and he can't run it. Not to mention talent probably isn't here to run that system after 3 years.

OU needs to simplify it's defense and not worry about scheme. Just put players in a cover 2 and work on it's young talent.

 

[sdcloud9]

The 3-4 is the perfect defense for the Big 12 but OU doesn't have one coach that's coached it. Plus, the players were recruited for the 4-3, they are caught in-between.

It's putting a round peg in a square hole.

 

[thebigabd]

Oddly enough, WVU's defense is pretty impressive and they run a 3-3-5, which I think is ideal for a spread league like the Big 12. You can blitz a lot, load the box, put a ton of speed on the field, etc with this setup.

• Held KSU to 16 points... KSU averages 31
• Held Texas Tech to 17 points (in Lubbock).... Tech averages 48 ppg
• Held TCU to 10 points.... TCU averages 40 ppg

 

[NickZepp]

Oddly enough, WVU's defense is pretty impressive and they run a 3-3-5, which I think is ideal for a spread league like the Big 12. You can blitz a lot, load the box, put a ton of speed on the field, etc with this setup.

• Held KSU to 16 points... KSU averages 31
• Held Texas Tech to 17 points (in Lubbock).... Tech averages 48 ppg
• Held TCU to 10 points.... TCU averages 40 ppg

OU lacks coaches knowing about the 3-3-5 defense.

 

[kjack151]

The OP didn't say he was giving up on the football team. He was expressing his disappointment in the season so far. I'm right there with him. Anyone who pretends to be satisfied with OU's performance through two of the first three games is only fooling themselves. I'm not the least bit happy about, and I'm not too proud to admit it!

When was the last time an OU football team gave up 45 points on their own field? That's like allowing a stranger to come onto your front lawn and kick your dog, after insulting your wife and slapping your teenage daughter.

I would be lying if I said losing to Houston and then to Ohio State at home when we were never in either game in the second half didn't have me plenty upset! Most OU football fans, including me, are accustomed to expecting more.

Does that mean I am giving up on the season? Of course not. I'll be glued to the tube for every game until the final horn sounds on the season. I simply have to resign myself to the fact that we're not playing for a national championship anymore. Yes, we're still playing for a conference title and an invite to a bowl game. But, that's a hard pill for me to swallow three games into the season!

I'm right there with you! Those are my feelings exactly!

 

[Sooner04]

We played one a few years ago at West Virginia where Tavon Austin went off for about 500 yards and OU won. I shouldn't feel nauseous after watching my team win but those 2 games -- the W. VA game and last night's - were just awful to watch.

Before Saturday night, the WVU game from 2012 in Morgantown was the gold standard. I remember talking to my grandfather a day or two later and he said, by the end, something along the lines of "it got to a point where I didn't give a **** if we won or lost." I thought that was pretty profound for a guy who has been with the Sooners since Tom Stidham.

I think I reached that point halfway through the third quarter. What a miserable viewing experience.

Where have you gone, Rod Shoate?

:eddie187_jpg_xs:

 

[SoonerBounce13]

That was the worst football game I've ever watched from start to finish that involved the University of Oklahoma. I've never felt this way after a win. Just disgusted.

It was brutal. Feels worse than the texas win a couple years ago where we were outplayed but held on to win

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Tech threw the ball downfield much more than normal. Blitzing Mahomes would have likely led to quicker/shorter passing routes, routes which would have been run in front of the defense as opposed to behind it. How it could have been worse escapes me.

I don't understand why Mike refuses to bring more pressure. I'm guessing b/c we get good pressure with just our front 3 or 4. but man, our secondary can not stay with their guys long enough. You have to put more pressure on these qbs

 

[Smash Williams]

I remember talking to my grandfather a day or two later and he said, by the end, something along the lines of "it got to a point where I didn't give a **** if we won or lost."

That's exactly how I felt by the time the game approached it's fourth hour. I just wanted someone to run the clock out.

I wasn't mad about the defense. After a while, I just got bored.

 

[AdaSooner]

I don't understand why Mike refuses to bring more pressure. I'm guessing b/c we get good pressure with just our front 3 or 4. but man, our secondary can not stay with their guys long enough. You have to put more pressure on these qbs

It's possible Mike is not the coach we thought he was after OU beat FSU for the national title in 2000. We all knew Venables was the best recruiter. Most assumed Mike was the best coach. Arizona certainly did, they hired him as their head coach, only to fire him a few years later when he failed to produce results with his own players.

The rest is history. Mike returned to OU. Brent left to take the DC job at Clemson. I think we know now that Venables could do more than recruit. He was also the best coach.

 

[skyvue]

It's possible Mike is not the coach we thought he was after OU beat FSU for the national title in 2000. We all knew Venables was the best recruiter. Most assumed Mike was the best coach. Arizona certainly did, they hired him as their head coach, only to fire him a few years later when he failed to produce results with his own players.

The rest is history. Mike returned to OU. Brent left to take the DC job at Clemson. I think we know now that Venables could do more than recruit. He was also the best coach.

Fans were screaming for Venables to be fired, though, and for Coach Mike to be brought back. "We need his fire," they insisted, "His passion!"

I posted several times on the Hale board at the time that they should be careful what they wished for: Mike was successful in a VERY different time in the conference; the Big 12 he was returning to resembled that one not at all, and I was skeptical all along that he would succeed if he was brought back.

Someone asked on the Hale board this weekend if we'd prefer a 7-3 game to Saturday's offensive flood and the consensus was undeniably YES! But if we won a series of low-scoring games like that despite ineptitude on offense, I'm not sure most fans would be any happier than we are now. They'd just be calling for the OC's head rather than the DC's.

I didn't get to see the game live on Saturday -- I was following the score on my phone with dismay and disbelief -- so it was perhaps easier for me (I did some serious fast-forwarding when I finally got to watch the game yesterday afternoon). But I expected us to have trouble in Lubbock. Tech is a top five offense (and we are decidedly not a top five defense), and with the late kickoff and the hatred the tortilla-tossers have for OU (and for Baker), I feared the worst going into the game. So I was just glad we won. But again, I didn't get to (perhaps "have to" is more accurate) watch it live, so it's easier for me to say that.

 

[AdaSooner]

Sky, I remember the cry for Brent's head back then, as well as the call to bring Mike back. That's one of the reasons I pointed out that most assumed Mike was the best coach.

I don't rule out the possibility that losing Brent as a recruiter had a bigger impact on our defense than we realized at the time. Bigger, perhaps, than giving the job to Mike. Seems obvious to me that our talent level and our depth on defense, especially in the secondary, has taken a serious hit the past few years.

The only thing I know for sure is that what we witnessed in Lubbock on Saturday was not the kind of defense we have become accustomed to over the years. Something needs to change. If that means Bob needs to make a tough decision about his brother, so be it.

 

[tycat947]

Fans were screaming for Venables to be fired, though, and for Coach Mike to be brought back. "We need his fire," they insisted, "His passion!"

I posted several times on the Hale board at the time that they should be careful what they wished for: Mike was successful in a VERY different time in the conference; the Big 12 he was returning to resembled that one not at all, and I was skeptical all along that he would succeed if he was brought back.

Someone asked on the Hale board this weekend if we'd prefer a 7-3 game to Saturday's offensive flood and the consensus was undeniably YES! But if we won a series of low-scoring games like that despite ineptitude on offense, I'm not sure most fans would be any happier than we are now. They'd just be calling for the OC's head rather than the DC's.

I didn't get to see the game live on Saturday -- I was following the score on my phone with dismay and disbelief -- so it was perhaps easier for me (I did some serious fast-forwarding when I finally got to watch the game yesterday afternoon). But I expected us to have trouble in Lubbock. Tech is a top five offense (and we are decidedly not a top five defense), and with the late kickoff and the hatred the tortilla-tossers have for OU (and for Baker), I feared the worst going into the game. So I was just glad we won. But again, I didn't get to (perhaps "have to" is more accurate) watch it live, so it's easier for me to say that.

+1

 

[Swans]

Before Saturday night, the WVU game from 2012 in Morgantown was the gold standard. I remember talking to my grandfather a day or two later and he said, by the end, something along the lines of "it got to a point where I didn't give a **** if we won or lost." I thought that was pretty profound for a guy who has been with the Sooners since Tom Stidham.

I think I reached that point halfway through the third quarter. What a miserable viewing experience.

Where have you gone, Rod Shoate?

:eddie187_jpg_xs:

I remember him as a student in 1977. He and Jerry Anderson were in a class with my wife. Both were in the NFL at the time but had come back to school during spring semester to continue work on their degrees. She said he struggled mightily but wanted get his degree. Don't know if he ever did. Both lives ended tragically......Jerry was a true hero.

http://newsok.com/article/2673242

A good read.

 

[Larry72]

I was in school when Rod Shoate was terrorizing any and every one. I used to play pick up basketball with some of the football players in the field house (Jan - Feb) A lot of the football players were afraid of Rod on the court.