Well, football sucks. Bring on BBall season!

[WaymanFan]

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 confess to being one of those people. The three best defenses OU has had in the Bob Stoops era are 2001, 2003, 2000 (I'll go with that order).

I will also confess to doing something for the very first time in my 40-something years as an OU football fan - I turned a game off while we were ahead because it was unwatchable to me. I said after the 2012 game against WVU that I will never sit through that crap again in my lifetime. When TTech trimmed the lead in the early 4th quarter to 51-45, I shut my TV off. I'll take a 7-3 game any day. We actually had a couple of those types of games in 2001 (think Arkansas in the Cotton bowl). At least with games like that, there is hope your defense can score for you (like against Texas in 2001). When there is no hope that your defense can even slow down the opponent (without the opponent's help), it doesn't make for an enjoyable game to watch.

 

[Sooner04]

I confess to being one of those people. The three best defenses OU has had in the Bob Stoops era are 2001, 2003, 2000 (I'll go with that order).

2009 was also a very good defense. Too bad it was Landry-fied by crippling interceptions.

I'm glad my off-handed comment about Rod Shoate was noticed. I love name dropping old Sooners. Youtube is a treasure trove of old game film and broadcasts, and I've been watching a few. You plug in games from '72 or film from '73 and '74 you'll notice Shoate flying off the screen. Just a missile.

Count me in the 7-3, 14-10 group. My favorite bi-annual college football viewing experience takes place in a couple of weeks: Alabamuh's annual trip to Baton Rouge. Rock-em Sock-em Robots for 60 minutes.....nothing like the pillow fight we witnessed in Lubbock Saturday night.

 

[AdaSooner]

The best game all day was ATM and Bama. While I was pulling for Trevor Knight to win, the outcome was never in doubt in the second half. Bama dominated in every phase of the game, especially on defense. The athleticism and speed I saw was head and shoulders better than the pathetic excuse for a defense I would witness later that day.

That's the difference in three straight years of signing the best recruiting class in the country, and, except for a handful of high-profile signees, settling for the leftovers. That's not the OU football program we all know and love.

I'll repeat what I said earlier. Something has to change. If Mike can't get the job done, Bob needs to hire someone who can.

 

[WTSooner]

LOL, talk about some fair weather fans. Good Lord.

 

[Stikboy]

The best game all day was ATM and Bama. While I was pulling for Trevor Knight to win, the outcome was never in doubt in the second half. Bama dominated in every phase of the game, especially on defense. The athleticism and speed I saw was head and shoulders better than the pathetic excuse for a defense I would witness later that day.

That's the difference in three straight years of signing the best recruiting class in the country, and, except for a handful of high-profile signees, settling for the leftovers. That's not the OU football program we all know and love.

I'll repeat what I said earlier. Something has to change. If Mike can't get the job done, Bob needs to hire someone who can.

Amen

 

[stormspencer]

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.

Great article on Shoate. I realize I'm over a decade and a half late, but I had no idea what had happened to him. Thanks for posting this.

 

[chuckb]

LOL, talk about some fair weather fans. Good Lord.

Don't think you know what that means.

 

[stormspencer]

LOL, talk about some fair weather fans. Good Lord.

WT, I hope you're being sarcastic. And if you are...then apologies in advance. We all love OU sports.....but if you can't see the failures and shortcomings of this defense as it relates to the upcoming difficulty of our schedule, then I don't know what to say. Hell, even Skyvue (who is an absolute eternal optimist) was somewhat critical of our play. I don't believe any of us are fair-weather fans; we are just deeply concerned about the direction (or lack thereof) on one side of the ball.

 

[sheepdogs1]

Don't think you know what that means.

Why do you believe he doesn't know how to deliver a joke?

 

[WTSooner]

Don't think you know what that means.

I do.

 

[SoonerSpock]

The game is changing. Last year Alabama beat Clemson in the CFP championship 45-40. That is 85 points in the championship game. A game that included the defensive genius of Brent Venables, Kirby Smart and Nick Saban. What we saw Saturday was not a scheme issue on OU's part. It was an efforts issue.

What we saw Saturday was the epitome of embarrassment for Bob, Mike and the players. I am inclined to concur with Teddy Lehman and his assessment that if the players would run to the football with their hair on fire and tackle the ball carriers many of their woes would be resolved. But they don't run and they don't tackle.

We know the primary defensive scheme the Sooners used to lead the conference in every major defensive statistic last year and took the Sooners to the CFP and is the same scheme WVU uses to lead the conference in defense this year. That indicates to me the problem probable is not X's and O's. We know that they have had a sizable number of injuries and we know that the coaching staff has tried multiple players to address weaknesses in the LB and secondary.

I think the biggest missing ingredient is the lack of player team leadership to set a fire under their peers and the defense is so absent of self confidence that their effort is a D-. Fixing the problem is obviously on Bob and Mike. We know it is not scheme as OU's scheme, WVU runs the same thing, was the best defense in the conference last year and WVU is this season.

I think Mike needs to go. Not because he doesn't know how to fix the problem but because he has lost the confidence of the players and of the fans. Even if he begins to turn things around no one is going to have the needed faith in him but Bob.

Bob should then hire a young aggressive DC that probably runs a multiple variation of the 3-3-5 scheme proven to be most successful against Big 12 offensives. They need better players capable of better effort that can run and tackle. They appear to have started that exodus to better players with Sooner Squad 17 but unless we can win out for the Big 12 championship with a bowl victory the impetus of this seasons apparent recruiting success will be lost.

Unfortunately we as fans are going to have to learn that a defense that holds conference opponents to the low 20's in scoring is actually playing outstanding defense. But first we must acquire the talent necessary to have the size, speed and strength to compete against top CFP quality teams while having the speed and quickness to defend against the Big 12 spread offenses. This is a multiple year recruiting process. Boomer Sooner!!! I will be at GFMS again on Satuday and again two more times this season, exasperated as usual unless I see great effort and quality tackling. These kids need to be embarrassed and they need to do something about it. Run to the ball and tackle.

A young coach with potential to replace Mike is Tosh Lupoi assistant DC at Alabama where they play primarily a 3 man defensive front with variations including 4 man fronts. He also is presently coaching outside linebackers as does Mike Stoops. He is considered a top recruiter, played high school ball at the top California high school De La Salle, graduated from California (2000-2005) and has coached at Cal (2007-11), Washington (2012-13) with the Pac 12 spread offenses and Alabama (2014-16). Hence he would have strong recruiting ties on the west coast where OU could expand on its recruiting efforts in California as well as many recruiting contacts in SEC country.

OU would have to pay him top dollar a million plus (not Oklahoma's style) like what they are presently paying Mike to get him to leave Bama but OU affords him the opportunity to be have his on defense at the young age of 34 plus gain experience coaching against spread offense that are the achilles heal of all defensive coaching schemes today.

 

[AdaSooner]

Well done, SoonerSpock! I enjoyed your spot on breakdown of the problems with our defense as well as the solutions. Not much there I don't agree with.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

The OU defense is very disappointing. What discourages me the most:

> The lack of effort (loafing) by defensive backs and certain “linebackers.”
> Poor tackling.
> The lack of playmakers on defense. Just one or two would be nice.
> Lack of player leadership on defense from the upperclassmen.

According to the recruiting services, help is on the way in the 2017 recruiting class. Lord knows that more competition and depth is needed. The lack of playmakers, subpar effort, and poor tackling is a reflection of the coaching and recruiting on defense.

*************************

Looking on the bright side (offense), the young offensive line seems to be developing into a very good unit. Here is a link to a related article in the Oklahoman:

http://newsok.com/offensive-line-continuity-fuels-sooners-success/article/5524132

In four conference games, the Sooners have started the same five on the offensive line: redshirt sophomore Orlando Brown, sophomore Ben Powers, redshirt senior Erick Wren, sophomore Dru Samia and redshirt freshman Bobby Evans. In those games, Oklahoma is averaging 247.25 rushing yards per game, up from 178 yards in non-conference play. Bedenbaugh even benched two veterans in favor of newer players. Junior Jonathan Alvarez never regained his starting spot after missing the TCU game with a lower body injury, and despite starting Saturday, Samia was replaced by redshirt sophomore Alex Dalton midway through the game.

Left Tackle
78 - Orlando Brown (R-Sophomore; 6-8; 340) .. Duluth, Georgia
73 - Quinn Mittermeier (R-Sophomore; 6-5; 272) .. Topeka, Kansas (Butler CC)

Left guard
72 - Ben Powers (Sophomore; 6-4; 315) .. Wichita, Kansas (Butler CC)
68 - Jonathan Alvarez (Junior; 6-3; 308) .. Mesquite, Texas
74 - Cody Ford (R-Freshman; 6-3; 332) .. Pineville, Louisiana (Starter that broke leg vs. tOSU)

Center
58 - Erick Wren (Senior; 6-2; 310) .. Mesquite, Texas (Arizona Western CC) .. Former Walk-On
63 - Alex Dalton (R-Sophomore; 6-3; 300) .. Troy Ohio

Right Guard
75 - Dru Samia (Sophomore; 6-4; 300) .. Sacramento, California
63 - Alex Dalton (R-Sophomore; 6-3; 300) .. Troy Ohio
67 - Ashton Julious (R-Junior; 6-5; 335) .. Florence, SC (Lackawanna CC, Pennsylvania)

Right tackle
71 - Bobby Evans (R-Freshman; 6-4; 308) .. Allen, Texas
75 - Dru Samia (Sophomore; 6-4; 305) .. Sacramento, California
70 - Christian Daimler (R-Junior; 6-7; 320) .. Houston, Texas

Other Offensive Linemen
76 - Sam Grant (R-Senior; 6-6; 290) .. North Royalton, Ohio
79 - Dwayne Orso-Bacchus (R-Sophomore; 6-5; 301) .. Birmingham, Alabama
55 - Logan Roberson (Freshman; 6-3; 333) .. Harrah, Oklahoma (Redshirting) t
77 - Erik Swenson (Freshman; 6-5; 305) .. Downers Grove, Illinois (Redshirting)

OU has commitments from 3 offensive linemen in the 2017 recruiting class:

http://oklahoma.247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/Commits

 

[chuckb]

I do.

Then you also know that you misused the term.