Sooners vs Longhorns

[ou48A]

Everyone was expecting this game to be competitive.

Not me…

I didn’t expect the margin to be as great but I did expect to see a comfortable OU win.

Why…. Texas is a fundamentally unsound football team in several ways. They are also soft and not very well motivated or well coached. They had just played in 2 previous emotional games that were close but against teams that are not anywhere as physical as OU.
They were well set up to take a butt kicking.

[bluedogok]

jason white is the most overrated qb in college football history ...

Not even close. Geno Smith alone beats him out.

Gino Torretta and Chris Weinke say hi

[dankrutka]

I agree with everything you said, OU48A. This group of WRs is really special and, unless someone like Stills leaves early (very unlikely), they should be even better next year with the possible addition of Courtney Gardner. The depth at WR is astounding.

My biggest concern now, and in the future, is the defensive front 7. If the d-line and LBers can can make plays more consistently then OU has a really bright future for this season and the next couple...

[BoulderSooner]

Gino Torretta and Chris Weinke say hi

gino toretta is right there with him ..... weinke won a national championship

[BoulderSooner]

I agree with everything you said, OU48A. This group of WRs is really special and, unless someone like Stills leaves early (very unlikely), they should be even better next year with the possible addition of Courtney Gardner. The depth at WR is astounding.

My biggest concern now, and in the future, is the defensive front 7. If the d-line and LBers can can make plays more consistently then OU has a really bright future for this season and the next couple...

Wr will be very good with or with out stills next year ... Gardner will be here in Jan ..

biggest position of concern is DT for next season ... OU is going strong after 1 or 2 Juco DT's

[Bellaboo]

OK. Tell me how many times he's fumbled in the red zone. I can think of two or three times in a four-year career. Big whoop.

So your argument is that actual records and stats are not to be believed but we should just ignore the facts and trust your expert opinion instead? That makes no sense. And if I'm going to trust someone's subjective opinion, I'll take Barry Switzer's over yours. He says Landry is a stud, and he knows a little bit more about quality QB play than you do.

Do I need to use crayons for you to understand. Barry is talking good about Jones because it's the politically correct thing to do, but he knows he's not championship calibur. Landry is a good young man and an above average quarterback, but he is NOT the best we've ever had just because of a bunch of misleading stats.

Here's the bet.........Is Landry going to be picked in the first round ? Probably not but could sneak in as a second round pick. If he's the 'best', then he should go as the first pick in the draft such as Sam Bradford........???

I think you better change your name tag from guru because you have absolutly NO clue on the subject. Stop being so small minded.

Barry Switzer also promoted John Blake as the perfect fit......and we all know how that worked out don't we.....

I attended my first OU game in 1959, and the first year to hold season tickets was in the Selmon years of '74 & '75. When was your first year ?

You need to remove your rose colored glasses and join reality, and quit being impressed by a bunch of useless and pointless stats.

[SoonerDave]

I'm not at all accustomed to sports threads here, but I'm going to join in...

On OU 63, Texas 21...
First, anyone who has watched football at any level should realize that Texas is an absolute disaster right now. Brown freaked out two years ago, jettisoned his OC and DC (mostly because the fans were hysterical), and brought in two hot names that are proving to be unable to construct legitimate offenses or defenses.

Look at the way Texas schemes everyone. Blitz. Blitz left. Blitz right. Blitz middle. Blitz a corner. Blitz a DE. When an OC with a diverse and even above-average OL talent sees that on film, he licks his chops, because his film study will tell him exactly how to recognize it and attack it. He knows he'll have single coverage with lots of wide-open receivers, and running backs that, if they get past the line, will gallop for close to ten yards a carry. The result is a 63-point beatdown, a fullback with 100+ receiving yards, running backs with 95-yard touchdown runs, and just shy of 700 yards of offense.

What's worse for that same defense is that it doesn't teach good fundamentals. You spend so much time gambling on your different blitz schemes that you forget positioning, footwork, angles, tackling, pursuit, and the result is the defense Texas tossed out there last Saturday. Blitzing is one part of a diverse defensive package. But when you, in effect, make it your base defense, you can look good against lousy offenses, but a good offense will embarrass you. Look at the number of times Texas LB's and DE's were simply out of position, used horrendous technique, didn't square up, grabbed jerseys, forearm-tackled, the whole bit. All that is a consequence of this Diaz defense. Even if Mack sticks around another year, which he may well, I can't see Diaz returning as DC. That experiment has been a grand failure by any measure.

Texas' offense isn't much better. Their OC, Bryan Harsin, whom Brown brought in from Boise to run their little pinball machine offense, found out that you can't live on jet sweeps and trick plays when the guys across the line are fundamentally sound and physically superior. And while I was never in the "Fire Venables" crowd, the one thing that is unmistakable as we hit midseason is that Mike Stoops has been *screaming* fundamentals the face of his defense. I think it was DE David King who was saying Stoops has been blaring "hit the gap, make the tackle" all season. Harsin even admitted he had to take all the variations on his "Jet sweeps" out of his offensive game plan because OU was set up to stop it from the word go. Stoops found multiple ways to get in David Ash's face and get OL penetration to stop the run. After that, there's not much left, especially when you have really good secondary play - and Aaron Colvin is becoming a shutdown corner.

Keep in mind that this game was a physical offensive domination by OU, and that just doesn't happen against Texas. Heck, last year, 21 of OU's 55 points were defensive. This year, OU's offense turned UT's defense black and blue. Yeah, Jones gave up a pick-six, but at least 47% of that went on Stills for not coming back to the ball on what was almost certainly intended to be a curl route where he didn't curl, which makes for an easy pick that makes the QB look foolish and makes radio callers clamor for Landry's head, which is even more foolish.

Texas has some hard soul searching to do. Mack Brown is universally considered a super guy, a great representative for UT in fundraising circles, and any coach with Brown's resume, which includes a national title, gets lots of leeway to overcome bad years from the big money folks. Problem is, he's already overhauled his staff once, and the results have been disastrous. He looked ridiculous at times out there Saturday, arguing with the refs about calls when he was down 30, or frantically calling timeouts down 49 points to get a play off with 7 seconds left. I think its even starting to embarrass the Texas faithful. Texas has too many resources, too much backing, too much of everything to allow their program to be this average on an ongoing basis. I thought Mack would retire a couple of years ago, but he didn't, and ultimately UT isn't my problem, and reveling in 40-point blowOUts is the prize!


Ranking the OU QB's
First, having seen QB's all the way back to Steve Davis, I think for overall arm strength and accuracy, Sam Bradford edges out Jason White by just a bit. On strength alone, I'd lean toward White. To criticize White because he didn't play in the NFL is shortsighted, because it was essentially a given that his knees, both surgically repaired, simply couldn't hold up to an NFL regimen. His tryout was a courtesy. Jason didn't often practice during the weeks of his senior year because his knees simply couldn't stand the strain.

In terms of arm strength, I think Jones may actually have a stronger arm than Bradford, but he's not as consistently accurate. If he has time to set up, he can lay in a ball in a bucket 50 yards downfield, but not so much under pressure. Bradford could sense pressure better, react better, and still throw an accurate ball. Same for White. Its an intangible you just can't coach, kinda like speed.

FWIW, Heupel had the worst arm strength of *any* of them, and it wasn't close. There was a reason he was brought in from a JUCO to run that Leach offense, because 80% of its offense were throws not more than 10-15 yards downfield. That's not meant as a knock on Heupel, its just a fact. And its also why he had almost no chance at a pro career, despite the Miami tryout, because he couldn't make the hashmark-to-sideline throws NFL QB's have to be able to make - and that requires arm strength.

Rest of the season
I've always tried to be a realistic OU fan. On that basis, I can say OU has a chance to run the table. They also have a chance to lose two or three more games. The team that showed up Saturday, with the intensity and preparation, can beat just about anyone with the possible exception of an Alabama or an Oregon. If they maintain the level of confidence and fire they showed in Dallas, which I haven't seen in a LONG time, they'll be able to compete with anyone.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy post, just surprised to see an OU sports post here. Couldn't help but chime in.

Boomer!!!!

[Bellaboo]

Spot on Soonerdave.....

[BoulderSooner]

for anyone to say the jwhite has better arm strength than sam is laughable .... white had a better arm than josh and a better arm that PT and that is it in the stoops era


the Texas O is much much better they have lit up every team they have played this year except OU and i would expect them to continue to play well

[SoonerDave]

for anyone to say the jwhite has better arm strength than sam is laughable .... white had a better arm than josh and a better arm that PT and that is it in the stoops era

Just an opinion. You're welcome to yours.

the Texas O is much much better they have lit up every team they have played this year except OU and i would expect them to continue to play well

They've lit up every bad defense they've faced. Their entire season resume up to last week was a mirage of scheduling and hype. When confronted with a defense of roughly equal talent, they were dominated. Yes, Texas' offense is better than their defense, but that's kinda like comparing the smell of the smoke from two burning sofas.

[ou48A]

for anyone to say the jwhite has better arm strength than sam is laughable .... white had a better arm than josh and a better arm that PT and that is it in the stoops era


the Texas O is much much better they have lit up every team they have played this year except OU and i would expect them to continue to play well

I am not saying that Jason White has better arm strength. What I am saying is that he threw a more accurate deep ball. This was a fact that was acknowledged by several analyzed / coaches.

There is a big difference between accuracy and arm strength.
I once knew somebody who would stand in the middle of the football field and throw the ball about 80 yards but it was anybody’s guess as to witch hash mark it would land on. He was a good boxer.
Josh Heupel had an comparitivly week arm but he was a very accurate thrower.

[ou48A]

Texas is a fundamentally unsound and soft football team.
There blocking and tackling is atrocious.
They will beat some teams just because they are faster.

There isn’t a university who has more built in natural advantages than UT. They get 90% of the pick of litter from their home state.
For everything they have UT has been massive underachievers and that’s why we should hope they keep Mack forever.

[dankrutka]

Well, you can tell who knows a little about (OU) football (SoonerDave and OU48) and who doesn't (BoulderSooner and SoonerGuru) just by reading a few posts.

[ou48A]

Well, you can tell who knows a little about (OU) football (SoonerDave and OU48) and who doesn't (BoulderSooner and SoonerGuru) just by reading a few posts.

Thanks... But I am certainly not an expert but I have been following OU football for 49 years since the age of 5. I have been a continuous season ticket holder for 33 years, but there is still a lot that I don’t know.

If wanting to learn more the best local source of pure football knowledge and of OU football is the new radio show called “The Rush” with Teddy Lehman & Dusty Dvoracek. It’s far better than anything else on the radio in our market.

They can be heard on 1340 AM and 1400 AM at 2pm. They have other stations around the state.


For more information or to listen live click the link.
The Sports Talk Network Oklahoma | Statewide Radio Coverage of OU Sooners Sports

[soonerguru]

Do I need to use crayons for you to understand. Barry is talking good about Jones because it's the politically correct thing to do, but he knows he's not championship calibur. Landry is a good young man and an above average quarterback, but he is NOT the best we've ever had just because of a bunch of misleading stats.

Here's the bet.........Is Landry going to be picked in the first round ? Probably not but could sneak in as a second round pick. If he's the 'best', then he should go as the first pick in the draft such as Sam Bradford........???

I think you better change your name tag from guru because you have absolutly NO clue on the subject. Stop being so small minded.

Barry Switzer also promoted John Blake as the perfect fit......and we all know how that worked out don't we.....

I attended my first OU game in 1959, and the first year to hold season tickets was in the Selmon years of '74 & '75. When was your first year ?

You need to remove your rose colored glasses and join reality, and quit being impressed by a bunch of useless and pointless stats.

I never said he was the "best," so stop putting words in my mouth. In fact, I ranked him fourth behind 1) Heupel (only QB to win a championship at OU in the Stoops era), 2) Bradford (duh), 3) White, and 4) Landry. All I'm saying is it is ridiculous to ignore his win/loss record, his arm strength and accuracy, and his performance in Texas, bowl and championship games. He is a very good QB who has performed far better than OU's idiotic fans will ever acknowledge.

I will never forget the big-time 3rd and 14 completion to Cameron Kenney against OSU in Stillwater. Great throw. And yes, he's had a few bad games, but so have all of OU's other great QBs.

Again, if you were an awesome high-school player and you read message forums criticizing Landry for everything from the angle of the sun to Baskin-Robbins ice cream, why would you want to play in front of our fan base?

Football is a results-based enterprise, based on wins and losses. From that alone, Landry rates highly.

The season is not over and I think he has more than enough to take OU to the title game, but the rest of the team will have to continue to play at a high level.

And you don't have to be such a jerk about your opinion ("Do I have to use crayons...). I've also been following OU football for several decades. You're entitled to your opinion but it's not necessarily right. For the record, you're saying that what Barry said is wrong, and I would take issue with that, as he is one of only two coaches to win championships at the college level as well as a Super Bowl.

The John Blake episode is at worst a "good old boy" thing with Barry. He is loyal to his friends. Landry is not one of Barry's friends, and Barry speaks his mind, so I see no reason that would suggest he would say that if he didn't mean it.

[SoonerDave]

Well, you can tell who knows a little about (OU) football (SoonerDave and OU48) and who doesn't (BoulderSooner and SoonerGuru) just by reading a few posts.

Thanks Just a long-time fan here, but enjoy trying to understand the game at least a little deeper to know the reasons behind the wins and losses.

[soonerguru]

Well, you can tell who knows a little about (OU) football (SoonerDave and OU48) and who doesn't (BoulderSooner and SoonerGuru) just by reading a few posts.

Nice, so because we disagree with your point we don't know anything about OU football? Give me a break.

[SoonerDave]

The biggest single liability Landry has is that he gets "nervous." He doesn't seem to have as refined a "sixth sense" a lot of top-tier quarterbacks have to "sense" pressure, and get away from it. That does NOT make him a "bad" quarterback at all. You have to adjust to his strengths and weaknesses.

One quote I read from him over the weekend that I think is both very good and very telling is that there was apparently some variety of pep talk or team meeting or coach discussion after the KSU game wherein the team in general (and I suspect Landry in particular) was told, frankly, to forget the fans, remember why they play the game, and to go out and have fun with it. And I don't think its merely a coincidence that the offense in general and Landry in particular have played their best two games of the season over the last two weeks.

The other intangible I saw at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday was the incredible energy on the OU sidelines. I mean energy like I haven't seen on the OU bench in probably three or four years.. maybe more. I don't know if its the return of Mike Stoops to the defense, or the renewed tandem of Stoops and Stoops, or fresh paint in the locker room, but that kind of energy IMHO gives an intangible to any team that makes them push the extra mile, make the extra play, to do the extra thing necessary to win ballgames you might otherwise not. Hope it continues.

[Bellaboo]

Nice, so because we disagree with your point we don't know anything about OU football? Give me a break.

guru, you are the obnoxious one on this board, you set yourself up with all the blow hard know it all attitude and opinions......you must live and die for OU football. You probably are one of those that get ill when they lose.......i'm past that stage, have been for years.

It's high school + ONE.............. And quit putting exclamation marks behind the fact Landry has won a game or two if you think he's the 4th best..... I like him too, but life doesn't revolve around 20 year old kids.

Get past the jock sniffing......

How old are you anyways ? 30 maybe ?

[ou48A]

The biggest single liability Landry has is that he gets "nervous." He doesn't seem to have as refined a "sixth sense" a lot of top-tier quarterbacks have to "sense" pressure, and get away from it. That does NOT make him a "bad" quarterback at all. You have to adjust to his strengths and weaknesses.

One quote I read from him over the weekend that I think is both very good and very telling is that there was apparently some variety of pep talk or team meeting or coach discussion after the KSU game wherein the team in general (and I suspect Landry in particular) was told, frankly, to forget the fans, remember why they play the game, and to go out and have fun with it. And I don't think its merely a coincidence that the offense in general and Landry in particular have played their best two games of the season over the last two weeks.

The other intangible I saw at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday was the incredible energy on the OU sidelines. I mean energy like I haven't seen on the OU bench in probably three or four years.. maybe more. I don't know if its the return of Mike Stoops to the defense, or the renewed tandem of Stoops and Stoops, or fresh paint in the locker room, but that kind of energy IMHO gives an intangible to any team that makes them push the extra mile, make the extra play, to do the extra thing necessary to win ballgames you might otherwise not. Hope it continues.

This^ is 100% accurate and a very high quality post.


Following the KSU loss Steve Davis wrote a letter to Landry. He told Landry to have fun and play like he was playing against the Carlsbad Cavemen. Since then Landry has been playing in a more relaxed way.

The rest of the team acts like they have ownership in the team now. There is a new intensity that I have not seen since the early 2000’s. Mike Stoops return is huge for the program.

Ironically some of the criticism coming from fans and the media may have helped better motive the team. When the players are giving the effort we have seen the past 2 games you won’t hear me complain very much win or lose.

[SoonerDave]

This^ is 100% accurate and a very high quality post.

Thanks ou48a

Ironically some of the criticism coming from fans and the media may have helped better motive the team. When the players are giving the effort we have seen the past 2 games you won’t hear me complain very much win or lose.

Effort and heart are huge components to the game. That's why that 2000 crew won the whole thing. I remember the 1983 Sooners, definitely not one of Switzer's more skilled squads (and having to deal with all the Dupree departure stuff), playing at home to the Huskers who, at that time, had one of the most dominating football teams in the history of the game - with "the triplets," and an I/option game that was seemingly unstoppable.

In the midst of the most driving rainstorm I've ever sat through at a game in Norman, I watched a physically outmanned Sooner team put their heart on the field with every play. It was Spencer Tillman diving from seemingly eight yards out and swan-diving into the endzone for a touchdown. It was OU playing toe-to-toe with this great Nebraska team, a team that had been routinely pounding everyone by huge double-digits every week. Down by only eight with a few minutes to go, OU was driving the field and seemed absolutely destined to score, and set up a chance for a two-point play to tie the game, but a first down false start at thd two pushed the Sooners back to the seven, and a fourth-down pass from Danny Bradley was tipped at the goal line and fell incomplete. It was a hearbreaking loss. To this day, I remember Switzer saying after the game that "I already had the two-point play ready to go. I was sure we'd score."

The point of the story is that team played with heart and intensity and effort, and in reality had no business being on the same field with Nebraska. But there they were, just a play away from knotting up one of the great teams of all time, just because they had the will to give it their very best effort. They played out of their minds.

Losing, for whatever reason, stinks. Always will. But if you've given it your very best shot, and even then some, its awfully tough for any fan to expect or ask for more. While this particular Sooner team may not be of an '00, '03, '04, or '08 vintage, the kind of effort and intensity I saw last Saturday makes me look forward to each and every game the rest of the way out. You likely can't match the emotional intensity every week, of course, but if your mindset is to let it go 100% every week, the balance of this year has a chance to be really, really special!

[soonerguru]

The biggest single liability Landry has is that he gets "nervous." He doesn't seem to have as refined a "sixth sense" a lot of top-tier quarterbacks have to "sense" pressure, and get away from it. That does NOT make him a "bad" quarterback at all. You have to adjust to his strengths and weaknesses.

One quote I read from him over the weekend that I think is both very good and very telling is that there was apparently some variety of pep talk or team meeting or coach discussion after the KSU game wherein the team in general (and I suspect Landry in particular) was told, frankly, to forget the fans, remember why they play the game, and to go out and have fun with it. And I don't think its merely a coincidence that the offense in general and Landry in particular have played their best two games of the season over the last two weeks.

The other intangible I saw at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday was the incredible energy on the OU sidelines. I mean energy like I haven't seen on the OU bench in probably three or four years.. maybe more. I don't know if its the return of Mike Stoops to the defense, or the renewed tandem of Stoops and Stoops, or fresh paint in the locker room, but that kind of energy IMHO gives an intangible to any team that makes them push the extra mile, make the extra play, to do the extra thing necessary to win ballgames you might otherwise not. Hope it continues.

I agree about the new energy, and I also agree Mike Stoops has brought an intensity to the sidelines we were lacking. It's not that Brent lacked intensity, it's just that the team's defensive lapses were demoralizing at times. Having that confidence that we can still get a stop if we make an offensive mistake allows our offense to play more loosely.

Landry was 5 of 5 on the opening drive against Texas. They stoned our running game during that series, so he, Bell and receivers made that happen.

The new energy is also, in my opinion, a result of getting the new receivers and Landry on the same page. He's confident in them and is slinging the ball to all of them. Remember when the chief complaint among OU fans was that Broyles was Landry's "security blanket?" He doesn't really have one this year (although Justin Brown is turning into a potent possession receiver).

I do see this team coming together and I think they have a chance to win out; if they do, they have a shot at a title. But we have to avoid any more injuries to the offensive line and the team will have to continue to improve throughout the season.

[soonerguru]

guru, you are the obnoxious one on this board, you set yourself up with all the blow hard know it all attitude and opinions......you must live and die for OU football. You probably are one of those that get ill when they lose.......i'm past that stage, have been for years.

It's high school + ONE.............. And quit putting exclamation marks behind the fact Landry has won a game or two if you think he's the 4th best..... I like him too, but life doesn't revolve around 20 year old kids.

Get past the jock sniffing stage......

How old are you anyways ? 30 maybe ?

So do you disagree with my ranking of OU QBs? Why are you acting so hateful?

And I'm not the "know it all" saying that Barry Switzer doesn't know how to evaluate QBs.

I'm older than 30 and I'm not sniffing Landry's jock (incredibly offensive comment), I'm just pointing out that he's unfairly criticized given his performance, a statement that would garner a lot of agreement.

[dankrutka]

Nice, so because we disagree with your point we don't know anything about OU football? Give me a break.

No because your reasoning and evidence is weak. You're starting to clarify (or modify) your position to kind that is more supportable. I agree that Landry is underrated by OU fans, but to put him even in the same conversation as those other 3 QBs is just not supportable. He's a level below those guys.

[dankrutka]

SoonerDave nailed it in saying Landry lacks a "sixth sense" or "it." Players rarely develop this over their careers. They seem to either have it or don't. Carson Palmer is an exception as everything just started to click for him his senior year. Landry has not been able to ever play at a consistently high level because when things aren't going well he tends to make mistakes, not big plays. There are exceptions to this (e.g., OSU 2010), but that's why Landry is frustrating. Having said that, I still appreciate what he's done. He's the 4th best QB of the Stoops era.

I actually disagree with the energy point. I felt like the entire OU team had great energy against Texas and FSU last season. The sidelines were hopping, the team was chomping at the bit to play (see the pre-game scuffles), but they couldn't sustain it for whatever reason (poor defensive scheming?). But I do like how the team looks right now. But based on Landry's past 3.5 years we should probably maintain a guarded optimism.