OU Football 2024 Season

[kukblue1]

OU needs to beat Auburn and South Carolina. Losing by 10 points to the #6 team in the nation is not the disaster some are claiming, but none of these wins will come easy. OU will have to take them.

Well Vegas only has them winning 3 more games. Auburn who is awful, Maine and South Carolina. They need to beat LSU or Missouri and go 7-5 or 8-4 . I think 8-4 would be consider a good season.

[dankrutka]

He was a .500 coach at North Texas. 5-8, 9-5, 9-4, 4-8, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6 -- these are his wins and losses -- only 3 winning seasons. I think it was probably more than goose eggs in bowl games that got him fired.

He was 4-8 as OC at Arizona.
He was 4-8 in 2012 as OC at Indiana, 5-7 in 2013.
He was 6-7 in 2014 as OC at NC, 11-3 in 2015.
This is one winning season from 2011 to 2015.

That's his track record. Hardly offensive success, as you say.

Again, hardly a splash hire.

Brush up on your numbers before you start calling out fan-fiction.

Again, just cherry-picking evidence to make your point while ignoring context. UNT had one winning season in the last 11 seasons before Littrell. He was a big success for their program. He had a lot of offensive success at programs who win very little.

[MagzOK]

Again, just cherry-picking evidence to make your point while ignoring context. UNT had one winning season in the last 11 seasons before Littrell. He was a big success for their program. He had a lot of offensive success at programs who win very little.

Context is not needed. As OC or head coach, he only had four winning seasons and only two of those winning seasons had more than seven wins.

Numbers don't lie.

OU has higher standards than that, and rightfully so.

[Dob Hooligan]

He was a .500 coach at North Texas. 5-8, 9-5, 9-4, 4-8, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6 -- these are his wins and losses -- only 3 winning seasons. I think it was probably more than goose eggs in bowl games that got him fired.

He was 4-8 as OC at Arizona.
He was 4-8 in 2012 as OC at Indiana, 5-7 in 2013.
He was 6-7 in 2014 as OC at NC, 11-3 in 2015.
This is one winning season from 2011 to 2015.

That's his track record. Hardly offensive success, as you say.

Again, hardly a splash hire.

Brush up on your numbers before you start calling out fan-fiction.

I'm not saying he is Lincoln Reilly, but I think the 6-7 seasons were both 6-6 with a bowl loss. Looks like he took North Texas bowling 6 years out of the 7 he was there (left UNT before the bowl game in 2022) and lost all 5 bowls he coached. Not sure who ever did better there. Maybe Hayden Fry.

Littrell isn't a Nepo Hire. He is a capable football coach who is working with personnel challenges. Offensive line appears to be either low talent or injured; receivers are injured; quarterback has underperformed. He has in the past been able to get a team playing better through those type challenges. The NIL and Transfer Portal era, plus the looming salary cap that should be more fully explained after the class action settlement is announced in the coming months, are wild cards that can't be explained away with current info.

I think this is the most volatile time in college football history. Hiring based on coaching skills that will probably be as important in the future as they have been in the past is about the only guideline to follow, How those skills fit in the upcoming "professional player era", that will probably change on a monthly basis, is a mystery to us all, IMO.

[dcsooner]

Context is not needed. As OC or head coach, he only had four winning seasons and only two of those winning seasons had more than seven wins.

Numbers don't lie.

OU has higher standards than that, and rightfully so.

+1000
SL is not the answer

[dankrutka]

Context is not needed. As OC or head coach, he only had four winning seasons and only two of those winning seasons had more than seven wins.

Numbers don't lie.

OU has higher standards than that, and rightfully so.

Winning 50% of your games at UNT after taking over a 1-11 team with a long history of losing is actually an impressive accomplishment. But I know you're just going to double down with "numbers don't lie, bro" arguments so let's move on. And I am not even arguing Littrell is good or should be retained after the season. I would like to see what happens with Hawkins and/or if oline/WR health improves. We're going to learn a lot on Saturday. Huge game for the season.

[Laramie]

Something needs to be done with the NIL money. Was happy to learn that players would get paid; that isn't the case.

Think about this, if you're a linemen out there risking your chance to make it to the next level (NFL, UFL, CFL) why should you put your career on the line 'blocking' for a player making $1 million in NIL money.

You would have thought that a system could been figure out where 'all players' shared in NIL money, while one player is raking in money that should IMO be shared with the team.

They should have figured out where 'ALL PLAYERS' shared in NIL money instead of a few. The NIL with 'no shared money' will have a negative impact on most teams. A million for one player; this IMO will throw the collegiate game into a totally different light.

[OKCRealtor]

Along those lines I bet Arnold's NIL boosters are real salty

It would be one thing if he wasn't the highest ranked recruit OU has ever had but with that comes big time expectations & million dollar money now.

To have one of the worst offenses in all FBS injuries or not there is really zero excuse it's not like there isn't still plenty of talent. The offense went back 3 decades this season.

[kukblue1]

Something needs to be done with the NIL money. Was happy to learn that players would get paid; that isn't the case.

Think about this, if you're a linemen out there risking your chance to make it to the next level (NFL, UFL, CFL) why should you put your career on the line 'blocking' for a player making $1 million in NIL money.

You would have thought that a system could been figure out where 'all players' shared in NIL money, while one player is raking in money that should IMO be shared with the team.

They should have figured out where 'ALL PLAYERS' shared in NIL money instead of a few. The NIL with 'no shared money' will have a negative impact on most teams. A million for one player; this IMO will throw the collegiate game into a totally different light.

I'll stir the pot a bit but were they not already getting paid with scholarships? I mean having your $20,000 a year college paid for, free room and board, free meals is a pretty big deal is it not?

[jedicurt]

i mean the lack of looks SL got after two back to back 9 win seasons at North Texas should have been the sign... the fact that he wasn't able to turn that immediate into at least an OC job at a top tier program was always a huge red flag to me

[jedicurt]

I'll stir the pot a bit but were they not already getting paid with scholarships? I mean having your $20,000 a year college paid for, free room and board, free meals is a pretty big deal is it not?

i mean, they were already getting paid in Football even not including all the things you mentioned. it was just hushed and done covertly. NIL just made it open, and allowed for it to help other sports.

[dankrutka]

I'll stir the pot a bit but were they not already getting paid with scholarships? I mean having your $20,000 a year college paid for, free room and board, free meals is a pretty big deal is it not?

Considering the money that football players bring in to the university, a scholarship and meals is chump change. I don't think NIL is perfect yet, but it's been absurd young people have been prohibited from making money off their own Name, Image, and Likeness. Donors can be mad, but you can never guarantee any player is going to work out. Maybe prices will come down some as donors realize this.

[BoulderSooner]

Something needs to be done with the NIL money. Was happy to learn that players would get paid; that isn't the case.

Think about this, if you're a linemen out there risking your chance to make it to the next level (NFL, UFL, CFL) why should you put your career on the line 'blocking' for a player making $1 million in NIL money.

You would have thought that a system could been figure out where 'all players' shared in NIL money, while one player is raking in money that should IMO be shared with the team.

They should have figured out where 'ALL PLAYERS' shared in NIL money instead of a few. The NIL with 'no shared money' will have a negative impact on most teams. A million for one player; this IMO will throw the collegiate game into a totally different light.

plenty of the linemen are getting paid a ton ...

[PhiAlpha]

He was a .500 coach at North Texas. 5-8, 9-5, 9-4, 4-8, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6 -- these are his wins and losses -- only 3 winning seasons. I think it was probably more than goose eggs in bowl games that got him fired.

He was 4-8 as OC at Arizona.
He was 4-8 in 2012 as OC at Indiana, 5-7 in 2013.
He was 6-7 in 2014 as OC at NC, 11-3 in 2015.
This is one winning season from 2011 to 2015.

That's his track record. Hardly offensive success, as you say.

Again, hardly a splash hire.

Brush up on your numbers before you start calling out fan-fiction.

does the OC at Arizona, Indiana or NC handle the defense too? W/L record isn’t always a great indicator of how successful an OC is. I looked at the stats then they announced SL as the OC. He had good offenses at all those stops, especially in the second season at each stop.

you can be critical without omitting pertinent information. No offense but making a page long post acting like the win loss record is the only indication of a good OC does make you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about.

[PhiAlpha]

Context is not needed. As OC or head coach, he only had four winning seasons and only two of those winning seasons had more than seven wins.

Numbers don't lie.

OU has higher standards than that, and rightfully so.

okay. Just stop. Seth may turn out not to be the answer long term. But you clearly don’t know ball if that’s the hill you’re going to die on.

[PhiAlpha]

Winning 50% of your games at UNT after taking over a 1-11 team with a long history of losing is actually an impressive accomplishment. But I know you're just going to double down with "numbers don't lie, bro" arguments so let's move on. And I am not even arguing Littrell is good or should be retained after the season. I would like to see what happens with Hawkins and/or if oline/WR health improves. We're going to learn a lot on Saturday. Huge game for the season.

Yeah that guy really doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about or does and just has an ax to grind against Littrell. I don’t know if he’s the answer either and he definitely deserves some blame for how they’ve played but not all of it.

That said, there have been people that wanted to fire BV as DC, Kevin Wilson, and every coach on every successful staff we’ve had and most of those hot takes were way dummer than this guys. If things don’t improve, I think anything is on the table at the end of the season but let’s see what they can do with Hawkins at QB for a few games.

[kukblue1]

THIS IS THE SEC You have to do better and be better than ever before. A good OC isn't going to cut it. You need the best of the best. Everything thinks OU defensive is the best it's been in a long time. I think there are 7 maybe 6 teams currently in the SEC that have better defensive numbers and are ranked higher on defense than OU. Were not in the Big 12 anymore. Like Colin Cowherd said who I really don't care for but like he said this could turn into a Nebraska situation all over again if we don't demand greatness.

[OKCRealtor]

Hawkins officially named the starter last night, wow that was quick. BV had his mind made up already.

Only question now is where does Arnold transfer & who will the the OC next year. This season may set us back multiple years, hard to foresee Arnold being a total bust as high as he was ranked but here we are.

But really it seems our last 2 coaches have only understand one side of the game & the other has suffered tremendously.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Hawkins officially named the starter last night, wow that was quick. BV had his mind made up already.

Only question now is where does Arnold transfer & who will the the OC next year. This season may set us back multiple years, hard to foresee Arnold being a total bust as high as he was ranked but here we are.

But really it seems our last 2 coaches have only understand one side of the game & the other has suffered tremendously.

Ya Arnold will be at TCU next year. I think he doesn't come back in. He looked pretty shook against Tennessee.

[Mountaingoat]

I would never wish badly on anyone but the way Hawkins was playing with abandon, there is a good chance Arnold will get back in because Hawkins gets injured.

[MagzOK]

Yeah that guy really doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about or does and just has an ax to grind against Littrell. I don’t know if he’s the answer either and he definitely deserves some blame for how they’ve played but not all of it.

Just like you think you know what you're talking about, I think I know what I'm talking about and I'm not going to passively argue with you about it in other posts.

Krutka, I understand where you're coming from and what you're saying and while I do not completely disagree, I do think numbers are important and tell a big part of any story. I think we can blend both of our arguments into one. Most of my argument is that I would have liked to have seen more of a splash hire -- lure an OC from a highly successful program and not someone having just been fired. I would have liked to have seen Brent try and get Kotelnicki from Kansas, Stein from Oregon, Hinshaw from UCF, Grubb from Washington, or Ludwig from Utah -- those are proven guys in big leagues. I didn't like the SL hire at the beginning and thus far he hasn't shown me any reason to love him but one thing's for sure is that we don't have the luxury of time for him to learn as he goes. But as of now, SL hasn't handled this adversity very well with Arnold being on the field.

This is a big picture problem that starts with the head coach. He's hyper focused on the defense and this offensive problem has been a clear oversight of him; I mean he's ultimately in charge of this whole thing. While Texas was bolstering and spending a bunch of money on its O-Line starting a couple years ago in a move to go into the SEC with the bang they have, Oklahoma has spent most of its money on defense -- which seriously is glorious given the lack of any defense under the leadership of the weasel (Lincoln Riley.) Brent needs to make sure there's balance and that's why I'm critical of the SL hire. Is he big time enough to lead the offense alone since Brent is such a defensive guy? That remains to be seen but so far it just doesn't look good.

That being said, Just maybe this spark with Hawkins will change mine and a lot of our minds. When Hawkins came in during the last game you could see that the entire offense seemed to have woken up and played with the heart that had been sort of missing. So maybe Seth had been crutched with having to start and be loyal to Arnold until he was pulled by Venables. We'll see how he does with Hawkins at the helm and see what adjustments he makes in play calling. But one thing's for sure, I don't want to see him calling run plays right up the middle half as much as we saw the last game. Without a good OL, he's just running our RBs into a brick wall over and over again.

Another glaring problem is that we do not have a dedicated QB coach. We've got some assistant working with the QBs that came from Duke, but clearly our QB play has regressed. Can't fault Litrell for that totally since the HC deals with the personnel, but he needs to be like "hey Brent, I need ....." Maybe he has, who knows. But getting a QB coach in here needs to be priority number one. We were spoiled with the weasel and his QB development skills which was followed by Lebby. After addressing the QB situation, he then needs to spend money on getting some key pieces of an O-Line in here for next season.

Boomer Sooner everyone.

[PhiAlpha]

Just like you think you know what you're talking about, I think I know what I'm talking about and I'm not going to passively argue with you about it in other posts.

Krutka, I understand where you're coming from and what you're saying and while I do not completely disagree, I do think numbers are important and tell a big part of any story. I think we can blend both of our arguments into one. Most of my argument is that I would have liked to have seen more of a splash hire -- lure an OC from a highly successful program and not someone having just been fired. I would have liked to have seen Brent try and get Kotelnicki from Kansas, Stein from Oregon, Hinshaw from UCF, Grubb from Washington, or Ludwig from Utah -- those are proven guys in big leagues. I didn't like the SL hire at the beginning and thus far he hasn't shown me any reason to love him but one thing's for sure is that we don't have the luxury of time for him to learn as he goes. But as of now, SL hasn't handled this adversity very well with Arnold being on the field.

This is a big picture problem that starts with the head coach. He's hyper focused on the defense and this offensive problem has been a clear oversight of him; I mean he's ultimately in charge of this whole thing. While Texas was bolstering and spending a bunch of money on its O-Line starting a couple years ago in a move to go into the SEC with the bang they have, Oklahoma has spent most of its money on defense -- which seriously is glorious given the lack of any defense under the leadership of the weasel (Lincoln Riley.) Brent needs to make sure there's balance and that's why I'm critical of the SL hire. Is he big time enough to lead the offense alone since Brent is such a defensive guy? That remains to be seen but so far it just doesn't look good.

That being said, Just maybe this spark with Hawkins will change mine and a lot of our minds. When Hawkins came in during the last game you could see that the entire offense seemed to have woken up and played with the heart that had been sort of missing. So maybe Seth had been crutched with having to start and be loyal to Arnold until he was pulled by Venables. We'll see how he does with Hawkins at the helm and see what adjustments he makes in play calling. But one thing's for sure, I don't want to see him calling run plays right up the middle half as much as we saw the last game. Without a good OL, he's just running our RBs into a brick wall over and over again.

Another glaring problem is that we do not have a dedicated QB coach. We've got some assistant working with the QBs that came from Duke, but clearly our QB play has regressed. Can't fault Litrell for that totally since the HC deals with the personnel, but he needs to be like "hey Brent, I need ....." Maybe he has, who knows. But getting a QB coach in here needs to be priority number one. We were spoiled with the weasel and his QB development skills which was followed by Lebby. After addressing the QB situation, he then needs to spend money on getting some key pieces of an O-Line in here for next season.

Boomer Sooner everyone.

We can both think we’re right but there’s nothing to argue about if you’re using the win loss record of mostly subpar football programs as the sole indictment of the success of an OC. It’s just an ignorant way of evaluating performance or it’s intentionally dishonest. SL’s offenses were very good for each of the schools he coached at (which became nationally relevant in offense when they were previously abysmal) and showed a ton of improvement over what he started with (generally making a massive leap from season 1 to season 2). His offenses at UNT were good as well and he was one of the most successful head coaches in that trash program’s history…but even if you disagree with that, the lack of translation to wins is a bigger indictment on his ability as an HC than an OC.

Someone on soonerscoop posted a chart showing the improvements his offenses made over a year or two at other stops that better illustrates my point. I’ll try to find a way to post it here. Like everyone else here, I don’t know if he is the answer at OU but to act like he hasn’t been a very good OC elsewhere, especially within the context of the programs he’s coached for, is just ignorant.

[PhiAlpha]

I would never wish badly on anyone but the way Hawkins was playing with abandon, there is a good chance Arnold will get back in because Hawkins gets injured.

Aside from diving into the endzone, he wasn’t playing with abandon as much as he was just running for his life. I can’t remember the stat exactly but PFF showed that Tennessee starting blitzing a lot more after Hawkins went in (which frankly makes his performance in that situation more impressive).

[PhiAlpha]

Hawkins officially named the starter last night, wow that was quick. BV had his mind made up already.

Only question now is where does Arnold transfer & who will the the OC next year. This season may set us back multiple years, hard to foresee Arnold being a total bust as high as he was ranked but here we are.

But really it seems our last 2 coaches have only understand one side of the game & the other has suffered tremendously.

I don’t think the assumptions behind either of those two questions are a foregone conclusion until we see how the rest of the season shakes out. Either way, I think it’s probably a lock that one of the two, most likely JA, won’t be here next year.

If SL makes some changes, turns this thing around and we go 7-5 or 8-4 with this schedule, no one is getting fired. On the flip side, go 4-8 and no one’s job is safe nor should it be.

[MagzOK]

We can both think we’re right but there’s nothing to argue about if you’re using the win loss record of mostly subpar football programs as the sole indictment of the success of an OC. It’s just an ignorant way of evaluating performance or it’s intentionally dishonest. SL’s offenses were very good for each of the schools he coached at (which became nationally relevant in offense when they were previously abysmal) and showed a ton of improvement over what he started with (generally making a massive leap from season 1 to season 2). His offenses at UNT were good as well and he was one of the most successful head coaches in that trash program’s history…but even if you disagree with that, the lack of translation to wins is a bigger indictment on his ability as an HC than an OC.

Someone on soonerscoop posted a chart showing the improvements his offenses made over a year or two at other stops that better illustrates my point. I’ll try to find a way to post it here. Like everyone else here, I don’t know if he is the answer at OU but to act like he hasn’t been a very good OC elsewhere, especially within the context of the programs he’s coached for, is just ignorant.

Wins and losses matter, and to say they don't at all is just ignorant.