Oklahoma Sooners 2015-16 Football Season

[Laramie]

Oklahoma's Jeffery Mead Can Catch A Football And Here's Video Proof

While the video is fun to watch what Oklahoma fans are really hoping to see is Mead boost a group of receivers that underachieved in 2014.

Oklahoma's Jeffery Mead Can Catch A Football And Here's Video Proof - Crimson And Cream Machine

[okatty]

I thought Mike Stoops' responses to the reporters the other day was really funny when asked about the freshman players. He responded "average" in a clear shot at Traber and others who criticized them for over-hyping players last year. It got a lot of laughs in the press room. Good stuff.

[SoonerDave]

I thought Mike Stoops' responses to the reporters the other day was really funny when asked about the freshman players. He responded "average" in a clear shot at Traber and others who criticized them for over-hyping players last year. It got a lot of laughs in the press room. Good stuff.

I saw that, too, and agree - it was really telling *especially* when you consider all the times coaches (in general, not just Stoops) insist they don't listen to sports radio or TV.

Perhaps, too, its indicative of a change arising from some off-season soul searching. I think there's a lot of credibility to the point that there has been fairly consistent annual hype, but equally consistent disappointing on-field performance. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, shame on you. Maybe they've decided that isn't the best strategy after all.

I remember how different it was back in the 70's/80's - if Switzer or a staffer said "off the record" that XYZ was "a special player" or words to that effect, it was very often true. And that kind of praise, as I remember it, was pretty darned rare. These days, though, and I think it's reflective of what Mike Stoops was referring to above, it seems someone on staff "leaks" greatness about nearly EVERY player, only to see it not materialize on the field. And when you haven't competed at a championship level for seven seasons, and appear to be on a downward trend, people start not believing the coachspeak.

[Laramie]

University of Oklahoma Sooners 2015 football schedule:

Oklahoma Football - Sooners News, Scores, Videos - College Football - ESPN

[okatty]

Lot of the radio show guys today predicting that Trevor will be starting QB. Dusty D said 100%.

[Filthy]

Lot of the radio show guys today predicting that Trevor will be starting QB. Dusty D said 100%.

I got a chance to watch them practice today. It was hard to see separation between the 3 QB's. In all honesty, If I didn't follow as closely, as I do..and came in as an outsider..I would have thought that Cody Thomas, and Trevor Knight were the two guys battling it out for a starting spot. Thomas also had the highest competetion percentage in most drill situations, both in red zone offense, and half field, open playbook situations. All 3 Qbs, are similarly equipped, and are gamers. I'm not sure either of the three, are the elite level QBs that OU fans have come accustomed to, but the offense seems to lend it hand to these guys, and they are good enough, that the offense will be successful.

[dankrutka]

I got a chance to watch them practice today. It was hard to see separation between the 3 QB's. In all honesty, If I didn't follow as closely, as I do..and came in as an outsider..I would have thought that Cody Thomas, and Trevor Knight were the two guys battling it out for a starting spot. Thomas also had the highest competetion percentage in most drill situations, both in red zone offense, and half field, open playbook situations. All 3 Qbs, are similarly equipped, and are gamers. I'm not sure either of the three, are the elite level QBs that OU fans have come accustomed to, but the offense seems to lend it hand to these guys, and they are good enough, that the offense will be successful.

I've heard several resports that Knight and Thomas had passed Mayfield. It's hard to believe Thomas has improved that much from last season when he looked totally lost, but we'll see. I've been predicting for a while that Knight would win the job. I've just had a feeling. That won't make most OU fans happy...

[zookeeper]

Pre-season psychology. Leaks, "reports," etc. are often not true or misinformation. I've learned that the hard way with the Sooner athletic department. I still expect Baker Mayfield to start. I could be wrong, but this is the time of year for your guess is as good as mine

[Filthy]

I've heard several resports that Knight and Thomas had passed Mayfield. It's hard to believe Thomas has improved that much from last season when he looked totally lost, but we'll see. I've been predicting for a while that Knight would win the job. I've just had a feeling. That won't make most OU fans happy...

Thomas has built a special relationship with Jeffrey Mead. Maybe, I would call it a "security-blanket," but the Thomas to Mead connection is definitely there. Of all the guys, I was watching for.. "Perine, Mixon, Mark Andrews, QB race...etc..." I came away most impressed with WR Jeffrey Mead. He had like 7 TDs today. (4 straight in, Red Zone situations) It was obviously, just practice..but the kid looked like Randy Moss, plucking balls out of the air, with no care for whoever was "trying" to cover him.

[Laramie]

Probably a better strategy to bring in Baker Mayfield for special situations. He will definitely needs to get some reps in throughout the season. Baker appears to be the most consistent passer; he does have a few off target passes which is a concern.

[zookeeper]

Probably a better strategy to bring in Baker Mayfield for special situations. He will definitely needs to get some reps in throughout the season. Baker appears to be the most consistent passer; he does have a few off target passes which is a concern.

I think Lincoln Riley has made it clear he wants A quarterback. He doesn't like multiple QB scenarios. Baker Mayfield will either be the starter or he won't be. I wouldn't expect to see a "you know what's coming if Baker's in the huddle" type of thing. OU didn't get rid of Norville and Huepel to do that again. This is going to be an Air Raid offense, not a different animal at different times in the game and doling out QB time. I think the Riley era will be far more exciting and far more consistent.

[ljbab728]

Lot of the radio show guys today predicting that Trevor will be starting QB. Dusty D said 100%.

On today's evening drive show, Al, JIm, and Dean all said they were sure it would be Mayfield.

[okatty]

Al (sorta referring to inside sources aka Mike stoops) said dead even and still no decision on qb on todays 4 pm hour.

[okatty]

Baker Mayfield officially named starter.

[Laramie]

Baker Mayfield officially named starter.

You nailed it okatty:

Oklahoma names former Texas Tech walk-on Baker Mayfield starting quarterback

Former Texas Tech walk-on and 2013 Big 12 freshman of the year Baker Mayfield will be named Oklahoma’s starting quarterback for the start of the 2015 season, according to the team’s official Twitter account.

Mayfield will play ahead of incumbent starter Trevor Knight and sophomore Cody Thomas when OU opens its season vs. Akron on Sept. 5.

Oklahoma names former Texas Tech walk-on Baker Mayfield starting quarterback | | Dallas Morning News

[SoonerDave]

You nailed it okatty:

Oklahoma names former Texas Tech walk-on Baker Mayfield starting quarterback



Oklahoma names former Texas Tech walk-on Baker Mayfield starting quarterback | | Dallas Morning News

Welp, here we go. I think that's how most expected it to go, but now that it's official, we can officially start worrying about which receivers will step up, will the o-line hold up with its lack of depth....so many questions. I can't think of a season in the Stoops era in which there were so many unanswered questions and uneasy feelings going in. But, hey, it's (almost) FOOTBALL TIME in OOOOKLAHOMA (I SO want that guy's job!!!!)

[okatty]

^ Agree with you on the questions and also on the uncertainty caused by the awful ending to last season. It's 180 degrees to the prior year when OU was coming off the Alabama win and things looked bright and things went bad. Maybe this year it will be a surprise for the better instead of the worse. George Schroeder last night picked OU as one of his darkhorse surprise teams nationally. I hear L. Riley is really a good guy - talked to some people in his hometown who say he is SMART and is really a hard worker. So looking forward to seeing what he can do to make the offense better in terms of the talent/skills of the players on the roster including Perrine, Mixon, Sheppard, etc. Albeit with a very shaky offensive line!

[adaniel]

Don't know how he'll play, but his whip game is flawless.

https://vine.co/v/ehzwVr6K3lX

[Laramie]

Don't know how he'll play, but his whip game is flawless.

https://vine.co/v/ehzwVr6K3lX

You know he's (Baker Mayfield) at the top of his SOUL TRAIN GAME when that many brothers are circling the wagon taking note...

You just don't see white boys with that kind of rhythm; especially when he's in step with the brothers on the downbeat.
Take note, Mike Gundy...

[Filthy]

but now that it's official, we can officially start worrying about which receivers will step up

I'm pretty confident, that the scheme itself, will lend its hand to the receivers looking much better. In 1999, when Leach came in, and rolled out his version of the "Air Raid" offense, we saw a bunch of converted DB's, and JUCO transfer WR's running wide open all over the field. Riley's offense, however unique it may be on its own, still uses a lot of the same principles, in regards to positioning on the field and types of routes. The talent level of the current WR's is leaps and bounds better than that original group from 15 + years ago. So, as long as we have a qb, that can get the ball out..Im pretty sure the Receivers will look nice this year. REAL Nice Clark!

[SoonerDave]

I'm pretty confident, that the scheme itself, will lend its hand to the receivers looking much better. In 1999, when Leach came in, and rolled out his version of the "Air Raid" offense, we saw a bunch of converted DB's, and JUCO transfer WR's running wide open all over the field. Riley's offense, however unique it may be on its own, still uses a lot of the same principles, in regards to positioning on the field and types of routes. The talent level of the current WR's is leaps and bounds better than that original group from 15 + years ago. So, as long as we have a qb, that can get the ball out..Im pretty sure the Receivers will look nice this year. REAL Nice Clark!

The one thing I remember reading about how the Leach offense operated differently mechanically from "conventional" offenses is in receiver routes. You still have your curls, square outs, gos, corners, all that, but you *also* have a whole set of "moving" routes that essentially train the receiver to float across regions of the defense where coverage *has* to be soft by virtue of its alignment, eg seams in a zone, underneath when LB's drop. They end up being very high percentage passes and allow the QB to get rid of the ball quickly. And we made stars out of guys like Andre Woolfolk and Josh Norman and such.

I remember when OU when Stoops came in in 1999 and the Leach offense was going - except when they needed short yards. After Leach left, Mangino modified the original Leach spread to allow for a run game - and even at that, sometimes we struggled on 3rd and 1. But it was the presence of the run game that made that offense work so much better...

I'm surely hoping some of these promising young receivers plus this group of should-be all-star RB's could make for lots of upside for this offense.

[ou48A]

Time for me to eat my plate of crow.
When Baker Mayfield moved to OU from Texas Tech I never thought he would beat out an OU QB who had just beaten Alabama…. He will be surrounded by better players and have the benefit of many hours of practice since he was last seen in a real game.
Best of luck to Baker Mayfield and OU this season

[ou48A]

There is one key difference between the Air Raid offense that OU will employ this season and virtually all others.
OU will retain a very physical downhill running game that will cause additional matchup problems for an opponent’s defense. It should give OU a better opportunity to run out the clock…. No true air raid system that I know of has ever had a RB as strong and hard to tackle as Perine. This would help any QB!

[dankrutka]

You know he's (Baker Mayfield) at the top of his SOUL TRAIN GAME when that many brothers are circling the wagon taking note...

You just don't see white boys with that kind of rhythm; especially when he's in step with the brothers on the downbeat.
Take note, Mike Gundy...

Ha ha. This is my favorite Laramie post thus far.

[ljbab728]

OU in playoffs this year? Herbie thinks so.

Herbie Award candidates, winners 2015 Kirk Herbstreit college football