I lived in Cleveland for almost 2 years during two different stints between 1990 and 1996. So I bring a somewhat different appreciation for Cleveland than most Oklahomans.
And, that fact is especially relevant with Coach Stoops' "you never know" quote post-Sugar Bowl, which had everyone on edge about his NFL coaching aspirations. This situation was further compounded by the rumor of his interest in the Browns open job and combined with his nearby Youngstown, Ohio roots sent the Sooner Nation into panic-mode.
However, rest assured Sooner Nation. I still have contacts in Cleveland and my sources there tell me the Browns organization is just as dysfunctional as they were when I left in 1996 (well, maybe not so bad as they didn't have a team in 1996!)
The team owner is embroiled in a federal rebate fraud investigation with his "real" company, they have a non-football guy who was run out of Philadelphia in charge of football operations and they can't draft worth a damn! So the distractions there are real and not imagined.
So without further adieu, here is my list of the top 5 things Coach Stoops won't miss about Cleveland.
1. Weather
Ok, I realize Oklahoma is experiencing an unseasonable severe winter chill for this time of the year that is making many very uncomfortable with the record low temperatures.
Welcome to Cleveland Coach Stoops!
This type of weather is exactly what you get on a daily basis with winters in Cleveland.
I know firsthand because I lived in ground-zero: downtown Cleveland.
Cleveland is located at the northern end of Ohio right up against one of the Great Lakes: Lake Erie.
As such, Cleveland is the last city before you get to Canada.
Affectionately, known as the "North Coast," northeastern Ohioans know full-well what that location means: arctic Canadian-winter winds sweep down across Lake Erie and bring almost a daily event onto the streets of downtown Cleveland called "lake-effect snow."
And, Cleveland being a pretty much non-public transportation city, except for inner-city RTA lines and busses, means most Clevelanders travel by private car which results in a lot of walking.
Heavy top coats, hats, gloves and galoshes are standard attire from basically November to early April. Leave home without one of these essential elements at your own risk.
Also, since Ohio is located in the middle of the snow-belt, transportation officials are deftly prepared to maintain and clear area highways and roads.
This means much ice and sand strategically placed on roadways which ends up on your vehicles and creates a mess of your shiny new car not to say the potential rust erosion later that diminishes its life cycle.
Yes folks, Cleveland is cold. Just how cold you might ask?
I attended opening day of the Major League Baseball season in 1991 at venerable Municipal Stadium on April 16, 1991 and it snowed!
2. On A Clear Day You Can See Canada
I lived on the 19th floor of the Reserve Square building at the eastern edge of downtown at 12th and Superior and just a few blocks from the lake.
Actually, although not built during my first stay, Reserve Square is just a handful of blocks from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The 19th floor of any building is high enough to give one a spectacular overview of any area.
Here's the view from my 19th floor apartment overlooking Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport and beautiful Lake Erie.
See what I mean? Coach Stoops won't miss this view will he?
3. Gretchen Carlson
Ok, I know Gretchen Carlson is no longer in Cleveland.
Actually, Gretchen is from Minnesota and represented that state as the Miss America winner in 1989.
But hey, in the early 90's she was the hottest thing on local television!
No Coach Stoops won't miss Gretchen by not moving to Cleveland but he can still catch her daily on Fox News!
4. Cleveland Crack
No this is not the local "crack-house" located in east Cleveland.
Actually, this is a universal sighting all over the North Coast.
I think a picture says a thousand words but I'll let your imagination do the work for you!
5. Oklahoma Is OK!
And finally, Coach Stoops won't miss being constantly asked where in the hell Oklahoma is located?
For many Ohioans, Oklahoma might as well be located in Timbuktu!
Most Clevelanders and many Ohioans have lived in the Buckeye state all of their lives.
And that is not a bad thing as the area and state have much to offer.
However, most don't know and don't care where Oklahoma is but do know it isn't in Ohio and they could care less.
So Coach Stoops won't get inundated with the inquisitive minds every time he meets a stranger who asks him: "where?"
Summary
So in the final analysis, I don't think Coach Stoops ever really seriously considered the Browns job or the prospect of moving to Cleveland from Norman.
And, certainly my tongue-in-cheek list doesn't even begin to capture all of the great things association with the North Coast namely:
1. More golf courses per capita than any other location in the U.S. (yes you can play golf in the summer!)
2. Fabulous restaurants.
3. A vibrant, thriving downtown arts district.
4. Breathtaking summer sunsets over Lake Erie.
5. Three really great professional sports brands in the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers all located in the heart of downtown Cleveland featuring some of the most loyal and long-suffering fans in the world.
I hope my personal experience does provide some sort of humor associated with the only American city that I know of where the downtown river and the mayor's hair once caught on fire and a city I was fortunate to once call home twice! (true!)
One of my favorite writers is Jay Cronley who is a columnist for my hometown paper, the Tulsa World.
Recently, Jay wrote a column about a stranger he met who responded "I am a columnist" when asked what she did for a living.
Cronley went on to summarize in his column that everyone was a "columnist" in today's wired world.
Cronley said that to qualify as a "columnist" one must have a story to tell that is based upon an experience, idea or opinion.
So with access to the internet, in Cronley's world, everyone with an idea, experience or opinion is a "columnist!"
So with that said, here is my "columnist" story for the 2014 Sugar Bowl.
Sugar Bowl Redux
Admittedly, I am a a bit more qualified for Cronleys' "Columnist" description. I do have an official Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and was a staff writer for my college newspaper, The Baker Orange, my freshman year in college.
I even have a certificate for my coverage of President Reagan's assassination attempt in 1981 to prove my bona fide credentials!
So, here is my story based upon my "experience, idea and opinion!"
In 2004, I was one of the over 72,000 fans in the Louisiana Super Dome when Bob Stoops' Oklahoma Sooners faced Nick Sabans' LSU tigers for the BCS National Championship.
I witnessed a stellar LSU defensive effort throttle one of the "best" teams in NCAA history as Sports Illustrated claimed as Stoops' Sooners lost to Saban's Tigers 21-14.
This was a classic "heavyweight" match between two excellent, well-coached teams.
But it wasn't what happened on the field as much as what I witnessed off the field that caught my attention.
Late in the first half of a 14-7 game, my binoculars caught some activity behind the Oklahoma bench that caught my eye.
A nattily attired man in a navy blazer and slacks was attempting to persuade a Super Dome usher to allow him access to the Oklahoma bench.
After a few minutes of standoff, the man gained access to the field, immediately proceeded to the huddle during an Oklahoma timeout, removed the headset of an Oklahoma assistant, pushed defensive coordinator Brent Venables aside and began screaming at the Oklahoma defensive players!
Surreal!
A closer look revealed the man in a hurry was Mike Stoops, younger brother of Big Game Bob and the recently named head coach of the University of Arizona!
It seems that the younger Stoops had seen enough and was anxious to help his big brother Bob!
Perhaps he knew that his big brother was outmanned.
Nick Saban had a young offensive coordinator named Jimbo Fisher and a Saban-clone defensive coordinator named Will Muschamp calling the shots.
Big Game Bob was outnumbered off the field and his Sooners succumbed to a stronger LSU defense on the field despite some peculiar play calls on the final drive.
Fast-Forward to 2014
So after a bizarre finish to the Auburn game and a miraculous finish to the OSU game, Big Game Bob and Nick Saban find themselves in a similar rematch in 2014!
Except this time, Stoops might just have the mismatch on the sidelines to Saban's #3 ranked Crimson Tide!
You see not only does Big Game Bob have little brother Mike on his sidelines this time but he also has two other secret weapons to use against Nick Saban!
In 2009, Bob Stoops and his staff spent a week visiting Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide as they prepared for their BCS National Championship game against Texas.
This act did not sit well with the Sooners arch rival in Austin.
Many Longhorns thought that Stoops was telling state secrets against Texas to Saban to sabotage a potential Longhorn upset in the Rose Bowl.
But Stoops maintained that was the furthest thing from his mind. He was only visiting Alabama to learn more about the Crimson Tide 3-man front and downfield rushing game.
But this was not the only thing Stoops stole from Nick Saban.
Later, Stoops would hire Alabama's quality control guru Chad Walker away from Saban.
Walker has been instrumental in not only installing the Bama 3-4 defense but also allowing the Stoops brothers to peek inside the Saban-led Crimson Tide and steal the "secret sauce" to Bama's success.
According to the Daily Oklahoman this week, Mike Stoops credits Walker with not so much as just installing the Bama 3-4 defense but "we had a lot of information" on the Alabama personnel, coaches and tendencies.
So much so that Stoops said that the Alabama coaches would "recognize a lot of stuff that's going on when we play."
A Game Changer?
So will the Stoops brothers advantage help Big Game Bob against Nick Saban?
Perhaps Walker's presence just reaffirms what the Stoops brothers already know about Alabama: the Crimson Tide is a well-oiled machine, angry over their last second loss to arch-rival Auburn and will be chomping at the bit to crush Bob Stoops Sooners.
Or, perhaps the Stoops brothers have another secret weapon up their sleeve?
You see, mama Stoops has a younger son named Mark who is the head coach of the University of Kentucky who lost to Alabama 48-7 this year.
Do you think that big brother Bob has talked to kid brother Mark about his thoughts on how to stop Nick Saban's Crimson Tide?
Of course, they have talked. That is what brothers do. And, what about Stoops mentor at South Carolina? Don't you think Big Game Bob has talked to his mentor Steve Spurrier on how to stop Bama's vaunted attack?
Summary
Yes, on paper this game is a mismatch for the Stoops brothers.
Alabama should just line up and run roughshod over the faster, smaller Sooners.
But a funny thing this game football is.
These are college-age kids 18, 19, 20 and 21 years old.
Emotion and coaching play big factors on motivation for these younger players.
The team that is the best on paper does not always win.
And, when there is a sibling rivalry involved and inside information from the enemy in play, anything is possible.
For the Sooner Nation and the Stoops brothers of Youngstown, here's hoping the Oklahoma Sooners finally have Nick Sabans' number!
Tomorrow's OU/Texas football game marks the 108th meeting between the two football powerhouses.
The last two meetings were blowout victories by the Sooners which has the entire state of Texas in a state of depression in anticipation of tomorrow's Red River Rivalry which has become the Red River Rout.
So before we head to bed, here's the tale of the tape for tomorrow's battle in the Cotton Bowl.
Keys to Victory
1. Run, Run, Run
Bob Stoops is 58-1 when his Sooners rush for over 200 yards in a game. The winner of the OU/Texas game is the one who rushes for more yards historically, as well. Oklahoma features a backfield by committee in seniors Damien Williams, Brennan Clay and Roy Finch. Toss in heralded freshman Keith Ford and quarterback Blake Bell and the Sooners are the most formidable running team Texas has faced.
Texas features a fine stable of backs, too. Jonathan Gray, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron are tough, fast runners.
Many experts think the only chance for Texas is to run straight at the Sooners and control the ball and clock and limit Oklahoma possessions.
Whoever wins this battle usually wins the game.
2. Blake Bell
Neither Notre Dame and TCU had an answer to stop Blake Bell.
The 6' 5" 252 lb. quarterback is a bruising, battering ram runner who punishes linebackers and safetys in a short yardage package and in quarterback scrambles off of the passing game.
He took over the late stages of both the Notre Dame game and TCU game and ran for crucial first downs to ice both games.
It's big, high-profile national stages like this one where legends are born.
Is Texas tough enough to stop the Belldozer?
3. Oklahoma Press Man Coverage
Bob Stoops teams are known for tight press-man coverage at the corners.
Senior Aaron Colvin and freshman Zack Sanchez have turned in shut-down performances through 5 games and are a big reason the Sooners are undefeated.
Texas strength lies in its speedy receivers: Jaxon Shipley, Mike Davis and Kendall Sanders.
Case McCoy didn't inherit his brothers passing genes.
Unfortunately for Texas tomorrow, if he is forced to make plays with his arm it could get ugly early for the Longhorns.
See Tommy Rees performance in South Bend for a sneak preview.
4. Second Quarter Turnover Blues
Oklahoma has outscored Texas 51-7 in the second quarter the past two years.
Ballgame.
To add insult to injury, Oklahoma has forced 8 Texas turnovers during that span which virtually ended all hopes for the Burnt Orange faithful.
Start slow again tomorrow and turn the ball over and it will be a long day for the Longhorns for the third straight year.
5. Bob Stoops
In today's era of high-priced head coaches, not many games of this magnitude have a coaching advantage.
But what else would you call it when Bob Stoops is 9-5 against Mack Brown and has won the last two games by scores of 55-17 and 63-21?
In fact, Bob Stoops holds the top 3 largest margins of victory over Texas in the 107 meetings between the two teams having posted over 60 points three different times.
Sooners can make it four straight over Texas tomorrow, maintain their undefeated season and Stoops will be looking for style points to please BCS voters.
Bob Stoops teams seem to play with a chip on their shoulder in this game and he has been able to get his players stoked for this game more than Mack Brown can do for his players mentality.
And, Mack Brown is fighting for his coaching life but it may already be too late to save his career at Texas.
Earlier this week Brown retold a story about his conversation with Texas coaching legend Darrell Royal and his advice for ending a losing streak in this very streaky series.
Royal told Brown this is how you end the streak:
"When you get tired of the losin' and are good enough to do something about it!"
I am certain the Texas faithful and Mack Brown are plenty tired of the losin'.
We'll find out tomorrow if they are good enough to do anything about it.
Dan Novakov is the former chair of the SMU Athletic Forum and Notre Dame alumni.
I was visiting with Dan and Tim Norris, my fellow Sooner and 2013 Doak Walker Award committee chairperson, last month at SMU about last years Oklahoma Notre Dame football game.
I told Dan about my trip to the concession stand just after Notre Dame had scored in the fourth quarter to pull ahead 20-13. It was a cold and blustery night and as I exited the stands I encountered a rather large, burly Notre Dame fan in a t-shirt and shorts belting out the Notre Dame Fight Song in the middle of the concourse to the stunned amazement of red-clad Sooner fans.
Dan laughed and recounted his encounter with Coach Stoops this summer. He introduced himself and said he was a Notre Dame alumni. Coach Stoops immediately said "Four plays!" and stormed off.
Dan was laughing retelling the story because in reality any game comes down to a handful of plays that determine the outcome. However, Coach Stoops was right and Dan knew as much as anyone that last years game in Norman simply came down to four plays.
Which leads us to the upcoming battle next Saturday in South Bend.
Oklahoma will travel to northern Indiana for its first road game of the young 2013 season that will have much to do with not only determining the outcome of the remainder of the season for the Sooners but whether they seriously challenge for the programs eighth national championship.
But first, before we venture ahead one week, let's revisit those four plays that had Irish fans singing in the Owen Stadium concourses and caused the ball coach to snap them off at my friend Novakov last summer.
2012 Revisited
The Sooners and Fighting Irish played a game for the ages in Norman last October before 86,031, the largest attended sporting event crowd in Oklahoma state history.
The game did not let the record crowd down.
Notre Dame used some key breaks late to pull away from a 13-13 tie at the start of the fourth quarter to win a game 30-13 that was much closer than the final score.
The Fighting Irish played a hard-nosed, bend but don't break defense that effectively limited the high-octane Sooners offense to a dink-and-dunk passing game strategy and only 15 yards rushing.
Thanks to a tremendous front seven led by defensive tackle Louis Nix III and All America linebacker Manti Te'o, Notre Dame throttled the Oklahoma offense and limited it to a season low points total.
The four plays Coach Stoops noted occurred early and late in the game and were the difference makers:
1. First Quarter: Notre Dame senior running back Cierre Wood broke off a 62-yard run right up the gut to score the Irish's first score.
2. Fourth Quarter: After being briefly knocked out of the game by a viscious hit from Tony Jefferson, Notre Dame Quarterback Everett Golson trotted on the field and hit Chris Brown with a 50-yard pass to set-up a touchdown that would break open a 13-13 tie and give the Fighting Irish a lead it would not relinquish.
3. Shortly afterwards, Te'o intercepted a deflected Landry Jones pass that the entire Sooner Nation thought was pass interference that led to a Notre Dame field goal.
4. Faced with a do or die 4th down deep in his own territory, Bob Stoops elected to go for it and was stopped which resulted in a cheap Notre Dame touchdown at the end of the game for the final score.
Four plays that determined the outcome of the game.
Just like Coach Stoops said.
Fast-forward to next Saturday.
And so what does this Saturday's matchup have in store for Sooner fans?
Hopefully, a better outcome!
Beating Notre Dame Is As Easy As A-B-C!
So, here is the ABC road map to victory Saturday. Let's hope Josh Heupel is listening!
A--Air it Out
Last year Oklahoma threw 52 passes against Notre Dame.
So you might think, didn't they air it out?
If you like the dink-and-dunk variety.
Oh sure Jalen Saunders had 8 catches in the first quarter en route to an Oklahoma record 15 catches in the game for 181 yards.
But they were all short passes in front of Notre Dame defenders playing in their base cover two defense who wrapped up the OU receivers immediately to limit the yards after catch.
Yes, the Sooners marched the ball down the field but when it came red zone crunch time, the Fighting Irish defense stiffened and limited the Sooners to 13 points.
The scouting report on the Fighting Irish said their front seven was stout and they were. The same scouting report said the secondary was a mix-match of former receivers and could be tested deep.
However, Josh Heupel must have missed that e.mail because of the 52 aforementioned passes Heupel only called 3 deep balls.
Three total.
The entire ballgame.
And one of them was at the end of the game when the Sooners were desperate.
So what gave last year?
Heupel must have felt the Fighting Irish front seven was so stout that Landry Jones simply would not have enough time to wait for those deeper patterns to develop.
Even though Jones was only sacked two times the entire game, Notre Dame sat in their base defense and Heupel never threatened the weakest link of the Fighting Irish defense: the secondary.
So what is in store this year?
Hopefully, Heupel will learn from his mistake last year and open up the down the field passing playbook.
Eight defensive starters return from last year including massive linemen Louis Nix III and Stephon Tuitt, who appears healed after an early season groin injury.
However, this year they have been joined by an underperforming linebacker crew sans Manti Te'o that has forced Brian Kelly's defense to blitz more to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
The Fighting Irish linebacker crew had been so bad that Brian Kelly made a game-time decision and inserted three new starters before last Saturday's 17-13 win over Michigan State. The lineup change appeared to inspire the Fighting Irish who played more enthusiastically in the win over the Spartans.
However, if the linebacking play does not maintain this renewed sense of spirit, it spells doom for the Notre Dame faithful. Because if the linebacking crew lacks the speed and moxy to stuff the Sooners running game and are forced into a blitz package for pressure, the Sooners might run and pass all day all over the vaunted Notre Dame defense making this game a track meet on the deep, lush grass of Notre Dame field.
Go deep with big receivers Jaz Reynolds and underutilized Trey Metoyer against the Notre Dame cover two coverage to loosen up the secondary and keep them honest.
Flood zones underneath with crossing patterns featuring our scat-back receivers Jalen Saunders, Durron Neal and Sterling Sheperd.
Float H-back Trey Millard down the seams one-on-one with the Notre Dame linebackers and soften the cover two.
Play pitch and catch with Brennan Clay and Roy Finch out of the backfield.
Listen, learn, pass and win, Josh.
B--Blake Bell
Blake Bell is not Landry Jones.
He is also not Trevor Knight.
Which is all good for the Sooners and bad for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame has not seen a quarterback with the size, arm and speed they will see Saturday.
Blake Bell showed a calm, cool command of the playbook against Tulsa.
He showed an uncanny touch on the deep balls and precision strikes underneath that surgically struck the Golden Hurricane defense that was playing run all game.
Expect nothing less against Notre Dame.
Bell's running ability further adds problems for the Notre Dame defense.
Yes, OU has a deep running back corps and Notre Dame is very stout against the run limiting Purdue to a school-tying record low 1 rushing first down and holding Michigan State to 13 points last Saturday.
But Notre Dame lacks the linebacking athletic speed to deal with a big, mobile quarterback with a gun for an arm in the presence of Blake Bell. Let Nix and Truitt clog the middle and push the edges of the pocket. Bell will need to adjust, step up and take off when he sees it open up. The Fighting Irish don't have Manti Te'o there this year to plug the gaps.
For the sake of the entire Sooner Nation, let's hope Josh Heupel gives Blake Bell plenty of options with his arm and feet to open up the stout Irish defense.
C--Convert Third Downs
Ask any football coach the key to winning offense and they'll automatically note converting third downs.
How did OU do last October against the Fighting Irish?
4 of 14.
And that won't get it done Saturday afternoon either.
Josh Heupel has to implement a game plan that features Blake Bell's running ability with his passing accuracy that tests the Fighting Irish deep to soften up the underneath routes that will flourish with repetition.
Mix in a few spread option reads and inside running game featuring bulworths Damien Williams, Brennan Clay and rising freshman stud Keith Ford and voila'!
The Sooners should have the bulk up front and enough quickness and talent on offense to move the ball consistently on this revamped Fighting Irish defense.
And they will need to control the ball to keep the plodding Notre Dame offense from controlling the clock. They ran off over 7 minutes in a fourth quarter drive against Purdue that effectively iced the game.
Don't think they can't do the same against the young, Oklahoma front seven just as they did last year in Norman against a much more experienced Sooner defense.
Summary
Neither team is top 10 ranked this year but the stakes are still high.
Both teams are still fighting for the illusive BCS bowl berth.
The Sooners still have their eye on playing for their 8th National Championship.
The road doesn't get any tougher Saturday in South Bend against an opponent that Oklahoma is 1-9 against all-time including the 7-0 heartbreaker in 1957 that ended Oklahoma's 47-game win streak.
Last year after the Notre Dame game, Coach Stoops made no excuses and said the Fighting Irish were the better team but was still sore in the summer over four plays that cost his Sooners.
Here's hoping that when the Touchdown Jesus bell has rung Saturday it's the BellDozer doing the ringing about his game-winning plays and somewhere in the Notre Dame Stadium concourse a Sooner fan is heard belting "Boomer Sooner" throughout the heartland!
I Grew Up Watching Glenn Dobbs' University of Tulsa NCAA Record-Breaking Aerial Circus Featuring Jerry Rhome & Howard Twilley in The 60's.
Those Great Teams Morphed Into Less-Stellar Teams Featuring Stellar Individual Talent Such As Drew Pearson, Dave Rader, Steve Largent and Steve August in the 70's.
Unfortunately For Tulsa Fans, None of Those Aforementioned Guys Are Playing Oklahoma Saturday!
The Sooners Are Too Talented, Experienced, Deep & Physical This Year For The Golden Hurricanes!
Regardless of Whomever Plays QB, OU Has Rushed For 600-Yards The Past Two Weeks. They Might Just Match That Total Tomorrow As The Oklahoma Running Game Is Reminding Sooner Fans of The Days of Owens, Pruitt & Washington.
And This Oklahoma Defense Has Only Given Up 7 Points & The Aggressive, Ball-Hawking, Take-No-Prisoners Style Is Reminding OU Fans Of The Days of Selmon, Shoate, Elrod, Hughes & Moore!
Sooners Score Early, Late & Often However They Want.
Stoops Clears The Benches.
Barry Switzer Will Be On His Cabana Wearing His "Hang Half A Hundred" T-Shirt Smiling!
Only 42 days remain until the 2013 Sooner football season kicks off in Norman on August 31.
The opponent is Louisiana-Monroe and the game will be the fifth earliest home opener in Oklahoma's storied 119 football seasons (all since 1996.)
But that's not the only story line in the 2013 season.
The Sooners return with a completely retooled defense after the losses of virtually the entire defensive line, corner Demontre Hurst and safety Javon Harris to graduation, juniors: safety Tony Jefferson, linebacker Tom Wort and wide receiver Kenny Stills decided to enter the NFL draft early (wonder what they think about that decision now?), and of course, the biggest name: fifth-year quarterback Landry Jones.
And that is where this season's main story line will center upon: Who will be the Sooners QB?
Many have already annointed junior Blake Bell. Everyone knows about Bell's storybook two-year run as leader of the short-down "BellDozer" package. Bell rushed the ball 60 times for 222 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2012.
The most dramatic play for Bell came in last year's Bedlam finale on fourth down for a touchdown to send the game into overtime.
Now the mantle is about to be passed to Bell as the full-time starter.
Although Bob Stoops has yet to name an official starter, he has kept open the option of competition this fall, most Sooner observers believe the job is Bell's to lose. Untested freshman Trevor Knight and sophomore Kendal Thompson will compete but lack the game-time experience and accompanying moxy that those past two years brings to Bell.
It would be a shock if Knight or Thompson emerged from fall camp as the starter based upon anything other than an injury to Bell.
So, Blake Bell will assume the mantle being passed from the Jason White, Sam Bradford and Landry Jones quarterback lineage.
And That's Where The Fun Begins
Now, we fast forward to August 31 and the home opener against the Warhawks from Louisiana- Monroe.
Most Sooner fans will assume the usual beat-down for the home opener. However, one fact should get the attention of the Sooner Nation: Todd Berrys' squad upset #8 Arkansas in Little Rock in last year's season opener. And, this is the same Louisiana-Monroe that beat Alabama in 2007! The Warhawks also bring a veteran squad with 17 starters returning from an 8 win season last year to Norman. And, senior quarterback Kolton Browning was recently named the Sun Belt ConferencePre-Season Offensive MVP and to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. He's also previously been named to the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award, Maxwell Award and CFPA pre-season watch awards list. They will not be awed or intimidated by the tradition and history in Norman and will think they can pull off the biggest upset of the season again for the second straight year.
And the September schedule doesn't get any easier with West Virginia returning to Norman for the first time since 1982 the following week for the Big 12 opener and then a visit from a pesky Tulsa squad with head coach Bill Blankenship looking to ruin Blake Bell's coming out party. After an off week, a visit to South Bend looms large and a chance at redemption against Notre Dame for last years 30-13 loss at home. Any slip ups along the way and the Sooners could be not only knocked out of the BCS National Championship picture but the Big 12 Championship in September!
If you don't know the history of how fickle OU fans are just check the history with the "Chuck Chuck",and "Bury Barry" bumper stickers from the 1970's and 80's to see what would be in store for Big Game Bob if his Sooners lay an egg in September with multiple losses to any one of four very good teams capable of an upset against a Sooners squad featuring a new quarterback and inexperienced and thin defense. I am certain Bob Stoops doesn't want to see any "Bye Bye Bob" signs in Owen Field by the time Gary Patterson and his TCU Horned Frogs roll into Norman on October 5.
So with basically the entire offensive line and running backs Damien Williams and Brenan Clay returning as is fullback Trey Millard along with wide outs Jalen Saunders, Trey Metoyer, Durron Neal,Sterling Shepard and once-suspended Jaz Reynolds, the cupboard appears full for Bell's inaugural season as starter.
However, the most important person returning is offensive coordinator Josh Heupel who will be calling plays for his third straight season.
Heupel has been a lightning rod for disgruntled Sooner fans who cringe with his every play call, or so it seems. Many unjustly blame him for the Landry Jones meltdown in Stillwater in 2011 and the Kansas State debacle last year. However, it was the Notre Dame loss in Norman in 2012 that was the straw that broke Heupel's back with many of the Oklahoma faithful.
A 5th ranked Notre Dame squad invaded Norman with a stout defensive front seven led by All-American linebacker Manti Te'o. Many analysts expected the Sooners offensive coordinator to attack the perceived weakness of the Fighting Irish, their suspect secondary which was full of converted wide receivers and back ups, with the blazing speed of the Sooners wide outs.
However, as the game played out, Notre Dame primarily used its base defensive lineup the entire game and dared OU to throw the ball deep. And Heupel incredibly played right into their hands by only attempting three downfield passes the entire game.
Yes, Jalen Saunders had a career-game 15 receptions for 181 yards but that was what Notre Dame wanted to allow. The underneath routes were open all night but when the Sooners came close to the red zone the Fighting Irish defense clamped down and limited the Sooners success between the 20 yard line.
And so it goes for the offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma heading into the 2013 campaign. Many see Blake Bell as a legitimate Heisman candidate, who definitely has the potential based upon his limited exposure the past two seasons, but are holding their breath that Josh Heupel doesn't screw him up!
So with all that said, here are my 5 suggestions for Josh Heupel to ensure Blake Bell succeeds.
#1--Blake Bell Is Not Landry Jones
By all accounts Landry Jones had a stellar career at Oklahoma. He passed for 16,646 yards and 123 touchdowns in four years, the third highest total in major college football history, and departed as the Oklahoma all-time passing leader in completions, attempts, yardage, touchdowns and wins. His career record was 39-11, 3-straight wins against Texas, one BCS Bowl Victory, 3-1 bowl record and two Big 12 Championships. Not bad.
However, following in the shoes of Heisman winner Sam Bradford, many consider Jones to be an underachiever because he didn't win a national championship or the third Heisman by a Sooner quarterback in 10 years.
But despite an up and down career more known by fickle Sooner fans for his penchant for the intermittent unforced turnover than his records, many observers had thought Landry was the most naturally gifted quarterback and would go in the first round of the NFL draft. But the NFL brass knew something that those observers didn't because Jones slipped all the way to the 4th round.
The pre-draft criticism of Josh Heupel even reached ESPN "Monday Night Football" host Jon Gruden. Gruden interviewed Jones for his popular television show, "Jon Gruden's Quarterback Camp," where the former NFL head coach watches game film of potential NFL draftees and offers his harsh critiques of his pupils. In Jones' case, Gruden targeted his criticism at his offensive coordinator:
"I didn't really like a lot of the plays he had to run at Oklahoma. Last season, the Sooners consistently didn't have any tight ends as options in the passing game, and didn't do enough to give Jones the option to have easy outlets, which eliminated the opportunity to dump the ball off to tight ends or running backs. If I'm going to criticize anybody for that, I'm going to criticize Oklahoma. The Sooners often went with four-wideout formations, and I thought it stymied their quarterback. They lost balance and their play-action passing game. That put a lot on Jones, and it probably created a situation where he had to throw the ball too often." So what does Josh Heupel do with Blake Bell to follow up to Landry's 4-year run and prevent the same thing from happening to him that Gruden describes above as Jones downfall in Norman?
The one thing we don't want to see is a status quo offensive package for Blake Bell. Two different players. Two different offensive packages right? Barry Switzer said as much in 2011 when the offense was struggling in short yardage situations and when the BellDozer was first introduced and the Sooner Nation was clammering for a QB change.
But that is not the thinking simply based upon past precedent. No one will be surprised if Heupel just plugs and plays Bell into the same offensive philosophy and system that Landry Jones quarterbacked for four years.
But that would be a major problem. Because Blake Bell has a different skill set and this team is not even close to the one who finished 10-3 last year by surrendering the most points in Oklahoma history!
So the first step for Josh Heupel is to listen to Jon Gruden and do not continue the same offensive philosophy with Blake Bell because he is not Landry Jones and the Sooner defense enters the season as a question mark and presents a definite potential weakness.
#2--Play to Your Strength
The Sooners return all of their offensive line starters except NFL first round pick Lane Johnson, both running backs as well as a deep and talented wide receiver corps and the versatile Trey Millard.
So why not just maintain the same offensive system in 2013 with a new quarterback?
Because it would be a major mistake.
Blake Bell is a unique quarterback who brings a different skill set to the field than Landry Jones. His passing skills are yet to be seen but by all accounts, based upon his stellar high school career in Kansas, Bell appears to have the potential to continue the up-tempo, heavy passing game OU has mastered the past few years.
But the one problem OU has this year is its' defense which has been decimated by graduation and early underclass departees to the NFL draft.
Also, only three defensive lineman return from last season. Sophomore Jordan Phillips, lightly used Torrea Peterson and Jordan Wade. Heavily recuited freshman Kerrick Huggins just declared himself academically ineligible and enrolled in junior college and incoming JUCO transfer Quincy Russellhas yet to be cleared academically to play this fall. This situation is so bleak that Mike Stoops already moved defensive ends Chuka Ndulue and Rashod Favors inside to beef up the tackle roster. But Ndulue's DUI arrest last month most assuredly will result in a one game suspension thinning an already thin group.
So, although linebackers Corey Nelson and Frank Shannon return with a renewed commitment from defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, they will be hard-pressed to stop an onslaught that could overrun the porous defensive line. And, with only Aaron Colvin returning as a starter, the secondary will be full of new faces that will need time to gell.
Which is why Josh Heupel should mix things up with the Sooner play calling and create a new package that utilizes Blake Bell's unique skill set and establish the running game.
This change does two things:
1) Plays to the Sooners strength with 5 returning offensive linemen, 1,000+ yard running back Damien Williams and 500+ yard runner Brennan Clay along with Trey Millard plus newcombers Alex Ross and true freshman Keith Ford. And don't forget, Bell is 6' 6" and 263 pounds of muscle who punishes defenses with his BellDozer runs. This will be a very formidable group against any opponent.
2) Runs the clock and keeps an inexperienced and thin OU defense off of the field.
This last point is critical because OU averaged a total of 77 offensive plays per game while eating up 31.04 minutes per game in 2012. OU's opponents averaged 69 plays and 28.56 minutes per game in time of possession.
OU threw the ball 43 times per game versus 33 rushes per game. The Texas game was an anomaly that got away from them early as the Sooners featured 51 rushes en route to a 63-21 rout.
Quite frankly, OU simply doesn't have the athletes on defense, at least starting out, to keep up with this offensive pace.
Most experts will tell you that 65 plays is the magic number you can expect a defense to play and keep things in order. As evidenced by the scores last year at West Virginia and home against OSU, that fact is backed up by the 50-49 and 51-48 scores and 82 and 103 plays, respectively, including a school record 73 passing attempts against OSU.
So, Josh Heupel needs to listen to Jon Gruden and rethink his up-tempo, high level passing system and slow things down and play to his players strength by establishing a running game.
#3--Feature Trey Millard
The best offensive player OU has is Trey Millard. He is a terrifying threat to opposing defenses with his agility, size (6' 2" 259 pounds) and speed.
However, Millard barely touches the ball in Heupel's up-tempo, high octane passing system. Hell, even Blake Bell carried more times than Milliard in 2012! Millard only carried the ball 33 times in 2012 for 199 yards and a 6.0 average per carry and caught 30 passes for 337 yards and 11.2 average per reception. That's an incredible 17 yard per play average!
The highlight of his 2012 season was his SportsCenter moment in the Cotton Bowl against Texas. Millard took a short pass from Jones and bullied his way 73 yards by his hurdle of one Longhorn defender while simultaneously stiff-arming another mid-air en route to his Texas Two-Step gallop. I hope Josh Heupel has this play on rewind on his smart phone and watches it every day this summer!
So Josh Heupel needs to get Millard more involved this year while establishing the running game to maintain possession, eat clock and keep the thin defensive unit off of the field.
#4--Introduce the H-Back
This move is not as drastic as it sounds.
Millard and linebacker-converted running back Aaron Ripowski are already on the field in the BellDozer package. Ripowski primarily as a blocker but Millard as a dual run-receiver threat.
This move places the offenses best player, Millard, on the field every down and will create immediate problems for opposing defenses.
Milliard can keep defenses honest and on their toes because of his dual threat skill set. He can carry the ball in a two-back set or from a hybrid H-back formation where he becomes a receiving threat. He is simply too fast for a linebacker to cover and too strong for a safety or cornerback. Properly utilized he is virtually unstoppable and a defensive coordinator's worst nightmare.
Similar offenses have utilized this formation successfully with tight ends including Stanford, Notre Dame and Oregon in their BCS Championship season in 2010. And, of course, Alabama goes with its heavy package but primarily uses the H-back as a blocker. However, the beauty about Milliard is he is a fullback who is big and fast enough to play tight end. He gives you an imediate dual run/pass threat.
No doubt Josh Heupel likes the four receiver sets and despite what Jon Gruden said above Bob Stoops quieted critics last year by saying this format gave the Sooners the best opportunity to score points against the other high-octane Big 12 offenses. Stoops also didn't have a legitimate tight end last year and unless Brannon Green and Taylor McNamara develop quickly this season, the Sooners won't have a legitimate tight end early. It was so bad at tight end last year that defensive end Geneo Grissom was moved there at the beginning of the season.
But Landry Jones' favorite targets Justin Brown graduated and Kenny Stills left early for the NFL and the new receiving corps and quarterback as well as the defense will need time to get assimilated and in sync.
So let's feature Millard as a true hybrid H-back, line him up in multiple formation sets, run the ball featuring him as a lead blocker and give him the ball sporadically, split him out in the slot as a receiver and use him in the short yardage BellDozer formation. But whatever you do keep him on the field 100% of the time. Give an inexperienced Blake Bell the options Gruden criticized Heupel for not giving Jones last season.
Give him 20-25 touches a game. Mix in speedsters Damien Williams, Brennan Clay and potentially Alex Ross another 20-25 times to keep defenses honest. Throw the ball 25-30 times and use multiple sets but keep the base package featuring Milliard on the field 100% of the time.
#5--Eliminate Those Nerdy Sideline Play Calling Placards & Let Blake Call His Own Plays
If I see another offense line up and then stop and everyone look over to the sideline to those wacky oversized placards with cartoons, numbers and other inanimate objects with assistants waving their arms in some sort of Egyptian hieroglyphics, I am going to throw up.
The Sooners hurry up to the line and then sit around looking for a play call from a slew of assistants and goofy signs for seemingly endless minutes and then run a draw play.
Incredible.
I am not saying eliminate the up tempo play calling system, just simplify the offense with the H-Back formation with Millard and run the play Blake Bell sees at the line of scrimmage most of the time.
It's not rocket science. A college quarterback should be able to call his own plays 90% of the time based upon formations, personnel on the field, positional football and gameclock management. Under two minutes late in the game Heupel is going to be calling the plays anyway but why not let Blake Bell direct the offense the rest of the time?
He has been in the program for two years, knows the offense and personnel better than anyone and with a simplified H-Back formation most of the game, should be able to check off at the line of scrimmage after reading the defensive formation. This change will keep the defenses in their base formation and not allow them time to substitute.
Looking at the schedule, I don't see any intimidating defenses that will just line up and scare anyone other than possibly a loaded TCU squad. However, I do see some potent offenses in Stillwater and Waco that could drive Mike Stoops crazier than he was last year without some help from his offensive counterparts.
Let the Sooners hurry up and run the ball down the opponents throats or toss it out in the flat or the seam to Millard and watch him run.
Hurry back up to the line and do it again and take no prisoners.
Summary
This is definitely a rebuilding year for Oklahoma.
Most programs who lose a 4-year starting quarterback coming off of a 39-win career, 3 bowl wins and two conference championships expect a drop off.
However, not with Bob Stoops. Big Game Bob has done some of his best coaching in so-called rebuilding years with new quarterbacks and entirely different offensive systems and offensive coordinators.
In 2006 coming off a disappointing 8-4 season in 2005, Stoops wasted little time suspending returning starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and replacing him with converted wide receiver Paul Thompson. The Sooners responded with a powerful running game featuring Allen Patrick and a punishing defense en route to a Big 12 championship and 11-2 season before the Fiesta Bowl upset to Boise State.
He did it again in 2007 with freshman Sam Bradford calling plays in Kevin Wilsons' up-tempo, no huddle passing system. Bradford mastered the system in 2008 on his way to his Heisman winning season and a BCS national championship game against Florida.
And again in 2010, after a dismal 8-5 season after season ending injuries to Bradford and Jermaine Gresham in 2009, Stoops retooled his offense with Landry Jones in his first full season after losing Sam Bradford to injury the previous season and finished 12-2 with another Big 12 championship and Fiesta Bowl victory over Connecticut.
Josh Heupel has been on-the-job training the past two seasons and felt the wrath of the Sooner Nation for some questionable calls and game plans in key moments of big games.
He better figure out the best way to utilize his personnel to their strengths while realizing his defenses liability or the September cheers will turn into October howls this fall in Norman.
And, some enterprising Sooner entrepreneur will unveil "Hang Heupel" bumper stickers.
Late in the first half of the 2003 BCS National Championship between Oklahoma and LSU in January of 2004, I observed a bizarre scene unfolding on the Sooners sideline from my perch high above the field in the endzone mezzanine section of the Louisiana SuperDome.
As play was halted for a timeout with OU trailing LSU 14-7 in a defensive slugfest, I focused my binoculars on the Sooners sideline to see what Bob Stoops and Brent Venables would come up with to slow the Tigers offense.
And what to my surprise did I observe behind the Sooner bench that would cause a doubletake to clean my binocular lenses?
An animated, agitated and emotional Mike Stoops arguing with the SuperDome usher to allow him to enter the playing field from his lower level stadium seats.
I am not really sure the usher had much of a chance with Stoops.
At any rate, a quick leap over the gate railing and voila'! Mike Stoops was now on the Oklahoma sidelines. What he did next was virtually unheard of in a national championship football game.
For a fleeting moment, Mike Stoops forgot he was now the head football coach of the University of Arizona Wildcats and reverted back a few weeks as his baby brother's defensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma.
The problem with Stoops flashback was that OU already had a new defensive coordinator: Brent Venables. And he was on the field trying to do his job.
Venables had assembled his linebackers in one huddle on the sidelines going over schemes and instructions while the head football coach Bob Stoops had the defensive secondary a few feet away barking instructions to those players.
Incredibly, Mike Stoops in street clothes consisting of a navy blazer and khaki slacks pushed his way into the Venables huddle, grabbed a headset from one of the assistant coaches, basically pushed Venables aside and started screaming at the players!
Oh, and by the way. After he was finished barking at the players he started barking at the game officials on the field!
Unbelievable.
I am quite certain that it was some type of NCAA violation to have a person unaffiliated with a team come out of the stands and enter the playing field for a team and begin coaching during a game. I am pretty damn sure that a head coach for another school could not coach another team during a game!
But that was what Mike Stoops was doing right in the middle of a television timeout in the national championship game in New Orleans.
Now, to give Stoops some slack, it was his former team that he was watching unravel right before his eyes. The team that just a few weeks earlier was undefeated and headed to the Big 12 championship game in Kansas City against Kansas State.
Stoops had just accepted the head coaching position at Arizona only to see his former mentor Bill Snyder's #10 Kansas State Wildcats dismantle his vaunted #3 Sooners defense 35-7.
Ouch.
Fortunately, Oklahoma had enough BCS style points to qualify for the National Championship game versus LSU without Stoops, anyway.
However, what Stoops was seeing on the SuperDome field had caused him to snap and revert to this Youngstown, Ohio brotherly instincts and hop the rail to come to the rescue of his Big Brother Bob.
Obviously, in the heat of the moment, he had lost whatever respect he had for Brent Venables and his behavior was not only out of line but probably could have cost Oklahoma a sideline misconduct penalty for outside interference (if such a penalty existed!)
Whatever Stoops imparted to the defense didn't help much.
An LSU lineman picked off a Jason White interception early in the third quarter and returned it for a touchdown and an insurmountable 21-7 lead. The Sooners would rally but fall short 21-14.
Fast Forward to 2013
I find this memory interesting as Mike Stoops enters Bedlam week having replaced Brent Venables as the Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator coming off the worst defensive performance in the 117-year history of the University of Oklahoma football program!
Stoops' 4-man front and 7-defensive back scheme was dismantled by former OSU Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgerson's West Virginia Mountaineers Saturday night.
The Mountaineers totalled 778 total yards on offense, 458 rushing yards, and 344 rushing yards by a converted slot back Tavon Austin!
For whatever reason, lack of imagination, coaching techniques or failure to have a back up plan, Mike Stoops stubbornly stayed in this base defense most of the second half.
The result: he helplessly watched from the sidelines as West Virginia erased a 31-17 Sooners halftime lead and found himself facing a 49-44 deficit with a little over two minutes remaining.
Fortunately, for Mike Stoops, Landry Jones called an audible on fourth and three with 24-seconds remaining and threw a touchdown pass to Kenny Stills to pull the Sooners back in front 50-49 to save his ass.
Only a hail mary pass from Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith that was batted down at the Sooners goal line as time expired allowed the Sooners to escape Morgantown with a victory.
Why Does All This Matter?
The reason all this matters is because it was only a year ago that Brent Venables was basically run out of Norman on a rail a victim of a fickle fan base who had tired of his unreliable defensive schemes the past 13 years.
Sooners lose to Texas Tech at home ending their 39-game home winning streak? Blame Brent Venables.
Sooners lose three weeks later 45-38 to Baylor in Waco on a last second 50-yard bullet from eventual Heisman Trophy winner RGIII? Blame Brent Venables.
And, the coup de grace, lose 44-10 in Stillwater where the defensive scheme did not allow the talented tandem of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon to find the end zone? Blame Brent Venables.
So you can see why Mike Stoops' hiring was so important to the Sooner nation.
Little brother was being brought home after a failed head coaching stint in the desert to save Big Brother Bob's legacy by instilling the pre-2003 Sooner smashmouth defense.
You know. The one that shut out Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles offense 13-2 in the 2000 National Championship game in Miami.
The one that sent Teddy Lehman, Rocky Calmus, Roy Williams, Torrance Marshall, Tommie Harris, Brandon Everage and Derrick Straight straight from Norman to the NFL.
The problem with bringing back Mike Stoops is that he was Co-Defensive Coordinator with Brent Venables for 5 years and Venables was basically using the same schemes he and Stoops ran without Stoops' players the past 8 years!
Granted, by all accounts, Oklahoma's defense has improved in 2012.
However, as improved as the Sooners defense has been this year, Mike Stoops has proven that no remedy exists for today's up-tempo, spread offenses run by coaches that populate the 2012 Big 12 Conference.
The three-game offensive gauntlet of Baylor (ranked #5 nationally), West Virginia (ranked #9 nationally,) and OSU (ranked #2 nationally,) is one game away from being completed.
The results:
Oklahoma 42 Baylor 34.
Oklahoma 50 West Virginia 49.
Oklahoma vs. OSU?
It doesn't take a defensive genius to know that Mike Stoops defense has been torched by Baylor and West Virginia the past two weeks.
Granted, the Sooners won both games but how comfortable do you think the Sooner Nation is with this defense entering Saturday's Bedlam game against Mike Gundy's high-flying, 3rd ranked offensive scoring, Cowboys "plug and play" quarterback system?
If you've seen the big smile coming from Stillwater this week, you know that there is reason to feel queasy in Norman.
What To Do Saturday Afternoon?
So what exactly does Mike Stoops do against OSU Saturday afternoon?
Does he remain with the 4-man front, 7-defensive back scheme that has been torched up the middle by a Baylor running attack and a West Virginia converted wide receiver?
Or does he do something he stubbornly refused to do Saturday and adjust his scheme?
Head Coach Bob Stoops admitted this week the Sooners defense basically stunk Saturday night. But he didn't exactly endorse wholesale changes as well when he said this about making adjustments mid-stream:
"Tough to ditch everything you've practiced all week."
Huh?
Come again?
Making in-game adjustments is what the Head Football coach and Defensive Coordinator get paid over $5 million a year to do during a game!
Anyone watch the first half of the Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks game earlier this year?
Seattle came out blazing and made Aarron Rodgers look like a junior high quarterback with blitzes, stunts and a defensive scheme that rendered the high-powered Packers offense futile.
What did Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy do at halftime?
He made an adjustment and began running the ball down the blitzing Seahawks' throat and stopped the Seattle onslaught.
Same thing applies here to the Stoops brothers.
We know Bob Stoops loves his mano-y-mano, man-to-man coverage at cornerback. He loves to play with four down lineman and line up and see if the other team can beat him.
Last week West Virginia offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson called Stoops scheme a "Cat" defense. You know, "I got that cat, you got that cat!" Just like on the playground. Put your best player on their best player and see who's better.
You can only run this kind of scheme if you have superior players at cornerback with catlike reflexes, tenacious man coverage skills and speed.
Fortunately, Oklahoma has a pair of these "cats" in Demontre Hurst and Aaron Colvin. They're two of the best cover corners in college football. They will both play on Sundays.
But the problem with the Sooners defense isn't with Hurst and Colvin.
The problem lies in the middle and therein lies the rub.
Saturday Afternoon's Game Plan
Admittedly, I'm no defensive genius.
And, I don't have a crystal ball either.
However, I have played my share of ball on both sides of the line and have watched an awful lot of football in my 50 years.
And, one thing I know is that football is a war. As Bud Wilkinson famously said, "Football, in its purest form, remains a physical fight. As in any fight, if you don't want to fight, it's impossible to win."
And war consists of strategy.
So what can the brothers Stoops do to Mike Gundy Saturday to stop the bleeding we witnessed in Morgantown Saturday night?
One only has to look to the former OSU Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgerson and his comments following the 2010 Bedlam matchup:
"Last year when we played Oklahoma, you talk about a shock. I've known Brent Venables and Bob Stoops for 11 years and played against them for nine. They've been a traditional four-down front team for 10 years. And I watched some tape and said, 'Yeah, that's the same stuff they've been doing for a long time. They're four down. They're a zone blitz team. Every now and then they'll bring a safety down or bring everybody down and play man. They came out against us in a three-down front for the first time in their entire career at Oklahoma. That's when you have to adjust. It took us about a quarter to adjust."
OSU had the ball four times in the first quarter against Oklahoma. They scored 3 points. OU took a 7-3 lead and never trailed before winning.
A 3-man front for Mike Stoops? Can he force himself to borrow a page from Brent Venables?
Maybe.
But what does he do with the other 8 players?
If you consider the base secondary players, Hurst, Colvin, Tony Jefferson and Javon Harris, all will remain intact, what does that leave you with?
Four linebackers?
Anyone remember what happened last year when Brent Venables faced Weeden and Blackmon?
Does 44-10 sound familiar? Do you still see Tom Wort and Travis Lewis trailing the OSU wide receivers flailing to catch them?
Do you remember OSU running backs gashing the Sooners for 250 yards on the ground?
Think OSU still has the horses upfront to inflict similar damage on the ground with Joseph Randle?
Yep.
So what does Mike Stoops do?
I think he basically has two choices:
1) Stubbornly stick with the same base defense that Baylor and West Virginia torched and pray Landry Jones and the offense can outscore OSU. After all, as the head coach said this week, it's the defensive scheme they have been practicing all year.
or
2) Implement a 5-man front with 2 linebackers and see what happens.
A good way to stop a running game is to fill the line gaps with bodies. Big bodies.
Sooners have some of those in Seniors Jamarkus McFarland, Stacey McGee, Casey Walker and David King.
The problem is that this is the same cast of characters who have been torched the past two weeks.
And there is not much depth behind them to rotate in fresh bodies.
Tom Wort and Corey Nelson are very talented linebackers at stopping the run. However, they are not so great in coverage against a high-powered spread offense like the one OSU runs.
Which is why Stoops has decided to take them off the field in passing situations and replace them with a 7-defensive back formation.
Oh, you could move Tony Jefferson from Free Safety and put him 3-yards off the ball as basically a hybrid linebacker but then just remember who is left mining the deep third? Javon Harris.
And, anyone who thinks Javon Harris can do the job back there just flashback to Baylor and Texas Tech last year.
Solution
As Barry Switzer used to famously say, "Coaches don't make plays, players make plays!" or something to this effect. Oklahoma has to rely on players Saturday to make plays.
Bob Stoops said the Sooners missed 20 tackles Saturday night. That's an awful lot of missed tackles.
Credit Tavon Austin for some of those misses. But also ask the Sooners to step up and make a play Saturday night regardless of the scheme.
I said earlier this year that this might be the most talented team Bob Stoops has fielded in his 14 years in Norman.
An awfully young bunch, with transfers mixed in at key positions, but very talented.
There are 20 seniors, including a half a dozen or more on defense, who will play their final home game as Sooners Saturday.
Maybe it's time to light a fire in their ass and get them motivated to play the game of their careers?
Anyone out there think we've seen the best of Jamarkus McFarland, R.J. Washington, Stacey McGee, Casey Walker or David King?
Fire em' up and get em' motivated.
How about a couple of new players who haven't been seen or heard from this year?
Geneo Grissom? Torea Peterson?
Can they be inserted in key positions and turned loose on OSU's "plug and play" quarterback system?
What about Frank Shannon, Rashod Favors, Jordan Phillips?
Put them in and turn them loose.
What say you this week Mike Stoops:
"So we will see if we can make the adjustments and improvements but really just concentrate on those issues we have."
Summary
Oklahoma has held OSU to 125 yards passing the last 6 visits to Norman and has outscored the Cowboys by an average of 42.5 to 10 in the last four home wins, as well.
Guess who was the Defensive Coordinator for three of those visits? Brent Venables.
Defensive schemes come and go with varied success.
At the end of the day, players have to make plays.
Oklahoma has a ton of talented players. Some have not played to their potential this year.
Some haven't been given a chance.
Saturday afternoon it's time to let these horses loose and see what damage they can do to the Cowboys offense.
