BYU's defense...

[Babs]

Your issue was your OL.

yes. I think I used the word "abysmal" in another thread.

Until then be a Cougar, girlfriend!

Trust me, I'm working on it.

[Goatnapper'96]

For two years we have heard how great of an athlete and physical specimen Pendleton is, but he lacks courage for some reason. I think he found it in a big way.

He and Tevita Hola have been born again hard! We got our own squad of Private Pyle's lining up for us!

[Pheidippides]

Your issue was your OL. I don't think they are experienced enough to run a hurry up like that. They need the extra time to think through their assignments. It makes them play slow and limits what you could do offensively, not to mention the impact of their penalties and errors. These two teams could play in the middle of October again and even with pornstache at QB, OU is likely to score 30+. I think the BYU OL, even with replacing as many starters, outperformed OU's OL. I think the reason is that BYU doesn't recruit kids able to jump to the pros after 2-3 years. BYU takes second tier BCS caliber OL and is able to develop them and train them on BYU's system. While they lack the natural ability of the OL OU put out yesterday they were more assignment sound, IMO. Give it 4-5 games and I think the offense will look more and more like last years. Until then be a Cougar, girlfriend!

Absolutely right. The OL made fundamental blocking assignment mistakes that were a function of how they work together (the ESPN announcers were very good about pointing this out). Whereas our OL made blocking mistakes but not so many assignment mistakes. I'll let the difference speak for itself.

BYU's defense physically belonged on the same field as Oklahoma yesterday.

I told my dad that this was the first big game I have ever seen in which BYU did not have the deer-in-the-headlights look at any point in the game. They looked and played like they belonged the entire game. That was the thing I was most happy about. Not timid or scared at all.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Absolutely right. The OL made fundamental blocking assignment mistakes that were a function of how they work together (the ESPN announcers were very good about pointing this out). Whereas our OL made blocking mistakes but not so many assignment mistakes. I'll let the difference speak for itself.



I told my dad that this was the first big game I have ever seen in which BYU did not have the deer-in-the-headlights look at any point in the game. They looked and played like they belonged the entire game. That was the thing I was most happy about. Not timid or scared at all.

That was the big part that I noticed. They felt they belonged on the same field, played the part, and now have the confidence that goes with such a realization

[smokymountainrain]

Here's the biggest difference:
The way we were so successful last year was by running the hurry-up offense. No huddle, get the ball off in eight seconds. The defense never has time to think straight, let alone settle in. We did that all last season until the Florida game, where we played the slow-way-down offense. Why we would have wanted to allot all that extra time to the #2 defense in the country is a mystery to me. You'll recall, I imagine, how successful it was.

I would have thought we'd go back to hurry-up, yet it was anything but yesterday. I think that could have made a big difference.

Here's the other thing:
They only had two days to adjust to Jermaine Gresham, our all-american receiver, being out. I'm guessing that the passing attack was going to be very Gresham-intensive, and either Bob or Sam (I'm guessing the former) got nervous without Jermaine in there to haul in the balls; so Bob (desperate to prove that he can win a game against the little guy) decided to keep it on the ground as much as possible to minimize the potential for picks.

The truth is that I have no idea. I thought the OCs were calling really odd plays for both teams. The Sooner fans seem to feel that way about our team, anyway. The boards are pretty much full of a whole bunch of "WTF??!!"s.

Thanks for the response. The lack of hurry up offense is baffling.

I hate to be annoying by asking you these questions, but you're the only OU fan on the board, so bare with me...

During the game, when Stoops elected to kick the FG on 4th and 14, in my mind, the game was over. 4th and 14 with a backup QB is not a situation anybody wants to be in and a very tall order, but at least there is a chance. There was no way in hell that guy was making a 55 yard FG, IMO.

What's your opinion of that decision? Do you or other OU fans have strong opinions about it? I guess many fans could be giving Stoops a mulligan from the standpoint that whatever decision he made, it didn't matter because they weren't going to get a first down anyway.

[Babs]

I hate to be annoying by asking you these questions, but you're the only OU fan on the board, so bare with me...

!!!

[Babs]

During the game, when Stoops elected to kick the FG on 4th and 14, in my mind, the game was over. 4th and 14 with a backup QB is not a situation anybody wants to be in and a very tall order, but at least there is a chance. There was no way in hell that guy was making a 55 yard FG, IMO.

What's your opinion of that decision? Do you or other OU fans have strong opinions about it? I guess many fans could be giving Stoops a mulligan from the standpoint that whatever decision he made, it didn't matter because they weren't going to get a first down anyway.

TD can attest that I knew it was over and didn't even watch the kick. I turned around, hid under my hat, and listened to the Blue erupt into cheers.

I have no idea what was going on on the sidelines. Stoops is being crucified for his calls last night, but moreover for the lack of discipline. He simply did not have the team ready to play. It really doesn't matter what you call if you're going to drop the ball or fail to even snap it.

[SoonerCoug]

I hate to be annoying by asking you these questions, but you're the only OU fan on the board, so bare with me...

Wrong. I became OU's biggest fan for the rest of the 2009 season as of this morning.

[smokymountainrain]

Wrong. I became OU's biggest fan for the rest of the 2009 season as of this morning.

Heh. Nice.

It's funny because there are probably about 4 or 5 teams in college football that, despite any affiliation, I always want to do well - I guess you could call them second favorite teams. Oklahoma is one of those (as is SC as much as I hate to admit it). Add to that the fact that BYU beat them and Bradford is one of my favorite college QBs of the last 10 years or so, I will likely be right there with you.