It won't be easy. Historically, OU has had trouble the past few years with scrambling/running QBs. I do think the D will give up some yards and points, but I'm also thinking that they will make a 'key' stop(s), late in the game to give the offense the opportunity to win the game.
Can the defense stop Clemson's QB Walker?
- Thread starter Blair Sanderson_rivals
- Start date
Watson?
Yep, he'll get some runs on us. He's too good not to.
However, I trust Mike will play the old chess game well and adjust the D to negate him and make him pass. Then, we just pin our ears back and send Striker in like the mad dog he can be and hopefully get some oskies.
Hey, I can arm chair coach with the best of yas!
Great question WNAS and one that has me greatly concerned. UT's freshman QB Jerrod Heard converted many third and long situations for the horns on designed run plays in the RRS. Throw in a few scrambles from the pocket and he had a career day against OU. He only had to throw 12 times in that game and Watson is a much, much better passer than Heard.
After the RRS, we never really played a dual-threat QB all season, unless you count OSU Jay Walsh as a "dual threat" QB, which I don't. Mike Stoops has a huge job on his hands to come up with a scheme to slow down DeShaun Watson. I would rather see us sell out to stop their running game and limit his ability to keep the chains moving with his legs. He threw for 3,500 yards, so he'll make some plays throwing the ball, but if we can contain him, put pressure on him and force him to make some bad throws, we might get a couple of picks and turn them into points. This will undoubtedly be our defense's biggest challenge all season.
After the RRS, we never really played a dual-threat QB all season, unless you count OSU Jay Walsh as a "dual threat" QB, which I don't. Mike Stoops has a huge job on his hands to come up with a scheme to slow down DeShaun Watson. I would rather see us sell out to stop their running game and limit his ability to keep the chains moving with his legs. He threw for 3,500 yards, so he'll make some plays throwing the ball, but if we can contain him, put pressure on him and force him to make some bad throws, we might get a couple of picks and turn them into points. This will undoubtedly be our defense's biggest challenge all season.
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LongTimeSooner
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I hope that our entire defensive line and linebacker squad are told they cannot stop Watson. Repeatedly. By everyone, including Watson.
You gotta have the bend but not break mentality. Plus a couple of TOs would help immensely.
Had Will Johnson been in the lineup instead of Bird the outcome would have been different in the RRS imo. Bird was out of position all game and Stoops let him have it all game. Mike's scheme was not bad that game but the execution by a couple players was awful. It got Bird a seat on the bench.
Watson will make some big plays, no question. What OU must do is keep him on the sidelines as much as possible and play field position with a strong kicking game.
Some in the media have referred to OU as having a weak secondary. Regardless, OU needs to pressure Watson as much as possible to help the secondary and that's a much tougher task than it was pressuring Alabama's McCarron two years ago..