Day 1 of 2020 is here.

[BawlzDeep]

Immediate needs on offense: Find the best 5 lineman to protect OUr new QB.

Find the best RB to protect the new QB

Find the best 4 WRs to help the new QB have a good start.

Continue the tradition of using a TE and FB to gash defenses.

On defense: Find 11 players who would rather die than lose. Find 11 players who will attempt to take the opponents head off just for being on the field.

Coaching: Some need to go, others should be on a short leash.

 

[CTOkie]

On defense: Find 11 players who would rather die than lose. Find 11 players who will attempt to take the opponents head off just for being on the field.

Good luck with that.

 

[CTOkie]

Bawls, I expect that OU will be very good on offense again and that Rattler will prove to be a great passer with good mobility and will be more fundamentally sound than Hurts. I look forward to watching Rattler just as I did when OU recruited Jack Mildren.
But until and if Grinch can produced an elite defense, OU defensively will remain like a cute pet store puppy who will require lots of time and effort to house train. The sooner Grinch can remove Mike Stoops' "finger prints" on this team's defense, the better.
So many trash the SEC for one reason or another, but until teams like Oklahoma can loosen the grip that the SEC has on winning championships....and that can include Clemson from the ACC.....nothing will change. Teams from Dixie now have the rest of the nation's teams owned. 16 times since 2001, teams from the Southeast have won the national championship. Ohio State (twice in 2002, 2014) and USC (2004) have been the only two exceptions.

 

[Phaeded]

Immediate needs on offense: Find the best 5 lineman to protect OUr new QB.

Find the best RB to protect the new QB

Find the best 4 WRs to help the new QB have a good start.

Continue the tradition of using a TE and FB to gash defenses.

On defense: Find 11 players who would rather die than lose. Find 11 players who will attempt to take the opponents head off just for being on the field.

Coaching: Some need to go, others should be on a short leash.

The "Jones" are tOSU, Bama, Clemson, LSU and UGA...and after last night's debacle, we're not closing that arms race anytime soon. Throw in the conf going 0-3 in bowls so far with a good chance to go 0-6...well, the narrative couldn't be worse.

But when you demand this nonsensical "find" - they simply aren't in the cupboard. Case in point is at Linebacker: we signed two in the class of 2020, one of which we beat out Iowa State for; the other kid we beat out the likes of Charlotte, Elon, Navy and Liberty for.

As for coaching, Stoops may have left us Riley (a great QB coach - as a HC remains to be seen) but he also left us Mikey. We willingly encouraged the best DC in the country to leave our program for Mikey, and many here cheered that (hell, probably you). Venables is now at a program that just recruited 19 four and five star recruits to our 12. We've made our own bed, and now we get to uncomfortably sleep in it. But hey, at least Drake Stoops got some touches last night....

 

[Zgeo]

1, must have a QB that is accurate and can make all the throws...or you have no chance... I am looking forward to Rattler....
2, have to commit to the rush, three man rush does nothing especially when holding is not called....they don’t call penalties in championship games... need dedicated edge rushers that can dominate
3 have quick developing plays on offense, assume you have 1 1/2 seconds for success....

As an aside, I found it funny that the brain trust for the LSU offense is an inexperienced LB coach, watching him make the calls in the press box looked like watching a 18 year old kid playing a game....

 

[OUSOONER67]

Venables wasn't exactly lighting it up at OU on the defensive side of the ball when he was here. Our defense was terrible then too.
Perhaps it just easier to recruit great players to Clemson especially after winning a couple of National Titles. OU has not won one since 2000 so you cannot sell that to these young guys that were not even born then and have only seen OU get blown out in the Playoffs. These blowout losses are hard for some programs to overcome. It does hurt recruiting more than making the playoffs helps.

 

[kcstorm06_rivals]

Do the potheads get told to play somewhere else? Perkins is the most valuable, but Stevenson has loads of talent. His presence was missed.

 

[OklaBama]

The "Jones" are tOSU, Bama, Clemson, LSU and UGA...and after last night's debacle, we're not closing that arms race anytime soon. Throw in the conf going 0-3 in bowls so far with a good chance to go 0-6...well, the narrative couldn't be worse.

But when you demand this nonsensical "find" - they simply aren't in the cupboard. Case in point is at Linebacker: we signed two in the class of 2020, one of which we beat out Iowa State for; the other kid we beat out the likes of Charlotte, Elon, Navy and Liberty for.

As for coaching, Stoops may have left us Riley (a great QB coach - as a HC remains to be seen) but he also left us Mikey. We willingly encouraged the best DC in the country to leave our program for Mikey, and many here cheered that (hell, probably you). Venables is now at a program that just recruited 19 four and five star recruits to our 12. We've made our own bed, and now we get to uncomfortably sleep in it. But hey, at least Drake Stoops got some touches last night....

Great post.

 

[OklaBama]

Venables wasn't exactly lighting it up at OU on the defensive side of the ball when he was here. Our defense was terrible then too.
Perhaps it just easier to recruit great players to Clemson especially after winning a couple of National Titles. OU has not won one since 2000 so you cannot sell that to these young guys that were not even born then and have only seen OU get blown out in the Playoffs. These blowout losses are hard for some programs to overcome. It does hurt recruiting more than making the playoffs helps.

Venables wasn't exactly lighting it up at OU on the defensive side of the ball when he was here. Our defense was terrible then too.
Perhaps it just easier to recruit great players to Clemson especially after winning a couple of National Titles. OU has not won one since 2000 so you cannot sell that to these young guys that were not even born then and have only seen OU get blown out in the Playoffs. These blowout losses are hard for some programs to overcome. It does hurt recruiting more than making the playoffs helps.

67, you are right. Venables has a number of great defensive talent to work with now that he never had at OU. OU might get one great DT while Clemson gets three. Over time that adds up to a very mighty group to coach. There is no doubt Venables is a great coach and a lot of that comes from coaching really good football players. I doubt he could come back to OU and duplicate the success he has had since leaving the Sooners. Why do you think that would be? I have an idea.

 

[OUSOONER67]

67, Venables has a number of great defensive talent to work with now that he never had at OU. OU might get one great DT while Clemson gets three. Over time that adds up to a very mighty group to coach. There is no doubt Venables is a great coach and a lot of that comes from coaching really good football players. I doubt he could come back to OU and duplicate the success he has had since leaving the Sooners. Why do you think that would be? I have an idea.

Location, location, location.
That and the big 12 has a bad name defensive wise. Top defensive recruits want to go to a place where they can flourish and get drafted.

 

[OklaBama]

Location, location, location.
That and the big 12 has a bad name defensive wise. Top defensive recruits want to go to a place where they can flourish and get drafted.

You are exactly right.

 

[CTOkie]

Location, location, location.
That and the big 12 has a bad name defensive wise. Top defensive recruits want to go to a place where they can flourish and get drafted.

And this makes Grinch's job very difficult. He has to recruit against OU's defensive bad name and against other teams from outside the Big 12.

 

[Patriotgame_rivals]

Do the potheads get told to play somewhere else? Perkins is the most valuable, but Stevenson has loads of talent. His presence was missed.

kcstorm06, Riley said this morning there has not been a determination of the suspended kids yet...

 

[iasooner1]

Does the new payment structure allow us any advantage or flexibility in D coaching and player additions in the next year or not yet & what is the status of any changes ? We obviously need any help we can find now especially for the Defense.

 

[OUnabomber]

We all need to remember that there was a time in the not so distant past when neither Clemson, Georgia, or lsu was all that great. Remember when Ohio State couldn't win a big game? They all turned it around and so can we. It seems to take great coaches that have a burning desire for success and can recruit like crazy. I'm talking Barry Switzer type of recruiting. Are Riley and grinch those men? I honestly don't know

 

[kcstorm06_rivals]

kcstorm06, Riley said this morning there has not been a determination of the suspended kids yet...

Thanks Patriot. I would hope there is a solid plan of action if they are allowed to resume as a Sooner. Make sure the rest of the team has some input too.

 

[OUSOONER67]

We all need to remember that there was a time in the not so distant past when neither Clemson, Georgia, or lsu was all that great. Remember when Ohio State couldn't win a big game? They all turned it around and so can we. It seems to take great coaches that have a burning desire for success and can recruit like crazy. I'm talking Barry Switzer type of recruiting. Are Riley and grinch those men? I honestly don't know

These things are always cyclical in College Football. All those teams you mentioned didn't make it happen overnight.
It takes a great staff and lots of recruiting to get to the Pinnacle of CF. Hell lsu had just fired Leslie and hired Coach O as the HC and no way I thought he would have lsu where they are this year.
I think lsu and ohio st drop off a little after this season. Clemson not so much and Bama will be back I am sure.
We have been fortunate we have not had the drop off that some of these programs have faced the past 20 yrs, texas, nebraska, florida, usc, florida st etc.
Hard to get to the top and even harder to stay there.

 

[OUnabomber]

These things are always cyclical in College Football. All those teams you mentioned didn't make it happen overnight.
It takes a great staff and lots of recruiting to get to the Pinnacle of CF. Hell lsu had just fired Leslie and hired Coach O as the HC and no way I thought he would have lsu where they are this year.
I think lsu and ohio st drop off a little after this season. Clemson not so much and Bama will be back I am sure.
We have been fortunate we have not had the drop off that some of these programs have faced the past 20 yrs, texas, nebraska, florida, usc, florida st etc.
Hard to get to the top and even harder to stay there.

It would be majorly depressing to be in the same situation as Nebraska, Florida State, or usc. I'm not sure Nebraska will ever be back

 

[soonerinlOUisiana]

Venables wasn't exactly lighting it up at OU on the defensive side of the ball when he was here. Our defense was terrible then too.
Perhaps it just easier to recruit great players to Clemson especially after winning a couple of National Titles. OU has not won one since 2000 so you cannot sell that to these young guys that were not even born then and have only seen OU get blown out in the Playoffs. These blowout losses are hard for some programs to overcome. It does hurt recruiting more than making the playoffs helps.

We need a big a$$ slide!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea what purpose, if any, this is supposed to serve, but damn, it's cool!!!!!!!

 

[bcsoonerfan]

We've got to get bigger on defense. Speed is important but damn looking at LSU, Clemson and Ohio State, even their DBs were physically intimidating and I've been watching Oklahoma's guys get trucked for years because they're too small and they don't hit! Kenneth Murray is about the only starter that looks imposing at his position. DTY is physical but he's short. Deshaun White can get there but I want to see a linebacker who can go smack a guard on a blitz and shake his ***. Or a safety who can thump a running back to the ground.

And Grinch is going to have to sell a top defensive lineman on getting to Norman. We need a dude that has to be schemed for. It should be an easy sell. "We need you. Come start right now. Be the catalyst that everyone remembers who changed the Sooner defense forever."

 

[Rush2112Sooner_rivals250647]

I'm not sure Nebraska will ever be back

They won’t. Imagine OUr recruiting hurdles (location, location, location) and then look 2 states to the north in the middle of nowhere. They peaked in 1997, stayed relevant for a handful of years after that, but moving to the B1G sealed their fate.

 

[OUnabomber]

They won’t. Imagine OUr recruiting hurdles (location, location, location) and then look 2 states to the north in the middle of nowhere. They peaked in 1997, stayed relevant for a handful of years after that, but moving to the B1G sealed their fate.

I don't know.......Nebraska was a power house for 30 years. Hard to believe how far they have fallen thanks to the conference as well as a handful of terrible coaches.

 

[Patriotgame_rivals]

We've got to get bigger on defense. Speed is important but damn looking at LSU, Clemson and Ohio State, even their DBs were physically intimidating and I've been watching Oklahoma's guys get trucked for years because they're too small and they don't hit! Kenneth Murray is about the only starter that looks imposing at his position. DTY is physical but he's short. Deshaun White can get there but I want to see a linebacker who can go smack a guard on a blitz and shake his ***. Or a safety who can thump a running back to the ground.

And Grinch is going to have to sell a top defensive lineman on getting to Norman. We need a dude that has to be schemed for. It should be an easy sell. "We need you. Come start right now. Be the catalyst that everyone remembers who changed the Sooner defense forever."

this is the point I was making in another thread. Grinch is getting bigger kids in, especially DB wher his signing classes are in the 6’ to 6’3” range and already over 200 pounds...

 

[Rush2112Sooner_rivals250647]

I don't know.......Nebraska was a power house for 30 years. Hard to believe how far they have fallen thanks to the conference as well as a handful of terrible coaches.

Oh, those aren’t even the biggest issues. Around the late 90’s with the proliferation of cables sports channels (exposure for other schools), the limitation of scholarships, and changes to the walk-on program gutted Nebraska’s ability to recruit and stockpile blue chip talent. Upstart programs in “better” locations such as UCF, USF, FIU are starting to pull better talent away from the traditional powerhouses. Where the USC’s and Florida States of the world are in good locations, they have a much better chance of bouncing back. Nebraska may have success again, but sustained success is going to be much, much harder. Realistically, they can look at Wisconsin and Iowa as what they can hope to become, not what they were from ‘70-‘97.

 

[Soonerheart]

Location, location, location.
That and the big 12 has a bad name defensive wise. Top defensive recruits want to go to a place where they can flourish and get drafted.

That is part of the problem but so is OU's pasta gate compliance department that operates with a heavy hand.

OU needs out of the Big 12