No attempt to get a first down and seal the game? Why would he call 3 up the gut run plays? A first down prevents another shot for Texas to score a TD, which would be a game winner. Does OU not have a short passing game any longer? Slant? Out route?
Well, yes, yes and yes to your three questions. I think a better question is what do you expect when OU loses most of it's proven offensive playmakers?
It was pretty obvious to me after the first 10 OU offensive plays that Lamb was out there for the purposes of being a decoy. While he was healthy enough to play he wasn't healthy enough that Riley wanted to risk further injury. Then the lose Badet after his second catch. At some point in the game Flowers didn't play. Plus, our most produtive RB, Adams, didn't play at all. That left Anderson and true Freshman Sermon to pick up the running game.
I think, considering everything, I think Riley did pretty good in the last 42 seconds of the 4th quarter. He didn't want to take any chances of giving the horns much. He forced them to use their timeouts. OU won the game.
If, I were to be critical of Riley I can sure find some things to be critical of him besides the last 42 seconds of the game. I don't like Riley's tendencies to gamble away field position as he did yesterday. His failure to convert 4th downs when he had a good lead and great momentum. He did that exactly twice and that is part of what led to horn scores and taking the game momentum.
I think those things warrant some criticism. I don't think how he handled the last 42 seconds deserves much criticism.