Every position should be better this year as BV has been working to turn a bunch of athlete's into a bunch of bone cracking, stingy, don't blow assignments, players.
High expectations for the Defense
- Thread starter atxhornfan
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We better be ready for more than just September, I’m tired of (edit) watching a “great early season” that devolves through October and November
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Venables has surely recruited well since the day he arrived and OU can hold its own with the top teams in recruiting.
SEC competition may keep undefeated seasons away from OU, even if OU has more talent than it ever did playing in the Big12.
But the expansion of the CFB playoffs should enable OU, even with a loss or two, from a championship.
Right now, as Venables enters his third year, the jury is still out on how fast OU can field a championship caliber defense…and last year revealed there is still a lot of work ahead. So I don’t believe anyone can know what OU will do defensively this year.
SEC competition may keep undefeated seasons away from OU, even if OU has more talent than it ever did playing in the Big12.
But the expansion of the CFB playoffs should enable OU, even with a loss or two, from a championship.
Right now, as Venables enters his third year, the jury is still out on how fast OU can field a championship caliber defense…and last year revealed there is still a lot of work ahead. So I don’t believe anyone can know what OU will do defensively this year.
The wear and tear on athletes is going to be heavier than ever with the playoff expansion, that everybody has clamoured for. It becomes now, not a contest of who's best, but who's luckiest in the injury department. Depth will be a huge factor. But who's key players can still be effective in games 16 or 17 will be the most important thing. At some point, the colleges will have fewer players, because the great ones won't be hanging around for all of these playoff games, wearing on their bodies.
Luck is a factor when it comes to a team avoiding costly injures.
The championship OU team of 2000 never had any injuries or at least serious ones.
The OU team of 2009 was riddled with injuries to a least 15 key players and a 5-loss season reflected the cost of those players.
The championship OU team of 2000 never had any injuries or at least serious ones.
The OU team of 2009 was riddled with injuries to a least 15 key players and a 5-loss season reflected the cost of those players.
I screamed NO ! when Stoops put Demarco in to receive the opening Kickoff in the CCG in KC that cold night
OUr best team in this century was probably 2008. We were better than Florida. But we lost a great running back on the kickoff in KC in the CCG. Then we lost our 2nd team MLB later, and so we ended up playing number 3 in the title game, and thus, couldn't keep UF from controlling the ball all night.
Losing Demarco Murray was a big deal. We should have had that natty. When we didn't, and then Sam got hurt in game 1 of 2009, changed out perception to recruits. We didn't recover until Baker happened.
We had crucial injuries in every playoff game since. Or leading up to it.
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Larry4681
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I'm starting to think you have a deficit in reading comprehension and analytics...
Why didn’t Stoops set Jason down vs LSU in that game (he played injured) ? Did we not have a backup quarterback then ?
I think our backup was Nate Hybl. Up to that point, don't think he had played much. With the way LSU's defensive line was playing, not sure he would have been the answer. That was Saban's first National Championship in CFB
A very untested Paul Thompson was the backup. He played in a few games that year, but it was in nothing but mop up duty.
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Larry4681
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I’ve read it so many times over the years. If we lose a lot of our fan base goes with the “well if this or that player wouldn’t have been hurt it would have been a different story” lol. It’s our go to excuse.
Fans can attribute a defeat due to injuries, weather, bad officiating, poor preparation, home field advantage, a more talented opponent…whatever.
It’s what fans do.
Get over it.
You just like complaining about the losses, becauses you make up your own reasons. There are diiferences between reasons and excuses. When the Heisman quarterback is less than 50% in a national championship game, that's a reason. In a national title game against a previous Heisman winner, you have to play a middle linebacker who's never started a game before, that's a reason. I'm not whining here about it. You play who you have. You play as good as you can.
Part of why we won our last natty, is because we had a great defensive gameplan, and a bit because FSU didn't have their best receiver because he decided that going to class was optional. We benefitted from his selfishness. It's part of the deal. WHen we lose guys because of injuries, that's part of the deal. But saying in retrospect that we'd have loved it if DeMarco Murray would have played, isn't an excuse. That we'd have been better had he been able to play, is just the truth. Or Box. Or Mitchell. Balogun wasn't a bad third team guy. But Mitchell, before injured, was as good as any MLB of the Stoops era. Balogun wasn't close.
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Larry4681
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you do you and I’ll do me. Injuries obviously play a part in EVERY team but our fan base just seems to use it as an excuse more so than others. Are you also one of those fans at games that yell at the refs over any questionable call? I hope not.
I suppose that luck is defiantly a factor. Hindsight is is usually spot on. That re-kick to Tyreek Hill always comes to mind in the hindsight department. It will all come together pretty soon!
Unless this team can field a very good offensive line, Arnold could struggle and at least 4 losses may happen.
The transfer portal needs to be successful for OU right now.
The transfer portal needs to be successful for OU right now.
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LVPack
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Seeing as how OU is likely to be an underdog in five games (Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU), even if Arnold doesn't struggle, four losses could be seen as exceeding expectations. No more Cincinnati's, BYU's or UCF's on the conference schedule anymore.
Cincinnati and UCF have been in the four team playoff since we have. And BYU won a natty over us 40 years ago. Those teams have good programs. And Houston beat us when Baker was OUr quarterback. When was the last time Arkansas or Mississippi State won anything? Or for that matter, Ole Miss?
I agree that unless our OL comes together, it could be a long season. But Bedenbaugh has always been able to put a good one together. Texas is surely a quality college program. But in this century, competing head to head against them, we've been far superior. Next season, we just have a much more challenging schedule than they do.
I agree that unless our OL comes together, it could be a long season. But Bedenbaugh has always been able to put a good one together. Texas is surely a quality college program. But in this century, competing head to head against them, we've been far superior. Next season, we just have a much more challenging schedule than they do.
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LVPack
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UCF has never been in the 4-team playoff. BYU was "voted" national champions 40 years ago after they squeaked out a come-from-behind win over an unranked 6-5 Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl. I don't know what that has to do with the modern landscape of college football since none of the current players (and some of their parents) were even alive back then. Ole Miss just beat Penn State in a New Year's Six bowl game, so I'd say they're pretty relevant.
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I'm sorry. You're tight about UCF. But they ended up undefeated in 2017, and one bowl loss in 2018, going 25-1 for those two seasons.. I guess that's not recent enough for you. They sure have a fertile recruiting area. In 2017, their bowl win was over SEC West champion Auburn.
You talked about the schools that joined the Big XII as somehow inferior. That's a crock. They haven't been in a P5, now P4 conference before. But last year, UCF's average team, gave OU all we wanted in a narrow loss in Norman. In BYU's narrow win in the Holiday over Michigan, we had an argument for having the title, until UDub kicked OUr butt in the Orange Bowl. Houston, Central FLorida, BYU and Cincinnati are not OU. OUr history takes a back seat to nobody. Including Bama. We're .500 against them.
But all four have quality athletic programs, at least as good as OU in basketball, and will make the XII a solid conference. But personally, I'd rather have stayed. I've heard guys on this board complaining, rightly, about the state of college athletics. And maybe softening considerably the attention they pay any more. I may join them. But my passion for OU football started over 60 years ago, listening to Ross Porter and then Bob Barry on the radio on game days, starting in the late 50's. It was the one thing my dad and I had a common passion for. So with those roots, I'll likely complain, but in an addiction fo soft, keep watching. Just like many of us did during the Blake years. And even in Gomer's second year, which was even more dismal.
You talked about the schools that joined the Big XII as somehow inferior. That's a crock. They haven't been in a P5, now P4 conference before. But last year, UCF's average team, gave OU all we wanted in a narrow loss in Norman. In BYU's narrow win in the Holiday over Michigan, we had an argument for having the title, until UDub kicked OUr butt in the Orange Bowl. Houston, Central FLorida, BYU and Cincinnati are not OU. OUr history takes a back seat to nobody. Including Bama. We're .500 against them.
But all four have quality athletic programs, at least as good as OU in basketball, and will make the XII a solid conference. But personally, I'd rather have stayed. I've heard guys on this board complaining, rightly, about the state of college athletics. And maybe softening considerably the attention they pay any more. I may join them. But my passion for OU football started over 60 years ago, listening to Ross Porter and then Bob Barry on the radio on game days, starting in the late 50's. It was the one thing my dad and I had a common passion for. So with those roots, I'll likely complain, but in an addiction fo soft, keep watching. Just like many of us did during the Blake years. And even in Gomer's second year, which was even more dismal.
Pretty much, but as Lloyd Christmas replied, “So you’re saying there’s a chance. YEAH”Is it unrealistic to think we could possibly go undefeated in OUr first sec sec season?
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Very unrealistic.Is it unrealistic to think we could possibly go undefeated in OUr first sec sec season?
No apologies necessary. I hope I’m wrong and OU wins them all.My apologies ct. I'm always the first one out on the poker table.
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SOUTHSWAMP
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This past season Arkansas and State both went 1-7 in conference play but Arkansas wasn’t as bad as their record indicated they were leading in the BYU game definitely could have won as they did the previous year. Vs LSU 31-34, vs Ole Miss 20-27, vs Bama 21-24, and vs State 3-7, far as State they have beaten Arizona twice 22,23. And Ole Miss just beat Penn State in the Peach Bowl.
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SOUTHSWAMP
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Gator fan here, i actually have Oklahoma going 9-3. The SEC is a fun and wild league that get real nasty in the trenches. I think the biggest surprise may be how psychical the lower tier teams are. Every team is not Bama and Georgia but EVERY team has those type of athletes.Is it unrealistic to think we could possibly go undefeated in OUr first sec sec season?