Jay Valai Co-Defensive Coordinator / Pass Defense / Cornerbacks and Nickelbacks

[John Otterstedt]

The BIg XII is erratic on how much contact they allow from DB's in coverage. Some of what's being called is not a penalty in other conferences. And there is another factor. OU and Texas used to get more of their share of breaks from Big XII stripes. That has disappeared. The opposite is now true.

When you look at the Longhorns game in Stillwater last Saturday, they had 14 accepted penalties called against them. OSU had none. OU is suffering from the same inequities. It's just going to be that way for the next three years, and it makes a difference. Sometimes it makes a big difference.

OUr DB's were being taught to be physical with receivers. But that physicality is being called a lot. When you're a 5'11 DB trying to cover a 6'5 receivers, you need some latitude. That's not being allowed. The departing teams are being scrutinized in a whole new way. OUr technique can use some work. But the guy who has been coaching OUr corners came from the SEC. A totally different officiating paradigm has always been the case in the Big XII. Throw in the additional scrutiny, and it's going to be tough. That's just the way it is, and is going to be.

I agree with this. I've often thought the penalties called on our DBs this year have been a little outrageous. It usually just looks like good football to me.

 

[OUSOONER67]

I am tired of hearing excuses year after year. Get it done or get someone else that can. The failures of this team on the defensive side of the ball has gotten so bad we have been laughed at since before Brent left for Clemson. The D has been bad for a long time, refs don't have anything to to with it and blaming it on the refs is just nonsense. The one constant in all those yrs of bad defense is one thing, piss poor recruiting and piss poor coaching on that side of the ball, its that simple. It didn't just happen since an aggressive SEC Coach landed on the staff or just because OU and Texass are leaving the big 10 minus 2. Its been an issue for yrs upon yrs. Let that sink in. Won't get fixed anytime soon either, will take quite a few yrs to straighten it out and the way the D has played this season so far it likely has added to that time frame, meaning Defensive Recruits will look elsewhere. Its hard to maintain the momentum in recruiting when you are stinking it up and hard to get it back when its gone. At this point its like a disease that keeps spreading.
Just my 2 cents as usual.

 

[Rob Lewis_rivals]

I am tired of hearing excuses year after year. Get it done or get someone else that can. The failures of this team on the defensive side of the ball has gotten so bad we have been laughed at since before Brent left for Clemson. The D has been bad for a long time, refs don't have anything to to with it and blaming it on the refs is just nonsense. The one constant in all those yrs of bad defense is one thing, piss poor recruiting and piss poor coaching on that side of the ball, its that simple. It didn't just happen since an aggressive SEC Coach landed on the staff or just because OU and Texass are leaving the big 10 minus 2. Its been an issue for yrs upon yrs. Let that sink in. Won't get fixed anytime soon either, will take quite a few yrs to straighten it out and the way the D has played this season so far it likely has added to that time frame, meaning Defensive Recruits will look elsewhere. Its hard to maintain the momentum in recruiting when you are stinking it up and hard to get it back when its gone. At this point its like a disease that keeps spreading.
Just my 2 cents as usual.

I think you must see the defensive situation at OU as a complete tear-down-build-back-up scenario.
The new coaches inherited a team of limited talent on defense and it will take at least two years to right the many wrongs of the past few years.
Meanwhile, we will hear and read plenty of how Blake was a better coach, the zebras will call biased games, recruits will de-commit, and how bad just one position is playing defensively….. and how overrated the new coaches are.
My point is that OU is, for all intents and purposes, in a big rebuilding effort that can’t be done in one season.
OU may lose a commitment or two, but that happens every year. Recruits must be told that there will be a bright future and they are going to make it happen. That’s not selling snake oil.

 

[ETU]

I am tired of hearing excuses year after year. Get it done or get someone else that can. The failures of this team on the defensive side of the ball has gotten so bad we have been laughed at since before Brent left for Clemson. The D has been bad for a long time, refs don't have anything to to with it and blaming it on the refs is just nonsense. The one constant in all those yrs of bad defense is one thing, piss poor recruiting and piss poor coaching on that side of the ball, its that simple. It didn't just happen since an aggressive SEC Coach landed on the staff or just because OU and Texass are leaving the big 10 minus 2. Its been an issue for yrs upon yrs. Let that sink in. Won't get fixed anytime soon either, will take quite a few yrs to straighten it out and the way the D has played this season so far it likely has added to that time frame, meaning Defensive Recruits will look elsewhere. Its hard to maintain the momentum in recruiting when you are stinking it up and hard to get it back when its gone. At this point its like a disease that keeps spreading.
Just my 2 cents as usual.

Totally agree with regard to the ref excuse. That’s been a constant beef by a couple of board members for years…..long before the SEC move. I’ve seen a few calls not go our way but overall I think the officiating has been fair. Not always great but haven’t noticed anything that I would consider one-sided. Our pass defense has been guilty all year long. It’s almost like the opponent QB throws long expecting to get a pass interference call. Like it’s a planned outcome.

 

[OUSOONER67]

I guess its just the way it was allowed to get so bad over the yrs that ticks me off the most.

 

[newnasty]

I guess its just the way it was allowed to get so bad over the yrs that ticks me off the most.

Well it falls squarely on the shoulders of Bob Stoops. He should have dealt w/ his brother but he just couldn't do it. He flipped the keys to the kingdom to an offensive guru and left it to him to clean up the mess. Which of course did not occur... it fact it got worse.

Bad reffing is a crutch for the fan that doesn't want to see the real deal. It happens, easy too. No foul. No harm.

 

[ETU]

Well it falls squarely on the shoulders of Bob Stoops. He should have dealt w/ his brother but he just couldn't do it. He flipped the keys to the kingdom to an offensive guru and left it to him to clean up the mess. Which of course did not occur... it fact it got worse.

Bad reffing is a crutch for the fan that doesn't want to see the real deal. It happens, easy too. No foul. No harm.

100%.

 

[ppchj98]

Well it falls squarely on the shoulders of Bob Stoops. He should have dealt w/ his brother but he just couldn't do it. He flipped the keys to the kingdom to an offensive guru and left it to him to clean up the mess. Which of course did not occur... it fact it got worse.

Bad reffing is a crutch for the fan that doesn't want to see the real deal. It happens, easy too. No foul. No harm.

Would good reffing fix it all? Honest question. I understand we've got a long way to go as a program obviously, we'll get there. After watching the bama/texas game, and as good as bama is, there were at least 2 to 3 flags could a been thrown on almost every play against bama. They got away with what 15? And folks were crying.

 

[OUSOONER67]

Would good reffing fix it all? Honest question. I understand we've got a long way to go as a program obviously, we'll get there. After watching the bama/texas game, and as good as bama is, there were at least 2 to 3 flags could a been thrown on almost every play against bama. They got away with what 15? And folks were crying.

Best I remember bama was penalized for over 100 yds that game, maybe the refs felt sorry for them after so many?

 

[hubstar55]

Despite the current issues I really liked the BV video clip. Like he said if you want to quit dont let the door hit those players and coaches on staff on the way out the door.