Who's NOT to blame for yesterday?

[SoonerStormchaser]

Let's look at this logically and rationally shall we?

Offense: Probably sounding like a broken record, but I was surprised how Chuck Long-esque the playcalling looked. 1st down- run for no gain. 2nd down- run for 1 or 2. 3rd and long- pass incomplete. Punt. The O-line gave Sam a lot of time to throw, but never gave much run protection. Then there's the single most important factor in the loss: Iglesias. God gave you two hands for a reason. Please start using them.

Defense: Colorado seemed to be using the same playcalling we were, except that they actually completed their 3rd down passes for a 1st down. I was extremely concerned how much our pass D got lit up last week, but I thought we'd fix it. I was wrong.

Special teams: Muffed punt. Enough said.

Zebras: I'm sorry, that call should NOT have been overturned. His hands were under the ball, there was no CONCLUSIVE evidence to point otherwise. Was it as bad as Oregon? No. But unless someone saw something I didn't, if I were Stoops, I'd be beating down the door of the Big XII officials this week.

Coaching: Frankly, I thought that was the worst coaching job I've seen Stoops & Co. do in the past 9 years. I saw very little if any adjustments to the game plan. I think they were suffering from Appalachian St. syndrome: show up, sleepwalk, get the win, move on to :texan:

Horsepigs: They're still around. Enough said.

Brian Britt: He's still around. Enough said.


Where do we go from here: After all the upsets yesterday, we're not entirely out of the NC picture. Right now, though, as a fan, I'm gonna take it one week at a time. A win in Dallas will definitely ease my pain. Then let's roll through the rest of the Big XII and on to San Antonio and just let the NC chips fall where they may.

Furthermore: I'll admit, before I graduated from OU and joined the Air Force, I would have been royally hacked at what happened yesterday and would've probably been on here having a huge bitchfest about how much trouble we're in. But you know what? It's just a game people! I'm disappointed just as much as the next die-hard Sooner fan. But I've got a brother who just returned from the sandbox. I've got friends over there right now. Hell, this time next year, I might just be over there (don't tell my wife). You think they care about the fact that OU lost one game? I wouldn't.

[AzianSooner]

We should blame ourself. I belive every single OU player did played their heart out for us. Hey, if they lost a game, then so what.

[usmc-sooner]

We should blame ourself. I belive every single OU player did played their heart out for us. Hey, if they lost a game, then so what.

this OSU attitude will not be tolerated :D

[Blues1]

We had the Game WON -- we didn't lose - We blew it...Once again JMHO...!!-Blowout Texas is the only cure.....Lets keep Rockin'

[usmc-sooner]

snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[stoopified]

Mysons Jason(age 5 1/2 months),Ryan age 3 1/2 years )are not to blame beyond that,anyone is fair game.

[MamaMia]

D.J.Wolfe and Michael Cohen had a good game. :)

[Doged]

Well... it certainly wasn't my fault! ;)

[ruf/nekdad]

Hey, don't look at me! I drank and yelled hard as I could. And I'm a man...40 years old....well, OK, over forty, but I did what I could with what I had to work with.

[OK2LA]

You CAN NOT blame the defense.

The defense put us in position for two touchdowns off of turnovers in the first half.

When you leave your defense on the field for the entire second half up in the mountains . . . they're going to get tired.

Considering how long they were on the field in the second half - I was surprised at how long they lasted.

[leematthews]

Nic Harris looked good

[Tulsa_Fireman]

You CAN NOT blame the defense.

Horsesh*t.

Then who do you blame, the frickin' Tooth Fairy?

I don't give a rooty toot how long they're on the field. Blown coverages and very, VERY questionable defensive playcalling are sure as hell to blame. Being on the field for an extended period of time has jack to do with either.

[okcusooner]

Sam Bradford. The two interceptions thrown, were NOT bad passes.

He directed the team very well for his first true road game. His performance should have been sufficient for a win

[StormySooner-IN]

Look at my signature. I did all my rituals right. ;)




Seriously, lots of **** happened yesterday on both sides of the ball and with the coaches that made us lose yesterday. Lets forget about it and beat the :texan:.

[PLaw]

Where do we go from here: After all the upsets yesterday, we're not entirely out of the NC picture. Right now, though, as a fan, I'm gonna take it one week at a time. A win in Dallas will definitely ease my pain. Then let's roll through the rest of the Big XII and on to San Antonio and just let the NC chips fall where they may.
.


Stormchaser - I greatly appreciate your service to our country and the well thought out post.

Unfortunately, we lost to a team that has won what? 4 games in their past 16?? This wasn't getting beat by a ranked opponent, but by a very young, inexperiened squad trying to find their way.

As weak as the Big 12 is perscieved on the national stage and CU a percieved doormat, this pretty much tanks us on any chance of finishing 1 or 2 in the BCS. Believe me a one loss SEC or PAC 10 team will easily come out ahead.

Let's go win the Big 12 and enjoy another great vacation to PHX.

BOOMER
PLaw

[OK2LA]

Horsesh*t.

Then who do you blame, the frickin' Tooth Fairy?



Well feller - if you wanna point the blame at SOMEONE . . . Try these on for size

1. Kevin Wilson for play calling

2. J. Iglesias for lolly-gagging on 2 passes that were catchable - go up with two hands, and you're likely not going to tip the ball straight up in the air.

3. Reggie Smith for not calling for a fair catch. OR Reggie Smith for trying to field a punt inside the 10 yard line PERIOD.

Again - If you are the guy that gets off on pointing his finger at one person/ player for the TEAM LOSS - then this is the direction that I'd go.

But if you blame the entire defense for that loss - and if you don't think that Colorado having the ball 22:21 to our 8:30 in the second half - made any difference - you don't know chit about football.

:pop:

But then again - you're entitled to your opinion and you can blame away -

Fresh and Fruity Root-N-Tooty

[SoonerStormchaser]

Stormchaser - I greatly appreciate your service to our country and the well thought out post.

Unfortunately, we lost to a team that has won what? 4 games in their past 16?? This wasn't getting beat by a ranked opponent, but by a very young, inexperiened squad trying to find their way.

As weak as the Big 12 is perscieved on the national stage and CU a percieved doormat, this pretty much tanks us on any chance of finishing 1 or 2 in the BCS. Believe me a one loss SEC or PAC 10 team will easily come out ahead.

Let's go win the Big 12 and enjoy another great vacation to PHX.

BOOMER
PLaw


That may be true. But, the thing most people forget is that CU and KSU have played spoilers to us and Texass on countless occasions (see 2001 & 2003 Big XII title games). Yesterday just went to show that parity can be a huge factor in the Big XII.

[The_Red_Patriot]

You CAN NOT blame the defense.

The defense put us in position for two touchdowns off of turnovers in the first half.

When you leave your defense on the field for the entire second half up in the mountains . . . they're going to get tired.

Considering how long they were on the field in the second half - I was surprised at how long they lasted.


Exaclty!

With the way our offense played yesterday it could have been worse if the Defense would have not gotten any turnovers for us.

I love Kevin Wilson but the calling yesterday was bogus. It seems when we go on the road we get scared to call anything.

The play action pass worked, why didnt we run that more?

Why didnt we try to run the ball outside more?

Too many dropped passes.

We tried to run the reverse play 1 time.

Malcom Kelly was never thrown to

Should have thrown to TE' s more if all of our WR are covered.


The defense did great yesterday, they got tired.

[GottaHavePride]

I wonder how many of the people spouting the "I don't care how long the defense was on the field" argument have tried to compete in physical activity at 5,000 feet altitude. It makes a HUGE difference. There's less oxygen, the air is thinner, meaning your body can't cool itself as efficiently, and to top it all off the football weighs significantly less at altitude. Thinner air = less air inside needed to reach regulation pressure = lighter football.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Well feller - if you wanna point the blame at SOMEONE . . . Try these on for size

1. Kevin Wilson for play calling

Yes and no. Yes, in the fact that the system was ineffective, yet we've seen the system firsthand do some pretty ingenious things with the football outside of the usual suspects of off-guard, off-tackle, slant, post, out and flat. The fact remains there's some pretty solid evidence that Colorado is a well coached, well prepared defensive unit. So again, yes in not adjusting to Colorado's defensive adjustments to take away the advantage of some of the pull leads that were successful early. No, in the fact that the CU D-Line did an outstanding job not of penetration, but establishing position at the line of scrimmage, hunkering down, and negating a lot of kickouts that were clearing tacklers. Thus in turn once again allows LBs to stay clean in space to aggressively hunt down the football.


2. J. Iglesias for lolly-gagging on 2 passes that were catchable - go up with two hands, and you're likely not going to tip the ball straight up in the air.

Offensive unit ineffectiveness, round two. If you want to blame the individual young men out there, more power to you. Nobody would disagree that there were some very shaky hands out there. But instead, I'd rather focus on the unit's deficiencies instead of taking potshots at each individual's shortcomings (the players themselves, that is).


3. Reggie Smith for not calling for a fair catch. OR Reggie Smith for trying to field a punt inside the 10 yard line PERIOD.

Round three. See previous.


Again - If you are the guy that gets off on pointing his finger at one person/ player for the TEAM LOSS - then this is the direction that I'd go.

Nice to know I'm "getting off" calling it like it is. The only cats that get a finger leveled at them are the coaching staff. You see my gripes offensively, and to save your time and effort in reading a four page diatribe on what blew up yesterday, I summarized. Anything else you'd like to add other than making comments about the individual failings yesterday and trying to attribute them to me?


But if you blame the entire defense for that loss - and if you don't think that Colorado having the ball 22:21 to our 8:30 in the second half - you don't know chit about football.

Thanks for the heads up. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that sickeningly blown coverages resulted directly in 2 Colorado touchdowns. It doesn't take a genius to figure out vulnerable defensive sets and adroit playcalling by the CU offense took advantage of these sets and shoved the football down our pooper. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that these defensive woes allowed a seventeen point lead to dwindle to a loss and that offensive failures contributed. But the weight of it lands squarely on the defense in my opinion because the unforced errors offensively can be compensated for somewhat by solid defensive play. If you want to get into details as to why, I'd be happy to. But then again, I "don't know chit about football" so that's up to you, stud.


But then again - you're entitled to your opinion and you can blame away -

Fresh and Fruity Root-N-Tooty

Exactly.

[AzianSooner]

I know what to blame --> the game plan su..ck.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Its not Bobby Reid's fault..or his mommas

[Tulsa_Fireman]

The defense did great yesterday, they got tired.


I wonder how many of the people spouting the "I don't care how long the defense was on the field" argument have tried to compete in physical activity at 5,000 feet altitude. It makes a HUGE difference. There's less oxygen, the air is thinner, meaning your body can't cool itself as efficiently, and to top it all off the football weighs significantly less at altitude. Thinner air = less air inside needed to reach regulation pressure = lighter football.

But fellas, the defensive failures didn't have a whole lot to do with players being wore out from the altitude. The failures were from Colorado attacking some pretty dang ill-conceived defensive sets and not slow to cover, but flat out BLOWN coverages! I'll accept the fact that the altitude wore on the boys, but the defensive staff and some of the reads put the gun to our defensive head, not athleticism.

Unless altitude sickness affected our gameplan and made us think that a four man front in a Nickel set that puts a tackle at inside eye to the A gap and an end at outside eye on the tackle to the C, and filling the gap with a single linebacker against a team that's been running pull leads to that gap is a good idea.

It ain't. And that ain't altitude. That's crappy defense. Anyone notice how that mess went away when we went back to base 4-2? Hell, we didn't even need to bring Nic Harris up to stop that pull lead. But sure as biscuits are tasty, we KEPT going back to that offset 4-2 front and we KEPT getting it punched in our pooper for our trouble.

[r5TPsooner]

I wonder how many of the people spouting the "I don't care how long the defense was on the field" argument have tried to compete in physical activity at 5,000 feet altitude. It makes a HUGE difference. There's less oxygen, the air is thinner, meaning your body can't cool itself as efficiently, and to top it all off the football weighs significantly less at altitude. Thinner air = less air inside needed to reach regulation pressure = lighter football.


Werd. I have and there is a difference. Whoever blames the Defense for the loss, doesn't no much about football.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Werd. I have and there is a difference. Whoever blames the Defense for the loss, doesn't no much about football.

That's nice to know. Help a brother out a lil' to 'no' more about football, then.

[r5TPsooner]

That's nice to know. Help a brother out a lil' to 'no' more about football, then.


If your offense isn't on the field for 1/2 of the ball game how do you expect the defense to be at there best. I think it's called fatigue and the first thing that goes is the mental aspect of the game?

Pretty simple IMHO.

[Vaevictis]

(...) and to top it all off the football weighs significantly less at altitude. Thinner air = less air inside needed to reach regulation pressure = lighter football.

I'm not certain, but I don't think the math on the reasoning works out.

In fact, I suspect the ball probably feels like it weighs more, although probably not noticably so.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Thansk for the comments. After hearing about the loss before I boarded my flight to Nigeria - I was bummed. Then BA did not forward my luggage to Lagos - I am really bummed. It may be Tuesday or Wednesday before I get my luggage with my safety gear - Now I am ****ed!!. But back to the game. After hearing from Mrs. THA, was the play calling that bad, the blocking not good or was CU better prepared - which would shock me. Almost sounds like OU was phoning it in waiting for Texas. They phoned it in as well. After seeing Colt get smacked - I wonder if Mack will end his football career at UT by playing him hurt?

[OK2LA]

But then again, I "don't know chit about football" so that's up to you, stud.



Exactly.


I think you summed it up best right there. Couldn't have said it better myself. I appreciate you recognizing when you're wrong, and just coming out and admitting it.

The fact of the matter is - you may be right - but everyone on this board thinks you're wrong - including yourself.

[MissouriSooner]

Thanks for the heads up. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that sickeningly blown coverages resulted directly in 2 Colorado touchdowns. - Tulsa Fireman

I agree with TF on this one. On the last two CU touchdown passes, NOBODY was covering the receiver. I think that's the definition of blown coverage.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I think you summed it up best right there. Couldn't have said it better myself. I appreciate you recognizing when you're wrong, and just coming out and admitting it.

The fact of the matter is - you may be right - but everyone on this board thinks you're wrong - including yourself.

Excuse me?

That was retarded.

When are you going to actually provide a counterpoint to an honest observation? Or is the entire point to not discuss the ins and outs of a gutwrenching loss and instead stir **** for the sake of having a spoon?

I want to hear how I'm wrong that the pull lead magically went away when we went base 4-2 and 4-2 Bandit, yet hit for yardage consistently when Venables called an identical personnel package yet with that strong side offset. I want to hear how I'm wrong about blown coverages, blown no brainer coverages like a linebacker in the red zone releasing a tight end to the safety to rotate to the wideout with corner cover with no scrape from the tight end to hide the fact that he's releasing. I want to know how I'm wrong about defensive failures in cover 2 zone over and over and over and over again when safeties roll back close to thirty yards without their zone being occupied, allowing ten yards and more of seam between the under and over not in 2nd & 3rd and long circumstances, but in medium to short yardage scenarios because the defense just got slashed on the pull lead again because of some sick offset 4-2 set. I would like to know how I'm wrong about how without flooding zones, zone coverage is releasing at first cut. I'd sure as hell like to know how I'm wrong about how all of those things combined, along with some quality observations on some offensive deficiencies, lead you to indicate I "don't know chit about football", therefore because I don't blame the failings on the frickin' atmosphere, I don't know chit about football.

I'd love to have an educated football conversation. I really would.

I'd love for our defense to have brought its A game, too. I'd also love to have managed a win, however ugly. I'd love to be proven wrong with something besides a meteorlogical argument. I'd love a million dollars and a candy bar. I'd also love to call it like I see it, which I'm trying to do but the rose colored glasses aren't exactly cooperating.

[snp]

DJ Wolfe had a great game yesterday.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

He sure did!

Nice to see him making good at the safety spot.

[OK2LA]

Excuse me?

That was retarded.

When are you going to actually provide a counterpoint to an honest observation? Or is the entire point to not discuss the ins and outs of a gutwrenching loss and instead stir **** for the sake of having a spoon?

I want to hear how I'm wrong that the pull lead magically went away when we went base 4-2 and 4-2 Bandit, yet hit for yardage consistently when Venables called an identical personnel package yet with that strong side offset. I want to hear how I'm wrong about blown coverages, blown no brainer coverages like a linebacker in the red zone releasing a tight end to the safety to rotate to the wideout with corner cover with no scrape from the tight end to hide the fact that he's releasing. I want to know how I'm wrong about defensive failures in cover 2 zone over and over and over and over again when safeties roll back close to thirty yards without their zone being occupied, allowing ten yards and more of seam between the under and over not in 2nd & 3rd and long circumstances, but in medium to short yardage scenarios because the defense just got slashed on the pull lead again because of some sick offset 4-2 set. I would like to know how I'm wrong about how without flooding zones, zone coverage is releasing at first cut. I'd sure as hell like to know how I'm wrong about how all of those things combined, along with some quality observations on some offensive deficiencies, lead you to indicate I "don't know chit about football", therefore because I don't blame the failings on the frickin' atmosphere, I don't know chit about football.

I'd love to have an educated football conversation. I really would.

I'd love for our defense to have brought its A game, too. I'd also love to have managed a win, however ugly. I'd love to be proven wrong with something besides a meteorlogical argument. I'd love a million dollars and a candy bar. I'd also love to call it like I see it, which I'm trying to do but the rose colored glasses aren't exactly cooperating.


You can go round and round all day long with blown coverages and defensive failures - and football terminology all you want.

The bottom line is - when you're on the field as long as our defense was - and at the elevation of Boulder - being tired and winded - you don't execute - nor do you think properly. The elevation is not the sole reason for the breakdown, but it is a contributing factor.

The defense kept us in the game, and were responsible for putting our offense in the position to score.

As I stated before - YOU CAN'T BLAME THE DEFENSE FOR THE LOSS. I didn't say that they brought their A game. But they are not to blame.