Someone with a greater footbal mind than I please help me...

[TheHumanAlphabet]

It seems to me, and perhaps I have an incorrect perception, that the play calling (O & D) seems to get conservative in the second half and we play not to lose rather than to win. Am I wrong?

Against Mizzou, we had agressive D in the first half, then seemed to settle back in the second and play soft. We got pummeled in the secondary where in the first half, ole booger eater was scrambling or on his keister. Just seems to be the case to me - I may be wrong.

[Curly Bill]

Nah, you're not wrong...I just don't have the energy right now to elaborate.

[OUmillenium]

Same as what Curly Bill said...I really don't want to get started on Brent Vulnerables

[bstuff1979]

From what I see, and since I have never coached a down of football in my life it's not going to be all that insightful, I think (with the D) that it's just plain old bend but don't break. They're playing an insane amount of cover-2 zone, and that will allow the qb to get some short passes and, if given time, long passes to the slot or TE's over the deep middle. Our linebacker's aren't as fast as they have been in the past, so this cover 2 is really getting beaten up over the middle with mismatches (ie, mike lb vs. a te, tb, or slot). It doesn't help that the d-line isn't getting as much pressure as they'd like. The ends are playing really well though. Against an offense like Mizzou's, OU did pretty well. Not all that phenomenal, but they were good in some spots and great in others. I'd think they'd play more man, but they've never really done that much man coverage in the past and zone allows for more blitzing without giving up the big play.

[OUNC06]

Second half they started throwing shorter quicker passes. They were also rolling Chase Daniels out of the pocket. We started dropping a DE into coverage to stop the short quick passes. Auston English tipped the ball and Nic Harris gets the pick. Missouri made adjustments at half time, but we countered in the fourth with our own adjustments. We win.

We might have adjusted quicker, but Iglesias fumble immediately putting the defense back on the field didn't help.

[Frozen Sooner]

It seems to me, and perhaps I have an incorrect perception, that the play calling (O & D) seems to get conservative in the second half and we play not to lose rather than to win. Am I wrong?

Against Mizzou, we had agressive D in the first half, then seemed to settle back in the second and play soft. We got pummeled in the secondary where in the first half, ole booger eater was scrambling or on his keister. Just seems to be the case to me - I may be wrong.

When you're up by 17 with less than 2 minutes to go, a soft zone is absolutely the right call and it PROVED to be the right call in this game. Coaches aren't coaching to blow people out or cover spreads, they're coaching to win ballgames. Sure, Missouri moved 80-odd yards in a minute and a half, but they only had like 11 seconds after they scored to score TWICE MORE. That's playing the percentages and it's smart. Now had OU played base defense, sure, there's a good chance that you stuff Missouri without another score but there's also an outside chance that they hit an 80-yarder and have a minute and a half to score twice more.

Where I DO have a problem with a soft zone in game-ending scenarios is when the other team is down by a score or less. THEN you should play your base defense because the odds favor a good outcome to the game.

[tulsaoilerfan]

When you're up by 17 with less than 2 minutes to go, a soft zone is absolutely the right call and it PROVED to be the right call in this game. Coaches aren't coaching to blow people out or cover spreads, they're coaching to win ballgames. Sure, Missouri moved 80-odd yards in a minute and a half, but they only had like 11 seconds after they scored to score TWICE MORE. That's playing the percentages and it's smart. Now had OU played base defense, sure, there's a good chance that you stuff Missouri without another score but there's also an outside chance that they hit an 80-yarder and have a minute and a half to score twice more.

Where I DO have a problem with a soft zone in game-ending scenarios is when the other team is down by a score or less. THEN you should play your base defense because the odds favor a good outcome to the game.

Agreed.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Very intelligent. I agree completely.

[bluedogok]

I don't agree with the prevent defense, they didn't bust a field flipping play all night, instead they dink-n-dunked their way down the field and that soft zone allows it to happen with ease. Of course, if they would make a tackle half the time all of it would be a moot point and the prevent might be worth something. Until they learn to make the first tackle to stop yards after contact they need to stay in a base defense.

[SoonerBBall]

I don't agree with the prevent defense, they didn't bust a field flipping play all night, instead they dink-n-dunked their way down the field and that soft zone allows it to happen with ease. Of course, if they would make a tackle half the time all of it would be a moot point and the prevent might be worth something. Until they learn to make the first tackle to stop yards after contact they need to stay in a base defense.

I guess we watch different games yesterday, then, because I saw our D limit YAC really well for most of the game.

[r5TPsooner]

Honestly, if you weren't at the game last night then you have no idea how windy it was going towards the South part of the end zone. Any type of long ball (30 yards +) would have been damned near impossible to complete.

I remember telling my wife and the lady next to me if we can just maintain the lead or be tied going into the 4th quarter, that I'll be happy. Having the wind at our backs in the 4th quarter was huge in offensive and defensive play calling last night.

My hat goes off to Stoops for taking the wind in the 4th quarter because I thought it was huge.

[StoopTroup]

The American Flag was trashed last night.

The wind was so hard that the flag pole bent from the Flag pulling against it so hard.

The Flag got caught in the hand/foot holds on the Stadium Light pole.

The wind was indeed swirling in the stadium.

The Sound System was freaking out too.

Since we were in the South EZ I kept looking over my shOUlder to see if part of the scoreboard had come loose and we were all going to be crushed.

Very weird night.

[r5TPsooner]

The American Flag was trashed last night.

The wind was so hard that the flag pole bent from the Flag pulling against it so hard.

The Flag got caught in the hand/foot holds on the Stadium Light pole.

The wind was indeed swirling in the stadium.

The Sound System was freaking out too.

Since we were in the South EZ I kept looking over my shOUlder to see if part of the scoreboard had come loose and we were all going to be crushed.

Very weird night.


My seats are on the west side of the stadium around the 5 yard line and that stadium light pole shaking that much was freaking me out on the SW side.

[OUTrumpet]

Same as what Curly Bill said...I really don't want to get started on Brent Vulnerables

Could be worse. We could have Nebraska's defensive coordinator.

[bluedogok]

It has been worse, we had Nebraska's defensive line coach from last year as the head coach :rolleyes:

[TheHumanAlphabet]

When you're up by 17 with less than 2 minutes to go, a soft zone is absolutely the right call and it PROVED to be the right call in this game. Coaches aren't coaching to blow people out or cover spreads, they're coaching to win ballgames. Sure, Missouri moved 80-odd yards in a minute and a half, but they only had like 11 seconds after they scored to score TWICE MORE. That's playing the percentages and it's smart. Now had OU played base defense, sure, there's a good chance that you stuff Missouri without another score but there's also an outside chance that they hit an 80-yarder and have a minute and a half to score twice more.

Where I DO have a problem with a soft zone in game-ending scenarios is when the other team is down by a score or less. THEN you should play your base defense because the odds favor a good outcome to the game.

Hey, thanks for the answer. Like I said, I'm just a fan, don't need to beat the spread, as you pointed out and my concern was they seemed to move the ball well in the 2nd half, unlike what they did in the first half. But again as you pointed out, there was little time left to do anything...It was just frustrating to watch from a fan perspective.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

The American Flag was trashed last night.

The wind was so hard that the flag pole bent from the Flag pulling against it so hard.

The Flag got caught in the hand/foot holds on the Stadium Light pole.

The wind was indeed swirling in the stadium.

The Sound System was freaking out too.

Since we were in the South EZ I kept looking over my shOUlder to see if part of the scoreboard had come loose and we were all going to be crushed.

Very weird night.

Wow! The TV people never said much about the wind... Knowing this would have changed the felling for the game considerably.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Could be worse. We could have Nebraska's defensive coordinator.

You do have a point there...:D I wonder if LosuR is back to thinking they have the greatest offense in the universe.

[OUmillenium]

Could be worse. We could have Nebraska's defensive coordinator.


Good point.