Our Banged up D played great

[msteudem]

considering all of the injuries.


http://newsok.com/article/3152864

The Sooners were without three regular players Saturday and lost another in the second quarter. Here is the status of those players:
•Gerald McCoy, DT: McCoy, a redshirt freshman, limped off the field with a right ankle injury late in the first half, and did not return. The ankle was heavily taped.

"He'll be fine,” defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp said. "Just being precautionary. It's nothing serious at all.”

•Ryan Reynolds, LB: The Oklahoma sophomore was not in uniform Saturday. Pain from a shoulder injury suffered Sept. 29 at Colorado has moved into his neck. Reynolds said the injury is not serious, though he does not know how long he will be out.

Reynolds' was replaced by senior Demarrio Pleasant and redshirt freshman Brandon Crow. It was the first significant action for Crow, a Comanche native, at linebacker.

"If (Reynolds' injury) is an extended thing at all, we'll do some things to make sure we've got all the right kind of guys we want out there,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.

•Dane Zaslaw, FB: The senior blocking back did not suit up Saturday after suffering what offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson believed was a minor knee injury sustained in Thursday's practice.

•Steven Coleman, DT: The senior did not make the trip to Ames, missing his third straight game. Shipp expects Coleman to play Nov. 3 against Texas A&M.

By Scott Wright

[Newbomb Turk]

I didn't notice that Crow played.

The D was good today.

[soonerguild]

I agree. I was really pleased with the red zone D. They showed a lot of character.

[SoonerDood]

if you told me that the only score ISU would get would be a 20-yard drive after a Turnover, I would've said "We kill them."
The whole game I was thinking what the defense could've done better, and afterwards I realized they played pretty well.

[goingoneight]

All things considered, OUr defense was teh awesome today. OUr offense yet again killed them with turnovers in dangerous moments, conservative calling and poor execution.

All that said, I think Chizik just flat out knows Bob Stoops and this coaching staff well. They seemed to take advantage of OUr mistakes well and for some odd reason played a very good game against us. ISU has looked flat-out awful in every game I've seen this year, and today they look like they're challenging for the North. Go figure. :confused:

Great coaches in small programs will have those moments where they turn the corner and define themselves. I think we might have seen it today in Ames. Good for them. If you scratch 'Texas' off his resume, I actually like the guy.

[OUinFLA]

"He'll be fine,” defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp said. "Just being precautionary. It's nothing serious at all.”




They'd have said the same thing if they had amputated his leg at halftime.
And might have played him in the second half.

:D

[GottaHavePride]

All things considered, OUr defense was teh awesome today. OUr offense yet again killed them with turnovers in dangerous moments, conservative calling and poor execution.

I don't know how conservative the playcalling was. We were throwing the ball way down the field early and often. The only problem was we didn't connect.

If those passes had been completions, we win big. I think execution was by FAR our biggest problem. Running game was solid today, I thought. (Not the first half obviously, but that goes back to execution, not playcalling IMHO.)

[olevetonahill]

I agree with GHP it seemed everything was about a 1/2 second off .
Oh and rus starts a Dupe thread and every other post is his . :rolleyes:

[tulsaoilerfan]

I was wondering if Reynolds was hurt because i don't recall Demario getting much PT at all this season before today

[Sooner Stew]

I think the coaches were just going in a different route b/c Reynolds hasn't covered well at all this season so i think they just needed to put someone else out there and see if he can make more plays

[DrZaius]

I thought the D was really good today. Not great, yet. But man they played well. I would like to add that I would like to see a few more blitz packages but I can't complain about anything today.

[snp]

If anyone complains about our defense they need to lose posting privileges for a week. The defense is becoming pretty stellar - just like last year, they started playing really well after the RRS.


I think the coaches were just going in a different route b/c Reynolds hasn't covered well at all this season so i think they just needed to put someone else out there and see if he can make more plays

No, he was injured. It was decided earlier this week that there was no need for him to play - I found out about it Thursday night.

[Sooner Stew]

thx for clearing that up man...and i totally agree with the first part of that last post

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I don't know how conservative the playcalling was. We were throwing the ball way down the field early and often. The only problem was we didn't connect.

If those passes had been completions, we win big. I think execution was by FAR our biggest problem. Running game was solid today, I thought. (Not the first half obviously, but that goes back to execution, not playcalling IMHO.)If we would just take that deep handoff (8-10 yds deep) OUT OF THE FREAKIN' PLAYBOOK, ALTOGETHER), I would be a much happier football fan!

[IronSooner]

Our run defense is still very good I think. Our pass defense drives me insane. We seem to wait for the offense to self-destruct rather than actively force incompletions. Our front 7 does a good job getting pressure generally, but our DBs are rarely in a position to bat a ball away from a receiver. I'd be thrilled if we could stop playing 15 yards off the receivers and start actually defending passes. That's my only real beef with the D this year.

[Sooner Stew]

yeah but if you move the corners up and play em more physical then that just makes the safeties that much more apt to get burnt when they need to be helping out on the run defense...our staff has full confidence in the defensive backfield to keep the big scoring plays to an absolute minimum...I believe thats their main goal...and if they do that like they did today you see what happens, they win...they understand I think that their fast and smart enough all around to keep teams out of the endzone...Its like last week when Daniels was moving it very well on our d for most of the game but thats b/c our dbacks were staying back and keeping the play all in front of them...I think this is an effective gameplan folks...when OU wants to play more aggressively and blitz and do all that crap, they can its just a matter of risk and reward...
another point I'd like to make is that we're stout up front with Granger and McCoy and that really has a lot to do with the coverages also...b/c OU is getting more coverage sacks and causing a fair share of turnovers too which totally reflects the gameplan...If you have a dline like we do that can keep constant pressure on the qb for the most part...that gives you the option of staying back and waiting on him to throw an oskie or make some other huge mistake like Daniels did last weekend

[Crucifax Autumn]

The defense is what won the game.

[King Crimson]

The defense is what won the game.

we were lucky we weren't down 14+ at halftime. personally, i felt like we would win so long as we didn't go down two scores. then, it would be a little dicey.

[boomersooner2000]

I agree, the defense played lights out in the second half. Not having Reynolds, and Williams is definitely a big chunk out of the armor.

BTW, longtime reader, first time poster. Can I get some Johnnies? :D

[BillyBall]

They'd have said the same thing if they had amputated his leg at halftime.
And might have played him in the second half.

:D

Just a flesh wound

[MikeInNorman]

I thought the defense showed a lot of improvement, tempered with the knowledge that the improvement came against the worst team in the league. Our coverage was vastly improved, with only a couple of busts, which at the college level is excellent. Blythe is one heck of a receiver, and we pretty much shut him down.

The safeties played really well. Was this due to becoming more comfortable with helping the LBs in coverage, or was it because the LBs did a better job covering? All I know is that the ISU TE didn't have a career day, unlike many of our other opponents.

The line got much better pressure on the QB, despite Auston English's name being called very little after his opening sack. Actually, my guess is that ISU decided English was not going to set a new sack record against them, and blocked accordingly, which in turn helps the tackles get a better push. I also noticed English dropping off in coverage on outlet passes and some blitz situations. He's good.

Overall, great job by the defense, banged up or not.

[Animal Mother]

Our defense was called upon time and time again and they came through. I can't recall how many times I said "O.K. defense. Once again it falls to you."
The less than stellar tackle attempt on third down by Wolfe was saved by Lofton coming in like a missle locked on it's target. Then I think Lofton tipped the pass that D.J. oskied. The defense came to Ames to take names and kick arse.One more time I would like to add............................................... ....

BALL SECURITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BornandBred]

I feel a little like our O is looking for some kind of identity. When our young QB is hot, we are a run and gun offense that puts up 50 in the first half. When he's having a freshman-style away game, we seem to struggle to find "who" we are. I think we may be depending a little too much on the youngster. He is very good, and has worlds of potential, but he still makes freshman mistakes. I realize that this is a pretty obvious thing, but I think what we need is fairly simple: more hardnose football.
We've seen this work in the last couple games. When we've resorted to shoving it down the D's throat and making them eat it, we are productive and control the clock. Maybe it's just that I am a run first, pass second type guy, but I'd sure like to see some hardnose football to start a game. If it's AP, CB, or DM I don't care, but I would sure like to see us get behind the huge line we have and just march down the field for the first drive of a game. It sends a message to the opposing D, sets a "physical" tone for the game, and can easily lead to big plays in the passing game.

[BornandBred]

Oh yeah... Austin English is the MAN!!

[Redgiant2]

Yes, I would say watching ISU self-destruct in the red zone while completing passes to wide open receivers between the 20's is a great reason to believe the D has been resurrected. Here's a tip, ISU is one of the worst teams in football at the moment. But yeah, the D played great. Blah, blah, blah...

Pray this team does not see the NC game. Another Orange Bowl type score is not what OU needs.

[ruf/nekdad]

They're not dead yet and feel like taking a walk.

[Partial Qualifier]

They'd have said the same thing if they had amputated his leg at halftime.
And might have played him in the second half.

:D

heh!

[redblood]

I didn't notice that Crow played.

The D was good today.

Brandon Crow and Jody Whaley the starting center Tulsa a lot of pride for this small high school.