Insightful Response to Oklahoman Article

[PLaw]

I thought this response to an article today in the Oklahoman about the O-line woes was insightful, well written, and pretty much spot on.

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Trammel article:

By Berry Tramel
The Oklahoman

Some are worried about Oklahoma's offensive line, after the Sooners' 17-7 scrape at Iowa State. OU tailbacks rushed for just 166 yards and averaged just 4.7 yards per carry.

Call it misplaced concern. Those figures — 166 and 4.7 — are OU's best in Big 12 play. Throw in Miami, and they're still the best.

You want better numbers out of the OU running game? You have to go to the padded portion of the schedule: North Texas, Utah State and Tulsa.

Now, should the Sooner blockers push around Iowa State? Not necessarily. The week before at Jack Trice Stadium, Texas tailbacks averaged 4.6 yards per carry — and the Longhorns won 56-3.

The difference? Colt McCoy completed his passes, 23 of 30 for 298 yards and four touchdowns, including plays of 58 and 30 yards.

OU struggled Saturday because Sam Bradford did not complete his home-run balls.

Bob Stoops counted six times that OU receivers got behind the Cyclone secondary. Bradford completed none. If he hits on two, the game is over early, Iowa State is back on its heels and the running lanes widen. If Bradford hits on four, which he's done most of the season, the game is a rout.

"I just didn't play well,” Bradford said. "Didn't make the throws.”

Iowa State coach Gene Chizik is a solid defensive strategist. Even with an outmanned team, he won't let you line up and run wild. He will load the box and make you complete passes.

Bradford has been superb, especially for a freshman. He's second nationally in pass efficiency, for crying out loud. But he's not Tom Brady. Not yet, and probably not ever. He played poorly in the second half against Colorado, and he was sluggish against Iowa State.

Play a freshman quarterback and live with the consequences, slight they may be.

END of Column

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Response by Chris in Hesston:

True, Sam struggled. However, as a team corrections need to be made to adjust to a struggling aspect of your game. This tells me that OU is TOO dependent on the passing game. We've become a pass-first team. That's essentially what Bob is saying; if we can't throw, we can't run. That is really inexcusable considering the o-line that OU has. They should be shoving the opposition around from the opening gun. I know defenses occasionally stack the box, but you don't have to hit DEEP passes, just passes (short, intermediate, it doesn't matter). We need to establish the run game earlier, so that Sam can have wide open passing lanes.
Chris, Hesston - Oct 25, 2007 8:28 AM

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Things that make you go, HMMMMM.

BOOMER
PLaw

[sooner518]

i dont see how thats all that insightful. you could have the best O-line in the world, they cant block the D-line and linebackers at the same time. i thought the playcalling against ISU was good and just like Tramel said, Sam missed some throws he usually makes. If he hits those, the linebackers start falling back into coverage a little more and then you can bust them up with the run game.

It's really the chicken/egg argument and I agree with the article.

[JohnnyMack]

I posted this on Monday, or Tuesday or somethin'. Well before this d00d did.


I hate to point fingers, but I didn't think Bradford was particularly sharp on Saturday. I have to imagine that if he's on his game and doesn't miss Kelly and Iglesias when they had nice separation in the first half then we're not talking about this. If Sam makes those throws it stretches the defense, forcing them to think twice before they load up the box and take away the run.

I do agree that our O-Line hasn't progressed as well as we had hoped in terms of run blocking and that we are in fact a pass 1st, run 2nd offense, but when we're not hitting open receivers it makes us almost less than one dimensional.

[cheezyq]

^^^All that, and then hold on to the friggin' ball.

[Jdog]

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Response by Chris in Hesston:

True, Sam struggled. However, as a team corrections need to be made to adjust to a struggling aspect of your game. This tells me that OU is TOO dependent on the passing game. We've become a pass-first team. That's essentially what Bob is saying; if we can't throw, we can't run. That is really inexcusable considering the o-line that OU has. They should be shoving the opposition around from the opening gun. I know defenses occasionally stack the box, but you don't have to hit DEEP passes, just passes (short, intermediate, it doesn't matter). We need to establish the run game earlier, so that Sam can have wide open passing lanes.
Chris, Hesston - Oct 25, 2007 8:28 AM

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Things that make you go, HMMMMM.

BOOMER
PLaw[/QUOTE]

I agree I think that 4.7 yards per carry is inexcusable – maybe we should go back to the Wishbone.

The biggest problem I see in games like ISU and CU are turnovers - and yes drops @CU and the wind @ ISU didn't help. Remove a dropped punt at cu and fumbles in games with ISU and MU and you have different out comes.

Sure the CU D stated that OU's O-line isn't finishing blocks - but still 4.7 yards a carry?

[C&CDean]

Insightful? Sure, if by insightful you mean "clueless."

As bad as Sam played vs. Colorado and ISU, we still would have won both games by 30 if we just caught the passes he did throw well, didn't lay the ball on the ground, and covered better on punts and kickoffs.

[MamaMia]

Chris is a girl. Just so y'all know. ;)

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

I actually agree with Tramel more on this article than most. I don't think Sam played bad but Tramel is right that if we hit 2 of those 6 deep balls then the game likely gets out of hand. Even just one would have made a big difference. Certainly Patricks's fumble was costly as was the pass that bounced off Gresham. Neither of those are Bradford's fault. I know it is the IF,IF,IF game but especially when teams that have a gap in talent get together a play here or there could change a nail biter to a 3-4 TD victory.

I think it is a bit of a chicken or egg argument whether we are a rushing team or a passing team. I tend to think we are a rushing team because it seems to be what we go to in cruch time. The thing about running the ball is that with a good o-line the rushing yards come easier the longer the game goes on. The turnovers shortened the game and instead of ISU wearing down early in the 3rd quarter the game was nearly over before we started running downhill. It is a good debate whether people think we should be more pass oriented or not but I think the team's identity especially with Stoops and Wilson is to hit enough passes to keep teams from loading up the box so we can run the ball. If we ran the ball 15 times in a game and threw 45 I think the coaching staff would be concerned even if we won pretty big but I don't think they would care if we ran it 45 times and passed only 15 if we won handily.

What is important is we can do both. Talent is there in spades. It comes down to execution and I believe we simply have to and will improve.

Against the Whorns, Buffs and some against MU special teams were a big problem too. Not so much against ISU but specail teams SHOULD be a strength.

[BoomerJack]

I sort of take exception to the "play a freshman QB" statement. I don't think it makes much diff if the QB is a FR or a fifth yr SR. If he doesn't make the plays he usually makes, things won't go as smoothly as you would like.

I TOTALLY agree with Jdog above. Eliminate 2 or 3 turnovers in crucial spots and we have totally different story.

[85sooners]

stop fumbling please!!

[TheUnnamedSooner]

I thought this response to an article today in the Oklahoman about the O-line woes was insightful, well written, and pretty much spot on.

By Berry Tramel
The Oklahoman



LMAO!! That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time! :D

[NormanPride]

Turnovers are killing us. Against Mizzou, if we hold onto the ball it could have been a 45-10 kind of whipping. Against CU we would have won. Against ISU we would have won big. It all comes down to concentration and desire. It would also help if our RBs started carrying the ball a bit higher...

[StoopTroup]

I think we should switch back to the Red Gatorade.

[Pricetag]

i dont see how thats all that insightful.
Well, for the media it is. It's been interesting listening to/reading the process of them becoming enamored with the "offensive line sucks" angle this week.

[adoniijahsooner]

Teams kniow that if they play the pass first against this team then they have absolutely no chance against this team. If Patrick, Murray and brown get rolling it's over. But if they can stop the run there is a better chance of our young quarterback making mistakes if he has to throw on every down. I believe we run the ball pretty well and thats when the game is in the fourth quarter and defenses are tired. If adrian had 167 yards and averaged 4.7 a carry and ran for most of his yards in the 4th quarter, we would praise him as a back that gets stronger as the game goes on. Why dont we say the same about our running game?

[Texas Golfer]

Simple solution:

QB: hit your receivers
WR/TE: catch the passes
RB/PR: don't fumble
OL: block

Sounds simple anyway.

[oupride]

Insightful? Sure, if by insightful you mean "clueless."

As bad as Sam played vs. Colorado and ISU, we still would have won both games by 30 if we just caught the passes he did throw well, didn't lay the ball on the ground, and covered better on punts and kickoffs.
ditto

[Scott D]

and here I thought an insightful response to an Oklahoman article would be "So when is this paper going to spend the money to hire real writers who can actually write instead of printing something that my 4 year old niece could come up with in 5 minutes?"

[soonersn2007]

Bottom line is, Bradford stunk it against Iowa State.........as a coach, he should had someone in his ear screaming.

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

Bottom line is, Bradford stunk it against Iowa State.........as a coach, he should had someone in his ear screaming.

That would require a very small coach.

[aurorasooner]

You just can't tell me that this OL, which does so well pass blocking, can't run-block. I think it's just a matter of 1) admitting we can't rush the ball, straight-on, against teams with physical D-fronts, quality LBs, and very good DCs in the 1st half when their players are fresh. 2) Just getting more innovative running plays into the early mix (misdirection etc) to make the defense (and especially the LBs) play honest and protect their zone and not just immediately run as fast as they can to congregate at our easily game-planned obvious rushing point of attack. Either won't make one bit of difference if our RBs continue to put the ball on the turf, and our WRs and TEs continue to have the brick hands and not start adjusting and making the catches that aren't exactly perfect from Sam. If we don't or won't adjust to the fact that Bradford is still a rookie, then the offense will go the way that Bradford goes. If Sam's off throwing the ball in the 1st half, then we'll struggle offensively, if he's on in the 1st half, then we'll put 3, 4 or 5 TDs on our opponents by the break.

[jk the sooner fan]

i've always thought this O-line was better at pass blocking than run blocking

[Scott D]

You just can't tell me that this OL, which does so well pass blocking, can't run-block. I think it's just a matter of 1) admitting we can't rush the ball, straight-on, against teams with physical D-fronts, quality LBs, and very good DCs in the 1st half when their players are fresh. 2) Just getting more innovative running plays into the early mix (misdirection etc) to make the defense (and especially the LBs) play honest and protect their zone and not just immediately run as fast as they can to congregate at our easily game-planned obvious rushing point of attack. Either won't make one bit of difference if our RBs continue to put the ball on the turf, and our WRs and TEs continue to have the brick hands and not start adjusting and making the catches that aren't exactly perfect from Sam. If we don't or won't adjust to the fact that Bradford is still a rookie, then the offense will go the way that Bradford goes. If Sam's off throwing the ball in the 1st half, then we'll struggle offensively, if he's on in the 1st half, then we'll put 3, 4 or 5 TDs on our opponents by the break.

has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps they are blocking to a location, rather than blocking an individual. Nah, that'd be scheme related not ability related.

[BoonesFarmSooner]

The OL didn't pass protect all that well... It isn't like we were facing the '95 Nebraska front seven last Saturday.

[Animal Mother]

Insightful? Sure, if by insightful you mean "clueless."

As bad as Sam played vs. Colorado and ISU, we still would have won both games by 30 if we just caught the passes he did throw well, didn't lay the ball on the ground, and covered better on punts and kickoffs.

Absitively. Also, why does it matter if Chris is a girl? If she's right she's right. If she's wrong she's wrong.

I'll say this until my liver falls out of my body to the floor in a cloud of dust. Football is called a "team" sport. Coaches coach and players play. It really is THAT simple. The players play on Saturday and the coaches coach on Saturday. THEY WORK TOGETHER EVERYDAY. We can spit ball all day long on these boards, but behind the closed doors, our opinions don't mean sh*t.

[OklahomaTuba]

Simple solution:

QB: hit your receivers
WR/TE: catch the passes
RB/PR: don't fumble
OL: block

Sounds simple anyway.

Someone email this to Stoops, and mark it as Importance: High!

[cheezyq]

Bottom line is, Bradford stunk it against Iowa State.........as a coach, he should had someone in his ear screaming.

Ah, I didn't realize screaming at someone who's been...

...the biggest surprise and the biggest x-factor in OU's season so far,
...who is a redshirt freshman,
...who has receivers that drop the ball and backs that fumble it,
...who has only thrown 5 interceptions (each and every single one being off of a tipped pass),
...has beaten two top 25 teams including our hated rival Texas,
...and has only had ONE bad game in his entire career so far,

.....would be an effective way of motivating him to do better.

I'm glad we don't have a guy like you strapping on a headset. It wasn't like his throws were THAT far off. Most of his throws were within a few inches of being completed. The only one that was WAY off was when the receiver ran a different route than expected and he threw it to where he expected the receiver to be.

It's not like his mom was feeding him chicken or anything. Gawd.

:D

[sooner518]

Well, for the media it is. It's been interesting listening to/reading the process of them becoming enamored with the "offensive line sucks" angle this week.
I thought the article itself was spot-on. The response was what I was saying was not insightful.