The Texas Tech-ification of Oklahoma Football

[JohnnyMack]

A new style of football has taken hold in Norman, Oklahoma. An offense has been established that is capable of putting up gaudy numbers, but can't seem to consistently close the deal against top flight competition. I call this phenonmenon, "Texas Tech-ification".

We have a cerebral, patient QB who should shatter most of the passing record before he leaves. We have a mammoth offensive line that strikes fear in the hearts of most. We have a sublimely talented, All-American caliber tailback and we have a stable of speedy, consistent receievers. On paper we'd never lose. But as we were reminded today the Oklahoma Sooners you read about in your Athlon magazine this summer while waiting in line at the checkout stand of Wal-Mart are given no quarter.

An offensive system has been installed that will never, repeat never win a National Championship as long as it is allowed to live. We have an offensive line that while enormous, doesn't run block. At all. We've all seen it coming. Whether we want to admit it or not, few of us are truly surprised at today's outcome. You simply cannot dominate your opponent if you cannot run the ball. Period. You can destroy inferior competition, but when titans clash you need to be able to control the line of scrimmage. Fail to do so and you are doomed to a Sisyphusian existence in your quest for college football's holy grail.

We have a shining star at tailback. A young man who has a chance to have his name uttered in the same sentence as Owens, Washington, Sims, Parker & Peterson. His primary problem is an oversized line that cannot run block. A line that fails to open holes and give Murray even a chance to shine. We have a line that pass blocks well enough 75% of the time. When they click, we score. When they don't we punt. The time of possession today was Texas with more than 37 minutes with the ball, the Sooners only 22.

We've become Texas Tech, with better players. We can get you off balance and try and outscore you, but we don't have an offensive line that can get a consistent upfield push. I fear that until this line improves in technique or exhausts its eligibility we're due to face more disappointment. The style of offense we're running now is gaudy and high impact, but it doesn't truly dominate. We didn't control the game at any point. We merely tried to play keep away.

[tommieharris91]

Luckily for you, 4 of our offensive linemen will exhaust their eligibility this season.

[Breadburner]

A new style of football has taken hold in Norman, Oklahoma. An offense has been established that is capable of putting up gaudy numbers, but can't seem to consistently close the deal against top flight competition. I call this phenonmenon, "Texas Tech-ification".

We have a cerebral, patient QB who should shatter most of the passing record before he leaves. We have a mammoth offensive line that strikes fear in the hearts of most. We have a sublimely talented, All-American caliber tailback and we have a stable of speedy, consistent receievers. On paper we'd never lose. But as we were reminded today the Oklahoma Sooners you read about in your Athlon magazine this summer while waiting in line at the checkout stand of Wal-Mart are given no quarter.

An offensive system has been installed that will never, repeat never win a National Championship as long as it is allowed to live. We have an offensive line that while enormous, doesn't run block. At all. We've all seen it coming. Whether we want to admit it or not, few of us are truly surprised at today's outcome. You simply cannot dominate your opponent if you cannot run the ball. Period. You can destroy inferior competition, but when titans clash you need to be able to control the line of scrimmage. Fail to do so and you are doomed to a Sisyphusian existence in your quest for college football's holy grail.

We have a shining star at tailback. A young man who has a chance to have his name uttered in the same sentence as Owens, Washington, Sims, Parker & Peterson. His primary problem is an oversized line that cannot run block. A line that fails to open holes and give Murray even a chance to shine. We have a line that pass blocks well enough 75% of the time. When they click, we score. When they don't we punt. The time of possession today was Texas with more than 37 minutes with the ball, the Sooners only 22.

We've become Texas Tech, with better players. We can get you off balance and try and outscore you, but we don't have an offensive line that can get a consistent upfield push. I fear that until this line improves in technique or exhausts its eligibility we're due to face more disappointment. The style of offense we're running now is gaudy and high impact, but it doesn't truly dominate. We didn't control the game at any point. We merely tried to play keep away.

So you think Murray is better than AD.......?

[SoonerDood]

Prior to this season, I had seen some posters hope and wish that Mike Leach was still on Staff, or at least we ran an offense like his. Now that we do to some extent, I wonder what their opinion is?

[Curly Bill]

Our line is not the main problem, it is the total lack of creativeness out of our play design -- no misdirection, no getting a RB to the edge, we try to just line up and smash people and when the other team has good players too this does not work. We need some things to keep the other team guessing what we might do with our running game, not running the same ol' stretch play over and over that everyone in the house can see coming from the snap of the ball and which gives the defensive team all day to react to.

[Johnny Utah]

FWIW, this is potentially one of the best posts/assessments I've read. To compete at the championship level a team has to control the line of scrimmage and execute. No amount of creativity, etc. will compensate for this against the top level of competition.

[Curly Bill]

LOL

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

The last NC OU won was basically running the TT offense. Sure Leach was gone but Mangino ran pretty much the same offense.

If the defense plays in the ballpark of how the teams did 00 or 01 we could probably run the single wing.

I'm not ready to scrap the offense when we score 35 points against a top 5 team. Our offense isn't the reason we are giving up huge kickoff returns or couldn't stop Texas on 3rd down.

[NCSooner18]

The last NC OU won was basically running the TT offense. Sure Leach was gone but Mangino ran pretty much the same offense.

If the defense plays in the ballpark of how the teams did 00 or 01 we could probably run the single wing.

I'm not ready to scrap the offense when we score 35 points against a top 5 team. Our offense isn't the reason we are giving up huge kickoff returns or couldn't stop Texas on 3rd down.

That team ran the ball MUCH better than this team or any Tech team.

[Curly Bill]

That team ran the ball MUCH better than this team or any Tech team.

That team had more then the same two or three running plays they relied on.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

That team had more then the same two or three running plays they relied on.

and.. they were successful!

[Johnny Utah]

Rushing stats of the last 3 national champions (Avg/Game / Avg/Carry):
2007 LSU 214 / 4.9
2006 UF 160 / 4.7
2005 UT 275 / 5.9

[rainiersooner]

Unlike other posts I've read tonight, this is thoughtful and provoking. And heck, my guess is you know a lot more about football than I do to begin with. I can't really take issue with it. What I don't understand is why our line can't run-block. Do the coaches not teach it; emphasize it?

The issue with Texas Tech is that they can't recruit the same players as OU, Texas, etc. So, instead of focusing on smash-mouth beat you up football, they do the gimmicky, throw it 500 yards a game thing. But they're not good at defense because they haven't recruited the right kind of athletes and because they don't have the athletes...they don't emphasize defense; instead they hope to outscore you. That is their philosophy and their attitude. I'm not sure that is the case with OU. The inability to run is unique to this season, I think. Until today, I thought our defense was salty and damn good. Oh well.

[tooslow]

I'm not ready to scrap the offense when we score 35 points against a top 5 team. Our offense isn't the reason we are giving up huge kickoff returns or couldn't stop Texas on 3rd down.

I agree. The offense didn't let Texas score 45 points. In big games over the past several years, the fire has been missing in the "D". Do we need to get better at establishing the run? ABSOLUTELY! However, the offense on the field right now is more than capable of winning every game they play this year, and next. It's the defense that needs to step it up so we can win in a game where we "only" score 35 points.

[Sooner04]

You simply cannot dominate your opponent if you cannot run the ball. Period.
There is no truer axiom in football than this right here. It's depressing that a school like Oklahoma with as rich a history as there is at running the football has been reduced to such a sissified state of mind up front. It's appalling, to be honest.

Shotgun formation on 3rd and 3 makes a purest like me gag. I know the game evolves but, at its very core, football is a game of lining up and proving that you're better than the man across from you. When it mattered most today, our guys up front, on both sides of the ball, lost damn near every battle.

Mike "U.S.S." Vaughn > Phil Loadholt

[HopeSpringsEternal]

OU is a Big Ten team. The line is mammoth and immobile. They could stand to drop 50 pounds each and maybe do a few agility drills and some strength shoe workouts and then maybe they'd be capable enough to be little more than one more obstacle our rb's have to dodge.

[bluedogok]

I think it is time to get away from the monster NFL-type of line. Defenses for the most part have gone to smaller, more athletic d-linemen and those give the OU monsters fits. It may be time to look at the Denver Broncos zone blocking scheme and their use of smaller, quicker o-linemen. They have been pretty successful with it for a long time with mostly journeymen type tailbacks while everyone else sticks with the battleships.

One thing about Loadholt though, he has done well in limiting his false start penalties this season.

[The Maestro]

Eh, I respect a lot of posters in this thread, but if KW doesn't insist on trying to run in silly spots(hey, Kevin...when you are going no huddle and inside of ten seconds on the play clock switch to the I-formation, even stupid ol me knows you are going to run the ball!!!) and admits that our talented players are receivers and Sam, who knows? KW got in the way. Having said that, 35points normally wins this game.

Folks, if you saw the Fiesta Bowl and this game, the problem isn't the offense. Defense wins championships and our D NEVER stood up.

Not sure how you fault an offense that logged 35 points for the loss.

[Curly Bill]

I'm telling you guys the truth when I tell ya: if we don't have more then two or three different run plays in the playbook I don't care who's doing the blocking. There is no surprise to our run game, no misdirection, no imagination. We just line up and say to peeps: try to stop us! You know what? Good teams knowing exactly where we're running (between the tackles) will do just that.

[Curly Bill]

Eh, I respect a lot of posters in this thread, but if KW doesn't insist on trying to run in silly spots(hey, Kevin...when you are going no huddle and inside of ten seconds on the play clock switch to the I-formation, even stupid ol me knows you are going to run the ball!!!) and admits that our talented players are receivers and Sam, who knows? KW got in the way. Having said that, 35points normally wins this game.

Folks, if you saw the Fiesta Bowl and this game, the problem isn't the offense. Defense wins championships and our D NEVER stood up.

Not sure how you fault an offense that logged 35 points for the loss.

EXACTLY, we scored 35 flippin points against the #5 team in the country. We shouldn't be talking about our offense at all, least not in a bad way.

[The Maestro]

I'm telling you guys the truth when I tell ya: if we don't have more then two or three different run plays in the playbook I don't care who's doing the blocking. There is no surprise to our run game, no misdirection, no imagination. We just line up and say to peeps: try to stop us! You know what? Good teams knowing exactly where we're running (between the tackles) will do just that.

You mean when we switch to I-formation with five seconds on the play clock the defense knows what's coming?!?!

I thought it was just me! ;)

I hate "hating" on play calling, but how many one and two yard runs did we have to endure before KW went completely to the passing game?

[OUTromBoNado]

Our line is not the main problem, it is the total lack of creativeness out of our play design -- no misdirection, no getting a RB to the edge, we try to just line up and smash people and when the other team has good players too this does not work. We need some things to keep the other team guessing what we might do with our running game, not running the same ol' stretch play over and over that everyone in the house can see coming from the snap of the ball and which gives the defensive team all day to react to.

No, the O-line is a problem. Sure, we have massive linemen that could probably push anyone around based on strength alone. But, you line them up across from someone with any amount of speed, and they get handled. I'd be all for having the gigantic offensive line...provided we were still going primarily with a power running game like when we had AD.

The biggest problem that I saw today is with the defense, which is directly tied to the offense...I'll get to it in a second, just stay with me. For the last 3-4 years, we've had a strong, power running game. In an evenly matched game, we'd pound the ball and eventually wear out the opposing defense until they were easy pickings. That's how we had success against LSU late in the Sugar Bowl.

However, with this new quick-strike, hurry-up offense, our time of possession has taken a huge hit. Sure, we rack up the points, but it gives very little time for our defense to rest and recover before having to get back out on the field. Our D was flat out gassed in the 4th quarter today.

The lack of a solid running game (Tech-like) is turning our defense Tech-like. OU has not become Tech-ified, at least not on purpose. Stoops prefers to run a balanced attack. But, when your running game is non-existent, your kind of forced to rely on the pass.

[Curly Bill]

I'd be all for having the gigantic offensive line...provided we were still going primarily with a power running game like when we had AD..

This is all we try to do in the running game, try to run over people. When you're playing other good people and UTerus assuredly is, they will stop you when they know from the snap of the ball exactly where you are going to run, and they know from film that you are going to throw only a couple of different run plays at them.

We have a power running game, we have no misdirection, nothing to the outside, all we try to do in the run game is power it. We are terribly predictable. Not saying our O-line couldn't be better, but we could help them out by putting a little diversity into our run attack.

[Desert Sapper]

This has to be a technique issue. There's a reason every NFL team has guys that compare in size, speed, etc. to our O-Line. If lining up with smaller faster D-Lines were the counter to that, you can bet every NFL team would do that. We can pass block, but something is just not right about our push in the run game.

That being said, I agree with everyone that says 35 points should have been enough. Especially when you know the ball is either going to Shipley or Cosby, and if they're covered, McCoy is running...

[planosooner]

Texas is a very solid team at stopping the run and will give up the bigger plays through the air. They haven't played many good teams other than us, but they shutdown the run on them as well and I've gotta give them some credit where it's due. Their new DC has helped them out tremendously in that aspect.

[Blue]

Their Dc....heard that before. Chizik.

#8 is a long ways away and I don't think Bob will do it. We got lucky w/ 7 and this group it aint happenin. Get used to 10-3 until Stoops leaves town.

[Johnny Utah]

At least this thread wasn't titled The Hawaii-ification of Oklahoma Football!

[TripleOption14]

I don't know if I would go as far as saying the "Texas Tech-ification." It simply comes down to "want to" and "attitude." Run blocking is much harder to do than pass blocking one has to stick on blocks and have a bit of a mean streak. There's a reason Jamaal Brown was such a kick-@ss tackle. By his own accord he said on many occassions that he "wanted to" run block. I don't know if you would get that same response from these guys if you asked them. They can blow the Baylors of the world off the line but when it comes to "real" comp they can't do anything. Which leads me to believe that they're relying to much on just brute strength instead of using technique and strength.

However, not to give all the negative pub to the o-line... I think the Demarco Murray at RB experience is about on it's last leg. (At least for this year) More carries need to start going to Brown and Madu. As many have stated Demarco just does not have it this year when he's in the I-form. However, getting him the ball is space would be much more benefical to the offense as we saw yesterday. They need to add about 4 or 5 RB screen plays just for Demarco and let Brown/Madu take care power running game. They both make quick reads and hit the hole much quicker than Demarco.

[okiewaker]

[QUOTE=HopeSpringsEternal;2441222]OU is a Big Ten team. The line is mammoth and immobile. They could stand to drop 50 pounds each and maybe do a few agility drills and some strength shoe workouts and then maybe they'd be capable enough to be little more than one more obstacle our rb's have to dodge.

:mad: :mad:

[Desert Sapper]

[quote=HopeSpringsEternal;2441222]OU is a Big Ten team. The line is mammoth and immobile. They could stand to drop 50 pounds each and maybe do a few agility drills and some strength shoe workouts and then maybe they'd be capable enough to be little more than one more obstacle our rb's have to dodge.

:mad: :mad:

If we had a Big 10 team, we'd be running all over everybody we play and wouldn't be able to throw to save our lives.

[The Maestro]

Well, going back to the point of this thread, if we are TT, name me the tight end they throw to like we do Gresham.

We throw a lot. Our best players are the QB and the receiving corps. Are you wanting to go back to Eric Bross and Steve Rhodes playing receiver cause they block real good? Not me. It is the era of football. Heck, AD rushed for about 40 yards a week ago...the game spreads the field out completely now.

[PLaw]

So you think Murray is better than AD.......?

Yeah, I saw Owens; Pruitt; Washington; Sims; Overstreet; Dupree; and Peterson play. So far this season, I haven't seen a RB that's worthy of being compared to this elite company. And that's no disrespect to the other greats or current RB's.

BOOMER

[OK2LA]

Our offense isn't the reason we are giving up huge kickoff returns or couldn't stop Texas on 3rd down.


Actually, it can be directly related.

Think about it. We typically use most (if not all of) our defensive players on special teams.

When you have an offense as quick/potent as ours - it's generally not on the field all that long - (at the same time - giving our defense a breather/break)

On the other hand, Texas had several long(er) sustained drives against our defense.

Our Scoring Drives:

2:43
1:48
2:37
1:45
4:22

Their Scoring Drives:

5:36
0:00
6:44
2:46
6:12
3:41
4:05
2:30

Drives in the 3rd and 4th Quarter

I believe that this came home to roost in the 3rd/4th quarter. The heat on the field, not getting much of a rest, mixed in with a couple of questionable calls wore our defense down.

[sooneron]

I have to agree with Curly. Ut's front 7 are built fast. We ran ZERO misdirection at them. Instead, we just ran at them. People talk about how you need to use misdirection with our D because of their speed. Why would we not want to use it ourselves on a similar team (athlete-wise)?

[JohnnyMack]

I have to agree with Curly. Ut's front 7 are built fast. We ran ZERO misdirection at them. Instead, we just ran at them. People talk about how you need to use misdirection with our D because of their speed. Why would we not want to use it ourselves on a similar team (athlete-wise)?

Because we can't?

This offense ran misdirection in the past.

[sooneron]

Because we can't?


You know that for a fact?

srsly, there were major brainfarts by the coaching staff yesterday. Little halftime adjustment, yeah, we stuffed them on the first series of the 2nd half when they went something like run run pass.

[JohnnyMack]

You know that for a fact?

srsly, there were major brainfarts by the coaching staff yesterday.

No, but if you had a back like Murray, wouldn't you? At least try it, once? For the love of all that is holy, run a ****ing counter!!!

[sooneron]

These days? I would prolly run it more with Madu. I wish I hadn't erased the dvr halfway through the 4th. I would go back and see if a guard pulled more than a handful of times.

[bluedogok]

It's because they want to be a Big 10 style power running team to complement the passing game. Back when Q was the RB they didn't feel like they could run that type of scheme so misdirection and deception was key. After AD they stayed with the Big 10 run game but now that he is gone it seems they still haven't accepted the fact that they don't have the same type of RB for that run game.

[sooneron]

What he ^ said!

[Curly Bill]

yup

[tulsaoilerfan]

We just don't have the power running game to line up and run straight at teams with good defenses; if we can figure it out, why can't KW?

[sooneron]

As an aside, I think we should all neg Jm for trying to "butch up" by posting a football thread where he attempts to profess a knowledge of x's and o's.

[JohnnyMack]

As an aside, I think we should all neg Jm for trying to "butch up" by posting a football thread where he attempts to profess a knowledge of x's and o's.

I had 4 Daylight Donuts the other day. You can stick your DD where the sun don't shine.

[Curly Bill]

As an aside, I think we should all neg Jm for trying to "butch up" by posting a football thread where he attempts to profess a knowledge of x's and o's.

I thought his knowledge of X's and O's was just about as good as his knowledge of politics. :P ;) :D

[Johnny Utah]

It's because they want to be a Big 10 style power running team to complement the passing game. Back when Q was the RB they didn't feel like they could run that type of scheme so misdirection and deception was key. After AD they stayed with the Big 10 run game but now that he is gone it seems they still haven't accepted the fact that they don't have the same type of RB for that run game.

Heaven help OU and its fans if the goal is to be a Big 10 style power running team to complement the passing game. I grew up in Ohio before moving to Oklahoma to go to college (FWIW), and (unfortunately) the whole nation has seen the Big 10 be totally embarressed by the SEC 2 years in a row in the MNC game! Let's install an offense that can have a chance of winning it all again!

[FrostySooner]

I have heard on ESPN about offensive lineman labeled heavy-legged waist benders and I think that is what we got. Loadholt is very immobile and his lateral movement is terrible. We need to get a smaller line in the years to come. I think we should stick to 300-315 pounders instead of 320-340 pounders.

[Monster Zero]

Very good points IMHO.

Speaking of over-under, if you add the total number of points scored in Saturday's OU-Texas game you'd still be under the total number of times Barack Hussein Obama voted for tax increases as a US Senator.

[boomersooner2001]

I have heard on ESPN about offensive lineman labeled heavy-legged waist benders and I think that is what we got. Loadholt is very immobile and his lateral movement is terrible. We need to get a smaller line in the years to come. I think we should stick to 300-315 pounders instead of 320-340 pounders.


OUr offensive line has been so highly praised for several years now, yet in a big game against a good opponent, all we have seen is the O Line getting beat, not so much up the middle, but around the tackles. I didn't really buy into the fact that the line might be to big at first, but after Saturday, and with the Fiesta bowl debacle still fresh in my memory, now I am starting to believe it. Maybe it's time to start looking for some corn fed country boys to do some blocking.

[Curly Bill]

We score 35 freakin points and yet our offensive line is the problem. :rolleyes: :confused:

[JLEW1818]

random, why was Chase Daniel number 25?

[JohnnyMack]

random, why was Chase Daniel number 25?

I think they said one of the guys in Chase's recruiting class died a few years ago and that as a tribute this year each senior is taking a turn at wearing the guys number.

[JLEW1818]

I think they said one of the guys in Chase's recruiting class died a few years ago and that as a tribute this year each senior is taking a turn at wearing the guys number.

Thanks for the input.

[primetime43]

We need to take a page out of Florida's playbook. Did y'all see how they carved up that LSU Defense with a lot of misdirection?

[stoopified]

For all you doomsayers who say this isn't a championship offense ,I say BULL$HIT.i GIVE YOU 2000 ouR LAST nc AS PROOF.wE AVERAGED 129 YARDS PER GAME RUSHINGAND 288 PASSING.We beat KSU(twice),UT,NU,and FSU with an anemic run game.Q had 800 yards rushing for the year and averaged 4 yards a carry.He had 11 carries for 40 yards vs. FSU in the OB.Get over it people,it ain't the offense,its the execution.

In fact if you look at Bob's tenure we have been pass heavy(twice as many passing yards as rushing) FOUR seasons(2000,2001,2003,2008).The Sooners were 13-0, 11-2,12-2,5-1(41-5 in 3 1/2 seasons .891).The years we have had balanced offenses 2002,2004-2007 we finished 12-2,12-1,8-4,11-3,11-3 (54-13 in 5 seasons .806).The fact that we have a pssing attack as OUr offensive base has NO bearing on why we lost to UT and would tend to in fact indicate a very good season is ahead of us.

[A Horn]

We need to take a page out of Florida's playbook. Did y'all see how they carved up that LSU Defense with a lot of misdirection?

They were very impressive. But so much of that has to do with Urban, his formations, and his tendencies. His offense is very elaborate, and he is a master at mixing it up. Its tough to try to emulate that when not in his system. I would love for us to do the same but wouldn't even want to try it. We can't even get John Chiles on the field and producing.

What is LSU's main strength? To me, defensive athleticism. Take advantage of that, force overpursuit. He did a hell of a job, but I also think Tebow losing that game to Ole Miss had something to do with it. They are a great team, and if their rivalry wasn't enough, losing that game left them with some bones to pick. They physically beat LSU, badly.