My 3 suggestions for the offense: We need to utilize all receivers effectively

[MamaMia]

1) First and foremost: We need to stop the 1st and 10...run the ball ALL the freakin time! I can understand doing that some in the beginning to kind of feel their defense out but after that we should stop being so predictable. We are 2nd and long throughout the whole game. We need to mix it up enough to where the other team wont be able to tell when we're gong to run or pass. You cant defend against the run and the pass at the same time. They would have to take their pick.

2) They have Bradford rolling out, going one direction. Our receivers on the opposite side of the field were wide open, but to hit them he would have to throw long to the opposite side of the field across his body. He is right handed and therefore would have to throw a long dangerous pass to hit a receiver on that side of the field. Its easy to intercept those types of passes. Brett Favre can do this and laugh about it, but thats not the norm. :D

In our case those receivers are out there as decoys to tie up a DB. The solution is to take those receivers that are being used as decoys and have them pretend like they're blocking and then they need to curl back over toward the way Bradford is running. They would be a lot closer then. At that point, unless the other team is playing man to man those receivers would most likely have linebackers or nobody covering them. They could even be in a dead zone. Linebackers aren't generally fast enough to cover them well while at the same time trying to stop the run.

3) PLEASE....Recruit a good juco kick off specialist. We cant keep giving away these good field positions. That and the kick off return is without a doubt the WORST aspect of our team at this point.

[Newbomb Turk]

that 3rd suggestion is not for the offense.
;)

[MamaMia]

that 3rd suggestion is not for the offense.
;)
Okay, so I couldn't resist throwing that in again since I already mentioned that big problemo in a whole separate thread all of its very own BEFORE the game, and I just cant get past that. However, in my defense I didn't offer a solution in that thread. If you think the recruiting a Juco kicking specialist solution needs its own thread, go for it. I got your back. :D

[DallasSooner87]

1) First and foremost: We need to stop the 1st and 10...run the ball ALL the freakin time! I can understand doing that some in the beginning to kind of feel their defense out but after that we should stop being so predictable. We are 2nd and long throughout the whole game. We need to mix it up enough to where the other team wont be able to tell when we're gong to run or pass. You cant defend against the run and the pass at the same time. They would have to take their pick.


To add to this. Why don't we ever run draws and hardly run screens to the RB's. These may get the defenses off balance enough to run Chuck Long's old playbook (read: run up the middle).

[ousooners182]

I just pray that by the end of the year we try a run to the outside..

[Widescreen]

You know what? Tech can run the football better than we can. They had some no-name dude ring up NU for a 60 yarder yesterday. And they ran 3 times inside the 10 and converted it for a TD. There's no way their OL and RB are better than ours. But you wouldn't know it from the production.

[sooneron]

You know what? Tech can run the football better than we can. They had some no-name dude ring up NU for a 60 yarder yesterday. And they ran 3 times inside the 10 and converted it for a TD. There's no way their OL and RB are better than ours. But you wouldn't know it from the production.

I hear ya, but do you really want to compare the bugeaters upfront with Orakppapapapo and co?

[tulsaoilerfan]

The thing i don't understand is most of the time when we throw on first down incomplete, we come back with a second down run that only gains a yard or two; if you are going to throw on first down, might as well be ready to throw again on second if you need to; coaches are asking 2 much of Sam to convert 3rd and longs all season

[GottaHavePride]

You know what? Tech can run the football better than we can. They had some no-name dude ring up NU for a 60 yarder yesterday. And they ran 3 times inside the 10 and converted it for a TD. There's no way their OL and RB are better than ours. But you wouldn't know it from the production.

Yeah, but Tech uses REALLY WIDE SPLITS on the OL. [/annoying Fox announcers]

[IronSooner]

I just pray that by the end of the year we try a run to the outside..

When was the last time we ran a toss-sweep?

[Curly Bill]

When was the last time we ran a toss-sweep?

I couldn't tell ya. Murray, well Murray if he's 100%, is tailor made for that though.

[NOVSooner]

Murray is built for that IF he can stay on his feet and hit it like he used to. i've never had the injury he did, therefore, i can't say whether i would be skiddish or not, but you can predict it every time now, he'll "slip" or just happen to fall down all the time. If he's not afraid, the man get the dude some new cleats or something to keep his footing. as was stated on some other threads, he needs to break a couple to get his confidence back and then maybe he'd be the home run threat we need

[OUmillenium]

I am not ripping on our play calling but I do agree that Murray functions best on the outside and I would love to see some sweeps...to any of our backs.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I couldn't tell ya. Murray, well Murray if he's 100%, is tailor made for that though.

Toss sweep is a 3 to 4 yard loss if OU can't block on the edges, which I don't believe they can....

[Johnny Utah]

Toss sweep is a 3 to 4 yard loss if OU can't block on the edges, which I don't believe they can....

So the "problems" are simple ... blocking on offense and tackling on defense.:(

[St. Louis Sooner]

speaking of using receivers effectively: Did Sammy go deep to Juaqin or Manny? I don't remember seeing much of that yesterday. It seems they were covered or being used as decoys as 'mamma' says above; i'd like to see Sammy throw it to a covered receiver (one DB coverage) more ... give the receiver the benefit of the doubt; but hey, who am i kidding? the guy is a fantastic performer and it's hard to find any areas that he could get better;

[St. Louis Sooner]

whoops ... day b4 yesterday :O

[Widescreen]

Yeah, but Tech uses REALLY WIDE SPLITS on the OL. [/annoying Fox announcers]

Yeah, last year I referred to that as the FoxSports splitgasm. Definitely gets annoying.

[kc sooner]

The thing i don't understand is most of the time when we throw on first down incomplete, we come back with a second down run that only gains a yard or two; if you are going to throw on first down, might as well be ready to throw again on second if you need to; coaches are asking 2 much of Sam to convert 3rd and longs all season

I don't understand it either, but a lot of teams do this. This used to happen all the time and we started counting how many times teams run on 2nd and 10 after incomplete passes. It's amazing how many times all teams do this, especially in the NFL. It works about 1 in 12 times(by works I mean they get at least 6-7 yards to make it 3rd and short). I don't understand why coaches would run this play and get in 3rd and long situations.

[setem]

The only problem we have with our O is we have no run game!

Anytime you put up 35 on a top 10 team you are doing well. Why fix what doesn't need fixin?

Our D has to be lock down all the time or we will lose again.

I believe we are very much in the hunt for the NC we just do not control our own destiny. We win out and we are playing the championship I would bet my life on it.

FIX THE D!

[IowaSooner26]

Since it is apparent that everyone says that we have no run game I think we should take on more of what Mike Leach does with his high percentage short passes that utilze pass blocking but can get RB's and such into space to make plays. That is the one thing that annoys me to no end is the fact that anytime we have run a screen or short pass to a back (see demarco early in the first and later in the third i believe) we can usually pick up anywhere from 3-4 yards to a first down to possibly going all the way(see manny vs. TCU short pass over the middle and let him make a play)

[Curly Bill]

Toss sweep is a 3 to 4 yard loss if OU can't block on the edges, which I don't believe they can....

We wouldn't even have to block it, hell the other team would faint dead away that we did something other then run it up the middle. :D

...and besides that the blocking for a toss sweep is about as easy as it gets, we could do it, if not then we suck and it doesn't matter what we run.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Well IMO...Chris Brown does not have outside running speed..he need to be running between the tackles...

The way DM is running, I don't know that he is running hard enough to get to the edge.....

If your TE's and WRs are not blocking, outside running is futile...not to mention your O line not getting it done

[soonervet]

speaking of using receivers effectively: Did Sammy go deep to Juaqin or Manny? I don't remember seeing much of that yesterday. It seems they were covered or being used as decoys as 'mamma' says above; i'd like to see Sammy throw it to a covered receiver (one DB coverage) more ... give the receiver the benefit of the doubt; but hey, who am i kidding? the guy is a fantastic performer and it's hard to find any areas that he could get better;

Two of Sams touchdown passes were to receivers who were tightly covered. And i think madu is plenty fast to get on the edge, or at least on counters, misdirection, etc. Our run scheme is far to simple.

[Curly Bill]

Well IMO...Chris Brown does not have outside running speed..he need to be running between the tackles...

The way DM is running, I don't know that he is running hard enough to get to the edge.....

If your TE's and WRs are not blocking, outside running is futile...not to mention your O line not getting it done

Chris Brown is reportedly a 4.46 40 guy, he was a HS track star FWIW. We need some diversity in our running game, or we can keep slamming into that brick wall because everyone knows that's all we do.

[JLEW1818]

I still think Murray moves to WR next year, and Calhoun becomes the back.

[Position Limit]

chris brown gets things done. i wish we could see more of him if the game plan is to run it into the *** of our left or right tackle everytime. or how about matt clapp?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Chris Brown is reportedly a 4.46 40 guy, he was a HS track star FWIW. We need some diversity in our running game, or we can keep slamming into that brick wall because everyone knows that's all we do.

yeah...KeJuan was supposed to have speed too:D ...I love Chris Brown btw...I like his toughness and his balance....


OU does need diversity in the run game no doubt.....but evidently KW doesn't believe OU has the people to do it

[Curly Bill]

OU does need diversity in the run game no doubt.....but evidently KW doesn't have the good sense to do it

FIXED

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I want to tell you somebody this team misses that isn't mention a lot is Joe Jon Finley...The guy could get out and catch the ball and wasn't a liability in running situations...

[Curly Bill]

I want to tell you somebody this team misses that isn't mention a lot is Joe Jon Finley...The guy could get out and catch the ball and wasn't a liability in running situations...

Catch the ball? He caught like one of every three that hit him in the hands. :P

[stoops the eternal pimp]

yeah but he didn't use the "OLE!" blocking technique in running situations either

[Curly Bill]

yeah but he didn't use the "OLE!" blocking technique in running situations either

Hey, JG is gonna go make millions as a pass-catcher, he ain't got no use for blocking. :D

[stoops the eternal pimp]

your right...The guy is an amazing athlete catching the ball...

I had been griping about his run blocking so much a friend of mine DVRd the game and said he was gonna prove me wrong...he texts me during the game and says after rewinding every run play that JG's assignment is the one either making the tackle or busting the play up a whole lot more than he ever imagined

[Curly Bill]

your right...The guy is an amazing athlete catching the ball...

I had been griping about his run blocking so much a friend of mine DVRd the game and said he was gonna prove me wrong...he texts me during the game and says after rewinding every run play that JG's assignment is the one either making the tackle or busting the play up a whole lot more than he ever imagined

I've defended JG's blocking in the past too, and though I didn't have the game recorded nor did I watch JG's blocking very closely, I wouldn't have thought it very good.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

You know at the first of the year, I thought he had really improved....Maybe he gets bored if he isn't catching the ball every play...I dunno...but what bothers me is that it looks more like lack of effort than it does not knowing how to do it....

And its not like you can put the guy in except for running situations, because then that cue everybody to whats going on.....

And the sole responsibility is not on him as far as running problems..but if you don't have good blocking by WR's and TEs in running to the outside, your screwed...but this is where misdirection plays could be used...running weakside

[sooner518]

Yeah, but Tech uses REALLY WIDE SPLITS on the OL. [/annoying Fox announcers]

May I please see a picture of that with a telestrator drawing the wide splits? :D