Sooners on the road this year

[FirstandGoal]

As everybody well knows, our big Achilles heel last year was our inability to play well on the road.

As I was reading another thread, this question came up, but I thought the issue itself warranted its own thread as in 5 days we will be facing our biggest road challenge of the season.

I think of all the issues we had last season, this was the scariest part and I will admit that it was on my mind at the start of this season. With the road games that we have had and the level of competition that we have played, I think its hard to evaluate how much better we are in this area.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that we have made great strides in this area, but just how much????

[IronHorseSooner]

I think a lot of that was focus last year, and the TECH game was due to Sam's injury. This team has focus, and their goal of playing for it all is in their hands. The Seniors and other team leaders (i.e. Sam and Gerald McCoy) aren't going to let the others stray off mission. With the way these young men are playing, I don't think it matters where they are playing. I think that being up there in Stillwater might even be added motivation for these guys.

[RedstickSooner]

I don't know that we can accurately predict how focused the team's gonna be for this game. There's plenty of sources of distraction -- it coming after Thanksgiving, all the debate over who goes to the CCG, etc.

I *hope* they're focused on the Pokes like a laser. But I certainly don't *know* that they are.

[JLEW1818]

Sam is to smart for distractions. Even in the Fiesta Bowl last year, he put up average stats. He is focused.

[cvsooner]

This group seems to have much better focus than last year's, in every sense of the word. The "lack of focus" game this season, so far, was Texas, oddly enough. No problems, otherwise.

Knowing what's at stake at Stoolwater--namely, all we can do is win or it's meaningless -- should count for a lot.

[noobalicious]

We have plenty of psychological factors working in our favor this week:

1. Texas plays Thursday Night. We play Saturday Night. Prime time. Right when all the pollsters will start making up their minds. Texas will most likely be the team that beat up on a hapless team earlier in the week. Most pollsters won't give that much thought. They were probably too busy crashed out from eating too much turkey. If we make a statement right when people are making up their minds...it'll be huge.

2. We completely dominated the #2 team in the country in every facet of the game and handed them their first loss, and we didn't jump Texas in the BCS. That was clearly the motivation. We didn't jump them. There's still work to be done. If we HAD jumped them, there might be better potential for an upset. But we realize just how close we are to getting screwed.

3. It's Oklahoma State. The guys will be fired up for a rivalry game

4. Big Game Bob is already hearing about his record in Stoolwater. I would imagine he's already thinking about how to blow OSU out of the water. I honestly think Bob is a little p.o.ed. All the recent bowl games. The terrible losses the last couple of years. He's trying to prove a point right now.

5. We do seem more focused this year. I watched before the Tech game as those guys were fooling around, throwing balls at each other, etc. We came out in the WARMUPS and executed. Just a completely different focus.

6. More leadership. Especially on offense. Sam is a year older, not a green frosh. Our offensive line is stacked with upper classmen. We have 3 senior wide receivers. Travis Lewis is becoming quite the inspirational leader on defense. McCoy is becoming a leader. And Nic Harris and Lendy provide the senior leadership as the last line of defense.

And in my opinion, that is why we will keep rolling.

[JLEW1818]

It's actually good we are ranked behind Texas. Gives the team something to win.

[BoulderSooner79]

I can't agree on the UT game; I think they were very focused. The only game that looked like lack of focus was the KU game. I think they had a let down from the UT game, but still won handily.

[Pricetag]

As everybody well knows, our big Achilles heel last year was our inability to play well on the road.

I think of all the issues we had last season, this was the scariest part and I will admit that it was on my mind at the start of this season. With the road games that we have had and the level of competition that we have played, I think its hard to evaluate how much better we are in this area.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that we have made great strides in this area, but just how much????
I think it's been pretty easy to evaluate. Sure, we have yet to play a good team on the road this year, but it's not like Colorado or Iowa State were any good last year, and we lost to the Buffs and were very fortunate to come out of Ames with a win. This year, not only have we not lost or struggled on the road, we've blown those teams out like we should have.

OSU is much better than the teams we've faced on the road thus far, but I don't think there's any way that we actively lose the game like we did at Colorado and (almost) Iowa State last year.

[JLEW1818]

Sam Bradford on the Road Stats

@Washington

18-21, 304 yards, 5td

@ Baylor

23-31, 372 yards, 2td, 1 int

Neutral Game Dallas, against horns

28-39, 387 yards, 5td, 2int

@ Kansas State

13-32, 255 yards, 3td

@ Texas A&M

22-33, 320 yards, 4td

[primetime43]

Sam has basically thrown 2 int on the road. I don't count the last one against Texas. I'm not even sure it was an int. I love the decisions Sam has been making this year. He is even starting to pull it down and run with it when there is no one open giving the defense something else to think about.

[JLEW1818]

Agree, I just didn't want to get in that debate.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

We played badly on the road last year against the likes of Iowa State and Colorado. I think we can say we have improved our road play.

[yermom]

i can see it now, another boring 5 TD performance out of Sam

[FirstandGoal]

Sam Bradford on the Road Stats

@Washington

18-21, 304 yards, 5td

@ Baylor

23-31, 372 yards, 2td, 1 int

Neutral Game Dallas, against horns

28-39, 387 yards, 5td, 2int

@ Kansas State

13-32, 255 yards, 3td

@ Texas A&M

22-33, 320 yards, 4td

Thanks for those stats. Seeing it this way makes me feel better about the whole thing


We played badly on the road last year against the likes of Iowa State and Colorado. I think we can say we have improved our road play.
You know, I forgot until I saw your post just how horrible we played against the cyclones last year.


i can see it now, another boring 5 TD performance out of Sam
:D :D :D


One common theme I noticed in many of the replies on this thread is the word focus. I think you guys have completely hit the nail on the head and now that I sit and think back to the road games we have had this year, I can definitely see where lack of focus was the key to all of our losses last year, whereas this year we have had it.

Here's hoping Bob keeps his team focused like hell all this week!

[kevpks]

Last year we were flat against Colorado (obviously) and the Iowa St. game was one of the uglier I've seen. I think we've made huge strides from last year on the road.