Special Teams...

[tbl]

I haven't seen a thread about this yet, but I think we all need to applaud the special teams coaches and players. I don't know about you guys, but I was more concerned about that part of the game more than anything else. After the Tech game, I knew our D had it in them to do what they did on Thursday. I thought the O would perform a little better, but other threads discuss that.

That said, great job by the Sooner special teams. You guys did great.

[Boomer Mooner]

Good point. They really stepped up this game.

[texas bandman]

No break down in coverage, but then we didn't have to kick off nine or ten times. :D

[BoulderSooner79]

Everytime* we kicked off, that James kid took off like he knew he was going to score and then he got smothered around the 20. I was more concerned about the punting team because UF blocked so many and returned so many for scores. We got lucky when they barely missed the 1 block and we got he roughing flag. The we promptly did a 3 and out :(

*Everytime = 3 times :(

[BornandBred]

I think it speaks to how bad our coverage was this year that we're thrilled we held them for 3 returns, but I was happy. I'm aware we kicked off more often this year so we had more chances to give up big plays, but I was terrified every time. It's basic fundamentals. I hope this is addressed next year, as it appears that it was for this game. Special teams are a third of the game and can have huge implications, see OU/UT '08.

[boomermagic]

We did have a field goal attempt blocked..

[BoulderSooner79]

We did have a field goal attempt blocked..

Yes, the kick was low from a kicker who had not shown that range all season. What are the odds it is good if it is not blocked? We actually gained a few yards from the recovery vs. a missed FG. We were lucky it didn't bounce back and get returned.

[tbl]

I'm still in shock that we went for a FG from that far out, considering the significant lack of experience our kicker has. He's probably kicked more extra points than any kicker in history, but not too many FG's at all, much less a 49 yarder...

[Jason White's Third Knee]

I was very impressed with our ST play during the game. Outstanding.

The blocked kick was a bad choice, I thought. I didn't see any way that we would make it.

What the hell happened during the year anyway?

[BoulderSooner79]

In retrospect, for all the anguish and gnashing of teeth that our kick coverage caused during the season, it never hurt us.

[n8v_ndn]

I thought going for a 49 yarder was a bad choice as well, but I seem to recall reading a post game story where Stoops (?) said his previous long was 42--anyone remember when that was?

[SoonersEnFuego]

Good Job Special Teams!!!
Except Jimmy Stevens...





Kick coverage was the best it's been all year!:pop:

[Scotty]

In retrospect, for all the anguish and gnashing of teeth that our kick coverage caused during the season, it never hurt us.

Except for the texas game. I believe we were up 14-3 when shipley returned the kick on us.

[BoulderSooner79]

Except for the texas game. I believe we were up 14-3 when shipley returned the kick on us.

I'm going by definition here. After the first 13 games, OU was rated BCS #1, so nothing hurt us. (In fact, losing to UT and still winning the big12 and getting the BCS #1 so emotionally crippled the horn fans it was almost worth it.. but I won't go there ;)).

I still don't think the KO return in the UT game was a huge deal since we regained our 11pt lead. It was losing RR and not being able to get the D off the field that was the huge difference. But you can't go back and replay it, so it's just water under the bridge.

But is was kinda funny how many talking heads predicted ST to be the deciding factor in the title game and they were so wrong. But I would have loved to kick-off the usual 10 times in that game and thrown them a bone by letting them return one of them instead of the way it turned out :(

[Scotty]

I'm going by definition here. After the first 13 games, OU was rated BCS #1, so nothing hurt us. (In fact, losing to UT and still winning the big12 and getting the BCS #1 so emotionally crippled the horn fans it was almost worth it.. but I won't go there ;)).

I still don't think the KO return in the UT game was a huge deal since we regained our 11pt lead. It was losing RR and not being able to get the D off the field that was the huge difference. But you can't go back and replay it, so it's just water under the bridge.

But is was kinda funny how many talking heads predicted ST to be the deciding factor in the title game and they were so wrong. But I would have loved to kick-off the usual 10 times in that game and thrown them a bone by letting them return one of them instead of the way it turned out :(

I see where you are coming from, but I gotta disagree. Our D was playing really well before that return. Say we get a stop there, go score again and its 21-3 just like that. Thats miles away from 14-10.

But then again, the game is full of "what if's" and no one can really say what would have happened.

[BoulderSooner79]

I see where you are coming from, but I gotta disagree. Our D was playing really well before that return. Say we get a stop there, go score again and its 21-3 just like that. Thats miles away from 14-10.

But then again, the game is full of "what if's" and no one can really say what would have happened.

You assume we would score again and make it 21-3. That could have happened, but we got an easy TD on a busted defensive assignment on the next series which I think happened because of the quick turnaround. Their D wasn't ready to come back on the field and we took advantage. But like I say, you can't go back and we did win the conference and the top ranking. And how do you put value on all those horn tears? As MasterCard says: priceless :P

[Scotty]

You assume we would score again and make it 21-3. That could have happened, but we got an easy TD on a busted defensive assignment on the next series which I think happened because of the quick turnaround. Their D wasn't ready to come back on the field and we took advantage. But like I say, you can't go back and we did win the conference and the top ranking. And how do you put value on all those horn tears? As MasterCard says: priceless :P


This might be just me, but I would put more value on a W against the horns then seeing them get "screwed" by the system on our behalf at the end of the year.

As much as I hate to say it, they still have scoreboard on us.

[BoulderSooner79]

This might be just me, but I would put more value on a W against the horns then seeing them get "screwed" by the system on our behalf at the end of the year.

As much as I hate to say it, they still have scoreboard on us.

I'm with you - that's why I said "almost worth it". Their whining took some of the sting out of losing the game. But they didn't get screwed - they just thought they did.

Now if you want to look at the Karma way that kick-off coverage hurt us. If we don't give up that return in the UT game, it changes the events thereafter and maybe RR isn't that exact position to get his leg rolled up. Like AP's fumble against TT last year didn't hurt much as they only got 3 points off the turnover; but losing Bradford on the play may have hurt us :eek:

[oubose]

Great job by the Special Teams we did alot better then I thought we would do. I sat up at nite sometimes wondering about that aspect of the game, not that I could make a difference but what else do Sooner fans think about when they can't sleep besides the next big game. One thing I keep on thinking about now is what the hell were we doing going for a field goal, we don't kick field goals we score touchdowns were OKLAHOMA Damit!

[Crucifax Autumn]

STs were great overall. I just hope next year in the BCS Championship we can bring all 3 phases of the game in at full strength and playing to their full ability.

[JLEW1818]

i just hate life ................sept 5th ........ wow...... long way away