Detailed analysis of our 2009 squad

[KingDavid]

First, a brief discussion of each unit on the team. will close with an in depth discussion of what I believe is the only real question we have to answer next year: the offensive line.

Offensive backfield.
I look for two areas of improvement. First: Jermie Calhoun. Mark it down, folks: it's either going to be a four-headed monster next year, or one of our top three from 2008 may go the way of Tashard Choice (most likely Madu, but possibly Murray if the recent injury takes away another half-step like the knee did last year). That's not even taking into account Justin Johnson, btw.

Second, I look for Bradford to take his considerable leadership gifts to the next level. And that has already started. At some point next year we're going to be in a game like Texas & Florida - where we've lost the momentum - and Sam is going to single-handedly win it for us.

Receivers - a possible challenge.
Some will argue that this is an area of concern with the departure of two experienced seniors, three if you count Chaney. I just don't think we'll miss a beat. As gifted as Iglesias & Johnson are/were, I don't see either as being so special that they cannot be replaced rapidly, and even upgraded. Both Jameel Owens & Dejuan Miller have bigger/stronger frames (that would have come in handy on both of those interceptions, by the way). And Owens has elite speed, to boot. Broyles will make sure we only get better in the SLOT, not to mention that if Calhoun emerges at RB, then look for Murray to invigorate the slot position even further. Nothing needs to be said about tight end, where Gresham will continue to be a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. And as for other role players/depth: Tunnell & Caleb will make sure there is no step down from Cheney's play. Iglesias and Johnson brought a lot in the way of experience and leadership for the WR unit. If we didn't have such strong leadership elsewhere on the offense (Bradford, Murray, Gresham, Brown), that might have been a concern. As such, it isn't.

Defensive Line.
No need to go into much detail on this unit. It will be sickeningly good. I might even go so far as to suggest that there would be at least a handful of NFL teams who would wholesale swap their 2 deep front four for ours . . . right now.

Linebackers.
"That which does not kill me only makes me stronger" will be the theme here. The turbulence and challenges we experienced this year have forged this part of the squad into what will be one of our most reliable and talented units next year. Plus - is it just me, or is Brent Venables really taking it to whole new level in terms of coaching this position? I can't think of a coach who can get a young guy ready for action as fast and as thoroughly as BV. Speaking of which . . .

Coaching
This facet hasn't been discussed much, but in my view, it is absolutely priceless that we're returning the entirety of our coaching staff next year. (Am I right on that?) It is at least one area where we'll have the advantage over teams with more upheaval (such as USC or even Florida) And it's significant that they'll all be coaching the same units. One potential downside won't show up until the post-season: I'll be stunned if we're not facing the departure of at least one of our Coordinators next year right during the time when we're trying to get ready for the big game (hopefully the BCSCG).

Special Teams
We finally put all the pieces together in the BCSCG - with the exception of the place-kicking/fg unit. Stevens was young - in his first year. Getting year one under his belt is important and will hopefully help ease his nerves as he moves into his sophomore year. If he continues to show game-day jitters, then he's certain to be pushed by Tress Way, whose big leg will provide us with even better prospects on kick coverage. Here's some kudos to Ryan Broyles for his sure-handedness throughout the season in fielding punts, and solid decision-making as well. I can't think of a time when he put us in a bad spot, in fact. And I can't speak for everyone else, but Broyles definitely gave me the luxury of not worrying incessantly about the punt being muffed. I can't think of a time he even juggled a reception, can you? Anyhow, I look for Broyles to be a show-stopper next year on the PR unit as he "graduates" from sure-handedness and learns to look downfield for the open lanes.

Defensive Backfield - a possible challenge
Some will view this as a definite challenge given that we'll be replacing two Senior starters at the safeties. But the talent is there and ready to step in. Quenton Carter got enough playing time last year to show that he is ready to shine . . . and blow some people up, in fact. Proctor didn't see the field as much, but has all the tools. And here's a bet that in such a strong recruiting class of DB's, at least one of those recruits is going to be ready to challenge and contribute just as Reggie Smith was his true freshman year. But there are three main - and more important - factors here that, IMO, will really help our young safeties out tremendously:

The front four will be SO good that they should make it extremely difficult for an opposing offense to challenge our safeties in coverage at the second level. Woe be unto the team that thinks it will have time to wait for a receiver running a double-move to break free. I'll take those odds all day long.
Similarly, the experienced and talented CB's we'll have on the edge with Franks and Jackson are going to be under the most duress because opposing offenses are going to be focused on getting the ball out of the QB's hands very quickly - that plays right into our strength and experience, and lastly
The speed/range we have at LB (in Clayton & Lewis) will also help the Safeties out in coverage as they grow/develop at the early part of the season. So . . . while I would concede that this unit could be a challenge, I don't think we're likely to be exposed like we might be in a year when the other 9 positions were not so strong - especiall the front four.
And this brings me to what I believe is perhaps the ONLY question mark we have going into next season . . .

The Offensive Line: the only major question mark!
First, let me say that if talent were the only consideration - or even the major consideration - for an offensive line, then this would not be much of a question-mark, at all. On a position-by-position basis, we will probably be just as strong, if not better, in terms of talent:

At right guard, Brian Simmons worked almost interchangeably with Brandon Walker.

At left tackle, Williams will be a downgrade in terms of size, but hey, so would ATLAS. And he will certainly be a step forward in terms of agility and consistency over Loadholdt. (Sidenote: I don't think it's a given that he'll move to the left side, which I'll discuss below.)

At left guard, Simmons also received a lot of work. Plus, Steven Good's strength, quickness, and headiness/consistency makes him just as gifted/talented as Robinson, IMO. Between Good & Simmons, we've got the guard positions squared away in terms of talent.

And at Right Tackle, Jarvis Jones is huge and ready, not too mention a bevy of younger tackles who will push for playing time like Stephens, Alex Williams, and Corey Brandon. There will be no drop-off in terms of size and athleticism to fill the RT position that Williams will vacate when he moves to the left side (if he really does).

The Center position is tricky. In terms of pure, raw talent, Habern (and even Jason Hannon) will be an upgrade over Cooper . . . mainly just because Cooper was admirably (and admittedly) playing with damaged goods after the bad injuries he sustained at the end of his freshman year. So, talent will not be the issue. And Hannon will provide depth and push Hannon to add strength in the off-season.

The challenge is the lack of experience WORKING TOGETHER as a new unit. This is without question the most important factor for a successful offensive line, and it will be the biggest challenge we face because there's no substitute for game-time experience to galvanize an group of five players into one cohesive squad. Aside from the quarterback, offensive lineman are required to know the offense better than any other player on the field. And what makes it even more challenging is the fact that where a QB can gain that knowledge more independently, the lineman have to know the offense TOGETHER: a collective brain, if you will. They must know each other, as well. Their movements/schemes must be understood and choreographed more closely than any other unit on the field (even the receivers, I would argue). This is where the loss of Cooper as a four year starter and veteran signal caller could really show up. My understanding is that Habern is an extremely heady player and a wizard with understanding the calls and assignments. That is what I hope will be the case - it's imperative - because it's my belief that 90% of our success/failure next year will hinge on how rapidly the offensive line can learn to play smart, fast, and most importantly, work together like a seasoned unit. Given that Habern will be filling the role of a four year starter at the most pivotal position on the line in terms of calling the blocking schemes at the line . . . it is quite possible that Ben Habern's performance (and rapid maturation) might be one of the most important factors in the success of our entire offense next year.

Now, to get back to the point to which I alluded earlier (on Trent Williams moving to Left Tackle), I believe that the need for cohesion/experience is a very compelling reason to leave him right where he is. Leaving Williams at RT to work with Brian Simmons on his left and Gresham/Eldridge on his right will leave us with at least one side of the line already comfortable working with eachother (Simmons virtually split time with Walker at RG this past year).

The left tackle position can "get by" on raw talent more so than any other position on the line. And even if Trent does have the most talent to man that position, the experience/chemistry he might disrupt by vacating the right side might be too valuable to give up, IMO. So I personally would look for the purest/truest athlete on the OL (aside from Williams) to land as the starting LT next year. My money would be on Corey Brandon or Alex Williams, but possibly Dwight Stevens might be the best bet if he can put on the weight. And Jarvis Jones did play LT at LSU before he transferred here, as well.

All that to say this: as I sit here and ponder it all, I'm reaching the conclusion that locking down the left side of the line, including the Center position, is probably the key ingredient to our run at a national championship next year.

One key advantage we have working for us is that Coach Patton is now in his third year (maybe 4th?) coaching the OL and thus he's going to be that much better at identifying the best players earlier (hopefully in the spring) and getting that unit working together more rapidly. Patton arguably has the toughest coaching assignment on the entire OU staff next year. Go get 'em, James!

If you made it through to the end of this, you have my congratulations. Now, I'd love to hear your take on anything I've said here.

[Toronto Sooner]

KingDavid, thanks for doing all this. It's excellent!

Is Dwight Stevens the same person as Donald Stephenson by any chance? I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I haven't heard of D. Stevens before. Aside from him, I have identified 10 O-line guys that can compete for serious playing time next. Yes, it sure seems as if we have some solid depth here. By the way, I'm still looking forward to seeing what Vinson (JC transfer) can do, at 6-6, 348 lbs. In the past OU has hit and missed with JC transfers. However, both P. Loadholt and B. Walker were JC transfers. They both started right away and are both headed to the nfl. Jarvis Jones played both guard and tackle at LSU, thus giving us good flexibility.

I don't know much about medical injuries but my guess is that D. Murray's thigh surgery (this year) vs knee surgery (last year) will likely be less of a problem. As such, I think he will come back and be huge for OU next year. Demarco is one special player (a total package). Stoops said Demarco is excited about next year.

Man, does Calhoun look amazing on tape or what? He looks like he has the total package, size, inside power, speed, almost Demarco style open field moves..... Backfield: Murray, Brown, Calhoun. No room for Madu - perhaps move Madu to back up Broyles at the slot position for a year, and maybe take some punt/kick off returns. Madu will likely not transfer as he knows that both Murray and Brown are gone in a year, and he will get all the playing time in the world at that point, his serious year (vs transfering and having to sit out a year anyway). On second thought, perhaps transfering could have a big advantage - it could provide him 2 years at playing RB instead of only his senior year at OU. It might be too risky for him to just count on 1 year to try to impress the nfl scouts (if he wants to play RB at the nfl level).

As I've mentioned many times on here, I really like the potential of D. Miller at WR. However, it is unlikely they will have both Owens and Miller as staters to begin the year (perhaps only after a couple of games into the season). My guess is that they will select between Owens and Miller, along with the experience of Broyles and Caleb. I really like what Caleb has shown in his limited time. There is a chance that Tennell can take Caleb's starting spot, but only if he steps up his game big time during the spring and summer practices. The buttom line though is I think they will try to start the year with experience at 2 or the 3 WR positions, with the 4th receiver still getting lots of back up playing time. Of course, that all might change if we get R. Randle.

I've heard Stoops talk well about Desmond Jackson in the past. Ibi looks amazing on video (size, speed, coverage range.....). Of course, we have all heard Proctors name a lot. I think the 3 guys will be competing for the 2nd safety position behind Q. Carter.

With all the star players we have coming back (including Murray, who would have gone had he not been injured), and IF our O-line comes together alright, the 2009 team could be better than the 2008 team.

Thanks again for doing this.

[pappy]

I see madu moving to the slot and returning kicks next year...murray, brown, calhoun will have all the carries. madu might get a carry on a reverse or something though. I like the size and athleticism the wr's will have next year and I'm also interested in seeing how well the jc transfer (vinson) will do.

it should be a great season and we should have a shot at another big 12 championship and at getting #8

[birddog]

anybody have info. on jermie calhoun and justin johnson? calhoun was the #1 rb in the country and jj was #2. i haven't heard about them doing much so far. is it because of the talent we have ahead of them, or have they been underwhelming?

[BoulderSooner79]

I thought it unusual that the coaches made it public early that Williams would be moving to LT next season. I may have read too much into this, but I took that as an enticement to get Williams to stay another year. If he performs at a high level at LT, that could put him in a top 10 draft position next year. So I would be surprised if Williams doesn't give LT a very long look and try to make it work before deciding that RT is better for him. He did play LT in the opener when Loadholt was suspended, so he must have practiced over there some.

I totally agree that how the O-line comes together is the key to winning the big12 again. Spring ball and probably some of fall camp will be needed just to identify the starting rotation. That means the unit will have to grow up *very* quickly in 5 games in order to be ready for Dallas. In order to challenge for the title game, we'll have to survive BYU and Miami. If it's like most years, we may be able to overcome an early loss if it is a close game and we come on strong late in the year. But I don't see us being able to drop a conference game next year.

[TXBOOMER]

I believe Trent Williams will be playing left tackle. I'm pretty sure that is a given considering he decided to stay. Murray should be 100% according to everything I've heard and read about his injury. He Brown and Calhoun will probably be the top three backs. Agree our offense depends on the O-Line which I believe will be above average. OUr D is going to be freaking studly next year.

[Dan Thompson]

Who did the long snaps? Is this area an issue?

[OklahomaTuba]

Next years gonna be FUN!

[OklahomaTuba]

Who did the long snaps? Is this area an issue?

Shaw's doing a good job. Good kid too.

[Toronto Sooner]

I believe Trent Williams will be playing left tackle. I'm pretty sure that is a given considering he decided to stay. Murray should be 100% according to everything I've heard and read about his injury. He Brown and Calhoun will probably be the top three backs. Agree our offense depends on the O-Line which I believe will be above average. OUr D is going to be freaking studly next year.

Another reason Williams will be at LT next year is to protect Sam Bradford's blind side. With what Sam has given up to come back, the #1 priority for Stoops and KW next year will be to ensure Sam never gets touched. I guess is Bob has already old him that, as part of the discussions about coming back to OU.

Plus, it was probably part of the sales pitch to get T. Williams back also.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

i don't even know where to begin.

1. recruiting rankings are not a predictor of college success

2. manny and iggy had their flaws, but they were very very good college receivers. can they be replaced? yes. is it likely? no.

3. the guys who are going to jump into the starting lineup at WR and be world beaters actually played last year and well, they didn't look very good. i remember mark clayton as a freshman, he was hurt most of the year, but he showed flashes of greatness. the only one remotely close to that last year was broyles. and yet, even broyles was non-existant in a lot of the games last year.

4. this whole we have to move madu or calhoun will transfer crap is really starting to bother me. moving a guy who has earned a spot on the depth chart because you don't want some blue chip to get his panties in a wad and transfer is a recipe for disaster. oh, wait. it happened 4 years ago with rhett bomar and paul thompson. if calhoun can't beat out murray, brown or madu then he either needs to be patient and work his tail off until those guys are off campus, switch to a different position (like dj wolfe), or leave. now if madu wants to make the move because our receivers suck and he wants to win, that is a different matter.

5. DL - we need depth is a bad way. lack of depth killed us in the 2nd half of games when beal and mccoy hit the wall. we also need the current starters to stay hungry and not feast on a weak OL in the spring, read their press clippings and get lazy. yeah, that has happened before too. DE looks good if we can add 1 more in the rotation and get auston back to form as he just never got into the flow this year.

6. LB - unless we get improvement here, we are going to continue to struggle to get good teams off the field on 3rd down. there is just way too much space underneath on crossing routes without the ability to close out.

7. special teams - they've steadily deteriorated every year since hayes left. you may take solace in one game out of 14, but for me, i'd like to see us buck the trend "in a great way". one thing that i've missed since the 2003ish time frame is a good punt returner. there really isn't an excuse for the University of Oklahoma not to have someone on campus that puts pressure on opposing special teams and punters.

8. defensive backs - i'm decently optimistic about this area as just like in 99 and 2000, the young kids who have come into the game late looked better than the starters. the question mark is can they play at a consistently high level? its something that has plagued our defensive backfield for 4 years. they play good enough to shut teams down for 70 plays and then inexplicably bust 5 times allowing the other team points on the board.

9. OL - patton has been amazing with the OL to this point. he keeps guys from transferring, he rotates guys during the season giving us experience, and he is adding more and more talented guys along the OL. the biggest question mark will be WHEN the OL comes together, not IF. hopefully it starts in spring practice to avoid our DL becoming complacent.

[adoniijahsooner]

i don't even know where to begin.

1. recruiting rankings are not a predictor of college success

2. manny and iggy had their flaws, but they were very very good college receivers. can they be replaced? yes. is it likely? no.

3. the guys who are going to jump into the starting lineup at WR and be world beaters actually played last year and well, they didn't look very good. i remember mark clayton as a freshman, he was hurt most of the year, but he showed flashes of greatness. the only one remotely close to that last year was broyles. and yet, even broyles was non-existant in a lot of the games last year.

4. this whole we have to move madu or calhoun will transfer crap is really starting to bother me. moving a guy who has earned a spot on the depth chart because you don't want some blue chip to get his panties in a wad and transfer is a recipe for disaster. oh, wait. it happened 4 years ago with rhett bomar and paul thompson. if calhoun can't beat out murray, brown or madu then he either needs to be patient and work his tail off until those guys are off campus, switch to a different position (like dj wolfe), or leave. now if madu wants to make the move because our receivers suck and he wants to win, that is a different matter.

5. DL - we need depth is a bad way. lack of depth killed us in the 2nd half of games when beal and mccoy hit the wall. we also need the current starters to stay hungry and not feast on a weak OL in the spring, read their press clippings and get lazy. yeah, that has happened before too. DE looks good if we can add 1 more in the rotation and get auston back to form as he just never got into the flow this year.

6. LB - unless we get improvement here, we are going to continue to struggle to get good teams off the field on 3rd down. there is just way too much space underneath on crossing routes without the ability to close out.

7. special teams - they've steadily deteriorated every year since hayes left. you may take solace in one game out of 14, but for me, i'd like to see us buck the trend "in a great way". one thing that i've missed since the 2003ish time frame is a good punt returner. there really isn't an excuse for the University of Oklahoma not to have someone on campus that puts pressure on opposing special teams and punters.

8. defensive backs - i'm decently optimistic about this area as just like in 99 and 2000, the young kids who have come into the game late looked better than the starters. the question mark is can they play at a consistently high level? its something that has plagued our defensive backfield for 4 years. they play good enough to shut teams down for 70 plays and then inexplicably bust 5 times allowing the other team points on the board.

9. OL - patton has been amazing with the OL to this point. he keeps guys from transferring, he rotates guys during the season giving us experience, and he is adding more and more talented guys along the OL. the biggest question mark will be WHEN the OL comes together, not IF. hopefully it starts in spring practice to avoid our DL becoming complacent.

When the young guys came in, they mainly were run blocking as brown and Madu were running into the backs of our lineman. If you somehow gleaned or perceived the potential Owens and Miller have from run blocking then you are a football whiz.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

lets see if your observations are correct.

here are the stats for last year's receiving corps which won't be hard to replace

Iglesias, Juaqu 74 1150 15.5 10 48 82.1
Broyles, Ryan 13 46 687 14.9 6 77 52.8
Johnson, Manuel 42 714 17.0 9 76 54.9
Chaney, Quentin 29 504 17.4 2 48 36.0

of these, iglesias prolly had 20 drops, johnson about 15 (most after the elbow injury), broyles about 5, and i don't think chaney had 1 this season.

to which, we also add the following as secondary receivers:

Gresham, Jermai 14 66 950 14.4 14 73 67.9
Murray, DeMarco 13 31 395 12.7 4 34 30.4


gresham was plagued by drops early so he was prolly in the 20 range himself (though at the end of the season, he was the man). murray had a couple.

so to counter the dropoff from manny, iglesias and broyles we have the following that had receptions this season.

Tennell, Adron 9 68 7.6 0 18 5.7
Caleb, Brandon 4 52 13.0 0 20 4.3
Owens, Jameel 4 44 11.0 0 15 4.4
Miller, Dejuan 2 14 7.0 0 10 2.3

wow, that's 20 catches - almost as many as chaney. tennell also had around 10 drops on the season, the others 1-2 a piece meaning they had around 40 balls thrown their way.

the OP made the statement that those 4 guys were just as good as the 2 we were losing. i made the statement that based upon the pass plays they ran this season (which contrary to your statement, there were quite a few), they didn't look very good - drops, lack of separation, etc.

[KingDavid]

Thanks for the comments, JKM. I always appreciate your perspective. It's clear you take the game seriously.

A few comments in response to yours:


1. recruiting rankings are not a predictor of college successCertainly you would agree with me that recruiting rankings are at the very least A (i.e. one of many others) predictor of college success, just as I would agree with you that they are not THE predictor. Was my assessment of the 2009 team overly dependent on recruiting rankings, anyway? Or was this a reference to someone else's comments?


2. manny and iggy had their flaws, but they were very very good college receivers. can they be replaced? yes. is it likely? no.

3. the guys who are going to jump into the starting lineup at WR and be world beaters actually played last year and well, they didn't look very good. i remember mark clayton as a freshman, he was hurt most of the year, but he showed flashes of greatness. the only one remotely close to that last year was broyles. and yet, even broyles was non-existant in a lot of the games last year. Your comments here definitely are enough to make me rethink my conclusion . . . or at least hold it more lightly. I still think we won't see much of a drop off here. I would chalk up the disparity between the 1's and 2's not to talent, but to lack of reps with Bradford. Both Iglesias and Johnson were shaky at times in the freshman years - the only difference was that they were in a situation where they were the starters, so they had the luxury of pushing through. We've seen enough flashes from Broyles to know that he's a gamer. He vanished at times because he didn't have to show up all the time. He/we had that luxury. I never once saw him back away from a moment to shine when the opportunity was there. I look for him, if he can stay out of trouble, to challenge for all-conference honors next year. I think Miller showed a few flashes early on in the season - big body with good hands. I'll agree that Owens looked a bit flat. But again, there's no substitute for repititions. These guys have the tools. And with their position coach settling in for his second year in our system, I think it's reasonable to expect that he'll be that much better at getting these young guys up to speed in rapid form.


4. this whole we have to move madu or calhoun will transfer crap is really starting to bother me. moving a guy who has earned a spot on the depth chart because you don't want some blue chip to get his panties in a wad and transfer is a recipe for disaster. oh, wait. it happened 4 years ago with rhett bomar and paul thompson. if calhoun can't beat out murray, brown or madu then he either needs to be patient and work his tail off until those guys are off campus, switch to a different position (like dj wolfe), or leave. now if madu wants to make the move because our receivers suck and he wants to win, that is a different matter.Saying our receivers suck, at this point in the game, is a bit premature. That being said, you do make a good point that Madu moving to WR could be a real win/win move for him. As for the "move Madu or Calhoun will transfer" remark, I don't see that anywhere in my post, although I can see why, if you were in a bad mood, you might jump to that conclusion based on my reference to Tashard Choice. I believe that Calhoun will be in the top three because I believe he's that good. That's all. I had no intention to imply that we'd give him that slot as a measure to keep him from going somewhere else. That has never been how Stoops runs the team. Thank God.


5. DL - we need depth is a bad way. lack of depth killed us in the 2nd half of games when beal and mccoy hit the wall. we also need the current starters to stay hungry and not feast on a weak OL in the spring, read their press clippings and get lazy. yeah, that has happened before too. DE looks good if we can add 1 more in the rotation and get auston back to form as he just never got into the flow this year.Good point about depth at DT. I am kind of hoping that Pryce Macon will slide down from DE to add that depth. And then perhaps Casey Walker can take a step forward this next year? Or Stephen McGee? And what about Cordero Moore? I'm not naive enough to think that Jarmarkus McFarland will be ready to contribute in his first year. But between the other options I've just mentioned, we really only need to hope for one of those guys to step forward and replace Pendleton to give us a solid 4-man rotation for the two DT positions. Of course, that assumes that Granger will be able to return to the line-up. And that could be a stretch, I know. In any event, you make a good point, here.


6. LB - unless we get improvement here, we are going to continue to struggle to get good teams off the field on 3rd down. there is just way too much space underneath on crossing routes without the ability to close out.Do you see any reason why wouldn't expect that improvement from a very young group of players who all will now have a year under their belt? We're bringing back five LB's with starting experience.


7. special teams - they've steadily deteriorated every year since hayes left. you may take solace in one game out of 14, but for me, i'd like to see us buck the trend "in a great way". one thing that i've missed since the 2003ish time frame is a good punt returner. there really isn't an excuse for the University of Oklahoma not to have someone on campus that puts pressure on opposing special teams and punters.Another solid point. I was being overly optimistic here. However, I do think that you're selling Broyles short as a PR. Year 1 for a skilled PR should be focused 90% on fielding the ball cleanly and making good choices when to catch it and when to back away, with 10% focused on making the big play. I would argue that Broyles is right on pace to develop into something every bit as daunting as J.T. Thatcher. Sure it would be nice to reincarnate Joe Washington or Antonio Perkins every year . . . but Broyles is already a step forward from the blah days of oft-injured PR's like Jejuan Rankins or Reggie Smith.

I don't know what the depth chart looks like on the Kick-off Coverage unit, but my gut tells me it was/is a young unit that made strides forward all year. I still see ample reason for optimism here.


8. defensive backs - i'm decently optimistic about this area as just like in 99 and 2000, the young kids who have come into the game late looked better than the starters. the question mark is can they play at a consistently high level? its something that has plagued our defensive backfield for 4 years. they play good enough to shut teams down for 70 plays and then inexplicably bust 5 times allowing the other team points on the board.Totally agree. I still believe that, in the absence of any injuries to our front four, that our pass rush is going to create an environment for the DB's to play with instinct and aggression. Sure we may give up a big play or two from time to time. But I think we're going to have a very opportunistic defense, again.


9. OL - patton has been amazing with the OL to this point. he keeps guys from transferring, he rotates guys during the season giving us experience, and he is adding more and more talented guys along the OL. the biggest question mark will be WHEN the OL comes together, not IF. hopefully it starts in spring practice to avoid our DL becoming complacent.Again, I totally agree. Not a question of "if," but "when." And you make a good point about the DL needing to be challenged so as to not become complacent. Am I being naive in thinking that McCoy is too strong of a leader to allow the DT's to become soft? Having played on the line during my entire football career, I am perhaps more critical of this unit than any other, and more skeptical about the chemistry developing fast enough. I am very excited that Patton has taken steps to rotate younger players throughout the year. It also seems that he's done things that allow the back-ups to play at a more "uniform" level with the starters. I was impressed at how un-noticeable the OL substitutions were throughout the season - a great sign that my concerns here may be overstated.

[KingDavid]

I believe Trent Williams will be playing left tackle. I'm pretty sure that is a given considering he decided to stay. Murray should be 100% according to everything I've heard and read about his injury. He Brown and Calhoun will probably be the top three backs. Agree our offense depends on the O-Line which I believe will be above average. OUr D is going to be freaking studly next year.

I did somehow get the feel that a "deal" had been cut that moved Williams to LT, although I know that's not how our team operates.

I still won't be one bit surprised in Corey Brandon winds up the starter at LT next year.

[goingoneight]

Broyles = Iglesias... maybe a slight upgrade.
Tennell = Chaney... but only in measurables. Chaney stepped up in some big time games and was a stud the last two years whenever his number was called. AT needs to prove it, and needs to stay healthy.
In terms of OUr big-framed downfield threat... look out for DeJuan Miller. I've heard him and Malcom Kelly repeatedly mentioned in the same breath in terms of stretching the field, crazy good hands and a dominant figure for man coverage.

Jameel Owens is a speedster who could be used like MJ.

Bottom line: there's a lot to prove for everyone on hand.

[soonerfan28]

I beleive that if Calhoun isn't going to play then he would only benefit from a transfer to a D2 school because he would have to sit due to NCAA transfer rule if he went to a D-1. Calhoun will have his chance in the spring like JJ did last year. He'll be in the top 3 next year and I don't think that moving Madu top the slot would be about him not earning it in the backfield. It would have more to do with getting the best athletes on the field and if you have Gresham, Broyles,Madu and Murray out there at 1 time then you can do many things. Calhoun will get his plays.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

re: recruiting rankings - its that inevitably in a thread i see #1 running back out of high school along with "madu to receiver".

re: running backs - calhoun is a mystery to me as i haven't seen him play. i saw enough carries from johnson to know that he wasn't comfortable at all out there. he just ran up to the hole called without even attempting to make a cut. one thing i know you aren't hearing about calhoun is buzz from the #1 defense. that is normally your first hint that a guy is going to be crazy good when he hits the field. i remember in 2000, we had 2 redshirt receivers just ripping our D apart all year long. they'd mimic opposing WRs and rip 100's of yards off against them every practice. that is how we knew that peoples and clayton were going to be awesome.

re: linebackers - we know we have 2 starters - lewis and clayton. the problem is their weaknesses as well as the 3rd starter.

clayton - has 2 modes - out of control turnover machine or assignment perfect afraid to make a play. if he combines the 2 this year he's roy williams. if he continues to fluctuate from one to the other, he can be exploited.

lewis - like reynolds, he is not very physical at the point of attack so linemen cover him up fairly easily. both like to chickenfight with lineman and go around to the side the OL wants them to go instead of either causing a pile or standing the OL up and reading the play. i think he has pro ability but its hard to be successful against spread teams without linebackers that can create negative yards at the LOS.

our other linebacker - box is missing spring practice which is huge from a development standpoint. reynolds will have 3 knee injuries so he is most likely not going to be back to full strength. balogun is solid and this spring will be his to solidify the position or they may be looking to a true freshman at the other spot.

re: pressure from the DL - we give reckless pressure which bit us last year time and time again. our DL leave their rush lanes and create gaping holes for QBs to run through. i think beal has a chance to have a terrell suggs like year, but he has to work on getting his moves off more frequently and more than anything staying disciplined.

[TXBOOMER]

I did somehow get the feel that a "deal" had been cut that moved Williams to LT, although I know that's not how our team operates.

I still won't be one bit surprised in Corey Brandon winds up the starter at LT next year.

I don't believe a deal was made. I believe Stoops will put the best player at left tackle to protect Sam's backside. Based on everything I've seen and heard about Trent Williams he is the best O - Lineman we have. I believe Corey Brandon will definately be in the mix for for right tackle if not, left tackle. He got several snaps this year late in games, so the coach'es must be pretty high on him. Also, I have not seen anybody talking about Stephen Good. I believe he redshirted this year, but this dude was considered to be a huge land recruit wise last year so he may also be in the mix. We shall see. BOOMER!

[KingDavid]

JKM, if you had to rank your top three areas of concern in terms of a single position, what would they be? Curious.

I think mine would be:

1) Center
2) MLB
3) Left Tackle

[KingDavid]

Just to be clear, TXBoomer, I'm not saying a deal WAS made, I'm just saying that it kind of felt that way. Did Stoops or anyone with the program (including Williams) ever reference him making the move to LT, anyway? Or was that pure media speculation?

Thinking about it now, I think it was just media hype, anyway.

[TXBOOMER]

I have not actually heard Williams or Stoops speak of it either. But, I do think it is a natural assumption that if he is the best lineman we have, most athletic, graded out well, most game experience etc. that he would be protecting Sam's blind side. I believe moving him over there would also be a good example to future players that have the same opportunity to stay in school if it works out. But hey, if we have someone better to protect the blind side I'm all for Trent staying on the Right side.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

JKM, if you had to rank your top three areas of concern in terms of a single position, what would they be? Curious.

I think mine would be:

1) Center
2) MLB
3) Left Tackle

1) SS
2) MLB (assuming they keep lewis outside)
3) kicker
3a) punter

[PDXsooner]

JKM - Can you give me a layman's explanation between the difference in responsibility of the SS vs. the FS?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

last year it didn't look like there was much difference at all in their responsibilities in coverage. we mixed a lot of cover 2 and 3 with either safety playing over the top in cover 2 and closing on the underneath route in the cover 3.

where there was a major change was in run support. the SS is typically unblocked and is normally the one that prevents a big play. we just never seemed to close that well last year as we were playing safe over the top.

[TXBOOMER]

last year it didn't look like there was much difference at all in their responsibilities in coverage. we mixed a lot of cover 2 and 3 with either safety playing over the top in cover 2 and closing on the underneath route in the cover 3.

where there was a major change was in run support. the SS is typically unblocked and is normally the one that prevents a big play. we just never seemed to close that well last year as we were playing safe over the top.

Which contributed to giving up big plays underneath and 8 - 10 yard runs (along with LB's not being in their gap). I hope we decide to play much more aggressive this year including bringing the safety on run and pass blitzes.

[KingDavid]

JKM - Can you give me a layman's explanation between the difference in responsibility of the SS vs. the FS?

I'm going to add on to what JKM said because I'm not sure he used layman's terminology.

Traditionally the SS (strong safety) lines up on the same side of the field as the tight end of the offense. The term "strong" is a reference to the fact that the offense is stronger on the side with that extra blocker, that is, the aforementioned tight end. This same terminology denotes other positions like Strong & Weak-side Defensive ends, or the Sam (strong-side), Willie (weakside) and Mike (Middle) linebackers.

For some reason, the terminology for the weakside safety that is used is not actually "weak-side" Safety (or WS), but Free Safety. Perhaps it is/was because the "free" terminology references the frequent instances where the weak-side Free safety is routinely left unblocked (as JKM stated), and is therefore relied upon to make excellent - and often intuitive/instinctive - choices with that "free"dom. It is not uncommon (nor is it reprimanded, in most cases) for the Free Safety to be the last defender on the field to move after the snap. The fact that he is unblocked, and typically one-three yards behind the deepest defender on the field (usually the SS) gives him the time to assess things for a split-second longer. This presents a double-edged sword, of course: the FS must read/recognize the play fast enough to position himself appropriately for how the play might develop; however, he cannot be too "jumpy" and move just for movements sake, a flaw also known as taking "false steps." False steps are the bane of the FS position, as a misplaced first step can create all the space needed for a big-time running back to turn a 10 yard run into an 80 yard ESPN highlight, or for a 5 yard crossing route to go the same distance.

Playing the FS position successfully in a tradional defense takes a particularly potent combination of "from the neck up" capabilities that are valuable at every position, but perhaps needed more so at the FS position than anywhere else on the D: discipline, instinct, field vision, and general mental prowess. This why the FS typically calls out the coverages for the defensive backfield and, along with the MLB, can frequently be referred to as a "field general." Athletes who are antsy to move and use their athleticism, or who are not the most avid students of their opponent (read: film-room) don't make for good Free Safeties, or even Strong Safeties, who must demonstrate (especially in our system) similar abilities as the FS. Those "reactionary" players are better suited for the CB position.

Physical attributes that are highly valued at the FS position are not too dissimilar from what you want to have at the SS position. Must have better size than a CB because playing the center of the field (along with frequent blitz responsibilities) requires more frequent work in run support, dealing with larger receivers like the tight end, being able to fend off blocks from larger players while still needing to make a head-on stop against a RB who has broken past the initial line-of-scrimmage, while also being the "headhunter" who can make any wide receiver think very carefully about catching the deep crossing pattern in the middle of the field. While a FS might not have the "swivel" hips of a CB, the ideal physical specimen for the FS position, even more so than the SS, will often have elite straight line speed, which is often referred to as excellent "range." In other words, he will be able to cover a lot of ground as the "final patrol" defender that separates an offensive player from the goal-line.

All that being said, our system does seem to use the FS and SS in very similar roles. On many occasions, they don't even switch sides of the field based on formation. This is probably a reaction to the more complex formation changes and shifts by the modern offenses. It's too easy for defenders to get caught out of alignment if their trying to move with every shift of the offense.

This is a little crude and out-dated, but perhaps it will help inform your understanding a bit.

[PDXsooner]

awesome explanations, thanks to both of you...

[KingDavid]

awesome explanations, thanks to both of you...

You're most welcome!

[KingDavid]

BTW, I'd be interested in feedback on the descriptions of the safety position that I provided. Corrections, additions? I played line, where I understand things better. So I'd love to know what I'm missing or where I'm mistaken.