My final thought on OUr Offensive Line

[JLEW1818]

If there was any chance of OUr O-Line sucking, Sam Bradford would not have came back to school.... I think he knows that the Offensive line won't be a problem... I mean the kid is pretty smart....



that is all......

[NormanPride]

That's... a good point.

[MojoRisen]

He did work all summer on his escapability and footwork for scrambling though. I think barring injury we will be Rock Solid!

[BoulderSooner79]

Can't wait for the first game. I don't know how to read Stoops this year. Was he berating the O-line and Owens as a way to challenge them or is he really concerned? Both? I remember the QB battle between PT and Bohmar with Stoops acting concerned and saying that neither one was emerging as the clear starter. I thought he was just using hyperbole while smugly knowing we had a star player. Turns out he was just being honest. In '07 he said the same thing about Sam, Joey and Keith but then we find out behind the scenes, he knew Sam was something special. At least he keeps us guessing.

[okcusooner]

If there was any chance of OUr O-Line sucking, Sam Bradford would not have came back to school.... I think he knows that the Offensive line won't be a problem... I mean the kid is pretty smart....



that is all......


Because Sam is smart, you also have to consider this possibility. Perhaps he wasn't thrilled about the new o-line. But given the choice of being routinely sacked by college d-lineman on natural grass (most games) or being routinely sacked on astroturf (most games) by the d-line of whomever the Lions were playing, he chose to come back.

I would too.

Hopefully, this was not his thought process.

[goingoneight]

I don't know necessarily if that's EXACTLY why Sam thought it'd be good to come back. I think he knows he's nothing more than a good athlete until he started working under Josh Heupel with OU's talent around him. He knows he went from "project athlete" to potential first overall pick in the draft because of how they've developed him so far. We thought 36 TDs and 8 INTs was the limit for Sam after year one, but somehow both statistically and fundamentally he was a LOT better QB in 2008 than he was in 2009.
The OL and new WRs was an issue for sure; but not one I think he crawled into his room and asked himself after his press conference "what the hell was I thinking?" I think he just realizes that teams change EVERY YEAR, and new faces is just part of it. You're either a star QB or you're just a stereotypical "system guy."

Sam's "system" is an I-formation-based offense influenced by play-action. He sees lots of three to five-step dropback calls and also learns much out of the shotgun set. At the college level, you CAN'T learn in a much better situation than what Sam is in right now.

Stoops was challenging the OL in the Spring. What people don't remember, or never read in the first place was that he never insulted them. He just said publicly that it's an area that needs to shape up due to obvious rebuilding and that they were naturally behind the curve without 3 of their 5 starters back. I think he weeded out the lazy bones and guys who were just never going to make an impact already. Sam has never said anything but great things about his OL's play. He's still as confident as ever, and Kevin Wilson said on Friday, and I quote "of all the things I know... I know offense, and I know the offensive line. I'm not worried at ALL about them."

[Hella Sideburns]

If there was any chance of OUr O-Line sucking, Sam Bradford would not have came back to school.... I think he knows that the Offensive line won't be a problem... I mean the kid is pretty smart....



that is all......

this is some hard-hitting analysis

[OU-HSV]

Jlew...don't give up so fast, this can't be your "final thought" on it we still have a few weeks to go! :D ;)

[BoulderSooner79]

Don't worry - jlew didn't say "final final thought".

[JLEW1818]

Don't worry - jlew didn't say "final final thought".

exactly!!! :D

[OUAlumni1990]

I remember 2 years ago everyone was worried silly about the QB situation. Look how that one turned out. :D

[JLEW1818]

not me!! I knew when Sam was born, he was going to be a stud...:D

[OUTrumpet]

I don't know how to read Stoops this year. Was he berating the O-line and Owens as a way to challenge them or is he really concerned? Both? I remember the QB battle between PT and Bohmar with Stoops acting concerned and saying that neither one was emerging as the clear starter. I thought he was just using hyperbole while smugly knowing we had a star player. Turns out he was just being honest. In '07 he said the same thing about Sam, Joey and Keith but then we find out behind the scenes, he knew Sam was something special. At least he keeps us guessing.

I seem to remember Stoops talking about the crowd prior to the Tech game the same way.

It's strategery I tell ya.

[JLEW1818]

I seem to remember Stoops talking about the crowd prior to the Tech game the same way.

It's strategery I tell ya.

lol, he should just say "Sam Bradford sucks"

then maybe Sammy will throw for 70 Td's !!! :D

[OUAlumni1990]

I'd be afraid to pizz him off, then he might go pro next year

[gaylordfan1]

Barring injury, I think we will be good... at least good enough. They may be smaller, but maybe thats what we need. We have plenty of weapons to level out any inadequacies on the oline.

[JLEW1818]

i just don't see him coming back if he thought the Offensive Line would suck...

regardless if he went to the Lions or not, that didn't change Stafford's mind... he could have came back to a good offensive line

[OU_Sooners75]

He did work all summer on his escapability and footwork for scrambling though. I think barring injury we will be Rock Solid!


In all honesty though, that was one aspect of his game that was pretty weak thusfar....so glad to hear that he has been working on his mobility.

[EnragedOUfan]

Me personally, I welcome the new O-line. I'm ready for something new. Phil Loadholt was good and will fit well in Minnesota, but I got tired of seeing him get burned against teams such as Texas and West Virginia. He was too big for his own good in my opinion. Also, I will definately not miss Duke Robinson and his 1,000 holding/false start calls. Maybe I'm wrong to think this. But either way, I'm ready to see how the new line will pan out. BOOMER!

[A-M]

Me personally, I welcome the new O-line. I'm ready for something new. Phil Loadholt was good and will fit well in Minnesota, but I got tired of seeing him get burned against teams such as Texas and West Virginia. He was too big for his own good in my opinion. Also, I will definately not miss Duke Robinson and his 1,000 holding/false start calls. Maybe I'm wrong to think this. But either way, I'm ready to see how the new line will pan out. BOOMER!

Me, too!

[stoopified]

I remember 2 years ago everyone was worried silly about the QB situation. Look how that one turned out. :DHow? :)

[JLEW1818]

OLine vs DLine

http://www.cstv.com/allaccess/player/07-oas-mediaplayer-okla.html?content=mms://a1981.v8108e.c8108.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1981/8108/v0001/cstvcbs.download.akamai.com/8108/open/okla/09-10/video/m-footbl/08aug/20090811_ol_vs_dl.wmv&school=okla&

[Eielson]

Trent Williams looked like a beast.

[JLEW1818]

big ole boy, looks quicker than Phil too

[Eielson]

I know that drill is easier for the defense, but I wasn't too impressed with our o-line outside of Trent Williams. I think we'll be okay, but I'm not sure that we will be anything special.

[Eielson]

Beal and English look really good, though, and not just from that video. We already knew that, though.

[MojoRisen]

Williams runs a 4-7 Flat 40 - sick.

[JLEW1818]

nothing against Trent, but I'll believe the 4.7 when i see it at the combine

[MojoRisen]

Kevin Wilson swears buy it, says it is fact he ran a 4-7 and then a 4-73.

[ThatGuy65]

If Trent Williams runs in the 4.7 range and is able to throw up close to 30 reps on bench, he'll be the first tackle taken and in the top 5. 315 lb guys don't run like that. It takes a ton of athleticism.

[OUAlumni1990]

How? :)

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/news_images/4/51533_114442_8.jpg

[Eielson]

Kevin Wilson swears buy it, says it is fact he ran a 4-7 and then a 4-73.

On a fast track.

[Curly Bill]

If Trent Williams runs in the 4.7 range and is able to throw up close to 30 reps on bench, he'll be the first tackle taken and in the top 5. 315 lb guys don't run like that. It takes a ton of athleticism.

Exactly. ;)

[TXBOOMER]

jlew and final thought on anything related to OU football is a big fat focking lie!

[Eielson]

Exactly. ;)

It happened once!

http://bolstablog.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/tony-mandarich-sports-illustrated-cover-1989.jpg

He run a 4.6 something didn't he? Has any 300+ pound guy ran 4.7 or lower at the combine...ever? (outside of possibly the biggest bust in NFL draft history)

[tigepilot]

I've always thought that for an offensive lineman that speed in something more like 5 or 10 yards would more indicative of talent, ie how explosive they are off the ball. But no one records that. Short of certain special plays, how often do you see it necessary for a lineman to run 40 yards in real game play? Just askn'. I used to play offensive lineman and we did all kinds of pulls and traps to take advantage of the fact that our line was small and quick but I don't think I ever had to run 40 yards unless I was chasing our own player down the field on a big play.

[Eielson]

Short of certain special plays, how often do you see it necessary for a lineman to run 40 yards in real game play?

Never, just like every other position.




WRs occaisionally do, but that doesn't sound as good to put it in the explanation.

[rainiersooner]

I know that drill is easier for the defense, but I wasn't too impressed with our o-line outside of Trent Williams. I think we'll be okay, but I'm not sure that we will be anything special.

You're a lot smarter than me if you can reach that conclusion from that video.