The Bottom Line

[The Maestro]

Maestro's back...been quiet and busy but hanging around.

I've cooled off, but some things are obvious.

1. Preseason hype is annoying. Always has been. It means nothing. Namely articles about our O-line working harder to prove a point all Summer after a disappointing Spring. Well...I pin the loss mainly on them. Crucial penalties, poor blocking and silly mistakes that had the stench of the Schnelly/Blake years.

2. We thought receivers were a weak link and so far they are. And what happened to Moses playing in the slot?

3. Murray's fumble was a game changer. We scored, Ryan's INT, driving down to go up 14-0 and the blood would be in the water. Killed our momentum.

4. Kevin Wilson learned nothing over the last 8 months about play calling in the red zone. You'd think those two drives against Florida would have made him sure to run the best plays to not waste opportunities. First chance he gets to seal a win in the VERY next game? Totally botched. Not to mention strange play calls at strange times. 3rd and 6 and we run Clapp? Let's not try to be so cute and run a play NO ONE is expecting. Maybe just give the ball to the real weapons.

4. Just play crappy teams in week one now and forever. It works.

5. Kudos to the defense, but why, when we lose, does it always have to be a last minute drive we give up? You could see it unfolding...we held them down the entire second half, but then when we truly needed to, we didn't. Just crushing...like Colorado. I would rather BYU have scored on their first possession of the 2nd half then waiting until the very end to make that jab to the gut hurt worse.

6. Lastly, there is hope. Teams can improve a lot and we still have lots of talent. I sure wish it seemed like our backup QB was ready and allowed to run some offense, but that doesn't appear to be the case, except for Halzle in the 2nd half when the game was pretty much out of reach at Tech. We get Sam back, we hold off Tulsa and go into Miami. If we win at Miami and then end up finding a way to beat Texas and everyone forgets last week. It can happen...but for now there is a lot of work to be done. No one believes we will do it so circle the wagons and get it done.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

Love #6.

[OUmillenium]

Last week will not be forgotten.

Great post, though.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

Last week will not be forgotten.

Great post, though.

People who were watching the Alabama- VT game will only remember that we lost by 1 point in a game without Sam Bradford.

They will not remember how badly we played WITH Sam. Or how bad we were overall in that first game.

[swardboy]

6. Lastly, there is hope. Teams can improve a lot and we still have lots of talent. I sure wish it seemed like our backup QB was ready and allowed to run some offense, but that doesn't appear to be the case, except for Halzle in the 2nd half when the game was pretty much out of reach at Tech. We get Sam back, we hold off Tulsa and go into Miami. If we win at Miami and then end up finding a way to beat Texas and everyone forgets last week. It can happen...but for now there is a lot of work to be done. No one believes we will do it so circle the wagons and get it done.

Idaho State won't tell us anything except that we're learning to listen to the snap count...Tulsa, however, will be a test that this team is serious about improvement. The one thing that's good from all this is that Mr. Landry is getting seasoned.

[kevpks]

I just want to see good execution this week. Correction, I want to hear about from the people who actually get to watch the game. I can only get so much from refreshing my browser window. Stupid PPV.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

Idaho State won't tell us anything except that we're learning to listen to the snap count...Tulsa, however, will be a test that this team is serious about improvement. The one thing that's good from all this is that Mr. Landry is getting seasoned.

Saturday night I just kept thinking Landry Jones HAS to have his "Jason White moment".. and it never came. I think it was mostly the coaches.
You know, OU-Texas. Hybl goes down. Jason White comes to the rescue.

Landry has to find a way to contribute. IF he truly can become the passer that Sam is, that is great. If he can't, he MUST be able to evade pressure (especially with this offensive line) and get positive yards. He's going to be sacked, he's going to throw picks, and he's going to make mistakes. But he's got to have the intangibles--the stuff Sam doesn't have. If this develops, we will be okay. Maybe even better *gasp* than we would be with Sam. It's obvious that these wide receivers aren't going to produce quite like they did last year. Maybe a mobile quarterback would help this offense.

[CK Sooner]

Good Post!

[StoopTroup]

It's all pretty right on except for this IMO



1. Namely articles about our O-line working harder to prove a point all Summer after a disappointing Spring. Well...I pin the loss mainly on them. Crucial penalties, poor blocking and silly mistakes that had the stench of the Schnelly/Blake years.



If you can't get the damn ball to your receivers and they can't be a threat every freaking down they are out there...your going to have to fall back on your run game. We did that but bYu picked up on it. Not having Sam in there the second half was the difference in the ball game and having Gresham out is making Sam being gone an even worse situation. Until Sam is back...we must depend on lots of inexperienced receivers to grow up quickly. Thank God we have Idaho St. this week to work on things.

O-line made adjustments in the 2nd half and although not the best best we have ever seen...definitely not Snelly/Blake material. I think you still have some calming down to do M.

[zeke]

The first #4 on the list is what I really agree with about this post....second #4 is good too.

[The Maestro]

It's all pretty right on except for this IMO

O-line made adjustments in the 2nd half and although not the best best we have ever seen...definitely not Snelly/Blake material. I think you still have some calming down to do M.

So are you suggesting the false starts and bonehead mistakes weren't drive killers? Let's say we have third and 9 on that last drive and get a run play for four yards or so. That means we are attempting a 44 yard field goal vs. a 53 yarder.

It's quite simple. Until the ball is snapped, don't move. OU will face MUCH better DE's than the Mormons...so if we are antsy to get off the ball with them...well? Doesn't bode well.

[StoopTroup]

So are you suggesting the false starts and bonehead mistakes weren't drive killers? Let's say we have third and 9 on that last drive and get a run play for four yards or so. That means we are attempting a 44 yard field goal vs. a 53 yarder.

It's quite simple. Until the ball is snapped, don't move. OU will face MUCH better DE's than the Mormons...so if we are antsy to get off the ball with them...well? Doesn't bode well.

Nope. Most of it happened in the 1st qtr. The 2nd half was clean. Just saying they are better than what Snelly and Blake had on the field.

Your words M.

[Partial Qualifier]

Looks like we might as well forget about Bradford for the first half this year.

Landry, it's time to buckle up. I know you can do it. Boomer.

[MyT Oklahoma]

I agree with all but #4.

[bluedogok]

This is the main reason why most everyone plays a directional school in the first game as a glorified scrimmage...to get the kinks worked out.

[stoopified]

I thought this was going to be a thread about our awful o-line play,you know THE BOTTOM LINE. :D

[PLaw]

Glad your back Maestro - hit the nail on the head.

Most teams see the most improvement between Week 1 and Week 2. Let's hope it work for this group of Sooners.

Boomer

[PLaw]

It's all pretty right on except for this IMO



If you can't get the damn ball to your receivers and they can't be a threat every freaking down they are out there...your going to have to fall back on your run game. We did that but bYu picked up on it. Not having Sam in there the second half was the difference in the ball game and having Gresham out is making Sam being gone an even worse situation. Until Sam is back...we must depend on lots of inexperienced receivers to grow up quickly. Thank God we have Idaho St. this week to work on things.

O-line made adjustments in the 2nd half and although not the best best we have ever seen...definitely not Snelly/Blake material. I think you still have some calming down to do M.

Biggest issue was the inability of the O-line and backs to pick up the blitz. This could be attributed to Brody's lack of experience at center, which should be on the coaches and not Brody.

BOOMER

[Lott's Bandana]

Biggest issue was the inability of the O-line and backs to pick up the blitz. This could be attributed to Brody's lack of experience at center, which should be on the coaches and not Brody.

BOOMER


I watched the DVR of the game and I can't speak for his line calls as a leader, his blocking was rather good for a first-game center...or a 20th game center for that matter.

If he gets the line captain thing down, he'll be just fine I believe.

[adoniijahsooner]

It's all pretty right on except for this IMO



If you can't get the damn ball to your receivers and they can't be a threat every freaking down they are out there...your going to have to fall back on your run game. We did that but bYu picked up on it. Not having Sam in there the second half was the difference in the ball game and having Gresham out is making Sam being gone an even worse situation. Until Sam is back...we must depend on lots of inexperienced receivers to grow up quickly. Thank God we have Idaho St. this week to work on things.

O-line made adjustments in the 2nd half and although not the best best we have ever seen...definitely not Snelly/Blake material. I think you still have some calming down to do M.

Brown and Murray both averaged over 5 yards a carry. We were blowing them off the ball, but a few times penalties killed a run, e.g. when Murray had one called back after running for around 15-16 yds. They need to streamline this offense to fit the 0-line talent.

[jduggle]

Guys I'm sorry... penalties and turnovers are a sign of a poorly coached team. This team nor the coaches were ready for this game.