Frustration lives...

[stoops the eternal pimp]

in the space between expectations and reality...

Expectations were high going into the season with Sam, Jermaine, Gerald, and Trent coming back. Even with the loss of Sam and Jermaine, I think a lot of fan expectation did not change..that somehow guys on the bench would be able to come in and equal the talent that was lost..Not sure why but I think people thought that way.

Expectations of this Oline coming in right away and jelling...Reality is that its not about each one having experience, but having experience playing along side each other is important...Hopefully there will be a clear cut starting 5 soon and they will learn to play well.

Expectations that there would not be an overall talent drop on this team...Reality is watching the game last night, We didn't field a whole lot of talent, especially after Broyles left..Not a guy out there I would want with the game on the line..No disrespect to any of them, but not one gamebreaker on offense...

There are great arguments on both sides about the coaching staff...holding offenses to 13 and 14 points in games should be enough to win and then we blame the offense..BUT everytime you give up a 3rd down, your keeping the Offense off the field to score...Couple of stats that stood out to me that nobody talks about
BYU-71
OU- 57 .............................. BYU OU
Possession Time............... 37:02 22:58
1st Quarter................. 9:04 5:56
2nd Quarter................. 9:37 5:23
3rd Quarter................. 8:14 6:46
4th Quarter................. 10:07 4:53
Third-Down Conversions........ 8 of 17 2 of 11

.........................................OU UM
Possession Time............... 29:17 30:43
1st Quarter................. 5:48 9:12
2nd Quarter................. 9:27 5:33
3rd Quarter................. 8:42 6:18
4th Quarter................. 5:20 9:40
Third-Down Conversions........ 5 of 15 8 of 13

The 2 things in common..high 3rd down conversion, and the offense not seeing much of the field in the 4th...The bend but dont break D in the 4th doesnt cut it...even if you dont give up a score, it gives your offense no opportunity...they play well, don't get me wrong, but perhaps a change is needed down the stretch of games..corners playing tighter...having someone in the middle of the field...

KW playcalling...Suspect at times...but his hand he is playing with is not very good..BV....don't trust his D in tight ball games...just dont...

One thing for sure is that I m not really frustrated, because reality and expectation are getting pretty close for me..still a good team, but lacks lots of things to be one of the elite this year

[StoopTroup]

There's the way you want it to be....

The way it ought to be....

And the way it really is....

That last one is really hard for some folks to choke down...

[Curly Bill]

There's the way you want it to be....

The way it ought to be....

And the way it really is....

That last one is really hard for some folks to choke down...

So true -- KW and BV really are still wearing crimson. :O :D

[aero]

I was thinking something similar. With the returning starters we had on both offense and defense it was easy to think we would be the same team. Reality is seldom does a Heisman winner return to do better than his Heisman season. Would Sam and Jermaine done better to go pro? I didn't think so last year but we'll never know. I was hoping a miracle would happen on the offensive line but offensive lines don't just happen. They are glued together with the collective sweat and hard work of a group of guys that think and act as one. Maybe it was too much to ask of them and the coaches. We lost a lot of talent so the O struggling a bit this year is not that much of a surprise. Throw in Sam and Jermaines injuries and its actually quite plausible. With the players we had coming back on D, I was thinking 1985 Bears. Or maybe 2000 Sooners. While they certainly haven't laid an egg, they have not been the dominant group most tagged them to be. Is that fair? Probably not. When your offense struggles its surely going to put more of a strain on the D. They can only do so much. So all in all and as Bill Parcells so eloquently stated, "You are what your record says you are". Heres to the team and coaches regrouping for another fine year of Oklahoma Sooner football.

[OUmillenium]

Great point on the 3rd down conversions. Been a defensive weakness for years.

[stoopified]

I for one am hoping Sam is back this week and we can at least start to improve.

[Curly Bill]

We're playing Baylor this week, we'll win big and all the sunshine pumpers will have us back in the hunt for a BCS bowl. :rolleyes:

[JLEW1818]

****

[TXBOOMER]

The reality I am having a hard time with is the lack of talent. The O-Line, WR's and depth isn't prepared to play decent (top 20) D 1 teams. If our coaches have coached them up and done all they can to get the most out of them. They just are not very talented in comparison to past years. I hope KW puts in some roll-outs and let's Sam throw some play action or he won't be around long when he comes back. In order to minimize exposure to our weakness KW should have been ready to move the pocket around last night knowing the O-Line is not very good.

[rawlingsHOH]

The reality I am having a hard time with is the lack of talent. The O-Line, WR's and depth isn't prepared to play decent (top 20) D 1 teams. If our coaches have coached them up and done all they can to get the most out of them. They just are not very talented in comparison to past years. I hope KW puts in some roll-outs and let's Sam throw some play action or he won't be around long when he comes back. In order to minimize exposure to our weakness KW should have been ready to move the pocket around last night knowing the O-Line is not very good.

I actually think there is a lot of talent on that OL. And they've improved as this season has moved on, despite the disappointing game.

The WR thing is a bigtime concern. Too many 4-star caliber guys who have come in and not produced.

[StoopTroup]

I actually think there is a lot of talent on that OL.

The WR thing is a bigtime concern. Too many 4-star caliber guys who have come in and not produced.

Jay Norvell is a good Coach but I think having two Seasons in a row riddled with WR injuries have taken it's toll. Maybe he was the wrong guy. He's got a great track record as a Coach....maybe he doesn't fit in here?

[JLEW1818]

I underestimated manny and iggy big time

they did the "little things"

which made them look elite

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I underestimated manny and iggy big time

they did the "little things"

which made them look elite

This....things like when the qb is in trouble, they came back to the quarterback and broke off their routes...

[btk108]

in the space between expectations and reality...

One thing for sure is that I m not really frustrated, because reality and expectation are getting pretty close for me..still a good team, but lacks lots of things to be one of the elite this year

step....my cell blew up last night....ppl giving me crap..and I just told them...we're a good team...not a great team....we'll be back ;)

[rawlingsHOH]

step....my cell blew up last night....ppl giving me crap..and I just told them...we're a good team...not a great team....we'll be back ;)

Did you play poorly?

[btk108]

Did you play poorly?

I played my a** off...every play...both sides of the ball :D

[stoops the eternal pimp]

step....my cell blew up last night....ppl giving me crap..and I just told them...we're a good team...not a great team....we'll be back ;)

yeah same for me...After the first game, not because of losing but because of what I saw overall from this team, I began to see that this was a 8-10 game winning team...which is not bad really

[TexasLidig8r]

in the space between expectations and reality...

Expectations were high going into the season with Sam, Jermaine, Gerald, and Trent coming back. Even with the loss of Sam and Jermaine, I think a lot of fan expectation did not change..that somehow guys on the bench would be able to come in and equal the talent that was lost..Not sure why but I think people thought that way.

And I don't understand that either. The offensive line was a HUGE question mark and if your OL is inexperienced as a unit, you will have HUGE problems on offense. Added to this is the fact that you lost your two starting wide receivers. If the same situation were present at Texas, your fan base would be going nuts over "the inexperience on the OL... lost 2 wide receivers... Texas will lose at least 4 games this year." Why the same criteria or objectivity was not applied to your own team is mystifying.

Expectations of this Oline coming in right away and jelling...Reality is that its not about each one having experience, but having experience playing along side each other is important...Hopefully there will be a clear cut starting 5 soon and they will learn to play well.

Well said.

Expectations that there would not be an overall talent drop on this team...Reality is watching the game last night, We didn't field a whole lot of talent, especially after Broyles left..Not a guy out there I would want with the game on the line..No disrespect to any of them, but not one gamebreaker on offense...

Disagree about your OL. Look at your OL in 2005 when you had an "off year." That line became the core of your record setting offense last year. I believe the talent is there.. but it's just young.

The 2 things in common..high 3rd down conversion, and the offense not seeing much of the field in the 4th...The bend but dont break D in the 4th doesnt cut it...even if you dont give up a score, it gives your offense no opportunity...they play well, don't get me wrong, but perhaps a change is needed down the stretch of games..corners playing tighter...having someone in the middle of the field...

Is that schemes? It is personnel? Is it coaching? Personally, I don't think Venables is "all that." But does that explain the stats you set forth?

KW playcalling...Suspect at times...but his hand he is playing with is not very good..BV....don't trust his D in tight ball games...just dont...

One thing for sure is that I m not really frustrated, because reality and expectation are getting pretty close for me..still a good team, but lacks lots of things to be one of the elite this year

I am surprised on this website that expectations of the fanbase are often not rooted in reality... obvious deficiencies are overlooked, not taken into account or mocked... when undermanned opponents are defeated, then it's "woo hoo... we're going to the MNC while the deficiences are ignored." After a loss its, "Stoops doesnt earn his money... we need to fire the coordinators..." Maybe a simple understanding that other coaches see the deficiencies that exist and game plan to take advantage of them.

Hell.. before the season started I thought you guys would have 3 losses on the year (and even before injuries occurred)... I believed the OL issues and losing your 2 WRs as well as untested safeties would be too much to overcome.

In any event.. the rumors of your demise are greatly exaggerated.

[badger]

In any event.. the rumors of your demise are greatly exaggerated.
What a nice thing from a Texas fan... but I'm sure you'd expect the same to come from hf.com should you guys experience the same situation, with injuries and multiple losses this early, even if they are by only a point each.

In any event, I am going to hound you until you give into my avvie bet demands. :D

[Jello Biafra]

just venting right now.

our defense has some problems right now but, it isn't the main threat. someone has got to catch the f'ing ball. seriously. if we allow the rest of our opponents to load 9 in the box, it will be a long season for us. we can't continue to make ourselves one dimensional and we have got to start allowing landry to throw the ball. i know he threw the ball in other games but this game???? jesus christmas guys....really? 3rd and 17 we call a play that has all of our wrs running 10 yard slants and hooks? and THEN on 3rd and 3, we run the WRS about 70 yards downfield and throw to them instead of a QB draw or a shuttle pass or a draw or or or instead, we would like to run a delay hand off to chris brown (who couldn't read a block for some reason saturday night) thirteen times on 3rd and 17.


the oline continues to look young in situations that are very important.


now, the defense, the middle LB position is killing us....straight up killing us. we can't cover a frigin midget carrying a fat lady between the tackles. for what ever reason, they had water boys with gout and a club foot out there catching 7 yard hooks right at the mlb areas. im not going to say it but its gotta be said....a change needs to be made.
you ALL know what im saying.

someone needs to figure out that other coaches have film on us. they know where we're blitzing from. why don't we try a cb blitz? a safety? why don't we try to send a blitz from the left ANNNNNND right. if you run a lb up the middle between the tackles like we have for the last 10 years, im sure they picked up on it. the front 4 is gettign enough pressure sometimes but if you are going to blitz, YOU'D BY GAWD BETTER GET YER AZZZZ IN THERE. dont get friggin blocked. speaking of getting blocked....there is such a thing as avoiding a block too...whats with the blitzing lbs going full azzz bull rush everytime?

*angry eyes*

[JLEW1818]

21 points giving up

14 points giving up

gotta score more than that to win now days!

now losing by 1 point in each game is kinda .. weird?? i guess we are not a clutch team

[Jello Biafra]

21 points giving up

14 points giving up

gotta score more than that to win now days!

now losing by 1 point in each game is kinda .. weird?? i guess we are not a clutch team

this isn't just a "this year" thing guys lol...

this team doesn't have a killer instinct. they just don't.

the front 4 are great players but are they "smoking your azz, punching your momma in the mouth" type players? could be, its just attitude and that is a direct reflection of their co ordinator. the linebackers are missing the "bozworth" type attitude. the dbacks seem to be lost at times and lock down at times.

last year, we had 14 points left on the goal line in the national championship game. we win that game if we punch it in.

byu, we win that game if we can manage to wake these scholarship players up and get them to stop jumping off sides and just freaking run the ball up the middle. we outweigh those dudes by an average of 40 lbs and we cant run the ball between the tackles on those dudes....result, 1 point loss. after holding them to 14 points.

freaking idaho state shut us down on the goalline i think.

miami is on their heels with less than 4 minutes to go in the game 4th and 3 i think it was, and we put 3 on the score board. eventhough, we drove the lenght of the feild by running the ball. anyone remember LSU? result? 1 point loss.

i have been the biggest supplier or the kool aid over the years but the staff needs to wake up and figure out what the problem is. its not the kids. it is the play calling. by both coordinators. stupid stupid calls in situational play.

[the_ouskull]

I am surprised on this website that expectations of the fanbase are often not rooted in reality... obvious deficiencies are overlooked, not taken into account or mocked... when undermanned opponents are defeated, then it's "woo hoo... we're going to the MNC while the deficiences are ignored." After a loss its, "Stoops doesnt earn his money... we need to fire the coordinators..." Maybe a simple understanding that other coaches see the deficiencies that exist and game plan to take advantage of them.

Hell.. before the season started I thought you guys would have 3 losses on the year (and even before injuries occurred)... I believed the OL issues and losing your 2 WRs as well as untested safeties would be too much to overcome.

I felt the same way, and everybody thought that I was an *sshole too. Weird. Regardless, the first paragraph of that quote should be on the home page of this website. Attribute it to me, though. We don't need no f*ggot whorn f*ckin' up our good time. :D

the_ouskull