mojo89
10/13/2009, 12:43 PM
So a few weeks ago I posted that both teams have so many unknowns that it was impossible to figure out who would be the better team coming into this weekend.
This is what I think I know…
OU- Have not watched much of OU this year, more a quarter here or there but this is my general opinion. The loss of Gresham is the single biggest problem for this team. I know losing Bradford hurt and probably cost you the BYU game but I think the Miami game probably would have still been the same. Gresham on the other hand, OU wins both those games by 2 TD’s. He is an impossible match up in the College game, 6’6’’ 250 pounds, great blocker, soft hands, and unstoppable in the red zone….The OL play has been pretty average if not below average (hard to replace what OU had last year) and without multiple play makers at WR your talented RB’s are having to carry more of the load. That is fine except in the red zone where OU’s in ability to provide protection really limits its ability to score TD’s. Defensively, I feel OU has a top 3 nationally front 4, but the LB play and safety play is average imop. Big plays over the middle seem to still get OU into trouble when someone can provide protection. Special Teams- Hard to tell if but you better be able to cover kicks or OU is in for a long day….
Texas- This is a hard team to figure out. Last year Texas played with a certain edge and attitude that I felt would carry over to this team. I was wrong at least offensively. The loss of Cosby and Collins (academics) has made our WR core very suspect and OL cannot run block to save their life. Obanoye brought a toughness and dependability at RB that we did not understand until he was out. We do not have a good RB imop. Whittaker will get the start and he is without question our most talented back but we don’t know much because of injuries. People get excited over different players but in general, I don’t think we have a back that would crack OU’s top 3. McCoy just has not played as well this year. He’s made some terrible decisions and his ball is sailing on his which has led to several interceptions. Defensively we are playing pretty well but I’m not sold on our run defense as the stats are very misleading. We are very fast but very small. If a team would stay committed to running the ball I think they would have great success against this defense. Special teams…We can flat out return kicks. Make a mistake and we are gone. We have 3 kids who can take it to the house at any time. Our coverage teams suck and kicker is good. We need to give up on the rugby style of punting..
So what do I think will/should occur. OU should utilize their defensive front and drop their LB’s and DB’s into coverage. I know people hate this bend and don’t break style of defense but trying to blitz McCoy is playing into his strengths. If you play off, I just don’t see Texas making continuous first downs as we did last year. McCoy is very accurate on short passes and gets rid of the ball quickly. What he is not good at is letting a play develop down the field. He has a tendency to break the pocket and dink the ball underneath or try and run to around end. With our inability to run the ball, there is no reason to move the safeties up to the LOS to stop the run as they should be able to stop the run with their front 4 and LBs. If anything they need to be watching Buckner over the middle. He is a 6’4’’ athletic hybrid. He is not a great blocker but he is a nightmare matchup over the middle for LB’s/safeties. Shipley will make some plays but OU will just need to keep him from the big play down the field. Offensively, OU should attack the edges. Run right off the tackle on sprint runs because we do not do a good job of shedding blockers and pursuing to the edge. Dropping back and trying to throw the ball down field is dangerous against this defense. It is extremely fast and can put pressure on the QB from a variety of places but it is not a physical defense. We do not have any snot bubble play makers (especially at safety) except for Kindle and he tends to disappear throughout a football game.
What should Texas do: Quit trying to run the football as we suck at it. Run the occasional zone read but McCoy needs to run more of the set. We need to attack the middle of the field with Shipley running crossing routes and using Buckner to stretch the field down the middle. Defensively, we need to play closer to the LOS. I don’t see any big play WR’s for OU that makes me think they can beat us regularly down the field. We need to keep our safeties up to prevent Murray from gutting us on the edge. Play ball control and win the field position battle. We need Shipley to make some plays in the return game to win imop.
I always look forward to this game. I don’t care what anyone says but this is best venue in college football. May it never leave The Cotton Bowl, screw jerry world. I will be sitting on the 50 midway up on the first deck (about as good of seats as you can get) ready to soak in another great battle between these two fine universities. Every time I walk into that stadium it brings me immediately back to those 3 games that I was fortunate enopugh to take the field from the tunnel in the ultimate college football game. Here’s to another classic!
So what is my prediction… My heart says, 27 to 20 Texas. My head says our offensive woes will kills us and OU wins 24 to 17
Hook’Em
This is what I think I know…
OU- Have not watched much of OU this year, more a quarter here or there but this is my general opinion. The loss of Gresham is the single biggest problem for this team. I know losing Bradford hurt and probably cost you the BYU game but I think the Miami game probably would have still been the same. Gresham on the other hand, OU wins both those games by 2 TD’s. He is an impossible match up in the College game, 6’6’’ 250 pounds, great blocker, soft hands, and unstoppable in the red zone….The OL play has been pretty average if not below average (hard to replace what OU had last year) and without multiple play makers at WR your talented RB’s are having to carry more of the load. That is fine except in the red zone where OU’s in ability to provide protection really limits its ability to score TD’s. Defensively, I feel OU has a top 3 nationally front 4, but the LB play and safety play is average imop. Big plays over the middle seem to still get OU into trouble when someone can provide protection. Special Teams- Hard to tell if but you better be able to cover kicks or OU is in for a long day….
Texas- This is a hard team to figure out. Last year Texas played with a certain edge and attitude that I felt would carry over to this team. I was wrong at least offensively. The loss of Cosby and Collins (academics) has made our WR core very suspect and OL cannot run block to save their life. Obanoye brought a toughness and dependability at RB that we did not understand until he was out. We do not have a good RB imop. Whittaker will get the start and he is without question our most talented back but we don’t know much because of injuries. People get excited over different players but in general, I don’t think we have a back that would crack OU’s top 3. McCoy just has not played as well this year. He’s made some terrible decisions and his ball is sailing on his which has led to several interceptions. Defensively we are playing pretty well but I’m not sold on our run defense as the stats are very misleading. We are very fast but very small. If a team would stay committed to running the ball I think they would have great success against this defense. Special teams…We can flat out return kicks. Make a mistake and we are gone. We have 3 kids who can take it to the house at any time. Our coverage teams suck and kicker is good. We need to give up on the rugby style of punting..
So what do I think will/should occur. OU should utilize their defensive front and drop their LB’s and DB’s into coverage. I know people hate this bend and don’t break style of defense but trying to blitz McCoy is playing into his strengths. If you play off, I just don’t see Texas making continuous first downs as we did last year. McCoy is very accurate on short passes and gets rid of the ball quickly. What he is not good at is letting a play develop down the field. He has a tendency to break the pocket and dink the ball underneath or try and run to around end. With our inability to run the ball, there is no reason to move the safeties up to the LOS to stop the run as they should be able to stop the run with their front 4 and LBs. If anything they need to be watching Buckner over the middle. He is a 6’4’’ athletic hybrid. He is not a great blocker but he is a nightmare matchup over the middle for LB’s/safeties. Shipley will make some plays but OU will just need to keep him from the big play down the field. Offensively, OU should attack the edges. Run right off the tackle on sprint runs because we do not do a good job of shedding blockers and pursuing to the edge. Dropping back and trying to throw the ball down field is dangerous against this defense. It is extremely fast and can put pressure on the QB from a variety of places but it is not a physical defense. We do not have any snot bubble play makers (especially at safety) except for Kindle and he tends to disappear throughout a football game.
What should Texas do: Quit trying to run the football as we suck at it. Run the occasional zone read but McCoy needs to run more of the set. We need to attack the middle of the field with Shipley running crossing routes and using Buckner to stretch the field down the middle. Defensively, we need to play closer to the LOS. I don’t see any big play WR’s for OU that makes me think they can beat us regularly down the field. We need to keep our safeties up to prevent Murray from gutting us on the edge. Play ball control and win the field position battle. We need Shipley to make some plays in the return game to win imop.
I always look forward to this game. I don’t care what anyone says but this is best venue in college football. May it never leave The Cotton Bowl, screw jerry world. I will be sitting on the 50 midway up on the first deck (about as good of seats as you can get) ready to soak in another great battle between these two fine universities. Every time I walk into that stadium it brings me immediately back to those 3 games that I was fortunate enopugh to take the field from the tunnel in the ultimate college football game. Here’s to another classic!
So what is my prediction… My heart says, 27 to 20 Texas. My head says our offensive woes will kills us and OU wins 24 to 17
Hook’Em