PLaw
3/8/2010, 10:44 PM
Decent read. Pretty much sums up the state of the Sooners.
Looking back - '09 would-a, could-a, and should-a have been No. 8. Darn injuries. Maybe this year . . . . . . at least there won't many looking out for us.
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Stoops optimistic for 2010
Posted by berrytramelon March 8, 2010M at 1:56 pm You know what the Calvinists — those who believe in predestination — say when they fall down the stairs? Glad that’s over with.
I thought of John Calvin’s sect Monday when Bob Stoops met with the media to discuss spring practice and the 2010 season in general. Stoops was incredibly optimistic for a coach coming off an 8-5 season and with some serious question marks remaining.
And I think it all boils down to this. No way can 2010 go as badly as did 2009, with the rampant injuries (Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham, most everybody on the offensive line) and close losses. Seems like Stoops might be saying, “Glad that’s over with.”
Stoops naturally is a positive person. Positive and optimistic aren’t exactly the same thing but are close. Yet Stoops seemed more gung-ho than normal.
“I’m optimistic about this group, finishing the way we did,” Stoops said, referring to a 27-0 whitewash of Oklahoma State and a 31-27 Sun Bowl victory over Stanford.
OU coach Bob Stoops congratulates Tress Way after a punt during the first half of the Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at the Gaylord Family -- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Stoops went down the list. Said he believes OU will be better at quarterback with a more experienced Landry Jones, better at receiver with guys who got much better later in the year, better in the offensive line because of all the injuries suffered in ‘09.
Stoops also said the defense “has a chance to be every bit as good” as 2009.
I applaud Stoops for his optimism. I don’t agree with it. Not necessarily. Not on all the aforementioned elements.
Quarterback? Receiver? Yes. But OU is automatically going to be better in the offensive line? That’s a less strong limb. The Sooners will be without likely first-round draft choice Trent Williams, plus veterans Brian Simmons and Brody Eldridge. Sure, Simmons and Eldridge were hurt for half the 2009 season, but the guys who filled in did not instill assurance that 2010 will be better.
Let’s take a closer look at the line. Tackles Jarvis Jones and Cory Brandon were so-so last year, and while junior Donald Stephenson draws raves, he’s never so much as played and has been in trouble on occasion, leading to a 2009 suspension. Guards Stephen Good, Tyler Evans and Tavaris Jeffries played last season — not very well — but still could develop. It’s not kooky to think two of them could develop into solid blockers. And at center, Ben Habern was decent last season as a redshirt freshman before a late injury, but Gabe Ikard could push him for the position this year.
OU has some options on the O-line. It has some prospects. But to say with assurance that this line will be better, well, I just don’t see how we can know that.
Stoops questioned the offensive line a year ago before spring practice. He in essence saw some of the problems coming. This year, he says the O-line has been “one of our best groups” in off-season work. “I’m pleased with where they’re at, at the work they’ve done.”
I also think it’s a stretch to believe the 2010 defense can be “every bit as good” as the 2009 defense. Mainly because the ‘09 was fantastic. The 2009 defense had its failures, but for the most part, the ‘09 Sooners played championship-caliber defense.
To meet that standard, OU has got to replace both cornerbacks (Dom Franks and Brian Jackson) plus defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who might be the first pick in the NFL Draft. That seems like a mighty mission.
Just at tackle, OU had McCoy and a healthy Adrian Taylor all season, until Taylor’s broken ankle vs. Stanford. Now the Sooners will have promising youngster JaMarkus McFarland and a recovering Taylor. The ends will be better — Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander are a year older — and so will the linebackers (more athletic). But the dropoff in the interior is a lot to make up.
In the secondary, cornerbacks can be difference-makers immediately. Stoops is high on Demontre Hurst and Jonathan Nelson, with good reason.
If the Sooner defense justifies Stoops’ optimism and is “every bit as good” as its predecessor, 2010 indeed could be a special year. But it will need help from those offensive linemen. Stoops had better be right about them, too.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
Looking back - '09 would-a, could-a, and should-a have been No. 8. Darn injuries. Maybe this year . . . . . . at least there won't many looking out for us.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++
Stoops optimistic for 2010
Posted by berrytramelon March 8, 2010M at 1:56 pm You know what the Calvinists — those who believe in predestination — say when they fall down the stairs? Glad that’s over with.
I thought of John Calvin’s sect Monday when Bob Stoops met with the media to discuss spring practice and the 2010 season in general. Stoops was incredibly optimistic for a coach coming off an 8-5 season and with some serious question marks remaining.
And I think it all boils down to this. No way can 2010 go as badly as did 2009, with the rampant injuries (Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham, most everybody on the offensive line) and close losses. Seems like Stoops might be saying, “Glad that’s over with.”
Stoops naturally is a positive person. Positive and optimistic aren’t exactly the same thing but are close. Yet Stoops seemed more gung-ho than normal.
“I’m optimistic about this group, finishing the way we did,” Stoops said, referring to a 27-0 whitewash of Oklahoma State and a 31-27 Sun Bowl victory over Stanford.
OU coach Bob Stoops congratulates Tress Way after a punt during the first half of the Bedlam college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) at the Gaylord Family -- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Stoops went down the list. Said he believes OU will be better at quarterback with a more experienced Landry Jones, better at receiver with guys who got much better later in the year, better in the offensive line because of all the injuries suffered in ‘09.
Stoops also said the defense “has a chance to be every bit as good” as 2009.
I applaud Stoops for his optimism. I don’t agree with it. Not necessarily. Not on all the aforementioned elements.
Quarterback? Receiver? Yes. But OU is automatically going to be better in the offensive line? That’s a less strong limb. The Sooners will be without likely first-round draft choice Trent Williams, plus veterans Brian Simmons and Brody Eldridge. Sure, Simmons and Eldridge were hurt for half the 2009 season, but the guys who filled in did not instill assurance that 2010 will be better.
Let’s take a closer look at the line. Tackles Jarvis Jones and Cory Brandon were so-so last year, and while junior Donald Stephenson draws raves, he’s never so much as played and has been in trouble on occasion, leading to a 2009 suspension. Guards Stephen Good, Tyler Evans and Tavaris Jeffries played last season — not very well — but still could develop. It’s not kooky to think two of them could develop into solid blockers. And at center, Ben Habern was decent last season as a redshirt freshman before a late injury, but Gabe Ikard could push him for the position this year.
OU has some options on the O-line. It has some prospects. But to say with assurance that this line will be better, well, I just don’t see how we can know that.
Stoops questioned the offensive line a year ago before spring practice. He in essence saw some of the problems coming. This year, he says the O-line has been “one of our best groups” in off-season work. “I’m pleased with where they’re at, at the work they’ve done.”
I also think it’s a stretch to believe the 2010 defense can be “every bit as good” as the 2009 defense. Mainly because the ‘09 was fantastic. The 2009 defense had its failures, but for the most part, the ‘09 Sooners played championship-caliber defense.
To meet that standard, OU has got to replace both cornerbacks (Dom Franks and Brian Jackson) plus defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who might be the first pick in the NFL Draft. That seems like a mighty mission.
Just at tackle, OU had McCoy and a healthy Adrian Taylor all season, until Taylor’s broken ankle vs. Stanford. Now the Sooners will have promising youngster JaMarkus McFarland and a recovering Taylor. The ends will be better — Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander are a year older — and so will the linebackers (more athletic). But the dropoff in the interior is a lot to make up.
In the secondary, cornerbacks can be difference-makers immediately. Stoops is high on Demontre Hurst and Jonathan Nelson, with good reason.
If the Sooner defense justifies Stoops’ optimism and is “every bit as good” as its predecessor, 2010 indeed could be a special year. But it will need help from those offensive linemen. Stoops had better be right about them, too.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.