OUmillenium
10/4/2010, 09:51 AM
Article from Tulsaworld. I'm happy the Sooners are undefeated but a little worried about the conservative tendencies shown once these Sooners get a lead...usually around 14 points.
"Oklahoma has been outscored 51-17 in the fourth quarter"
Artful dodgers
by: JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Monday, October 04, 2010
10/4/2010 6:14:14 AM
In five games, Oklahoma has been outscored 51-17 in the fourth quarter. And that, so far, is just fine by the Sooners.
"We're making these games closer than they need to be," said linebacker Travis Lewis, "but we're winning them."
Let's remember this: After Saturday's 28-20 victory over Texas, OU is 5-0.
Last year's OU football club, which didn't attain its fifth victory until Halloween, outscored opponents 74-41 in the fourth quarter.
Surprised? Don't be. Here's the real data:
That team had 12 offensive possessions when trailing in the fourth quarter. A team that lost its first four games by a total of 12 points had 12 chances to score when behind. Those 12 possessions ended with six interceptions, two fourth-downs, a punt, a missed field goal, a field goal and a touchdown.
And the touchdown was Ryan Broyles' long score in the final minutes of a blowout defeat at Texas Tech - otherwise meaningless.
So fourth-quarter scoring can be a bit skewed. Results are what count. And this OU team is producing results.
"Just being on the team last year and not being able to win those fourth-quarter situations, a lot of the guys that were on that team are on this one," offensive tackle Eric Mensik said. "So we know that we just have to keep going and going at it, and as long as we do that, a lot of good things can happen for us."
Mensik said the Sooners get ahead, like they did against Utah State (31-17), Air Force (27-10) and Cincinnati (24-9), "and then towards the end we get a little stagnant." Same thing happened against Texas (28-10).
In reality, this is a team that has shown it has the talent to dominate, but doesn't have the maturity to finish games yet.
Seven offensive players are in their first year as starters. There are six on defense. On the two-deep, 38 of the 47 players listed are in their first or second year.
"I feel like that's the best attribute of a team, when you can come through in close situations," receiver Dejuan Miller said. "When you come through in a close game, or the game is on the line and you need a clutch play, that just shows the true character of a team, to me. And we did that today (against Texas)."
Quarterback Landry Jones' two fourth-quarter blunders in his last two games - an ill-advised pass that was intercepted at Cincinnati and an inexplicable, panic-induced fumble against Texas - were painful for Sooner fans to watch, but should serve him well in the future.
And before OU fans put too much into beating Texas and begin celebrating their team's return to the Big 12's mountaintop, coach Bob Stoops has a familiar caution.
"To me, it's a game," Stoops said. "We've got a whole bunch coming, and this one doesn't matter more than any of those, other than in the South Division.
"Yeah, it's cool. It's great. I was pleased. But we expected to play well. I'm not jumping around thinking we wouldn't. In my mind, I thought we could play better."
"Oklahoma has been outscored 51-17 in the fourth quarter"
Artful dodgers
by: JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Monday, October 04, 2010
10/4/2010 6:14:14 AM
In five games, Oklahoma has been outscored 51-17 in the fourth quarter. And that, so far, is just fine by the Sooners.
"We're making these games closer than they need to be," said linebacker Travis Lewis, "but we're winning them."
Let's remember this: After Saturday's 28-20 victory over Texas, OU is 5-0.
Last year's OU football club, which didn't attain its fifth victory until Halloween, outscored opponents 74-41 in the fourth quarter.
Surprised? Don't be. Here's the real data:
That team had 12 offensive possessions when trailing in the fourth quarter. A team that lost its first four games by a total of 12 points had 12 chances to score when behind. Those 12 possessions ended with six interceptions, two fourth-downs, a punt, a missed field goal, a field goal and a touchdown.
And the touchdown was Ryan Broyles' long score in the final minutes of a blowout defeat at Texas Tech - otherwise meaningless.
So fourth-quarter scoring can be a bit skewed. Results are what count. And this OU team is producing results.
"Just being on the team last year and not being able to win those fourth-quarter situations, a lot of the guys that were on that team are on this one," offensive tackle Eric Mensik said. "So we know that we just have to keep going and going at it, and as long as we do that, a lot of good things can happen for us."
Mensik said the Sooners get ahead, like they did against Utah State (31-17), Air Force (27-10) and Cincinnati (24-9), "and then towards the end we get a little stagnant." Same thing happened against Texas (28-10).
In reality, this is a team that has shown it has the talent to dominate, but doesn't have the maturity to finish games yet.
Seven offensive players are in their first year as starters. There are six on defense. On the two-deep, 38 of the 47 players listed are in their first or second year.
"I feel like that's the best attribute of a team, when you can come through in close situations," receiver Dejuan Miller said. "When you come through in a close game, or the game is on the line and you need a clutch play, that just shows the true character of a team, to me. And we did that today (against Texas)."
Quarterback Landry Jones' two fourth-quarter blunders in his last two games - an ill-advised pass that was intercepted at Cincinnati and an inexplicable, panic-induced fumble against Texas - were painful for Sooner fans to watch, but should serve him well in the future.
And before OU fans put too much into beating Texas and begin celebrating their team's return to the Big 12's mountaintop, coach Bob Stoops has a familiar caution.
"To me, it's a game," Stoops said. "We've got a whole bunch coming, and this one doesn't matter more than any of those, other than in the South Division.
"Yeah, it's cool. It's great. I was pleased. But we expected to play well. I'm not jumping around thinking we wouldn't. In my mind, I thought we could play better."