Did anybody notice this?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Its possible Im wrong, but DM was running OK before they brought in Finch in his first series.

But it seems to me that when Murray came back in after watching Finch gash that doody filled defense, he ran harder and better than I've seen him run in a while...Almost like he took it as a challenge..They ran some of the same plays that they ran for Murray, and Finch picked up big yardage instead of the typical 3 or 4 yard that DM would get out of the same play...Then when Murray came back in, he hit some nice runs and showed a higher level of effort.

Not saying the effort wasn't already there, but I think Finch's early work pushed him to step it up even more.

[swardboy]

Believe me, I mentioned to my wife immediately.

[Cornfed]

I do beleive his intensity increased.

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

i noticed that too. i think when he saw what the young kid was doing, he felt the need to pick it up. granted, he was running well before that, but after finch started running, DM definately hit another gear

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Thank you! I told my buddy sitting in the stands and talked to Wake about the same thing back at the tailgate..It was definitely good to see

[Collier11]

I was saying that Demarco ran more like the old Demarco yesterday as far as the jukes and moves. Maybe Finch reminded him what kind of talent he has.

He has ran alot like the old Demarco the last two games

[Collier11]

Everyone else also notice,

Demarco running stronger and stronger

D playing smarter and smarter

Landry getting better and better

Not getting too excited until I see how we play in a HUGE game on the road this weekend but thus far, we look like we are really starting to gel

[JLEW1818]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

[soonercastor]

yep good competition.

[Collier11]

Just in number and stature. Finch ran harder straight forward and has more power behind him IMO. Some of the same moves though

[goingoneight]

It seemed to me, that fair as your argument is to say, that after 10-0, ISU just flat-out ran out of gas up front. The record-tying touchdown as well as the record breaker might have been something he got in there and was motivated to give it that little extra on, but I thought all of the backs looked good for the most part.

[MR2-Sooner86]

I noticed it too. Hopefully it can be a nice trend. I remember back in '08 there were times Brown and Murray had a nice friendly rivalry going when they traded snaps. They seemed to feed off one another. They both went to have over 1,000 yards that season so I'm down for it.

[oudavid1]

i noticed.

DeMarco also turned the wrong way on a screen.

So im mad at him.

[OUthunder]

I said the same thing to the wife sitting in the stands last night. Competition is a good thing and Finch is gonna be a star barring injury.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

Yeah...Q was freakishly strong for a small back even though maybe not as fast as Finch.

I think as a senior RB, especially one that shared the spotlight for 3 years, the thought of another back taking carries and attention away from him might have just pushed him enough to step it up a notch

[A Sooner in Texas]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

I thought immediately of Q when I saw Finch.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

It seemed to me, that fair as your argument is to say, that after 10-0, ISU just flat-out ran out of gas up front. The record-tying touchdown as well as the record breaker might have been something he got in there and was motivated to give it that little extra on, but I thought all of the backs looked good for the most part.

That Iowa State team just didn't come into the game with much excitement..I told my buddy 2 minutes into the game that the ISU body language was already "lets just get this over with"

[soonerboomer93]

yes, I noticed and commented on it

[swardboy]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

I think true football fans won't mind this comparison: I was thinking Barry Sanders.

[oumartin]

coulda been the number finch wore.

Competition makes you better as well.

Murray is a shell of himself though. Go look at his highlights from his freshman and early sophmore years.

[Collier11]

He isnt that far off from his freshman year, he is a little less explosive but is also playing behind a lesser O-line

[VA Sooner]

Nothing like a little friendly competition to elevate your game... good for everyone.

Defensive line needs a little more competition and we should be pretty good.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

He isnt that far off from his freshman year, he is a little less explosive but is also playing behind a lesser O-line

I don't think he is anywhere that type of runner anymore but has changed his style since that top speed isnt there...

[JLEW1818]

oldies, just get ready to get owned tonight in fantasy basketball

[Collier11]

I don't think he is anywhere that type of runner anymore but has changed his style since that top speed isnt there...

Yea he has def changed his style but like I said previously, he did show lastnite that he still has moves. He just doesnt rely on them as much. He is still considered a top 5 RB in the draft so id say NFL guys dont think he has lost a ton overall, wouldnt you say?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

prepared to be t-bagged ho

[Collier11]

oldies, just get ready to get owned tonight in fantasy basketball

Im taking Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson #1 tonight...wait

[JLEW1818]

ha

Aaron Brooks first pick

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Yea he has def changed his style but like I said previously, he did show lastnite that he still has moves. He just doesnt rely on them as much. He is still considered a top 5 RB in the draft so id say NFL guys dont think he has lost a ton overall, wouldnt you say?

We'll see...that 5th RB is likely to be a 3rd round back....I think i've been saying 3rd-4th all along..I can still go along with that

[stoops the eternal pimp]

im taking erick dampeer

[JLEW1818]

Mike Goodson style?

[yermom]

Finch looked like he wanted to keep getting the ball. seemed to have a sense of urgency out there

i'm sure DeMarco saw that too

[BoulderSooner79]

Hard to say from 16 carries and most of it in mop-up, but Finch made me think of Noel Devine - a bit faster than Q.

[missann]

Yes, I noticed immediately. Healthy competition.

[boomermagic]

I'm an ole timer I was thinking Joe Washington or Greg Pruitt..

[boomermagic]

Yes, Step I noticed what you talked about as well..

[MojoRisen]

Murray ussually get's going right about now, he still has the moves. He'll be breaking ankles next week on screens.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

i was going to get into this in a regular post, but this is as good a place as any.

finch came in and did what i expected madu to do from the beginning of the season. unfortunately, some bad decisions by the coaching staff have forced that ship to sail.

i thought the announcers did a good job yesterday of explaining murray's running style. what they didn't mention was how easy it is for an opposing defense to disrupt his style. if a DL gets penetration it lowers his effectiveness by an order of magnitude. this wasn't unlike adrian peterson while he was here, expect peterson had the ability to reverse his field and improvise with his speed.

madu his first 2 years exhibited scatback tendencies. against a scatback you have to clog the running lanes because penetration will absolutely kill you when they cutback. unfortunately, madu at this point in his career runs like a WR - straight up the field with just enough wiggle to keep defenders from teeing off on you.

enter finch and clay -> finch showed you what happens when you penetrate against a scatback. clay showed you his chris brown-like ability to run between 2 guys and neither one of them tackle him until he was 5 yards further downfield. but more importantly, is what the effect that those extra styles had on the opposing D. they were being gashed by finch so they put the breaks on the DL and had them hold position - the only problem was that murray was in the game. he then started to gash them and the D was just reeling from that point on. there isn't enough prep time in the world to get your D to play against 3 different styles of running back. murray was easy to stop, finch would have been hard under any circumstances (elusiveness rules in college football), but now they make each other far better than they were 3 games ago.

you may wonder why they put finch on the field instead of waiting til next year. this is the piece that has been missing from our O. i think stoops smells blood in the water and he's shoring himself up for a run at the title. it doesn't mean we'll get there, but i think our chances went up from near nil to registering on the scale with the debut of our little freshman.

the other thing that has me feeling positive about our chances was the improved play of travis lewis. for the first time in 3 years, he was out there playing like an AA college linebacker. if he sustains that, we have a chance to be really really good.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Finch is gonna be great, but you guys have to remember he came in with the D already getting gassed and frustrated. DM was there from the start before the D was quite as off-balance. Finch benefitted from being a change of pace IMO. A few years from now someone on here is gonna start bitching that Finch is "just a mere shadow of his former self" and act like some other freshman is the savior of the universe. Murray is a great Sooner and a good guy and I think he's been awesome this year. Finch will be too, and I'm ****ing glad we have them both, not to mention the crapload of other guys that "would be starting anywhere but Oklahoma".

[picasso]

I was saying that Demarco ran more like the old Demarco yesterday as far as the jukes and moves. Maybe Finch reminded him what kind of talent he has.

He has ran alot like the old Demarco the last two games

It never ceases to amaze me that people don't think he makes any cuts.:confused:

[cherokeebrewer]

I doubt DeMarco is worried about his starting job. The guy's a warrior...

[agoo758]

I said the same thing to the wife sitting in the stands last night. Competition is a good thing and Finch is gonna be a star barring injury.

Now I'm scared!:eek: :eek:

[Soonerus]

Finch reminded me of Greg Pruitt...

[AlboSooner]

Yup I noticed too.

[delhalew]

coulda been the number finch wore.

Competition makes you better as well.

Murray is a shell of himself though. Go look at his highlights from his freshman and early sophmore years.

No offense because you have point, but I'm tired of hearing comments like that.

To say something positive about Murray, his combination of strength and agility blows me away. I love his grace and ability to protect the ball when he goes up and over.
As a comparison, I often think about AD dive into the endzone(for no good reason) against ISU and breaking a collorbone...whoops. DM is like an acrobat.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I doubt DeMarco is worried about his starting job. The guy's a warrior...

I don't think anybody said he was worried about his job...it has to do with pride and wanting everyone to know your the best..

[SoonerLB]

I was impressed with Finch as well, but to be honest I think that, to a degree, he owes much of his debut success to the fact that Murray, Broyles, and the rest of the offense had already done a good job of wearing down the Cyclone defense. He's gonna be fun to watch though, no doubt about that!

[oumartin]

No offense because you have point, but I'm tired of hearing comments like that.

To say something positive about Murray, his combination of strength and agility blows me away. I love his grace and ability to protect the ball when he goes up and over.
As a comparison, I often think about AD dive into the endzone(for no good reason) against ISU and breaking a collorbone...whoops. DM is like an acrobat.

take offense all you want. fact is injuries have slowed him. He doesn't have the moves nor the speed he did 3 years ago. It's fact. I love DM but it doesn't change the fact he's not near the back that he would have been had he stayed healthy.

[cherokeebrewer]

I don't think anybody said he was worried about his job...it has to do with pride and wanting everyone to know your the best..

I don't think he's a prideful person. He's fought thru injuries, has & is giving his best. He's done that for a long time. It's great to see the young guns do well. We'll need them...but DM is an ultimate team player.

[oumartin]

and now apparently a heisman hopeful. that would be nice to see him get an invite to NY.. a great reward for all he's been through

[Cornfed]

Renaldo Works. Remember his debut?

[StoopTroup]

you may wonder why they put finch on the field instead of waiting til next year. this is the piece that has been missing from our O. i think stoops smells blood in the water and he's shoring himself up for a run at the title. it doesn't mean we'll get there, but i think our chances went up from near nil to registering on the scale with the debut of our little freshman.


I was trying yesterday to express that Stoops is doing some things this year that he hasn't done in the past. It's like he's trying to not just keep guys motivated but he's also giving PT to guys for the long run we have ahead of us.

Do I think Finch is ready to replace DM? Not a chance, but putting Finch in and giving him some PT was definitely the right thing to do last night. I think our guys haven't really been putting the Teams we have on the ropes away and Bob shifted the Team out of first gear against the whorns and last night he shifted into 3rd.

How many gears do we have?

Mizzou is getting ready to find out.

I think STEP mentioned something about the Saving a Red shirt not making sense anymore. I like knowing we're loaded not only in the back field but at Linebacker too. Travis Lewis put on a show for everyone he plays with last night. Any Team that tries to avoid him will meet up with some guys who are ready to put a thumping on them.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

A legitimate run at the title.

A whole bunch of pieces coming together.

All that and on both sides of the ball, we're so YOUNG.

Daddy likey.

[stoopified]

Yup

[soonersweetie]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

Absolutely! Just made me smile!

[StoopTroup]

Years from now will Fans be screaming...."PUT IN THE FINCH!" as code for getting the Team inspired?

[PLaw]

Its possible Im wrong, but DM was running OK before they brought in Finch in his first series.

But it seems to me that when Murray came back in after watching Finch gash that doody filled defense, he ran harder and better than I've seen him run in a while...Almost like he took it as a challenge..They ran some of the same plays that they ran for Murray, and Finch picked up big yardage instead of the typical 3 or 4 yard that DM would get out of the same play...Then when Murray came back in, he hit some nice runs and showed a higher level of effort.

Not saying the effort wasn't already there, but I think Finch's early work pushed him to step it up even more.

Yep, there was a new sense of urgency in Demarco's running after Finch made such a great showing.

But, hey, we're OKLAHOMA where the best play and I don't think Stoops cares if you just set the all time TD record.

It's great for the program - iron sharpens iron.

BOOMER

[PLaw]

Finch reminded me of Greg Pruitt...

Nope, they cloned Q.

BOOMER

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I don't think he's a prideful person. He's fought thru injuries, has & is giving his best. He's done that for a long time. It's great to see the young guns do well. We'll need them...but DM is an ultimate team player.

you don't think he takes pride in being the #1 runningback at OU? if he didn't, he wouldnt be the #1 guy....of course he is a team player..he has also said he came back to ou because he wanted to be "the guy" for a season..

anybody thats ever played football well has been partially been driven by being the best at their position..this young kid comes in and starts getting the ohhhs and ahhhs and it made him come out and show people who he was..

[BoulderSooner79]

I've noticed DM seems to wake-up after the first successful screen pass. He just lights up when he gets the ball in space and the confidence seems to carry over to his rushing plays. I wish we'd get him a screen on the first series :).

[delhalew]

take offense all you want. fact is injuries have slowed him. He doesn't have the moves nor the speed he did 3 years ago. It's fact. I love DM but it doesn't change the fact he's not near the back that he would have been had he stayed healthy.

I was trying to be nice jerky. The FACT is he makes up for his lost step in maturity, strength and agility.
Not bad for "a shell of his former self". That's a dickhead comment. Feel free to take offense to that.

[BoulderSooner79]

I don't think our running scheme is a great match for DM's skills and he doesn't get a lot of big plays out of it. We were a different team in '07 and were much better at power running when he had a few explosive games. Since we went no huddle in '08, it doesn't work that way.

But DM is a *great* fit in our passing game both as a receiver and as a pass blocker. And once the D is gassed or having trouble with our hurry-up, DM has success with the run too. And he is always willing to lower his shoulder and get that 1-2 yards when we really need it. I personal don't think he's lost a lot - the offense just changed around him. And his qualities are very much sought after in the NFL and I think he'll do fine there.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I was impressed with Finch as well, but to be honest I think that, to a degree, he owes much of his debut success to the fact that Murray, Broyles, and the rest of the offense had already done a good job of wearing down the Cyclone defense. He's gonna be fun to watch though, no doubt about that!

in the 2nd quarter? sorry, the fact don't support your conclusion

[picasso]

Finch looked good. You could tell he still doesn't have his legs completely back, or his sharpness as Stoops just said the playback.

[OK2U]

Murray making insane cuts and electrifying runs is fun to watch but they don't win football games.
Touchdowns do.
And HE happens to have scored more than any other player that has worn crimson and cream.
Appreciate what we've got and stop worrying about all that other crap.

[goingoneight]

People really don't seem to know much about Murray. The numbers and record books don't lie, and the only thing injuries have taken from him is PT. He doesn't run a 4.4 now IMO because he's close to 20 lbs heavier than he was as a flashy freshman. He's the premier touchdown maker of the Stoops era. Having him healthy in games changes the outcome, and it changes the way the defense prepares for you. Give him back the boatload of time and missed opportunities due to fluke injuries he's missed and the numbers would be even more impressive, the W's probably as well. No offense to Chris Brown and Madu, but they were never a threat to Florida the way Murray would have been. They both did well, but Murray would have broken some Gator ankles and kept the blitz off of Sam by the time we hit a screen or two. He's only averaging... what? 115 or so on the ground per game right now? How did Heisman Boy in Lincoln do against that Texas D? How did Coach Tupperware's gameplan to run on UT do? He's been priceless so far this season. Whether or not that = Heisman, IDGAS. His play as a RB, a receiver and a special teamer have been a BIG part of the difference so far this year. I don't care if he misses out on every All-Whatever list and award, I hope we have healthy DeMarco all the way to the BCS. He ain't Superman, but he's damned good and all of his haters out there don't appreciate it enough what he's gone through and what he brings to the table. i don't see too many haters here, just mostly the cautiously critical ones at worst, but other boards and people I've heard everywhere are too busy looking at stat sheets or listening to dipshats like Mel Kiper or the Sports Animals talking about how DM is "just okay." Kinda reminds me of how "okay" Sam Bradford, Adrian Peterson and Jermaine Gresham were if you ask me.

[StoopTroup]

People really don't seem to know much about Murray. The numbers and record books don't lie, and the only thing injuries have taken from him is PT. He doesn't run a 4.4 now IMO because he's close to 20 lbs heavier than he was as a flashy freshman. He's the premier touchdown maker of the Stoops era. Having him healthy in games changes the outcome, and it changes the way the defense prepares for you. Give him back the boatload of time and missed opportunities due to fluke injuries he's missed and the numbers would be even more impressive, the W's probably as well. No offense to Chris Brown and Madu, but they were never a threat to Florida the way Murray would have been. They both did well, but Murray would have broken some Gator ankles and kept the blitz off of Sam by the time we hit a screen or two. He's only averaging... what? 115 or so on the ground per game right now? How did Heisman Boy in Lincoln do against that Texas D? How did Coach Tupperware's gameplan to run on UT do? He's been priceless so far this season. Whether or not that = Heisman, IDGAS. His play as a RB, a receiver and a special teamer have been a BIG part of the difference so far this year. I don't care if he misses out on every All-Whatever list and award, I hope we have healthy DeMarco all the way to the BCS. He ain't Superman, but he's damned good and all of his haters out there don't appreciate it enough what he's gone through and what he brings to the table. i don't see too many haters here, just mostly the cautiously critical ones at worst, but other boards and people I've heard everywhere are too busy looking at stat sheets or listening to dipshats like Mel Kiper or the Sports Animals talking about how DM is "just okay." Kinda reminds me of how "okay" Sam Bradford, Adrian Peterson and Jermaine Gresham were if you ask me.

Great Post.

DM really showed he could carry this Team when we struggled against USU. Dude almost single handedly took control of that game

[Collier11]

He is a winner, hands down. He may not drop off 120 yards on 10 carries like he used to be able to but he is still gonna get you 120 yards on 25 carries and there is nothing wrong with that.

And in all honesty he seems to be getting better as the year goes on

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

chris brown was a LOT better than most on this board give him credit for. he wasn't a flashy runner but he consistently moved the chains. he had 116 yards rushing against that florida defense that only had him to worry about. had murray been there, he would have done the same in less carries for different reasons -> they couldn't prepare for 2 styles as well as they did for one.

its why i mentioned clay in my post as well. clay is going to be just as disrespected around here as chris brown was. there is a strong tendency on this board to look at an individual player's ability and correlate that to how the unit/team should play.

but what you see in college football is that as long as an opposing team has decent talent at a couple of positions (which all of the top 10 teams do), they can take away your top 1 or 2 options. whether they do or not depends on how good your 3rd, 4th, and 5th options are compared with them. having multiple styles at running back allows us to be multiple with murray making him a far, far better threat than he is now.

think about finch and him on the field at the same time. murray is so good at being a receiver (the best in college since reggie bush) that he could be the pistol end around back and still go out for pass routes.

[budbarrybob]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

reminded me of a better version than Q :eek:

Ok, maybe, it's been a long dang time since we've had a guy who could make a cut on a dime and give a nickle change.

[cherokeebrewer]

you don't think he takes pride in being the #1 runningback at OU?

In that sense of the word, I'm sure he does. What I think is; it does DM an injustice to suggest he's not giving his best and it took Roy Finch to light his fire.

[achiro]

From my angle(South End Zone) there were a couple of huge holes for Finch on his big runs that Murray wasn't getting. Now whether or not Murray ran harder after I can't say. I will say this though. You put in a fresh set of legs that a defense hasn't prepped for in the first place and there are pretty good odds he can break a few runs that the other guy didn't.

[Howzit]

Not saying the effort wasn't already there, but I think Finch's early work pushed him to step it up even more.

Deer lowered get over yourself.

[NormanPride]

think about finch and him on the field at the same time. murray is so good at being a receiver (the best in college since reggie bush) that he could be the pistol end around back and still go out for pass routes.

This is what has me most excited, but I didn't get to see Finch catch the ball in this game. Once he proves he can do that (as well as pass block) then we can get REALLY excited. Wilson has always shown that he can be as multiple as any coach out there. The more options he seems to have, the better and most of all more consistent his offense seems to be. We have a good corps of WRs now, and we just need to get our running game a bit more consistent, which stems as much from the RBs as it does the OL. Then we can look a lot more like 2008 than 2005.

[Soonermagik]

It was clear to me that they put Finch in to get him ready for next year. Yes, he will be used this year and I'm sure they are hoping to run the table and will need his help. However, next year they lose Madu and Murray, so they need some other guys to have had game experience.

I would love for them to work in Calhoun on some short goal line pounding stuff. Put Calhoun and Millard in the I and pound on some teams. They could put Murray in the slot to keep teams honest.

[OUmillenium]

Everyone else also notice,

Demarco running stronger and stronger

D playing smarter and smarter

Landry getting better and better

Not getting too excited until I see how we play in a HUGE game on the road this weekend but thus far, we look like we are really starting to gel

Before I read every page of this thread, I say credit the coaching staff for this team's improvement.

And I think our line has been outstanding in not getting killer penalties this year. Great job Kevin Wilson. Major improvement.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

It was clear to me that they put Finch in to get him ready for next year. Yes, he will be used this year and I'm sure they are hoping to run the table and will need his help. However, next year they lose Madu and Murray, so they need some other guys to have had game experience.

I would love for them to work in Calhoun on some short goal line pounding stuff. Put Calhoun and Millard in the I and pound on some teams. They could put Murray in the slot to keep teams honest.

can we just get past the fact that calhoun was a 5 star player out of high school? for whatever reason, he hasn't made the transition to the college game. i have my theories on why (it goes back to style), but regardless he's 5th on the depth chart (really 6th when you consider one of the guys in front of him is redshirting).

like it or not, some recruiting classes are better than others regardless of what the recruiting services say. this class may not have been the best in the nation this year, but its the best WE'VE seen in several years.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

In that sense of the word, I'm sure he does. What I think is; it does DM an injustice to suggest he's not giving his best and it took Roy Finch to light his fire.

I understand what your saying...

I think sometimes players have an extra gear, extra something that it takes a little pushing to get out sometimes...I've seen AD fumble a ball and then the next time he carries, he runs a little harder..not saying he doesn't run hard everytime, but it causes them to find a little more...Even though they are on the same team, they also are competing with each other..its healthy

Nothing was meant as disrespect to Murray...To me, I've seen it as a common thing among all athletes..the ability to do a little more

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Deer lowered get over yourself.

i want to hug you

[OUmillenium]

like it or not, some recruiting classes are better than others regardless of what the recruiting services say. this class may not have been the best in the nation this year, but its the best WE'VE seen in several years.

Word ^

[Landthief 1972]

DM is a great all-around back. He's not the most punishing runner, but he can smash in for the extra yardage when needed. He threw some awesome blocks Saturday, upended a defender on one play. He's got great hands, he doesn't fumble, and he's very graceful (think about the run down the sideline vs. Texas...most backs would not have made it in). Like Klatt said, the pro scouts are liking what they see in Murray.

As far as Finch goes, I didn't get to see him in the spring game, so his first run caught me completely off-guard. We haven't had a back fire off the snap that quick in long time. My jaw literally hit the floor. He has phenomenal acceleration out of his stance, and he really seems to have a knack for hitting the hole fast and hard - something that even Peterson struggled with, I recall. It's gonna be a lot of fun watching him play the next few years.

[Soonermagik]

can we just get past the fact that calhoun was a 5 star player out of high school? for whatever reason, he hasn't made the transition to the college game. i have my theories on why (it goes back to style), but regardless he's 5th on the depth chart (really 6th when you consider one of the guys in front of him is redshirting).

like it or not, some recruiting classes are better than others regardless of what the recruiting services say. this class may not have been the best in the nation this year, but its the best WE'VE seen in several years.

I think he has his place. Murray and Madu are bigger than Finch or Clay. We will need a power back for goal line situations next year. I think the coaches aren't all over him, because he lacks speed.

It seems most coaches prefer the home run hitter backs. I understand why, but the power back has his place. I think you're writing him off too quick.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I think he has his place. Murray and Madu are bigger than Finch or Clay. We will need a power back for goal line situations next year. I think the coaches aren't all over him, because he lacks speed.

It seems most coaches prefer the home run hitter backs. I understand why, but the power back has his place. I think you're writing him off too quick.

no disagreements that the power back has his place. our disagreement is with the personnel that fill that roll. my viewpoint is that the power back has already played a ton of snaps this year and picked up some crucial 3rd downs. the cool part of our current power back is that when he is on the field, you can't load the middle because murray will kill you on the edge.

[oumartin]

short yardage= Millard

[Serge Ibaka]

Is the Finch v. Q comparison fair?

I mean, I don't remember as well I should (I was a stupid kid in those days--I liked the Sooners, but I didn't watch religiously). Finch seems a little bigger and stronger than Griffin however.

[adoniijahsooner]

Finch's style is more Demond Parker than Q. The way they fly thru the hole before you even know it.

I never saw Greg Pruitt play

[badger]

no disagreements that the power back has his place. our disagreement is with the personnel that fill that roll. my viewpoint is that the power back has already played a ton of snaps this year and picked up some crucial 3rd downs. the cool part of our current power back is that when he is on the field, you can't load the middle because murray will kill you on the edge.

i c wat u did thar

[StoopTroup]

Finch's style is more Demond Parker than Q. The way they fly thru the hole before you even know it.

I never saw Greg Pruitt play

Greg was awesome

qwQ_JDElmcw

[adoniijahsooner]

Greg was awesome

qwQ_JDElmcw

Thanks....Boy there has been some good backs come through Norman.

[StoopTroup]

Some Finch HS Highlights....

FgvB4ZrAN_8

1:11 in this they talk about Roy

nXcRKqjMHeM

[ThinMan]

Definitely noticed it. Was it competitiveness on Murray's part or did it help him see something when Finch exposed those holes?

Maybe he just caught his breath?

[StoopTroup]

Definitely noticed it. Was it competitiveness on Murray's part or did it help him see something when Finch exposed those holes?

Maybe he just caught his breath?

Maybe Roy went off the field and gave Demarco a tip? Maybe DeMarco gave Roy a tip and when it worked DeMarco got inspired and went back in for more fun.

[btb916]

you may wonder why they put finch on the field instead of waiting til next year. this is the piece that has been missing from our O. i think stoops smells blood in the water and he's shoring himself up for a run at the title. it doesn't mean we'll get there, but i think our chances went up from near nil to registering on the scale with the debut of our little freshman.

the other thing that has me feeling positive about our chances was the improved play of travis lewis. for the first time in 3 years, he was out there playing like an AA college linebacker. if he sustains that, we have a chance to be really really good.[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with you here. I feel really good about this year.

[Soonermagik]

no disagreements that the power back has his place. our disagreement is with the personnel that fill that roll. my viewpoint is that the power back has already played a ton of snaps this year and picked up some crucial 3rd downs. the cool part of our current power back is that when he is on the field, you can't load the middle because murray will kill you on the edge.

I think teams might wise up to the Millard hand off. I think it's a nice wrinkle, but I don't think he's a pure goal line back. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. :D

I'm just saying, let's give Calhoun until next year before we rush to judgment.

[oumartin]

I'm tellin' ya. go jumbo. you got millard roy and demarco.. got two edges or up the gut...

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

demond

oc_TAY44IWg

Q
HhmqTdqbepY

[mightysooner]

Murray seems to prefer catching screens out of the backfield more than running out of it. If you watch the tape on that Cinci game, and you think Murray was giving it is best effort out there, you're crazy. BUT.....he has lost the speed he had when he arrived here. He's nowhere near the same guy he was his freshmen and soph year.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

hard pressed to decide which was Q's better game against texas - 2000 or 2002

edit: sorry, memories. back to your regularly scheduled posting...

[picasso]

Murray seems to prefer catching screens out of the backfield more than running out of it. If you watch the tape on that Cinci game, and you think Murray was giving it is best effort out there, you're crazy. BUT.....he has lost the speed he had when he arrived here. He's nowhere near the same guy he was his freshmen and soph year.

Good lord, he was beaten up just a wee bit in that game.

[BoulderSooner79]

hard pressed to decide which was Q's better game against texas - 2000 or 2002

edit: sorry, memories. back to your regularly scheduled posting...

In '00, we probably win going away with another back. In '02, he carried the team - nothing wrong with those memories :)

[StoopTroup]

It's fun to watch your Heisman Hopeful RB pound on the Opposing Teams Defense for over half a game and then put a Freshman with fresh legs in for a couple of plays and watch him make the opposing Teams Defensive Coaches scramble after he has your team on their heals dying and gasping for breath and then after your Heisman hopeful takes a breather on the bench for a few plays, you send him back in and watch him tear them to shreds.

Good call making the Freshman a Football God even before he knows half the playbook.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

It's fun to watch your Heisman Hopeful RB pound on the Opposing Teams Defense for over half a game and then put a Freshman with fresh legs in for a couple of plays and watch him make the opposing Teams Defensive Coaches scramble after he has your team on their heals dying and gasping for breath and then after your Heisman hopeful takes a breather on the bench for a few plays, you send him back in and watch him tear them to shreds.

Good call making the Freshman a Football God even before he knows half the playbook.

and as i said earlier, he went in with 7 minutes left in the 2nd Quarter

[mehip]

One thing that I noticed in the second quarter Demarco was hammering people when blocking in the backfield and downfield.

[CatfishSooner]

FINCH SHOULD START OVER DM!!!!!!

[Soonermagik]

FINCH SHOULD START OVER DM!!!!!!

Blake Bell... start him over Jones.

[King Barry's Back]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

YEAH! Saturday was the first time I EVER had that thought, but yeah, he had me thinking about Q.

[swardboy]

WISHBONE!!! Murray, Millard, Finch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's only mid-season.....

[goingoneight]

When you're 5-0, you don't burn somebody's redshirt in the second quarter to prepare them for next year. The coaches have wanted Finch out there since fall camp, but they couldn't use him in a walking boot.

[Lott's Bandana]

I'm an ole timer I was thinking Joe Washington or Greg Pruitt..


The way he hit the hole and was all-of-a-sudden in the defensive backfield reminded me of Kenny King on a wishbone belly play.

The kid is fast as hell, but so was AD.

My eyes are seeing "quick" again.

[btk108]

The way he hit the hole and was all-of-a-sudden in the defensive backfield reminded me of Kenny King on a wishbone belly play.

The kid is fast as hell, but so was AD.

My eyes are seeing "quick" again.

Did ya get lucky after the game? yer date was :hot: ;)

[mightysooner]

I didn't get to see the Iowa State game but I pulled up some highlights on youtube last night to see Finch's runs. He definitely reminds me of a super Q with the speed to match the moves. Didn't seem like he had any trouble finding big holes to run through either. He looked impressive! It's like he gets shot out of a cannon as soon as Landry put the ball in his hands.

[goingoneight]

Roy Finch must have been an SEC leftover. He so faaaaaaast...

[SoonerInLubbock]

did Finch remind you of Q?

i see the similarities

I thought that exact same thing. I was ready to start chanting Quuuuuuu!:P

[badger]

You know what's good about not being allowed to sell jerseys with names on the backs? I've got a Colvin and a Finch jersey in my closet right now :D

(I also have a #18... hmmm... drawing a blank here... help)

And yeah, Demarky did seem to run harder after Finch lt it up a little. I don't think D was worried about Finch stealing his roster spot or whatever, I just think it's a "anything you can do I can do better" moment, that's all :)

[NormanPride]

I just watched Finch and Q back to back. The similarities were amazing, really. Both have this leg kick that they do on spin moves that is identical. Finch I think has better acceleration, and Q was harder to bring down because of his ridiculous balance.

[Lott's Bandana]

Did ya get lucky after the game? yer date was :hot: ;)


:twinkies:





;)

[OU_Sooners75]

:twinkies:





;)


you're having twins? :eek:

[Lott's Bandana]

you're having twins? :eek:

I was seeing double Sunday morning.

:(

[OU_Sooners75]

I was seeing double Sunday morning.

:(

Not I. Itfelt like someone was hitting me with a 12 pound sledgehammer Sunday.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I just watched Finch and Q back to back. The similarities were amazing, really. Both have this leg kick that they do on spin moves that is identical. Finch I think has better acceleration, and Q was harder to bring down because of his ridiculous balance.

that's a barry sanders thing.

WWxOPSGE8mI

[NormanPride]

I haven't seen the top-end speed yet to say he's got Sanders or Parker in him. Some of those runs DeMond made were ridiculous - he ran past defenses, not through them. I really think he had some sort of slow motion machine.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I haven't seen the top-end speed yet to say he's got Sanders or Parker in him. Some of those runs DeMond made were ridiculous - he ran past defenses, not through them. I really think he had some sort of slow motion machine.

that was always a weakness of both mark clayton and Q. in college they could use their elusiveness to find the end zone even when the angle got them. when they got to the pros, that just doesn't work because of how big, strong and fast the defenders are.

sanders just ran away from people in college. in the pros, he used some moves at the end of runs, but he also outran most of them too.

[NormanPride]

Finch can get to top speed really damn fast, and that may put him past a lot of people and where no good angles can get him. But it would be nice to see him truly break one and pull away. We need that at the RB position.

[Rocko]

Can we get a video comparison here?